One Thousand Choices
Written: Oct 13 '00 (Updated Oct 13 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great Chain for Frequent Business Travelers
Cons: None
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| lap0530's Full Review: Hampton Inns |
Hampton Inns
I travel on business virtually every week, and Hampton Inns and the Hampton Inn & Suites have become my first choice for business travel lodging accommodations. There are a number of reasons for that choice, and in this review I discuss the most significant ones for me, which include value, convenience, the 100% satisfaction guarantee, and the frequent guest program.
Before I discuss these reasons, I would like to comment on the Hampton chain. With more than 1,000 locations, one is virtually assured of finding a Hampton Inn room or suite in almost any location in the U.S. and a few international locations. Each room comes with a guarantee of the following features:
• Free local telephone calls
• A data port in every room
• A choice of smoking or non-smoking rooms
• Free breakfast bar
• Free premium movie channel
• A coffee maker in every room
• An iron and ironing board in every room
• Complimentary newspaper
While every room has at least the above list of amenities, the actual rooms vary greatly from location to location in size, other amenities, luxury, and level of service. I have stayed in a Hampton Inn in Mobile, AL that met all the above conditions, and was only $49 for a night. However, the room was tiny in comparison with a $59 (introductory rate) room in the Convention Center Hampton Inn in New Orleans, which is a converted warehouse. In addition to all of the above, the New Orleans hotel featured a giant suite with sofa, four-poster bed, microwave, refrigerator, two separate phone lines, work area with desk, sitting area with table, walk-in closet, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi that was about the same size as the entire room in Mobile! In addition, the New Orleans hotel had an exercise room. I realize that I was lucky to get such a room for $59, and the next time I attempted to make a reservation there, the room was a more realistic $149.
Value
For travelers on a limited budget, Hampton Inns will typically have mid-range to low-range prices. The addition of a free breakfast to the price of the stay gives the traveler a little more money for lunch and dinner. In addition, the Hamptons located near airports invariably offer free shuttle service. Every Hampton I have stayed in also has given me a 24-hour supply of coffee, tea, and fruit juice in the lobby or the breakfast area. The free local calls and free premium movie channels are also valuable. I once stayed at a Ramada in Denver and found that I was charged 75¢ every time I used my computer to dial up for e-mail access, even though I used a toll-free number. By contrast, the Hampton Inn at the Orlando Airport not only had free local calls, but an Ethernet connection (free for an introductory period) in the room.
Convenience
Hampton has an excellent web site (www.hampton-inn.com) that is easy to navigate. It is very convenient for checking rates and availability, examining the details of a particular location, and making online reservations. The chain also has a toll-free telephone reservations system (1-800-HAMPTON) that makes finding and booking a room convenient. Hampton has a practice of offering an everyday best rate, which is often lower than the advertised corporate and government rates.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
I have stayed at Hampton locations as widely divergent as Paducah and Orlando. Though there have been occasions where I wished that a particular property had a feature such as an elevator to the second floor, I have never had occasion to complain. In many properties, I am greeted by mints, bottles of water, cookies, snack mix, and fresh fruit in my room. I realize that not everyone gets the same preferred guest treatment, however. But all guests can be assured that if they are not 100% satisfied, they will not pay for that particular part of their stay.
Frequent Guest Program
One reason I am so well treated by the Hampton staff is that I am a Gold member of the Hilton HHonor Frequent Guest Program, in which Hampton participates. This "double dipping" program allows me to accumulate both program points and frequent flyer miles on the carrier of my choice with every Hampton stay. I get preferred check-in and check-out, preferred rooms, and general VIP treatment. The HHonor program is one of the best, if not THE best, of the frequent quest programs.
Conclusion
Though not a luxury chain by any means (though there are luxurious exceptions such as the Convention Center and St. Charles Avenue locations in New Orleans), Hampton will provide a clean, comfortable, and predictable lodging experience in any of the 1,000 locations. If you haven't yet stayed at a Hampton, I recommend them highly.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lap0530
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Anderson, SC
Reviews written: 122
Trusted by: 332 members
About Me:
Psychology and management professor and business consultant
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