2008-10-15T20:52:23Z http://travel411.irsabio.com/atom.aspx Quick Blogcast tag:travel411.irsabio.com,2008-05-16:3eeb11ea-76b0-4529-83cb-a96c74e90c55 IrSabio Travel Consultants 2008-05-16T23:11:13Z 2008-05-16T22:58:00Z JACKSONVILLE FL MAY 16, 2008 -- Our visit to the Wyndham Hotel in Daytona Beach was a fluke at first, as we had not initially intended to evaluate the hotel. Two men approached us and asked if we would be willing to come and visit the hotel. We openly welcomed the opportunity to evaluate and rate the hotel before actually staying in the facility.

First impressions tend to be lasting impressions, and with that thought, the initial view as we approached the Wyndham Hotel was nothing short of spectacular. This beautiful high rise is located near the Ocean Walk on the shores of Daytona Beach and is easily accessible to many fine restaurants, such as Bubba Gump’s Shrimp and shopping areas of the ocean walk. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for curve appeal.

We first sat down to a presentation concerning the time share opportunity of the hotel. We were very impressed with the opportunities the time share provided. Wyndham offers a point system to their time-share owners, which we found to be interesting. This point system allows Wyndham owners access to any Wyndham facilities world wide, and ensures that there will not be any lock out dates or limits on travel times. That kind of flexibility makes Wyndham a true value for the money. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for financial value.

As part of the presentation, we were given a tour of the facility. We were welcomed into a spacious check in area. It had a desk for the regular patrons and one for the VIP patrons that did not have to wait in line. The lobby area had large glass walls that offered a full view of the beach and ocean from within the air-conditioned comfort of the lobby. In the middle of the lobby were a restaurant and an open bar. There was even an after hours vending area for a late night sandwich, or snack. This area was very open and welcoming to any patron coming into the hotel. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for convenience.

Next we had a tour of the pool area. The pool area was incredibly spacious and offered a variety of activities for people of all age groups. The children’s pool was gated and separated from the other pools. We found it to be very child friendly where the depth of the pool did not exceed the waist height of an average toddler. The pool was wide enough to permit chaperones and parents easy access in the event of an emergency. This is extremely important to the safety of children when playing around or in water. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for child water safety.

There was no shortage of sunbathing space around each of the adult pools, and there were plenty of gates allowing instant access to the beach. Each gate had a security guard to ensure the guest were safe and that no one came into the pool area that was not a guest of the hotel. In between the two large adult pools was water rafting area where one could ride a yellow tube doughnut all around the pool area. It was a great way to enjoy the pool area without putting in the effort of doing a lot of walking. Inside there were other areas of entertaining. There were two indoor pool areas inside the hotel. Both of these areas had heated pools. One would be able to swim in luxury even when it was storming outside. If the pool was not an interest, kids could enjoy the arts and crafts area, the large indoor arcade or rent a video for the night. The Wyndham gave a lot of choices to make sure the average kid was not bored during their stay there. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for entertainment.

The pool area was beautiful but it was time to see how the rooms were. The first room we visited was a two bedroom suite. The room was very impressive. The décor was exquisite. We walked into the room to an open, inviting visiting area and kitchen. The kitchen was a full kitchen with modern appliances, which is especially helpful for those who desire to cook while on vacation. It was also stocked with everything needed to prepare meals for the family except the food. The first bedroom was intriguing. It had a king sized bed with all the comfort that one could ask for. It had an elegant adjoining bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and shower. Looking at this bedroom, one would think the second bedroom may not be as lovely but we were wrong. The next bedroom was equally elegant as the first. Perhaps our favorite room of the hotel was the four-bedroom suite, of which there are only a few in the hotel. If you were lucky to get one, you were in for a sweet treat. The décor in the suite was stunningly awesome. The lighting was made of motorcycle parts to give the room an interesting feel to it. The kitchen was very inviting as the other suite. The entertaining area was large enough for a small party to be hosted in the room. Each of the rooms were not lacking in character and elegance. Each of the rooms in the suite could comfortably sleep about 2- 4 guest in them. A couple of families could have separate rooms, with bathrooms for the adults and the kids and not feel stuffed or overly crowded. On our 5 point scale, IrSabio Travel Consultants gives Wyndham Hotels a rating of 5 for accommodations.

Overall, the Wyndham Hotel Ocean Walk earns an incredibly well deserved 5 of 5 rating in all areas. We, IrSabio Travel Consultants, were honored to have been afforded the opportunity to visit and evaluate such a stellar facility. We were extremely impressed with The Wyndham Hotel Ocean Walk from the time we entered until the time we left. We, IrSabio Travel Consultants, would highly recommend a stay in this hotel when visiting the Daytona Shores. The view and amenities the hotel offers is well worth the stay and we look forward to our next stay in Daytona. We will definitely consider staying at the Wyndham Ocean Walk Hotel.

-- Source E. M. Wise CEO IrSabio Travel Consultants]]> tag:travel411.irsabio.com,2008-05-06:5a70f9dd-7455-4ffc-ad71-885b23bbefa6 IrSabio Travel Consultants 2008-05-06T08:55:35Z 2008-05-06T06:45:00Z JACKSONVILLE FL May 6, 2008 - One of the toughest aspects of traveling to Daytona Beach is finding a place to stay while one is vacationing in that area. Without a doubt, Daytona Beach is a major tourist hub, and as a result there is no shortage of hotels in the area. Because of this, most travelers base their decision on the factors of appearance, price and availability. This review will focus on the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn, located at 800 North Atlantic Beach in Daytona Beach FL.

