One of the big conferences for women bloggers (and a few men, too) is the BlogHer conference. This year it’s in Chicago on July 24-25. I’m driving to the event in a Chevy car (sponsored by General Motors) with Amy Peck of Inherent Passion. We’re driving from Colorado and stopping in Ames, Iowa overnight to pick up Jenna Goodwin of For The Love of Baby! and Becky Gjendem of Deep Muck Big Rake.
For many bloggers, going to a conference is expensive, so we find ways to cut costs, whether that’s using frequent flier miles, getting a roommate, or volunteering. I’ve done ‘em all.
Meet my first sponsor, Best Western
This year I’m lucky enough to have a few sponsors to help with expenses. One of them is Best Western who will be sponsoring Amy’s and my stay in Ames both on the way to and the way back from BlogHer ‘09.
As part of the sponsorship, I was lucky enough to do an email interview with Troy Rutman, Director of External Communications at Best Western. We cover everything from how Best Western is using social media to how they help you stay healthy on the road. We also discuss how Best Western is making travel affordable for families and small business people.
This Mama Cooks! (TMC): In this economy, families still want to travel, even if it’s just a short road trip to visit grandma. How is Best Western making it more affordable for families to travel?
Troy Rutman (TR): As the World’s Largest Hotel Chain, Best Western is known for family-friendly initiatives and amenities. More than 90 percent of our hotels offer pools and most offer free breakfast, which is a big money saver when traveling with the whole family.
Each of our hotels is individually owned, which allows every guest to get the “mom and pop” treatment, a unique experience and a real local feel. For example, the Best Western Movie Manor Inn in Monte Vista, Colorado was designed so that the guestrooms face a giant outdoor movie screen with sound available in the rooms. Guests can purchase popcorn from the concession and enjoy the latest family films from the comfort of their room. The Best Western Sterling Inn in a suburb of Detroit offers the largest indoor water park in the state, a snack bar and video arcade.
Additionally, Best Western offers one of the most generous rewards programs, Best Western Rewards. From now through August 16, members of Best Western Rewards loyalty program who stay two separate times at any Best Western hotel in the U.S. and Canada will receive a voucher valid for a free night at many of its hotels globally, and even earn points when staying to qualify for their free stay.
In keeping with its mission to cater to families, Best Western has also teamed up with Disney this summer. Rewards members’ children will receive a free sling bag featuring the Jonas Brothers show – “JONAS!” when they register for the summer promotion. And, Best Western and Disney are hosting a “Rockin’ Vacation” Sweepstakes that rewards one lucky family with a trip to Los Angeles where they will visit the set of the Disney original series “JONAS!” and meet members of the cast.
TMC: How is Best Western making travel easier for the small business person?
TR: Best Western was the first hotel chain to offer free high-speed Internet access at all its North American hotels. Additionally, Best Western has recently rolled a Business Plus program that caters to the business traveler. Business Plus hotels offer:
- Free access to business centers and a printer
- Free fitness centers
- Free weekly newspaper
- Free bottle of water
- Free hot breakfast
- Express check-out
- A desk and workspace in each guestroom
Many Best Westerns in North America offer convention and meeting space, too.
TMC: I see that Best Western is reaching out to travelers via social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. How are these communities responding?
TR: Best Western was the first hotel to launch a YouTube channel. It is called BestWesternTV, and it is a great place to check out our hotels, latest promotions and learn more about our offerings. In addition, we recently launched a Twitter feed, @TheBestWestern where we reward followers with special deals, giveaways and advice. We also use this as a way to communicate with our guests one-on-one to ensure they have the best customer service.
TMC: I always feel a little guilty when I travel because I cannot recycle my morning newspaper or the soda cans I drink when I’m staying at a hotel. What green initiatives is Best Western undertaking?
TR: Over the past two years, Best Western has made a conscious effort to help its hotels improve their environmentally-friendly initiatives. Leisure and business travelers both are increasingly asking their hotels to offer amenities and options that are environmentally friendly – and Best Western International, the World’s Largest Hotel Chain (each individually owned and managed), offers its guests plenty of “green” options. Some examples include:
- The Best Western Inn Kelowna in British Columbia achieves its heating and cooling with a state-of-the art geothermal and solar system located on the property’s roof. The hotel donates extra energy back into the city’s power grid.
- The Best Western Downtown Vancouver Inn in Vancouver, British Columbia, includes recycling bins for guests in each of its 143 hotel rooms, and uses energy efficient light bulbs throughout the property. In each room, a movement sensor sets off a temperature control device to cut down on heating and cooling costs, while maintaining guests’ comfort.
- The Best Western Tuscan Inn in San Francisco has been certified as green by the city of San Francisco, with paperless checkouts for guests. Rooms are cleaned with non-toxic cleaning supplies. All mini-bars feature organic products, such as chocolate bars, health bars and organic chips. Guests arriving in hybrid cars are invited to park at the hotel – located across from the popular tourist destination Fisherman’s Wharf – at a discounted rate.
Guests are encouraged to ask their hotel how they can best recycle waste and assist in their environmentally-friendly program.
TMC: Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, is tough when you’re trying to lose weight and keep with your exercise program. How is Best Western helping travelers work out and eat right?
TR: The majority of Best Western hotels in North America offer fitness centers, most of which are free. Best Western also offers a variety of food choices with breakfast. Options range from cereal and fruit to eggs and juices.
TMC: As a woman, I’m always concerned about safety when I travel, especially when I come in late from the airport or want to grab a bite to eat. How is Best Western making sure all travelers are safe in their properties?
TR: Best Western has many security measures in place to ensure guests are safe and secure. A few of these for female guests include:
- Not assigning them a room on the first floor
- Advise hotel staff to not announce room numbers out loud, but writing them down instead
- Not placing them in a corner room, but in the center
TMC: Sometimes a stay at a hotel is less than ideal. Or sometimes it’s absolutely fabulous! How do you want to hear from Best Western customers about their travel experiences – phone, email, Twitter, Facebook or all the above?
TR: All of the above – Best Western launched its customer care training program, “I Care,” in November 2007, to bring innovative customer service training to each of the chain’s North American hotels by the end of 2008. Best Western has also begun to share best customer service practices worldwide, enabling Best Western’s international membership to channel expertise throughout the global brand. Since then, the brand has been expanding the program to include proactive, real-time responses to customers ' concerns through all social media avenues.
In 2008, the brand received the highest ranking in customer service for hotels in the midscale hotel sector with food and beverage, according to first quarter results of the 2008 Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) survey. Best Western’s overall score of 80.3 percent surpassed all midscale hotel brands, including Clarion Hotels & Resorts and Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts.
We are constantly looking for more ways to ensure our guests have the best stay and new mediums such as Facebook and Twitter have presented additional avenues for us to connect.
