SOCIAL media is proving to be a powerful tool in the immediate disaster relief effort in flood-ravaged Queensland, with sites such as Facebook and Twitter helping to

co-ordinate temporary housing, provide vital police updates and record first-hand experiences.

In one instance, Nari French set up a Facebook page to help connect flood-affected Queenslanders with others wanting to provide temporary accommodation and shelter.

Mrs French, who lives in Adelaide, set up the page at lunchtime on Tuesday, and it has since had over 500 separate offers of accommodation across Queensland.

”These are people offering a spare room, or a sofa, a shelter for animals, even meals for people,” Mrs French said. She said that although many online gestures were small, they gave those witnessing the horror unfold from other parts of Australia a chance to contribute to the relief effort in some way.

Queensland Police have also used Facebook and Twitter to deliver safety messages and updates, greatly broadening their public information campaign.

Many have been missing out on the family holiday which is a great shame as it is and important part of family life. We should all stop and think about what’s really important to us. Isn’t being together with the family spending quality time, more important than the 5 Star Hotel or a trip to Disney World?

Growing up in the country areas Washington State we had to create our own entertainment. Our imaginations were in full swing and we made up games and built go carts and went on ‘secret missions” on our bicycles. Having a family gathering for a meal and then a few songs around the piano was a fantastic experience and a lasting  and fond memory.

By now you’re asking yourself what this has to do with Motels? The point I’m making is that we can all still go on vacation with the whole family and it does not require a bank loan to do so! Using Motels as we travel can be a huge saving and with the modern facilities they have these days, heaps of fun.

These often include a restaurant, games rooms, movie rooms and a pool. You can see American country life on a vacation like this and meet some of the town’s locals.

Traveling by road is a wonderful way to see the landscape and be together as a family, with stops for food or to see a historic marker or lookout place.

Travel Agents aren’t required for this type of trip as the whole family can take part in the planning and much of the booking can be done online. Years ago our planning consisted of laying out huge road maps on the living room floor and choosing our destinations. Most of us look online for maps but hard copy maps are still available from motoring organizations like the AAA.

Membership of one of these clubs is highly recommended as they all have excellent breakdown support services. Knowing you’ll be back on your way soon after a mechanical failure or will be provided with a replacement vehicle is real peace of mind.

So why not have a rethink about the type of vacation you can have? The USA has thousands of motels in Cities and Country Towns and many are very reasonably priced.

Happy Motoring!

Motels first appeared in the USA. The Model T built by Henry Ford saw automobiles become affordable to many more people which enabled them to travel the country like never before. The actual term motel is generally accepted as starting in 1926 when the ‘Milestone Mo-Tel’ in San Luis Obispo California was opened.

Rail Travel

Trains were the main means of transport prior to the motor car becoming popular. Logically, most lodgings were built in close proximity to the railway station. Wealthy passengers could stay in upmarket hotels in town and they would be picked up and transported there by that establishment.

1908 saw the first of Ford’s Model T’s roll off the production line. The significance of this was huge as people were able to change the way they traveled. Large numbers of folk who had never traveled away from home before found a new liberty.

Auto Camps

The term ‘Auto Camp’ is not widely known these days as it’s been replaced by words such as ‘trailer park’ or in Australia, ‘caravan park’. In the 1920′s many municipal councils across the States provided some land close to towns specifically for automobile travelers to camp. Before then they often used to camp in farmer’s fields or on the side of the road. Basic amenities were provided at the camps and they brought business to the towns.

Thousands took to the road after Wold War I to seek work.Cabin Camps were built with basic requisites and often near gas stations and food stores. The advent of World War II affected construction as materials were scarce and expensive, to economize developers built long buildings with all the units connected. This was a much cheaper way to build than the free standing cabins. Separate garages were no longer used as parking was at the front of each unit. The end of the war brought on more road travel in the USA than had ever occurred before. The same thing happened in Australia after the war but they didn’t see a motel until the mid 1950′s. Hotels and country pubs provided a place for road travelers to stay.

