Keeping Cool On the Run - Advice?

Two things have happened--one is that I realized that booking two days at a time in a hotel (thus giving me an unbroken middle day) was way less stressful and more workable to me than the evening-morning configuration of a single-day booking. The other is that I decided I wanted to do Syracuse and Rochester in the same week.

So, starting tomorrow, I'm looking at spending one day in my own bed until Saturday night. And... I'm a little worried, because I don't sleep well in hotels, because eating out is expensive, and because I'm not going to have access to all of my standard resources in my downtime to keep ready. But I want to be just as fresh, ready and able for my last appointment as my first...


I figure that the ladies have all been in this spot, and even the men have taken business trips that take them away from home for a week at a time. What advice do you have for keeping on top of things, always appearing professional, and keeping expenses down?


Thanks, everyone, I appreciate it!

As a seasoned road warrior, bring your lap top. Most hotels have decent free wifi. You can surf, watch movies, etc. if you're bored. Stay out of hotel restaurants, in most cases the food is expensive or lackluster or both. Most Hotels are in areas surrounded by everything from Subway, to Panera to Olive Garden or better. All offer dine in or take out options. If you like to drink, there's usually a liquor store and a mini mart close too. As for sleeping, that's a tough one. Sometimes running the A/C or fan can provide some "white noise." Also, bring your own pillows if you're picky. Leave them in the clloset while your dates are there. Make friends with the house keepers (a nice hand delivered tip works the best) and they will provide you unlimited towels, in room coffee, cups etc. for you and your guests. They will also take the used ones away so that your guests won't see a pile on the bathroom floor.

Since my best time for an appointment is between late morning and early afternoon on a weekday, I typically find it rather difficult to see a visiting provider who is in town only for one night. Your plan to spend at least two nights in a city would be most welcome.

Now, all we have to do is to convince you to come to Buffalo!

Now, all we have to do is to convince you to come to Buffalo! Originally Posted by jackfengshui

Jack - you are such a smoothie lol

As neversoft mentioned a lot of good ideas, I want emphasize making sure u have extra towels, and check for extra tp while ur at it. And don't let the used towels pile up. Even get rid of them between appts, so either know where to take them when they are used or closet them. Guys like it when the bathroom is clean. Trust me, there are many providers who have not learned this.

And... I'm a little worried, because...eating out is expensive, Originally Posted by Lucyny

Find a place with a small kitchenette area and make a quick trip to the local grocery store.

as a lady that has traveled into territory that is always ..blah blah...

ALWAYS pack your own food/liquor/snacks/entertainment/waste bag for the obvious discards/and defense item...
and find out from the staff how to hook up a dvd player if the cable insnt up to your standards..or you wanna work out to your own stuff..instead of the equipment things they offer..
if you book and there is a kitchen..well i think i covered it..never rely on someone saying dont worry i got you..(cept my people they have always been 3million percent on, they special lovable folks).....anyrate.....it is what it is..bring your own stuff and bring your own food..it helps with sleeping comfy in a new bed..i brought my own teddybear and defense item....it helped..no one knew..secret secret..

Find a place with a small kitchenette area and make a quick trip to the local grocery store. Originally Posted by Doove

mmmm, corn dogs and some prostate play

when I travel for work, even if its just one night, if possible i always pick an extended stay or homewood suites types of places. i buy my own food thay way I can control what i eat. Make sure they have a workout room or a gym nearby, good internet connection, and a techno grab bag of hdmi and rca cables in case I want to play a moving on laptop through the in room flatscreen tv. and of course always carry an appropriate, legal, weapon for self defense.

the extende stay type places are near the same price as a hotel and usually offer a bedroom/living room area, kitchenette, larger bathroom. more room makes it less like a hotel.

You are going to laugh at me but this is what I live off of on my trips
http://www.amazon.com/Ostrim-Ostrich...=ostrum+pepper
http://www.amazon.com/Special-Strawb...s=kelloggs+bar
Cherry amp, sugar free amp, sugar free rock star, and sugar free or low carb monsters also save my life.
I bring those foods because 1. they are low fat 2. they don't need refrigeration 3. they hold me over and don't make me sluggish 4. they are yummy 5. they keep me from getting sick from not eating meals (thyroid issues)
I bring my own towel that I put in a closet so no one uses it, tooth paste, pillow case to sleep with that I don't put on until bed, can of lysol I do the room with before I unpack or touch anything and I do the bed with it after dates(3+star hotels are clean BUT remotes, chairs, light switches, door knobs, and so on are not clean from Germs), big cup because to hell with the little plastic ones they give you, and slatted spoon so that I or anyone else puts their grubby paws in my ice Ewwww, and a tiny dawn antibacterial to clean out my ice bucket and lid before using it. This way you feel more at home and not in a borrowed dirty room.
I am big into candles, I have a vanilla woodwick burning right on my desk beside me right now. I ALWAYS bring candles so it doesn't smell like a hotel.

You guys have a lot of good suggestions! The towels thing in particular has defeated me in the past--my last Rochester trip, I only saw 4 people, but they *all* wanted to take a shower... some with me... and I ran out of every type of towel by the end. I don't want to attract undue attention, but bringing my own and stashing the used ones sounds like a great tip! (Previously, I've just tried to get them out-of-the-way and hoped.)

The Lysol tip also sounds incredibly useful, and ... OK, having a special pair of ice-tongs sounds pretty sweet!


I don't know that I can manage a kitchen--I tend to do my booking through a third-party site, both because I tend to get better rates and because I figure not showing up too often at the same places is good. (That said, the time I ended up in the Homewood Suites was fantastic...! Especially because we don't have a Wegman's in Utica...)


And I really like the food suggestion--trying to come up with foods that don't need heating or refrigeration has been an absolute bear. (Though fruit-cups, beef jerky, turkey pepperoni, and string cheese have been decent friends.) I'll have to pick up some of that stuff!

And... yeah, I think I'm going to bring my stuffed Toad (from Mario). Now that you mention it, I think that'll probably help.


Thank you guys so much! This has been incredibly helpful--I'm gonna kick this week's butt now.

Take some MREs soldier!

if you book and there is a kitchen..well i think i covered it..never rely on someone saying dont worry i got you..(cept my people they have always been 3million percent on, they special lovable folks).....anyrate.....it is what it is..bring your own stuff and bring your own food..it helps with sleeping comfy in a new bed..i brought my own teddybear and defense item....it helped..no one knew..secret secret.. Originally Posted by anita germane

Most importantly don't forget the bacon

Most importantly don't forget the bacon Originally Posted by cowboy8055

amen to that!!!!!!

You are going to laugh at me but this is what I live off of on my trips
http://www.amazon.com/Ostrim-Ostrich...=ostrum+pepper
http://www.amazon.com/Special-Strawb...s=kelloggs+bar
Cherry amp, sugar free amp, sugar free rock star, and sugar free or low carb monsters also save my life.
I bring those foods because 1. they are low fat 2. they don't need refrigeration 3. they hold me over and don't make me sluggish 4. they are yummy 5. they keep me from getting sick from not eating meals (thyroid issues)
I bring my own towel that I put in a closet so no one uses it, tooth paste, pillow case to sleep with that I don't put on until bed, can of lysol I do the room with before I unpack or touch anything and I do the bed with it after dates(3+star hotels are clean BUT remotes, chairs, light switches, door knobs, and so on are not clean from Germs), big cup because to hell with the little plastic ones they give you, and slatted spoon so that I or anyone else puts their grubby paws in my ice Ewwww, and a tiny dawn antibacterial to clean out my ice bucket and lid before using it. This way you feel more at home and not in a borrowed dirty room.
I am big into candles, I have a vanilla woodwick burning right on my desk beside me right now. I ALWAYS bring candles so it doesn't smell like a hotel. Originally Posted by Lexxxy

I love sugar free rockstars!..try not to depend on them for energy, but wow! I like them!