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

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

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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

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  • 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

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  • 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.

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • Review of the Hilton Garden Inn IAH Airport: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel near IAH you’ve got every option under the Sun to choose from. And in the end it probably doesn’t make a world of difference so you should just choose on price. That’s what I did recently when flight delays forced me to spend a night near the airport. There

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  • Review of the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a Fort Lauderdale hotel in the mid to high end range you’re probably looking for something on the beach. Most off-beach options are at budget brands such as those covered extensively by this site. But the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina is a bit of a Goldilocks property. It’s got a luxury

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  • Review of the Hampton Inn Tampa Airport North: Hotel Intel

    If you’re looking for a Tampa airport hotel there are many good and economical options from which to choose, including several other Hampton Inn locations. During the time I stayed, this location was the least expensive Hilton property in the area. Can it deliver value or should the buyer beware? Let’s find out. I stayed

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  • Review of the LaMartina Boutique Hotel Medellín: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel in Medellín, the LaMartina Boutique Hotel might not be the most obvious choice. But is this tiny property worthy of hidden gem status? Let’s take a closer look. I stayed in this hotel August 3-6, Sun-Wed as part of a longer stay in the city. Those nights came to

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  • Review of the Calle Flora Medellín: Hotel Intel

    If you’re looking for a hotel in El Poblado’s Provenza District you can’t get any more central than the Calle Flora Medellín, located directly on the lively Parque Lleras. But is this boutique hotel too close for comfort? Let’s find out. I booked the Calle Flora Medellín for three nights from August 6-9 Wed-Sat as

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  • Review of the Hotel Dix Medellín Colombia: Hotel Intel

    If you’re looking for a hotel room in Medellín there’s a good chance you want to be close to the beating heart of El Poblado: the Provenza nightlife district. Located right on Calle 10, Hotel Dix Medellín is right in the middle of everything. But is it too close for comfort? Let’s take a look.

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