Craddock Terry Hotel & Event Center, in Lynchburg, Virginia

Date of stay: 15th Jul'13
Duration: 3 nights
Booking Agent: Direct
Paid: U$431.82 (U$129 for room, U$7.10 for City Lodging Tax, U$1.00 for City Occupancy Tax, U$6.84 for State Sales Tax PER NIGHT) - Kindly note that this is a packaged Corporate Rate as we held a 2 days event there
Wifi: Free
Breakfast: Local

Our company chose to hold our event in this hotel for a change this year. I think it was the best decision ever. This has been the best hotel I've been so far, in my almost 8 years of business traveling. Seriously..

From the outside of the building - how cool?!

The Event Centre building



The waiting lobby



It's all about shoes..

makers..

All about shoes, really..



One of the deco on the wall, it's 3D!

The corridor

Deluxe King bed - do you see the shoebox on the bed?



The paper says: place the shoebox outside the room before you go to bed, or by 2am, and breakfast would be delivered to your doorstep between 6-7 am.



Very nice study facing the windown

Cosy couch too



Coffee maker



Music player

Bathroom

I love the shower.. the room could be all steamy.. love love!

Room key holder made into map



This is what I meant.. how cool is this?



That's how breakfast and newspaper is delivered at your doorstep

Breakfast to start your day!
If additional breakfast is required, just pay additional U$6 for another set, that's reasonable, isn't it?

For more details:

Website: www.craddockterryhotel.com

Address: 1312 Commerce St. Lynchburg, VA24504

Tel: +1 (434) 455-1500

Hilton Rosemont/Chicago O'Hare

Date of stay: 13th Jul'13
Duration: 2
Booking Agent: Direct
Paid: U$342.46 (U$119 for the room on 1st night, U$159 for the room on 2nd night, U$3.83 for 2 bottles of mineral water, U$24.49 for breakfast and all others are for local and state taxes)
Wifi: Not sure
Breakfast: Not provided

Bottled water: Chargeable (call for room service)

If not Doubletree by Hilton in O'Hare fully booked for the weekend, and that Hilton provides free shuttle to the airport, I probably wouldn't have chose Hilton.

And I thought I've got a high class hotel, HILTON..

I took a cab from Downtown Chicago, Union Station to the hotel. When I stepped in, it was buzzling with men in neck ties, and women in pretty dresses, but it was BUZZLING.. something I didn't expect for a 4 stars hotel.

I couldn't believe my ears and eyes when I made my way to my room, really. And there was no bottled water in the room so I asked for them to be sent. I didn't know I would be charged for that till I received the bill slipped in to the room from under the door. Seriously, they could have done better if they informed me that I would be charged first, not that I wouldn't need water if it's chargeable, but that's basic courtesy.

Cosy king sized bed

Standard lean work desk and TV

Neat and nice bathroom

Peter Thomas Roth toiletries

 I woke up the next morning to finally realise breakfast was not included in the room rate. I called the frontdesk to confirm too. Can't believe I made that mistake. And so I ordered room service.

U$24.49 (inclusive of taxes and gratuity) for this, kinda really expensive

There was nothing to shout for, for this hotel. The service was not exactly one of the best. It's like a buzzling cheap hotels.

For more details:

Website: http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/illinois/hilton-rosemont-chicago-ohare-ORDHRHH/index.html

Address: 5550 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois 60018

Tel: +1 (847) 678-4244

PS: If you drive there, you'll have to self-park at U$22 per night.

DoubleTree by Hilton, Milwaukee Downtown

Date of stay: 11th Jul'13
Duration: 2 nights
Booking agent: Direct
Paid: U$504.14 (U$219 for room, U$33.07 for taxes PER NIGHT)
Wifi: Free
Breakfast: Local

Bottled water: 2 everyday in the fridge

From Boston, I flew to Chicago and being picked to somewhere near Rockford for a meeting, and then made my way to Milwaukee in Wisconsin.

The hotel is located Downtown, and very convenient to walk around for some sightseeing.

The outside

Very friendly reception - as HHonors member, I was told the room was specially prepared for me, and that I would love my room.

The waiting lobby

Oooh... I love my corner room.. and the super king sized bed!

The room was big with ample of natural lights from the outside

The mini pantry, and work desk.. the tv seems a little too far away from the bed.. :-p

It was my first time seeing a microwave oven in a hotel room (not suite, mind you!)

Coffee maker

Standard bathroom

How I missed Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries.. with something I've never seen before, MOUTHWASH!

Extra bath bar too

Fresh fruits @ breakfast was marvellous

The hotel was within 10 minutes walking from the AMTRAK station. If you asked, they would offer to give you a ride to the train station too, if you, like me, do not think you can handle your luggage walking for 3 blocks.

I took a train to Downtown Chicago. Punctual, clean, and neat, for U$24.00 (1.5 hours ride).

For more details:

Website: www.doubletreemilwaukee.com

Address: 611 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Winsconsin 53203

Tel: +1 (414) 273-2950

PS: If you drive, you'll have to pay for valet parking, U$15.00 per day charge.

Hampton Inn Boston-Norwood

Date of stay: 9th Jul'13
Duration: 2 nights
Booking agent: Direct
Paid: U$399.88 (U$179 for room, U$10.74 for local tax, U$10.20 for state tax - PER NIGHT)
Wifi: Free
Breakfast: Local

Bottled water: None (I was given one at the reception as I was choking when I checked-in)

It took me a good whole hour or more (I can't remember anymore due to the bad jet-lag upon check-in). I arrived in Boston at almost 6pm on 9th Jul'13 US Time, a good 30 hours after I departed from Singapore.

Checking-in into hotels in the States were really a breeze. All they needed was my last name, ID (which was my passport) and my credit card for verification. Less than 5 minutes, I'll be given the key to my room. Given my patience is as thin as paper or air.. it was really cool.

Very neat reception

The lift lobby upstairs

Cosy king sized bed

Work desk and TV

The bathroom

The small bath tub

One thing I had some adjusting to do, was the lack of toiletries or bedroom slippers. I felt really lucky I didn't dispose the bedroom slippers I brought for the long flight, and that I brought a good pair this trip. So I made use of it the whole of my 19 days trip.

Culture difference - no shower gel?

That's the "shower gel" :-p

Exploring the floor

Ice vending machine

Snacks and beverages vending machine

Breakfast

Coffee station

Breakfast lounge

Neat one

big one too

I was devastatedly disappointed that my coffee came in paper cups, and that they used disposables, was really upset, although i know the plate and the bowl are degradeables.

For more details:

Website: http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/massachusetts/hampton-inn-boston-norwood-BOSNWHX/index.html

Address: 434 Providence Highway (Rt. 1), Norwood, Massachusetts, 02062, USA

Tel: +1 (781) 769-7000

BTW, if you drive in the States, carpark is complimentary in this hotel.