I never thought I'd sing the praises of Super 8

I never thought I’d be touting the wonders of the Super 8 motel chain. But on my recent trip going-and-coming from Florida it was my new go-to place for overnight stays., The initial reason? Price. Okay, I've stayed in cheap motels before and wasn't expecting much – worn down furniture and stained carpets with a modicum of cleanliness. But upon checking in to the chain at my usual overnight stop en route to Fla – Macon, Georgia – I was delighted by what I got for 66.54 US (93.46 CAD). The motel has just undergone a renovation, and the spic and span room featured laminated wood flooring, a midcentury style upholstered chair, a separate desk and chair, and king size bed with ample pillows. There was also a fridge and a microwave. And plenty of space. The chain also has a coffee shop and offers continental breakfast. The entire suite had a contemporary upscale feel. I’ve stayed in hotels three times the price (I’m looking at you, Hilton Garden Inn, Dorval QC, Sept 2024) where more than $300 didn't even get us breakfast. Or the faded Chrome Hotel in downtown Montreal last October where there was a fridge but no microwave. We had to warm-up food in the laundry where there was a small microwave on a corner table, necessitating elevator rides and a lot of walking). And on my return trip from Florida this past weekend I stayed at the Super 8 in Farragut (west side Knoxville) TN.  An older building so not quite to the fresh standards of the Macon motel but nonetheless a spacious suite and all the amenities. 

I had to laugh at the news WestJet decided to cancel installing new rows of seats in its 737 jets after a backlash that the “pitch” or room between them was ridiculously close. WestJet is following the road of many wannabe discount airlines by trying to maximize profits from every square inch of space and service. But this time it backfired. And this airline, a onetime bright spot in the Canadian industry as a respectable alternative to Air Canada, suffered a major black eye. Increasingly I find discount airlines the bane of travel. Flying from Prague to London UK last fall we were booked on Wizz, the Hungarian discounter. I’d never seen an airline so obviously trying to squeeze as much revenue out of its operation as possible. For example, I’d never boarded a flight at the same time as the passengers on the previous flight were still getting off! And between flights the cabin crew donned hi-vis vests and turned into janitors as they went about cleaning up garbage from the previous flight. And beware if you don’t follow booking requirements to a T. For example, you’ll be charged for not checking–in electronically for your flight beforehand. In our case we deliberately didn't because we wanted seats together because one of us is disabled and there was no 1-800 number to call to reserve, as there is with mainstream airlines. No pity; we got charged.

Everyone talks about how wonderful Costa Rica is, the Central American country offering bucolic jungle landscapes with myriad waterfalls and white rafting rivers, not to mention great ocean vistas. So last month I decided to book one month in a rural but relatively touristy area on the Atlantic side. The hotel featured self-contained cottages on a hill with an ocean view. Self-contained meaning cooking for yourself. Okay, so where was the nearest grocery? According to Google Maps, just down the hilly road a few hundred feet. Then I decided to go on Google Street View and look at what that road looked like as well as the “mini mart.” Strictly "Third World," shall we say, with the mart looking nothing at all like a grocery but a tumbled down shack. The adjacent highway had the odd cafe along it but, again, rather dilapidated.  What about the beach? The beach road was strewn with cars parked haphazardly on and off it. This hardly looked inviting and scenic. I quickly cancelled the hotel within half an hour of booking it – the fastest vacay rental turnaround I've ever done. 

- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller

Despite the "cold" it's good to be back in St. Pete

After being away six years it's good to be back in St. Petersburg, Fla (not the other one!). I have been coming to what Snowbirds call "Paradise" (though locals may demur somewhat) for well over a decade. I've stayed on the beach strip and then downtown (top photo) close to the restos, clubs and galleries scene in a very pedestrian-friendly core (so unlike the concrete canyons of Tampa across the Bay) until the family that ran the small group of vintage 1920s cottages sold out to a developer and the block is now one of St. Petersburg's latest new condos (photo below). In fact St. Pete is booming like I've never seen it. Post-Covid it's like half of America has discovered this sun-drenched, warm (well, not over the past week) and bucolic urban oasis with its mixture of amenities, parks, historic neighborhoods and of course miles upon miles of beaches. A recent Saturday was so clogged with traffic that I simply decided to stay in my car than trying to find a parking space, and then

crawled in bumper to bumper traffic all along the Central Ave. spine, the city's entertainment district that has now expanded by blocks upon blocks of new restaurants, cafes and pubs. Driving back to the beach strip, where I'm staying this trip, was like a reprieve. I used to stay on the beach but got fed up that it was too touristy and that my rental had the world's worst internet, so moved DT to feel like a regular. But back on the beach - actually across the street - is really pretty good and I've booked a similar place a few blocks away for next winter. There are some restos and cafes - even a nature preserve - and of course you can just cross the street to the sand, as opposed to having to drive miles and compete for parking on hot beach days. I got bumped to this place after a similar suite a few miles south got sold. Prior to that a suburban house I'd booked also got sold and the alternative was less than adequate. It seems real estate is the top industry here. A neighbor in this complex, from Colorado, owns six vacation rentals. Signs abound for properties for sale or rent. Realty offices are everywhere. My current complex was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton in 2024. My apartment was apparently among the least damaged and other properties are still in a state of repair. But prices aren't cheap. I used to love shopping at grocery chain Publix but not anymore, when so many items - dollar for dollar - are just as expensive as back home or amazingly even more so, and then add the exchange rate. Wal-Mart cuts the cost by about a third. And restaurant prices are insane. A hole-in-the-wall Grouper joint up the street charged $35.41 US ($47.85 CAD) for an otherwise bland sandwich and a beer. Forget about dining out! And did I tell you about the cold? The past two weeks have been weather-crazy, with overnight lows in the high 30s - snowflurries were spotted inland this weekend - and daytimes getting into the 50s. There have been beach days of 70-plus but just a few. Still, sunshine almost universally abounds, the pristine white sand beach is wide and stretches forever, and despite the "cold" it's a hell of a lot better than sifting through the drifts back home.  

- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller