The Polite Traveler

  My dear polite travelers, After days of driving through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, we’re now on our way home.  Lucky for us, we have arrived in Astoria, Oregon baby!!  Woo-hoo!  To label the views of the city as beautiful, or exceptional, would be modest.  The Columbia River is precious.  And our choice of hotel, for this visit, is perfect:  Comfort Suites Columbia River. Room #321 Our room overlooks the majestic and wild Columbia River.  Songs of sea lions made it even wilder, especially at night.  Yep, they sang all night.  This wasn’t an issue for my hubby or me, but it might be for you.  Other than the pinniped serenade, the room was clean  and had two queen beds—even though we booked a king—a desk, extra counter space, storage, plenty of outlets, and adequate seating.  A refrigerator and microwave rounded it all up.  It was a comfortable room after a long drive.  The Hotel B...

  My dear polite travelers, Ah, the allure of the open road...  Uh-huh, considering the lighter traffic of past decades that adage seemed positive.  Today?  Not so much.  Still, sometimes magic appears beyond a mountain ridge.  Sometimes, it’s just another detour.  Our most recent road trip north from Davis, CA through Oregon, and Washington to Port Angeles—the northwestern tip of Washington—was tiring but rewarding.  There were plenty of surprises on this rushed eight-day journey.  Most of which was spent in hotels and on the highway.  What follows is a snapshot of our trip.  Note Our ultimate goal was to see, at least some of, the Olympic National Forest before returning home.  Due to our ‘seasoned’ age , it is uncomfortable to travel more than 5 to 6 hours each day, resulting in staying one night in each city.  The only exception was Port Angeles—our only two-day stay.   Note A list of hotels and ...

My dear polite travelers, A small town most known for its Shakespearean plays and majestic mountain views; today we are in Ashland Oregon.  This is our first stop on a long road trip through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state to explore the Olympic National Forest.  For this segment of the trip, we decided to stay one night in the Comfort Inn & Suites in Ashland, OR.  It’s a moderately priced hotel right off I-5, but quiet. Room #220 On the surface, it’s clean , neat, and spacious.  Dig a bit deeper, and there is one element that isn’t the best: the shower is like a dark closet.  The positive is the adequate supply of hot water and the pressure is good.  Since this is considered a suite—somewhat—it is larger than the typical hotel room and includes a bar sink, seating area, dining area, and extra counter space.  Of course, the room also provides a microwave, coffee maker, hair dryer, flat-panel television, and refrigerator....

  My dear polite travelers, We’re nearing the end of our long road trip through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state.  It’s been a long seven days. Imagine staying in a hotel one block from the untamed Pacific Ocean—with its migrating whales and ocean-loving fowl—and having access to all the amenities one would desire.  Perhaps the image you have in your mind might just be close to what we found in the Comfort Inn, Newport, Oregon.    Room #331 Well, to call this room a suite is a real stretch.  It’s a bit tight, as is evident by the upholstered chair and no couch.  It’s stuck in a corner overlooking the bed—not the television. Interesting.  The bathroom is tight as well, with the sink counter too small to hold much at all.  Other than the tightness of the room, there are compensations.  It is a corner room with a peekaboo view of the ocean--such a delight.  Plus, it’s always a plus to have extra natural lig...

  My dear polite travelers, Arg!  This property was incredibly difficult to find on this road trip through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State, even with navigational assistance.  Whew!  So, after going in circles—multiple times—we finally found this haven.  Still, read on for a caveat. Room #518 I love this room!  It is smartly designed for comfort and yet offers those who travel for work everything they will need, such as ample outlets, extra storage, and a workable desk and chair.  For those of us who would rather shower, open a bottle of our favorite wine, and veg, it’s all that too.  I appreciated the comfortable seating, comfortable bed , updated bath, fridge, and microwave. The Hotel Upon entering, we found this Hilton Garden Inn to be beautifully appointed, and just plain ‘Wow!’  We don’t typically find this type of contemporary gem in a non-resort setting.  It was a real find, especially considering the...

  My dear polite travelers, On day four of our road trip through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state, we finally reached Port Angeles—known as the “heart of the Olympic Peninsula”, and the "gateway of the Olympic National Forest” (according to “Visit Port Angeles”).   And I couldn't agree more.  Its location is excellent for park day tripping and just hanging out on the dock.  Best yet, we were lucky enough to find the perfect place to do just that with the bonus of the best ocean view in Port Angeles. Room #215 This is an old hotel with old hotel issues, like size and storage.  Still, we were treated to two walls of windows, one of which overlooked the bay.  Sure, it’s old, but it was clean  and had a microwave, fridge, comfy bed, desk, and a decent size television.   The bathroom is also tight, but that didn’t seem to matter.  A real plus was the two chairs right outside the room to sit and look out over ...

  My dear polite travelers, In truth, on this exceedingly long road trip, we chose this Comfort Suites   Hotel   based on its proximity to my oldest grandson who lives in Eugene—such a lovely person.  Not surprisingly, I liked this hotel very much.  Choice Suites tend to be comfortable, and this one is just that.  A list of hotels and a map of our journey.       Room #322 Upon opening the door, I noticed the clean smell.  It was also neat with a couch, desk, adequate storage, comfy bed and best of all: lots of outlets!  Woohoo!!  The view wasn’t the best, but the area is a quiet enclave of hotels. We had no trouble sleeping peacefully throughout the night.  The Hotel Due to our road trip schedule, we truly had little time for picture-taking.  Plus, my main goal was to hurry up, get out, and see my grandson.  Nevertheless, there are  plenty of   exceptionally good pictures on the hote...

Dear Polite Traveler, I asked my favorite travel buddy—aka hubby —to please choose a less expensive hotel for our upcoming three-day Monterey excursion.  Perhaps a blast-from-the-past option one can find in historic, and extraordinarily charming Pacific Grove, which is firmly attached to Monterey.  Well, he found one.  Exactly what I suggested, and it was...interesting.  Charming?  Historic? To call this motel quaint would be kind.  Due to its decades-old appearance, it does ring that “nostalgia” bell.  Still, that bell is drowned out quickly once a person attempts to live in the rooms as one is accustomed to doing in a typical motel. Nostalgia be damned.  This Clarion is outdated, uncomfortable, and downright old .  Sigh. First, we check-in.  Stepping into the tiny, and less than charming, lobby, I look around to find the few breakfast scraps.  Optimistically, I hoped for more options in the morning as the manager arrive...