Sheraton Colorado Springs

The Sheraton Colorado Springs is located about 15 minutes from the airport and provides a convenient and cheaper alternative for those traveling for business to The Broadmoor up the street.

I snagged an internet rate for $109 which included breakfast for two. As a member of the Starwood Preferred Guest Program I then wound up being upgraded to the Club Level which negate dthe need for the breakfast for two price that I paid.

While I stayed at this property two years ago and stayed on the same floor it wasn't club level at that time. The room was nice, but nothing special and despite the upgrade it didn't include free internet access. That was still an extra $9.95 a day. So I did what everyone or at least almost everyone else did and use one of the two computers in the self serve business center for free. Not as convenient, but certainly cheaper if you are just checking e-mail for a few minutes.

The club lounge is open from 6:30-9:00 am M-F for breakfast. The hot food selection is limited to scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, but there is a wide variety of cereals, fruits and pastries. Frankly I miss the make your own waffle option that LaQuinta and Fairfield offers. Also note that on weekends the club is closed for breakfast so that is a minus.

In the evenings the club is open from 5:30-8:00 pm Su-Th for snacks and some hot food. This was generally far better than breakfast, but note once again the limited number of days the club is open. Frankly I think this defeasts the whole idea of having a club to papmer your best guests when you close on the weekends.

The one meal I ate in the hotel was at Rickenbackers, a sports bar. The food was adequate and the atmosphere was fine, but I did wish there was a non-smoking section.

The Sheraton offers a free airport shuttle and frequently runs a morning and afternoon shuttle to the Broadmoor . A taxi ride to the Broadmoor will run around $9 depending on traffic if you ae going to the West entrance whcih is in the back of the hotel.

All in all the Sheraton offers a good value and a pleasant experience. I won't say it's the cheapest since there are other mid priced properties in the area, but it is worth a look as a full service hotel and alternative to the Broadmoor.

Jocks and Jills

There isn't anything special about this Atlanta Sports bar except it's convenient location in the CNN Center. This gives the restaurant a steady stream of business from tourists visiting CNN as well as convention attendees from the Georgis World Congress Center across the street or sports fans attending a game at the Georgia Dome down the street.

The menu has the standard burgers and fries but also has a pulled pork sandwich which I tried and thought was pretty good for a sports bar.

With six television's running different sporting events this is a great place for the sports fanatic looking for a decent meal and good atmosphere.

Fairfield Inn Atlanta Downtown

The Fairfield Inn is conveniently located to the downtown area of Atlanta. Just off the freeway it can be a little noisy as the property was obviously converted from an old motel to the Fairfield standard.

When I got off the elevator I was unexpectedly greeted by the hot Atlanta air. After a long walk I finally found my room and was disappointed to discover that all the rooms faced outside. My disappoitment was not only based on the outdoor noise, but also the lack of security this design presents.

The rooms were actually very nice and the free breakfast and free wireless internet were a big plus. The price was just $80 a night with the AAA rate. A real bargain for downtown Atlanta.

If you are coming in for a convention at the Georgia World Congress Center, it is only about 15 minutes away by foot or if you can take a cab. With the Sheraton one block away and the other major hotels only 2-3 blocks away you are very close to the hub of convention activity.

One other caveat. If they are experiencing a heavy check out like they did when I arrived you won't be able to check in until 3 pm or later.

Society Hill Sheraton

This property is located on Dock Street about 2 blocks from the Delaware river and 4 blocks from Constitution Hall.

The room I had overlooked the atrium and was quite nice overall. One thing that bothered me was that I was in a Starwood Preferred Guest non-smoking room , but as soon as I entered the room it reaked of tobacco. To confirm this my wife remarked when I unpacked at home complained that my clothes smelled like cigarettes.

My room was $159 which was reasonable given the location of the hotel, but this property like too many others across the country haven't yet adopted the free internet access model yet that I personally crave.

Also if you bring a car your only choice is to use valet parking for $25 a night. There is some limited street parking, but don't count on it during a weekday.

Shops and restuarants are all within walking distance making this a good choice for your next visit to Philly.