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 freezer 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.