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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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  • Why the New Citi Strata Premier is Not a Keeper Card

    Right upfront I should say that the Citi Strata Premier is not a keeper card for me. Overall it’s a very good card for someone either starting out or quite experienced with points and miles. The credit card marketplace is going through a bit of a shakeup at present (Summer 2025) with popular cards like

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  • Review of the Fairfield Miraflores Lima, Peru: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching hotels in Lima odds are you’re looking in Miraflores. It’s a very popular area with visitors and features a great number of hotels from which to choose. Many of the hotels here are US based brands you may already know and love, and today we’re looking at one of those hotels, the

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  • Review of the Best Western MIA Airport: Hotel Intel

    There are so many hotels to choose from around MIA airport. Virtually all of them have an airport shuttle and are essentially the same in terms of convenience. So they can either compete on quality or on price. The Best Western MIA Airport is priced very competitively. Is that low price worth it? Let’s take

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  • Review of the Hampton Inn Boca Raton: Hotel Intel

    When it comes to searching for hotels in South Florida, a Hampton Inn is a pretty safe bet for quality, convenience and cleanliness. How does the Hampton Inn Boca Raton measure up to the brand’s other regional properties? I’m here today to find out. I booked this stay for Fri-Sat June 20-21 as part of

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  • Review of the Comfort Inn Deerfield Beach, FL: Hotel Intel

    Sometimes when searching for hotels you can tell pretty easily what’s going to be bad. You also know that if you’re spending above a certain level the room is going to be very nice. But some hotels, like the Comfort Inn Deerfield Beach live in that grey area, where you won’t know if the place

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  • Review of the Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a cruise hotel and traveling with a family, you’re probably looking for a suite. An all-suite hotel like the Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale is probably your best bet right? Not so fast. Many hotels in this area have fold out couches and can easily accommodate a family. Can the Homewood stand

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