I just spent gobs of time researching hotels for one city. I mean hours. And hours. I set up a spreadsheet so I can compare the hotels, and what they will cost (as I mentioned earlier, I compare the hotel site to Expedia to United … United only won once). It’s crazy making. And how to choose?

Well, for one thing, I do a search on the address and look at street views. Sometimes that tells me it just looks like a shopping area (yawn). Sometimes I see a lovely cobblestone alley. Sometimes I see a garbage can (that’s fun). Then I look at the normal, overhead, map view to see what is close by. I do a search on restaurants. (We don’t rent a car so we love being able to walk to tasty spots.)

Then I search on reviews. Of course one has to read between the lines sometimes. If someone says the staff weren’t very friendly I wonder if they think the staff is there to entertain or work. I always assume the staff isn’t there to be my bff. Go figure. Some reviewers comment on the rooms being too small. Heh. We Americans can be real jerks about room size. I’ve learned (and embarrassed myself once when we got to our tiny little hotel room in Paris). Rooms are small. Deal with it. You aren’t visiting the room. You are visiting the city. (Side note: my favorite ones are the folks who complain about no TV when they are visiting a National Park here in the good ole’ USA. Are these people unable to go a week without a TV? Argh!)

Anyway, I printed out my spreadsheet for the current city I’m working on. Now I have to make a decision.

Such a stressful life I lead.

I suppose this picture could hint at where I’m looking right now. Or maybe not.