Steven
Time is Money!
For many business travelers time is the most precious resource they have. Today I wanted to highlight a tip on saving time while traveling.
The Hilton Garden Inn brand has been forward thinking with how to interrogate technology and the travel industry. It started with being able to book via your smart phones. Now you can print from you smart phone device or laptop to our business center from anywhere! Most business travelers generally are never more then a foot away from their blackberry, Iphone or Laptop. Ease of access to their personal information including email, spreadsheets, and contacts is essential. Yet where does the business traveler go when they need to print something quickly for a meeting or interview? They could use the blackberry or Iphone and find the closest Kinko’s drive over their, sit down at a computer upload the information and then print…30 to 45 minutes later they could be at their meeting. OR… Now they can print from any of their mobile devices to the printer in any Hilton Garden Inn Business center and have it waiting in the printer que for them to come release. You don’t even have to be on the hotels wireless network. Land in Harrisburg even before you pick up your rental car you could be sending your print job to our business center to pick up right after you check in. You can even print your next boarding passes to our printer while you are still at on the road!
Here is a link to the Printer On Website for directions on how to print to the Hilton Garden Inn Lancaster for you next visit!
(Work Smart)
Until Next Tuesday Travel Safe and Smart!
~Jason W. Deeds
I love this time of year. It’s not just the beautiful weather, I love the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available everywhere. The Great Pennsylvania Flavor Fest is this weekend at the PA Renaissance Faire. Cooking demos, wine tasting and live music are featured at Flavor Fest. Foodies will also enjoy the many farmers markets in Lancaster County. Central Market is in downtown Lancaster and the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market is located on Route 340 in the heart of Amish country. Another farmer’s market on Water Street in Lititz will be open on May 29,2010 from 8am- 12pm. The Lititz farmer’s market has music and fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods. For those foodies not afraid to go off the beaten path, try one of the local farm stands. You will not be disappointed with the home grown fruits and vegetables here in Lancaster County.
What a great exhibit for Lancaster city. Get out and explore the city and make some noise!
Keys for the city is a project of twenty custom designed pianos set throughout the city as in interactive art exhibit. This is another great example of Lancaster’s exploding art scene. Created by Music for Everyone, a non-profit based in Lancaster PA.
“The pianos are intended to engage the public by inspiring people to stop and strike a few keys or play an entire piece,” said John Gerdy, president of Music For Everyone. “This project is a literal expression of what this organization is about – Music For Everyone.”
You might even catch me sipping on a square one coffee and pounding on the keys!
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Beware the lower rates, there can sometimes be strings attached.
Many hotel chains, including our own, are offering on-line “Advance Purchase” room rates. This program rewards people who book in advance extending reduced room rates of varying amounts based on how much in advance the purchase is made. The advance purchase is a purchase and requires payment at the time of confirming a reservation. The payment is nonrefundable and the reservation is unchangeable.
While these rates are great bargains for many travelers, they can sometimes become a bit of a headache when a traveler’s plans make a sudden change. Many people have called and asked if they can change the dates of their reservation and pay a higher rate, and are more than a little frustrated to find out that we are unable to accommodate the requested changes.
When booking your next hotel stay online, if this rate is available to you, take a quick moment and remember these rates are a great deal, but if you are not 100% sure of your travel plans it could cost you more in the long run.
Mount Hope Strawberry Wine Punch
1 Bottle Mt. Hope Strawberry Wine
2 10 oz. Packages Frozen Sliced Strawberries
¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
1 6 oz. Can Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
1 Cup Chilled Pineapple Juice
1 20 oz. Bottle Chilled Club Soda or Lemon/Lime Soda
In punch bowl combine berries, sugar and wine. Let stand for 30 minutes. To serve, add lemonade concentrate and pineapple juice and soda. Serve over ice. Enjoy!
Pink Lemonade
4 oz. Mount Hope Pink Catawba
2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 oz. Orange Juice
2 oz. Simple Syrup
Lemon Slice
Cherry
Serve over ice in goblet. Garnish with lemon slice and cherry. Enjoy!
Mount Hope Sangria Wine Punch
1 Bottle Mount Hope Sangria
1 Quart grape juice
1 Quart pineapple juice
1 Quart cranberry juice
1 Can Lemon/Lime Soda
Splash Vanilla Extract
Orange, lemon and lime wedges
Combine all ingredients. Serve over ice. Garnish with fruit. Enjoy!