Franchises and Motel Chains

Initially motels were small businesses operated by a couple or family who owned the establishment. With more motels being built around the country associations were formed to help promote motels by encouraging people to stay in other member properties. The portrayed image was one of consistant high quality accommodation. The AH&LA is one of those groups and is now over 90 years of age.

Today a large number of motels belong to a franchise. Similar to McDonalds, this is supposed to provide the guest with a consistent level of service and facilities as can also be experienced with the large hotels such as Marriott and Hilton. Motel franchises such as Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn, Rodeway and Econolodge can be seen worldwide.

Yes I realize that is a strange name for a website but there is a reason for choosing this particular combination of words.

You see, when someone is planning to visit Santa Monica either as a stop over as they pass along Highway 1 or as their vacation destination there is a very good chance they will do an internet search on their computer and type in the phrase ‘accommodation Santa Monica’.

And, I wanted them to find my website because, unlike other sites that may pop up in the search results, I do not own or operate a motel or a hotel or rental apartments in Santa Monica.

I’m actually an impartial fellow traveler who was once in your shoes. I know what it’s like trying to find a clean bed to sleep in and a comfortable place to stay when you are on the road, especially with your family. I’ve had several bad experiences when stopping off on my fairly regular trips through Santa Monica.  I find it’s located in just the right spot to break my trip, and the beach and pier are great.  This is one of my most favorite places in California.

So I felt it was my duty as a seasoned hirer of rooms in this part of the world to pass on what I’ve found.

Now I am not going to bash any of the hotels, motels, and trailer parks where I’ve had bad experiences, and there’s been a few, but I will make a recommendation based on my many years experiences of travel throughout North America and the world.

In addition to this I want to give you my fellow travelers, the benefit of my experience with some interesting information about Santa Monica, a place I have learned a lot about over the many years I’ve been stopping off there and some articles on touring in general.  A good recommendation can save dollars and time as well as make your vacation so much more enjoyable.

When I first started my travel adventures I didn’t have a clue about the facilities I should be looking for at a hotel or motel. I recall booking in to a hotel late at night after a long drive, only to find the queen size bed full of bugs and I had to share the shower with everyone else!
I couldn’t even get a cup of coffee for breakfast and the place was freezing cold, not a heater or fireplace in sight.  By the light of day I would never have chosen to stay at this place but it was dark and I was tired from my drive. Back then I rarely had reservations for stops as sometimes I would keep on driving if I felt up for it, and push on for another town. These days I know I’m going to be exhausted after five or six hours drive so I always book ahead!

Of course the internet and online booking make it so much easier but it can be very hard to tell what the facilities are really like from the photos you see on the websites. A small dull bedroom can be made to look large and bright with some clever photography.

Sometimes I book through sites like Wotif or Asia Rooms (when travelling to Asia) but I always check out the properties website before proceeding with my booking.
This is particularly important if you are planning an extended stay. I’ve been through the hassle of having to check out and move to another hotel, which is a waste of precious vacation time.

So what is important to you when you stay at a motel or hotel? Is it a king size bed, a Jacuzzi tub, the rates, the bathroom or the restaurant? Maybe if you’re like me you’ll want to check out the restaurant wine list!

We all have different preferences and we should make a list of which ones are most important to us. Things like access can be a factor if you are in a wheelchair or suffer from arthritis.

I usually put a lot of importance on the way I’m greeted when I contact the establishment to make my enquiry. If you are greeted with a cheery warm hello then that’s a good sign. If not, well I’d give the place a miss. It’s obvious the staff are either unhappy or poorly trained.

Another way of getting a feel for a particular place you may wish to stay, is to check some of the online directories. Of course there is the online Yellow Pages and hotel-base. Sometimes there will be reviews and usually these are genuine and give you a good idea of what to expect. Holiday Junction is another one worth a look.

Often the various state branches of the American Hotels & Lodging Association have listings of their members but this is no guarantee of a good experience. There’s also State based associations such as California Hotel & Motel Association, Washington State Hotel & Lodging Association and Nevada Hotel & Motel Association to name a few.

Hopefully my site will give you some great tips on finding the right accommodation when you travel either by road or when you take a flight to a capital city.

As my site is about accommodation Santa Monica I will also include some information about this beautiful City on the beach with the sensational weather.