Hotels and other ramblings

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nobbie48

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Looking at setting up a meet and greet, trying to get hotel prices that would encourage some Americans to attend. Is Canada getting too fat and lazy from a business perspective?
We dropped into a small town Chamber of Commerce expecting some light enthusiasm but the babe at the desk basically gave us a map and told us to help ourselves to brochures.
Hotel prices are 2-3 times what they are in decent riding areas of the USA.
It reminded me of a guy trying to book a room in Russia and being asked if he wanted it furnished. The furnished price was a lot more. He finally realized that the furniture was a "bed warmer".
When we had a meet in Arkansas the rate was 1/5th of what some places here are asking.
Yeah, I know. Someone has to pay for our medicare.
I guess as long as there are people that are willing to pay $5 for a coffee why sell it for less.

Rant temporarily suspended
 
FYI, the States blew their brains out in 2008. Our economy is relatively strong at the moment..but getting weaker. I suspect we'll hit the wall in a little while. That's why cars are more expensive here..and houses..and that's why jobs are going back to the US..they're willing to work for less than we are.
 
invictus43 said:
FYI, the States blew their brains out in 2008. Our economy is relatively strong at the moment..but getting weaker. I suspect we'll hit the wall in a little while. That's why cars are more expensive here..and houses..and that's why jobs are going back to the US..they're willing to work for less than we are.
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My RRSP is well aware of 2008. However the price ratio wasn't all that different back then either. I bought a USA bike for 2/3 the price of a Canadian one.
 
nobbie48 said:
My RRSP is well aware of 2008. However the price ratio wasn't all that different back then either. I bought a USA bike for 2/3 the price of a Canadian one.
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Honestly, when I planned my ski trip last winter, US won hands down. I got a good hotel for $69 a night. Flight was half what it was to fly within Canada. Americans are always very hospitable. And you can't just look at the car and house prices (our house prices are as overvalued as US house prices were just before they went in the tank..). Our dollar is at parity..condo prices out west in the ski areas have been dropping like lead but that's not shown in vacation prices. We're a bit out of sync at the moment..but wait a year or two..
 
Canada has always shot itself in the foot in regards to tourism. I can fly and stay in florida for 5 nights for less then a flight to Newfoundland, absolutely rediculous. In Austrailia you can fly across country for what it costs to take a bus from Toronto to Montreal. Canada needs to reduce these costs if we want to invite tourists.
 
Gixxer6 said:
Canada has always shot itself in the foot in regards to tourism. I can fly and stay in florida for 5 nights for less then a flight to Newfoundland, absolutely rediculous. In Austrailia you can fly across country for what it costs to take a bus from Toronto to Montreal. Canada needs to reduce these costs if we want to invite tourists.
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The silly thing is that the tourists keep coming. Some come from Japan and the UK where prices are even more insane than ours but Americans come here. Why????
 
nobbie48 said:
The silly thing is that the tourists keep coming. Some come from Japan and the UK where prices are even more insane than ours but Americans come here. Why????
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Meh..who knows. Like I say..when it comes to ski trips, I can go to Western Canada and pay 50% more, or I can go to Colorado/Utah. Canadian destinations will drop soon..vacation condos are getting killed out there..soon they'll be desperate to rent them and then maybe I'll reconsider. Until then, I'm happy to visit our southern neighbours..
 
In all the years I've been in Canada I've maybe stayed in Canadian hotels a few times for pure leisure, mostly it's for business. When it comes to my hard earned money I will spend it where it goes the furthest and gives the best bang for the buck. That's nowhere in Canada.

I'd love to go and see the polar bears in Churchill.....screw those prices though. I'd love to take a train across the country....screw those prices. Renting a boat on Lake Louise? I refuse to be hosed.

Every year I go to Central or South America for holidays...great food, great beaches, wonderful sights, amazing people, cheap hotels and cheap flights when you shop around. For the cost of a few days at a Canadian ski resort I can spend a week in the sun all inclusive and still have cash to spare.

Sorry Canada...until you realise that there's locals that would also like to see and do the things you have to offer but only at reasonable cost...you can go **** yourself.
 
RockerGuy said:
OH NO u didn't just say that.
But we are known as the friendly Canadians??
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Candians are ok..don't get me wrong. But Americans have always been very hospitable to me. And they have, dare I say it, a little more humility than Canadians have these days. Witness all our whiny Canadians at the Olympics.
 
invictus43 said:
Candians are ok..don't get me wrong. But Americans have always been very hospitable to me. And they have, dare I say it, a little more humility than Canadians have these days. Witness all our whiny Canadians at the Olympics.
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I'd have to agree with you. I said that with a bit of sarcasm.
The critics will flow-in a bit
 
Even something simple like WiFI is free in many hotels in America and it needs to be purchased at hotels in Canada.
 
RockerGuy said:
I'd have to agree with you. I said that with a bit of sarcasm.
The critics will flow-in a bit
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Haha! They probably will.. :-) You know, a small anecdote to illustrate my point. I'm riding in a gondola in the States..and some kids are in there..and one says to the other "You know, if this was Whistler, the seats would be all cut up and there'd be burn marks all over the windows and roof.." That kinda sums things up.
 
I gotta agree with touring in the States. I have met only friendly people and the hotels are so much cheaper. Holiday Inn in New Brunswick - $120 a night, cross over to Maine and I paid $70 in Bangor. Sorry but thats what makes my decision. When I do tour Canada, I make sure I go to places where I only care about a bed for the night, and I'll look for a hostel or the cheap motel outside of town. Besides all I need is a clean bed and shower.
 
How is Via Rail still in business?

A while back I priced out tickets from Aldershot to Ottawa and back. Turns out it was cheaper to drive my truck to Ottawa. $150 in gas or $180 for rail fare. WTF. I took the Amtrak from Port Huron to Chicago (return) for $26.

Canada is retarded sometimes, and I think the stereotype of Canadians being so great has made for a lot of arrogant Canadians.
 
caboose483 said:
How is Via Rail still in business?

A while back I priced out tickets from Aldershot to Ottawa and back. Turns out it was cheaper to drive my truck to Ottawa. $150 in gas or $180 for rail fare. WTF. I took the Amtrak from Port Huron to Chicago (return) for $26.

Canada is retarded sometimes, and I think the stereotype of Canadians being so great has made for a lot of arrogant Canadians.
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I agree. I mentioned to a couple from New York City that I actually preferred the States sometimes because at least there is some level of humility there. Seems like Candians are getting to the point where we think we are the pinnacle of human existence..
 
invictus43 said:
I agree. I mentioned to a couple from New York City that I actually preferred the States sometimes because at least there is some level of humility there. Seems like Candians are getting to the point where we think we are the pinnacle of human existence..
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I found Manhattan to be far friendlier than I have ever found Toronto to be. I would be in line to get a coffee or something at McD's and random people would just strike up conversation with me. Usually it would come up that I was there on a little vacation and they'd tell me about a thousand things I had to go see.
 
I was headed to Texas last year and the US immigration guy at the airport in Ottawa stopped me and started chatting...after 15 mins I had a list of things to see and do from him while I was in Austin. I think the people behind me thought I was being interrogated and about to be arrested.
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