Sample some great wine and experience the PA Renaissance Faire when you book the PA Ren Faire package at the Country Inn & Suites Manheim. Package includes hotel accommodations, deluxe continental breakfast, 2 adult tickets to the Faire, $10 gift card for the Mount Hope Wine & Gift Shop, and $20 in Coins of the Realm to be redeemed on the faire grounds. Contact us at 717-665-5440, toll free at 1-877-720-1202, or online at www.countryinns.com/manheimpa. Long live the Queen!
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Mother’s Day 2009 I took my mom to watch the Make-A-Wish Convoy. That was all she wanted and we had the best time!! Although my mom and I sat along the route, my friend took her 3 grandsons to see the trucks and play games at Burle Industries on New Holland Pike. They go every year and have the best time while giving back to the community.The best part is seeing the Make-A-Wish children smiling in the big rigs!!
The activities start at Burle Industries at 8:30 am with kid’s games, live bands and great food. The Make-A-Wish Convoy leaves Burle Industries at 1:30 pm.
Happy Mother’s Day to all!
The saying goes “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Well if the General Assembly of Tennessee has it’s way we might have to change the saying to “There is no such thing as a complimentary breakfast.” The General Assembly wants to charge guest tax on their hotels’ complimentary breakfasts as a way to boost tax revenue.
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Brewfest at Mt. Hope Estate and Winery will take place Saturday May 15, 2010. The Swashbuckler Brewery and Restaurant will be open on May 14 ahead of Brewfest. For those visiting Lancaster, the Mt. Hope Estate and Winery is just 15 minutes from the Route 283/30 split, north on Manheim Pike (Route 72).This is just the first of many summer events at the Mt. Hope Estate and Winery for 2010. For more information on Mt. Hope Estate and Winery, Brewfest, Celtic Fling and the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire please visit http://www.parenfaire.com.
This May, don’t miss the Herb & Garden Faire at the Landis Valley Museum! Enjoy perusing the wares of over 85 vendors, featuring many products ranging from seeds and plants, to herbal teas and seasonings, to local arts and crafts. Stop by Landis Valley’s own Heirloom Seed Project Marketplace. The Heirloom Seed Project preserves the varieties of vegetables, herbs, and ornamental plants that were important in the early PA German community. The Herb & Garden Faire will take place on Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, from 9am to 5pm. Admission is $8.
Anytime you’re in Lancaster, take a peak back in time at the early, rural PA German culture at the Landis Valley Museum. There is something for everyone, including hands-on activities for the kids, and it can be enjoyed in all seasons. Regular hours are Monday – Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday 12N-5pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for youth (3-11). For more information, visit www.landisvalleymuseum.org
To complete your Lancaster County experience, book your hotel stay at the Manheim Country Inn & Suites, surrounded by beautiful farmland, just a few miles north of downtown Lancaster. Call 717-665-5440 or 877-720-1202, or go online at www.countryinns.com/manheimpa
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Your Tuesday Travel Tip for April 27th 2010:
Checking your Room Type Guarantee vs. Room Preference.
Lately with more and more travelers choosing to book online we are seeing some confusion in the difference between “Guaranteed Room Types” and “Room Preferences”. The online booking sites will not always be able to guarantee traveler’s room type but they will put down the traveler’s room type preference. Many travelers unknowingly assume this is a guarantee for their room type. While all hotels will try and match all of the room requests to the preferences, it can become difficult during the peak seasons and those guests who are not guaranteed will sometimes end up with rooms types they did not request.
What can sometimes compound the issue is that many rates through the online booking systems are advanced purchase rooms which are nonrefundable bookings. While this will get travelers a lower rate, there is little to no flexibility if you need to change your reservation dates.
For many travelers, room type may not matter as long as they have a bed to sleep in. There are circumstances, though, where room type is VERY important for the travels. Parents traveling with 2 children would become very disappointed to find at check in that they only had one king bed rather then the two queen beds. Or a guest requesting a king bed for their anniversary would be a little upset to find two double beds at check in.
So what can travlers do?
1. If you are booking online read through the confirmation completely and make sure your room type is guaranteed, and if the reservation is non-refundable make sure everything is correct before you submit the payment button.
2. If you are confused at all about the reservation call the hotel directly and ask to speak with one of their “In House” reservation staff. They will be able to help you directly with any concerns you may have.
We as hoteliers never want a guest to check-in and be disappointedwith their room or the customer service they receive. With peak season being right around the corner we are expecting to see more online bookings and this issue may arise more often. So while the hotels will do what they can to make sure travelers are getting what they desire at check-in, travelers can also take it into their own hands to make sure their stays are as stress free and enjoyable as possible!
Until next Tuesday, good travels and safe returns.
~Jason W. Deeds