Let us begin with availability. How easy was it to find the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn? Even though it is the height of the spring break season in Daytona Beach (The season runs from March to June), We (IrSabio Travel Consultants) were able to find the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn had plenty of available rooms. That was comforting especially when considering that Daytona Beach has a long standing history of selling out hotel rooms, especially those with beach front views. On a scale of 1 to 5, The Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn earned a rating of 5 out of 5 for availability.

Second to availability is price. Let us be honest with ourselves, considering the fact that the price of gas has soared to eagle altitudes, to be able to save on a hotel stay makes good financial sense. Hotel rooms in Daytona Beach typically average $120.00 per night; however, The Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn offered a buy one night get the other night free special for the weekend of May 2, 2008. As a result, rooms that were normally $98.00 per night were available for $114.00 for the entire weekend. Now that made great financial sense. On a scale of 1 to 5, The Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn earned a rating of 5 out of 5 for pricing and cost effectiveness.

Next, allow us to consider the one aspect that is usually not available until we reach the point of checking in; that aspect being appearance. Please keep in mind that appearance extends to more than just the physical property, and as a result, the appearance of the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn stacked up as follows:
--> Front Desk Staff: We (IrSabio Travel Consultants) identified ourselves as travel agents, and requested to do a brief site inspection, which amounted to not more than a high level visual scan. The staff's response was evasive, citing that they were not authorized to permit an inspection and would need the approval of 'The Association' who will not be in until Monday May 5, 2008. That was fair, considering that our reviews are not based on the site inspections anyway, but we still found the evasiveness to a simple inspection to be concerning. We gave the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn a 2 of 5 for Staff Engagement.
--> Parking: The property has two designated parking lots, one leading into the second floor, and the other on the first level. The spaces in both lots were tight and difficult to negotiate, especially of driving a SUV or minivan. The first level parking garage showed signs of construction, or the need for extreme cosmetic touch ups. Several of the supports showed unpainted concrete. The lighting of the first level parking garage was also poor. We gave the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn a 1 of 5 for parking.
--> The Room: We (IrSabio Travel Consultants) were given room 508. Our first impression was that the room had a 1960's feel to it. There were two full sized beds, and a kitchenette, which we considered to be convenient. Aesthetically, the room was in need of a few cosmetic enhancements. We discovered peeling and chipped paint one and near the closet area, there was rust on the conduit near the air conditioning unit, and rust stains in the bath tub. The television was a small 19in screen, and the signal was full of ghost images. The hot water pressure in the vanity was weak at best, and the toilet required two flushes to completely clear the bowl. The patio was very nice, and it overlooked the Atlantic ocean; however, the window to the patio was coated with a film of some sort, possibly salt film from the ocean. The room was clean overall, but the maid's attention to detail was not so good. My wife had to walk the dirty towels which had been left on the vanity to the maid and request clean towels. We gave the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn a 2 of 5 for the room.
When considering the overall appearance of the areas experienced, we gave the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn a rating of 1 of 5 for appearance.

For this review, We (IrSabio Travel Consultants) gave the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn an overall rating of 3 of 5. All points considered, the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn offers a comfortable stay for the price. If seeking a cost effective alternative to the traditionally higher prices hotels on Daytona Beach, the Daytona Beach Club Oceanfront Inn could be an option. Although, keep in mind that you get what you pay for.

-- Source E. M. Wise CEO IrSabio Travel Consultants 05/06/2008]]> tag:travel411.irsabio.com,2008-04-30:ed1baf97-5fd6-4c7e-85fa-0472b3a1a374 IrSabio Travel Consultants 2008-04-30T16:27:01Z 2008-04-30T15:31:00Z JACKSONVILLE FL April 30, 2008 - Everyday we encounter people from all different walk of life. These people are from several different cultures, with different traditions and value systems. Still, regardless of the differences, there are several intrinsic qualities which are universal to all living beings; among those qualities is the desire to travel.

Regardless of whom I've encountered in my daily life, I have yet to encounter anyone who says he or she does not desire to travel. Matter of factly speaking, 9 of every 10 people travel in one facet or another. Most people travel out of necessity, others travel for fun; regardless of how they travel, the primary point is people travel.

I am no different. In my earlier life, I traveled as part  of the school band programs. As an adult, I traveled at the expense of the US Government. OK, OK, so I had to wear bell bottoms and learn the word the Anchors Aweigh, but the bottom line is I traveled all over the world. I visited such exotic ports as Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong, London, Dublin,  and many others along the way. I used to joke that I have been to the Philippines so many times that I practically have a residence there. Yes, traveling is indeed in my blood, and I truly love to travel.

It is because of my love for traveling that I decided to get involve in the travel industry as an online travel consultant. After much consideration, I decided to become a member company of YTB International, a publicly traded travel company with a 6 year track record of excellence. After enrolling with YTB International, my spouse and I established our  company.

My name is Ed, and my wife Paula and I are the CEO's of IrSabio Travel Consultants. Our goal is to by your Full Service Online Travel Agent.

This blog is established to be  a vehicle from which we can share information and travel tips based on our experiences. We welcome you to come back often and share in the experience.

We are IrSabio Travel Consultants - A Member Company Of YTB International. ]]>