Hotel: Marriott Austin at the Capitol

City: Austin, TX
Chain: Marriott
Property: Marriott Austin at the Capitol
Address: 701 East 11th Street, Austin TX 78701
Phone Number: 512-478-1111

Check Out: March 29, 2006



Marriott business hotel meeting the expectations you would have for a Marriott business hotel. Clean, pleasant.

In room dining was good, and surprisingly not the pocket emptying experience room service has become. A few blocks from the convention center, not too far from one of the dining and entertainment areas of downtown.

Shower was perfect for those 5 foot in hight or less.


Rating:

• Safety: 1
  
• Dining: 1, room service only.
  
• Bar: 1, untested
  
• Internet: 1, although $10 a night at these rates seems over the top.
  
• Wireless in Common Areas: 0 (not really any common areas)
  
• Work Space, Power: 1
  
• Shower: 0 (perfect for people 5 ft tall)
  
• Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
  
• Common Areas: 1
  

Total: 7

Directions:

Last Visit: March 29, 2006 ($$$)

Flight: JetBlue #309 IAD-SAN

Departing From: Washington, DC (IAD
Traveling To: San Diego, CA (SAN)
ETD: 06:30PM February 12, 2005 PDT
ETA: 09:10PM February 12, 2005 EDT
Est. Duration: 4 hr 55 min
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Arrival Gate:
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Equipment: Airbus 319
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Flight: Southwest #1721 PVD-BWI

Departing From: Providence, RI (PVD)
Traveling To: Baltimore Washington International (BWI)
ETD: 4:30 PM February 23, 2006
ETA: 5:45 PM February 23, 2006
Est. Duration:
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Equipment: Boeing 737
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Flight: Southwest #400 BWI-PVD

Departing From: Baltimore Washington International (BWI)
Traveling To: Providence, RI (PVD)
ETD: 7:55 AM February 23, 2006
ETA: 9:00 AM February 23, 2006
Est. Duration:
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Equipment: Boeing 737
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Hotel: Paradise Point Resort & Spa

City: San Diego, CA
Chain: No detectable chain involved.
Property: Paradise Point Hotel & Spa
Address: 1404 West Vacation Road, San Diego, CA 92109
Phone Number: 858-274-4630

Check Out: February 17, 2006



Resort property out a bit from San Diego proper. Near the Sea World area.

A resort - not a hotel - not convenient to the convention center and other downtown things. The property is not a high rise, but a collection of small bungalows that hold two or so units in each. Very spread out, the staff usually drove you around in golf carts.

Very pretty to walk around. All palm trees and tropical gardens. The rooms were very nice. Although looking at the brochure I obviously had a less desirable room, as I didn't have a view of anything except the back of another bungalow. But, the grounds were exceptionally lush for walking around and the weather was great while I was there in that "the weather is always great in San Diego" kind of way.

The grounds were crawling with wildlife at night munching on room service trays left out of the buildings (all the building open directly to the outside). Cats mostly, but a skunk at night left quite an impression (and fortunately nothing else).

Overall impression was that it was great to look at, but not as special as the room rate would have indicated.

Rating:

• Safety: 1
  
• Dining: 1, only tested the bar/casual dining (great), main dining was highly recommended but untested.
  
• Bar: 1, very good
  
• Internet: 1, although $10 a night at these rates seems over the top.
  
• Wireless in Common Areas: 0 (not really any common areas)
  
• Work Space, Power: 1
  
• Shower: 1 (very decadent)
  
• Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
  
• Common Areas: 1
  

Total: 8

Directions:

Last Visit: February 17, 2006 ($$$)

Flight: JetBlue #314 SAN-IAD

Departing From: San Diego, CA (SAN)
Traveling To: Washington, DC (IAD)
ETD: 06:00AM February 15, 2005 PDT
ETA: 02:35PM February 15, 2005 EDT (Actual 2:10 AM)
Est. Duration: 4 hr 55 min
Departure Gate: 37
Arrival Gate:
Seat: 23D
Equipment: Airbus 319
Miles:
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Restaurant: City Lights of China

City: Bethesda, MD
Location: 4820 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Phone: 301-913-9501
Website: http://www.citylightsofchina.com

I'm a regular here now because of proximity to work, and they have some of the consistently best Chinese food. It's in a nice area of Bethesda with a lot of shops, service is quick, and its a pleasant place to sit. The sauteed sesame chicken is a favorite.

Update Feb 25, 2006 Had dinner there 10 PM on a Saturday night. Nice to see a few places in Montgomery County that realize not everyone eats dinner by 8 PM.

Restaurant: Nova Europa

City: Wheaton, MD
Location: 1311 Lamberton Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland 20902
Phone: 301.649.6690
Website:

Went there for a birthday dinner, tucked away in an off-the-beaten-path shopping center not far off University Blvd. Portugese style cooking. Not real expensive (15-20 an entree), not a large place, but good food and exceptional service. If every neighborhood had a little place like this in it the world's diners would be much happier.

I had an orange roughy special (very good), tried the grilled salmon (pretty good) and someone's duck (first time I had it - interesting but don't have any comparison reference). Great desserts, good strong coffee.

Flight: United #1244 ORD-IAD

Departing From: Chicago, IL (ORD)
Traveling To: Washington, DC (DCA)
ETD: 09:00PM November 28, 2005 CDT (Actual 10:15 PM CDT)
ETA: 11:40PM November 28, 2005 EDT (Actual 12:30 AM EDT Nov 29)
Est. Duration: 1 hr 55 min (actual 1 hr 35 min)
Departure Gate:
Arrival Gate:
Seat: 12C
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Flight: United #309 IAD-ORD

Departing From: Washington, DC (IAD)
Traveling To: Chicago, IL (ORD)
ETD: 07:48AM November 28, 2005 CDT
ETA: 9:00AM November 28, 2005 EDT
Est. Duration: 1 hr 55 min
Departure Gate: C14
Arrival Gate:
Seat: 10A
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Restaurant: The Green Papaya

City: Bethesda, MD
Location: 4922 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 301.654.8986
Website: www.greenpapayabethesda.com

Nice place, near work. Sit down, good service, full bar vietnamese cooking. Different from Chinese, sweeter, different spices, but rice based dishes mostly. Went there with a collegue from work, and it was a nice place for a business lunch. Waterfall behind the bar.

Flight: United #601 DCA-ORD

Departing From: Washington, DC (DCA)
Traveling To: Chicago, IL (ORD)
ETD: 06:00AM Sept 7, 2005 EDT
ETA: 06:55PM Sept 7, 2005 CDT
Est. Duration: 1 hr 55 min (actual 1 hr 35 min)
Departure Gate: 29
Arrival Gate:
Seat: 8D
Equipment: Airbus 319
Miles:
Other: