Any suggestions on mattress run if not driving?

Freddy2010 · Nov 24, 12, 8:48 am

Hi FTers,
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
I am wondering if there is a good place for mattress run for MR?
Heard that London is good; but it is expensive.
Also I will not be driving so a place with easy transport means will be good.

Thanks!

SkiAdcock · Nov 24, 12, 9:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

Hi FTers,
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
I am wondering if there is a good place for mattress run for MR?
Heard that London is good; but it is expensive.
Also I will not be driving so a place with easy transport means will be good.

Thanks!

Well usually mattress runs are done locally (ie, in your neighborhood) or someplace you want to visit (either nearby driving or taking a train or flying), or yes can be tied into a mileage run.

A few questions before you even get to the mattress part is how many miles you need, and are you doing the Point A to Point B via C/D/E/F/G & overnighting, or are you doing a long single trip. Also, are you going from west coast or somewhere else.

What's your budget for hotels? Yes, London can be expensive but the airport hotels on Bath Road near LHR usually have good weekend rates.

You really haven't given enough info to be able to respond w/ suggestions.

Cheers.

RogerD408 · Nov 24, 12, 9:02 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

Hi FTers,
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
I am wondering if there is a good place for mattress run for MR?
Heard that London is good; but it is expensive.
Also I will not be driving so a place with easy transport means will be good.

Thanks!

Since the MR status is based upon nights and not stays, there is no need to hop from one property to the next. So picking just about any property near an airport should work. Them having an airport shuttle would be even better. That is presuming flying is an option.

When I'm doing a mileage/mattress run, I like picking places that have something to see/do that I might not do on a normal trip, a special restaurant or museum nearby to help make the trip more than just a hotel stay. Explaining to co-workers that you flew to DFW for dinner makes the story more entertaining than saying you flew to keep status.

Freddy2010 · Nov 24, 12, 9:11 am

Thanks Sharon and Roger.
To supplement with the info, I am thinking of doing a 8-day trip either in Europe or West coast US. My budget per night will be around USD150 (maybe too low for UK properties I guess).
Also I am trying to do the run for the Platinum match so a couple of stays in Jan and Feb will help reach my targets of 9 stays (now having completed 3).

Thanks a lot!

MSPeconomist · Nov 24, 12, 9:38 am

IMO part of the fun of a west coast trip would be renting a car and driving along the coastal highway, maybe also visiting wine country.

Otherwise, look for less expensive or somewhat smaller cities with good airport transportation. Portland is good; so are Seattle and San Franciso, but they're more expensive (especially San Francisco). LA is expensive and you will have expensive cab rides everywhere unless you don't leave the airport hotel area. San Diego means a short and relatively inexpensive cab ride from the airport to downtown, which is interesting and walkable. Places like the Phoenix area are high season in the winter and hence very expensive.

georgebaz · Nov 24, 12, 9:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

My budget per night will be around USD150 (maybe too low for UK properties I guess).
Also I am trying to do the run for the Platinum match so a couple of stays in Jan and Feb will help reach my targets of 9 stays (now having completed 3).

With a budget like this you can do a mattress run in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, there are three Marriott Properties there which cost about 70-80 USD/night on the advanced purchase rate. You can cruise between them until you have the required six stays for the Platinum challenge. Turkish Airlines flies from Istanbul to Sharm El Sheikh and the website quotes 99 Euros return but we were able to buy as low as 68 USD return. Flying from the USA to Istanbul is hardly more expensive than to any other major European destination.

Dolphinyong · Nov 24, 12, 9:48 am

There's one AC in Porto, 3 Marriott family hotels in Lisbon, then 2 other in between of them...Price starting from 40 euro=)

Freddy2010 · Nov 24, 12, 11:12 am

Thanks every one

BKKLEE · Nov 24, 12, 5:30 pm

sure, go to Shanghai - it currently has 23 properties, and another one soon to be added................subway stations throughout the city..........

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

Hi FTers,
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
I am wondering if there is a good place for mattress run for MR?
Heard that London is good; but it is expensive.
Also I will not be driving so a place with easy transport means will be good.

Thanks!

Freddy2010 · Nov 25, 12, 7:02 am

Hi BKKLEE
It looks good in Shanghai!
How's BKK? Good without a car?
Thanks!

sdsearch · Nov 25, 12, 11:02 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

LA is expensive and you will have expensive cab rides everywhere unless you don't leave the airport hotel area.

Actually, LA shouldn't be expensive, but only if you rent a car and stay in the Anaheim area (but not Anaheim itself). You can LNF into the $50/night to 80/night (including tax) range often there if you're not super picky about which Marriott family hotel (but decent ones), but none of them are near public transportation, and taxis would be pretty ridiculous.

Therein's the issue: In most places in the Western USA, the lowest priced (especially on LNF) hotels are the ones that are not convenient to public transport. So I'm somewhat confused by the OPs mention of Western USA and yet not diriving!!!

(Yes, you can use just public transport in San Francisco proper. But does the OP want 8 days stuck in only San Francisco proper, not able to go up and down the coast from there???

)

BKKLEE · Nov 25, 12, 12:15 pm

BKKLEE has 3 options all within walking distance of each other (but not as many opportunities as Shanghai)................

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

Hi BKKLEE
It looks good in Shanghai!
How's BKK? Good without a car?
Thanks!

Freddy2010 · Nov 25, 12, 12:28 pm

Thanks sdsearch!
You made good point about driving along the west coast. Seems like LA is a viable option given the driving - guess San Diego/San Francisco will be those without driving options?

Thanks BKKLEE--out of the three, which one you think is better? I always have difficulties picking one in BKK as the hotels there are all pretty decent. Thanks!!

BKKLEE · Nov 25, 12, 12:44 pm

IMO the JW has a better Exec Lounge, but even as a plat I've never received an upgraded room here (even w the new plat suite policy)..........the Ren offers what they call a suite but its really a corner studio...........
JW within the "nightlife" area w Ren nearby Central World/Erawan shopping/restaurants........
So, if I had to choose, it would be JW, Ren, CY in that order (but I live behind the St Regis so I don't really need a bed in BKK) except when I have F&F visiting..............
Note: CY has a 2013 promo that sometimes works........ they also had a TZO promo for $69 valid for the 1st 6-mo of the yr; likewise the Ren has a TZO promo..... I think at $119 during high season good rate..........

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy2010

Thanks sdsearch!
You made good point about driving along the west coast. Seems like LA is a viable option given the driving - guess San Diego/San Francisco will be those without driving options?

Thanks BKKLEE--out of the three, which one you think is better? I always have difficulties picking one in BKK as the hotels there are all pretty decent. Thanks!!

Freddy2010 · Nov 25, 12, 4:21 pm

Thanks again BKKLEE
I will definitely look for the TZO sale as I may have a stay or two in BKK soon.
Does it have a full name?
again, really appreciate your help