Best Western?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 37
From: Rockland County, NY
Best Western?
It's ironic that these guys are the chosen hotel chain for HOGs.
I had a bad experience with them years ago and vowed never to stay at another one.
Corporate customer service explains that each is privately owned and not under their control so they cannot remedy any disputes you may have.
On a bike trip last month with several friends we ended up at a BW near Albany, NY much to my chagrin.
First issue, HOGs membership didn't get us a discount even though it's listed as a benefit of HOGs. (Other affiliations did.)
Second, I've never been refused safe bike parking at any hotel I've stayed at.
When I asked the desk mgr if we could park under the canopy in an out of the way place he first agreed. (Big rain storm was expected overnight.) When we all moved over and parked our bikes the guy came out screaming like a little girl that we had to get out of there right now. Says he thought we wanted to park out in the rain by the front entrance. A place we could have parked without asking and that provided us no shelter, security or convenience whatsoever.
I violated my promise to myself never to stay at Best Western after a bad experience more than ten years ago. I violate that promise once and it turns out like that.
That was the worst of it though. The place was adequate at best.
I had a bad experience with them years ago and vowed never to stay at another one.
Corporate customer service explains that each is privately owned and not under their control so they cannot remedy any disputes you may have.
On a bike trip last month with several friends we ended up at a BW near Albany, NY much to my chagrin.
First issue, HOGs membership didn't get us a discount even though it's listed as a benefit of HOGs. (Other affiliations did.)
Second, I've never been refused safe bike parking at any hotel I've stayed at.
When I asked the desk mgr if we could park under the canopy in an out of the way place he first agreed. (Big rain storm was expected overnight.) When we all moved over and parked our bikes the guy came out screaming like a little girl that we had to get out of there right now. Says he thought we wanted to park out in the rain by the front entrance. A place we could have parked without asking and that provided us no shelter, security or convenience whatsoever.
I violated my promise to myself never to stay at Best Western after a bad experience more than ten years ago. I violate that promise once and it turns out like that.
That was the worst of it though. The place was adequate at best.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,580
Likes: 7
From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)
1) Each location is different. You had a bad one.
2) Leave a review for that particular location on Googlemaps ("Hotels near _______ ")
Find the hotel and then find the area for reviews.
I travel a lot for work, and look for hotels via googlemaps. The ones with bad reviews get knocked off my list. I am sure that I am not the only one who avoids bad hotels.
The googlemap review would be a good way for you to get some revenge. (small as it might be).
But I will add that some of the Best Westerns are good.
All the hotel chains have some bad locations (bad management).
Some cities, it's almost impossible to find any hotel worth sleeping in!
2) Leave a review for that particular location on Googlemaps ("Hotels near _______ ")
Find the hotel and then find the area for reviews.
I travel a lot for work, and look for hotels via googlemaps. The ones with bad reviews get knocked off my list. I am sure that I am not the only one who avoids bad hotels.
The googlemap review would be a good way for you to get some revenge. (small as it might be).
But I will add that some of the Best Westerns are good.
All the hotel chains have some bad locations (bad management).
Some cities, it's almost impossible to find any hotel worth sleeping in!
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 1
From: cd. Obregon, Sonora, mx
I've stayed in a lot of different hotels and motels in different states over the years of riding and for the most part had good experiences. In my opinion one chain is as good as another and it depends who owns and manages them.
The best place I ever stayed at was the Snuggle Inn in Loa, Utah. We were 15 bikes and reserved most of the rooms. The owner moved his cars so we could park our bikes in front of the lobby out of the weather. At about 10:00 pm, we were sitting in the hotel cafe drinking beer and the owner came up to us and said he was leaving and asked if we would turn out the lights when we were done. Talk about trust.
The best place I ever stayed at was the Snuggle Inn in Loa, Utah. We were 15 bikes and reserved most of the rooms. The owner moved his cars so we could park our bikes in front of the lobby out of the weather. At about 10:00 pm, we were sitting in the hotel cafe drinking beer and the owner came up to us and said he was leaving and asked if we would turn out the lights when we were done. Talk about trust.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,602
Likes: 3
From: Southeastern Michigan
I'm not a Best Western fan either. My wife and I recently did a 12 day trip out west, and we never used them once. We had their stay free program (after 2 stays?), AND the HOG discount (supposedly), AND all the bike friendly jargon, and they were always the lowliest places to stay in nearly every town we went to.
I've had better luck with Choice Hotels. They're usually higher end, and close to the same price of Best Western. If not - you get what you pay for!
FWIW nearly every hotel I've stayed at through the years has allowed us to park our bikes under the entry canopy (for lack of better words).
I've had better luck with Choice Hotels. They're usually higher end, and close to the same price of Best Western. If not - you get what you pay for!
FWIW nearly every hotel I've stayed at through the years has allowed us to park our bikes under the entry canopy (for lack of better words).
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,757
Likes: 4
From: Northern Illinois
Just curious as to why one would want to park under the entrance? I always ask for a 1st floor room on the parking lot side and park my bike right in front of the room I'm staying in and if it rains I throw a cover over the seat. Don't think I would like all the lookers coming into the hotel to see my bike parked right where they're unloading and potentially running into it. Just my thoughts though...
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,602
Likes: 3
From: Southeastern Michigan
Just curious as to why one would want to park under the entrance? I always ask for a 1st floor room on the parking lot side and park my bike right in front of the room I'm staying in and if it rains I throw a cover over the seat. Don't think I would like all the lookers coming into the hotel to see my bike parked right where they're unloading and potentially running into it. Just my thoughts though...
I always ask for the room with a view to my bike - get it about 2% of the time.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,588
Likes: 9
From: Sunny Southern California
I can remember as kid on family vacations looking for Best Western's at the end of what seemed like 12 hours in the car (looking for the Crown...is that still their logo?). Havent stayed in one in years but, they seemed to be nice back then.
Now, I'm with Scorpion07 & look for a few of the hotels in the Choice family.
Now, I'm with Scorpion07 & look for a few of the hotels in the Choice family.
