'Referrer-Policy': 'strict-origin-when-cross-origin' YouTube Embed Relay
best travel blogs

A Site About Being at home in hotels around the world

Let’s Connect

Know where the Ice Machine is in real time by following on BlueSky and Instagram.

Solo Travel Blogs

Subscribe to The Ice Machine

Sign up here for email updates and reader exclusives.

Featured Content

Nomadic Living

” All that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all that road going…” -Jack Kerouac

travel gear

Travel Gear

“He who would travel happily must travel light.– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

luxury travel blogs

Hotel Intel

“I knew it. I knew it. Born in a hotel room – and God damn it – died in a hotel room.” -Eugene O’Neill

Recent Posts

  • Review of the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach: Hotel Intel

    Review of the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel around Boca Raton you’ve got plenty of choices. But if you’re coming in peak season and not made of money those choices get narrow pretty quickly. In that case you might find yourself looking at the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach as I did recently. Can this Best Western property

    Read Post

  • Review of the RTIC Everyday Cooler: Gear Guide

    Review of the RTIC Everyday Cooler: Gear Guide

    Personal day-use coolers have always been a staple of road trip travel. Driving around the Florida coasts as much as I do, mine was getting daily use. Eventually an upgrade was in order and I wanted something with some size and substance. But I was still a bit hesitant to shell out Yeti money for

    Read Post

  • Review of the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport: Hotel Intel

    Review of the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel near FLL or Port Everglades the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport may not be the most obvious choice. I’ve been staying in hotels in this area for two years and still haven’t booked it until now despite being very budget conscious. Was it worth the wait? Let’s find out.

    Read Post

  • Florida’s Best Free Attraction? Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach

    Florida’s Best Free Attraction? Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach

    I’d been aware of West Palm’s Manatee Lagoon for a while and had it on a list of attractions to check out. Manatees are found throughout Florida but Manatee Lagoon is known as the best place to observe wild manatees in Florida. When a post popped up in my Instagram feed recently I clicked through

    Read Post

  • The Cost of Living In Hotels: Update #4 July-December 2025

    The Cost of Living In Hotels: Update #4 July-December 2025

    There’s not a lot of content on the Internet about the cost of living in hotels full time. Most people who adopt a nomadic lifestyle opt for some combination of AirBnb, monthly leases, or extended stays in hostels. The purpose of these updates is to provide a picture of what it actually costs to live

    Read Post

  • How to Fly With Overweight Bags for Free

    How to Fly With Overweight Bags for Free

    After nearly 20 years of going to sea I’ve learned how to pack exactly 49 pounds of gear to avoid being charged for overweight bags. But that was before I threw in the towel on carrying a military type sea bag and capitulated to the practicality of a bag with wheels. I settled on a

    Read Post

  • Review of the Ibis Cartagena Marbella: Hotel Intel

    The Colombian city of Cartagena is large. But the part where tourists go comprises just a small fraction of the city around the waterfront. Still, within that relatively thin footprint there’s all manner of lodging available from bunk beds in hostels to five star hotels. If you’re planning a trip there location is less a

    Read Post

  • Is The IHG Premier Mastercard Worth It? Full 90-Day Review

    If you’re into travel a transferrable points card like the Venture X or Chase Sapphire Preferred is a must have. These are the best way to spend day-to-day. They’re also table stakes in a full card portfolio. Travelers wanting the most from their trips should add at least one airline and one hotel card for

    Read Post

  • The Best Attraction in Baltimore? On Visiting Poe’s Grave

    When visitors think of Baltimore the first thing that usually comes to mind is the Inner Harbor. The Aquarium, Science Center and the USS Constellation are among the city’s most popular sites. But these attractions are very family-centric and have only limited appeal for business trips, solo travelers or visiting sports fans. One site that

    Read Post

  • Review of the Hotel Indigo Baltimore: Hotel Intel

    The market for rooms in Baltimore hotels is a little unique. The city is not a major tourist draw, nor is it above average in business travel. For many years Baltimore put most of its eggs in the Convention Visitors basket, but its dated convention center and lagging business recovery from Covid means the city

    Read Post

  • A Weekend Hiking Through History at Harpers Ferry NHP

    Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is a unique place. The area between Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley is home to hundreds of historical sites. Even with much to see nearby, Harpers Ferry stands out for its history and its scenic beauty and recreation. Whether you only want to spend an hour or so on

    Read Post

  • Review of the Holiday Inn Express Harpers Ferry: Hotel Intel

    Harpers Ferry and the site of John Brown’s Raid is a trip that should be on every American’s Bucket List. But unless you live within driving distance you’re going to need a Harpers Ferry hotel when visiting West Virginia. There are several chains nearby to choose from and prices range from about $75-200 per night.

    Read Post

Search

cool travel blogs