Bham BA meet up?

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by BBThunderbolt, Jul 2, 2016.

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  1. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My schedule is fluid, but as of now, it looks like Aug 20 works for me. What about time? Afternoon? late afternoon-early evening? Night? My idea is perhaps a mix of formats; maybe meet somewhere to just crack a couple bottles, then hit some the downtown breweries (Wander, Structures, Aslan, Boundary Bay)?

    Unless someone has major objections, let's go with the 8/20 date.
     
    #41 BBThunderbolt, Jul 29, 2016
  2. gator79

    gator79 Initiate (0) Nov 1, 2008 Florida

    Sounds good. I'm just looking for a nice hotel in a safe area. Is there any areas that I should avoid?
     
    #42 gator79, Jul 29, 2016
  3. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Bham is pretty safe in general. Samish Way has a bunch of motels; the ones on the East side of the street (nearest I-5) are sketchy, and I would suggest avoiding them. On the other side of the street is a Days Inn, and a former Econo-Lodge now called Bellingham Lodge. Both of those are pretty solid.

    The Guesthouse on Lakeway is OK too (although, @TheBungyo wasn't a fan when he stayed there) and there is a Sheraton across the street. Both Samish and Lakeway are close walks to downtown.

    There's been a bunch of new hotels built up by the airport, but you would likely need to cab to/from downtown, although I believe some of them have shuttles.
     
    #43 BBThunderbolt, Jul 29, 2016
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  4. AlohaStyle

    AlohaStyle Initiate (0) May 28, 2010 Washington
    Trader

    August is pretty brutal for me, why I couldn't suggest any dates. I am most likely out for August 20th... I have out of State family in town that week and I'll most likely be down South. I'll put the 20th down on my calendar and if we're in town Saturday night, I'll keep it in mind in case I can stop in for a quick beer to say hi.
     
    #44 AlohaStyle, Jul 29, 2016
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  5. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'll keep ya in the loop about just regular get-togethers we have to open bottles too. There's never gonna be a perfect date, but, maybe if we do these 2-3 times a year, we hit on something that works, eventually, for us all to meet each other.
     
    #45 BBThunderbolt, Jul 29, 2016
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  6. Moose90

    Moose90 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2012 Washington

    There are plenty to choose from. I would recommend the Holiday Inn Express on Meridian, its set back from the street and quiet, just got a full remodel. I had to stay there for 5-6 days when I moved to Bellingham and it was perfect.

    I would not stay on Samish, on either side. They just condemned and tore down one of them and the others probably aren't too far off. The time savings are negligible. There are some by the airport and a couple on Northwest which are newer and nice (Hilton, La Quinta, etc...), plenty to choose from.
     
    #46 Moose90, Jul 30, 2016
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  7. TheBungyo

    TheBungyo Pooh-Bah (2,037) Dec 1, 2004 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    That Holiday Inn is actually very nice for a Holiday Inn. One of the better free breakfasts I've had at a hotel too. Biggest minus is that it's so far away from pretty much everything. But it's definitely my favorite of the three or so places I've stayed in Bellingham.
     
    #47 TheBungyo, Jul 30, 2016
  8. chinochino

    chinochino Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2013 Washington

    ....and at the bottom of the hill is a reasonable happy hour and something you don't find a lot out here: St. Louis style pizza
     
    #48 chinochino, Jul 30, 2016
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  9. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wrong. So much wrong. Yes, the city condemned and tore down The Aloha. Good riddance to it. The Coachman, Bay City, and Motel 6 are nowhere near as bad, but I wouldn't recommend them. The Days Inn on Samish is typical of the basic chain motel you're going to find in Anytown, USA. It meets all the corporate standards, is clean and safe, and is right by Mackays. Pretty much the same for Bellingham Lodge too, clean, safe, and if it weren't for the name, you would still think it was an EconoLodge. Both have complimentary breakfasts. I've stayed at both, have recommended both,had people stay at both, and had no problems. Plus, Gator, being a military man, has likely seen much worse sections of street than Samish Way. Bham is almost fucking Mayberry.

    As mentioned, the HI on Meridian isn't close to anything but the mall, and neither are the new places by the airport, but we do have cabs, and I believe a couple do have shuttles. The Samish/Lakeway options are, IMHO, better choices for what we're going to do, drink a bunch of beer and stroll around: on a bus route if needed, easy walk to/from downtown, and restaurants/stores nearby
     
    #49 BBThunderbolt, Jul 30, 2016
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  10. TheBungyo

    TheBungyo Pooh-Bah (2,037) Dec 1, 2004 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    Gotta agree. We stayed at the Coachman once and even though I was a skeptic, it was a decent place, especially at the price they charged (under $60 if memory serves). For someone on a budget this isn't a bad option by any stretch of the imagination.
     
    #50 TheBungyo, Jul 30, 2016
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  11. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I've not stayed at the Coachman, but, when I moved to Bham in 2000, I lived in the Bay City for 3 months, until I found a place that would let me have my dog. The folks were nice, the room cleaner would even take my dog for walks when she came into the room, while I was at work. It's gone downhill some, so it's not on my suggested list, but you could do worse. On a similar note, I have no personal experience, but the Lion Inn on Elm St has been cleaned up quite a bit. A beer rep who was in town for a brewers night about a year ago booked into it without knowing its shady past, and said it was clean, quiet and affordable. YMMV. Shrug.
     
    #51 BBThunderbolt, Jul 30, 2016
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  12. Moose90

    Moose90 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2012 Washington

    I didn't find it to be that far away from anything. Granted I've always had a car or a bike here, but I don't consider a 7 minute drive to be far away from anything. Its not like there are any hotels downtown on Railroad. Just threw the recommendation out there because it worked out so well when I relocated to the area.

    Well sorry to offend (if I did), but you still aren't making a great case for any of them, clean and safe are the minimum for accommodations are they not? Different strokes for different folks, at least there are a broad range of hotels all over Bellingham and all are close enough to everything.

    With public transit, taxis, and Uber in town it is challenging to say that anything is too far away. I try to stay inside the I5 corridor, but those hotels on the Guide are what one or two stoplights up? Also on some of the steadiest bus routes in the city. It's not like they'd be driving to Lynden.

    FWIW its a 6 minute drive to Wander from the Coachman and a 7 minute drive to Wander from the Holiday Inn. Either way, no shortage of options for folks.
     
    #52 Moose90, Jul 31, 2016
  13. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    We're going to be drinking. Probably, there will be some strong beers involved. A motel that's a ten minute walk is a better choice in this scenario, than a motel that's a five minute drive. Don't want a visitor getting a DUI.
     
    #53 BBThunderbolt, Jul 31, 2016
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  14. Moose90

    Moose90 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2012 Washington

    I am not advocating that anyone drive. Uber has been great to me in instances like that. It is an incredibly easy town to get around, no matter where you stay.
     
    #54 Moose90, Jul 31, 2016
  15. TheBungyo

    TheBungyo Pooh-Bah (2,037) Dec 1, 2004 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    A seven minute drive means a long ass walk if you're talking about walkability. When I visit a place for a beer trip I always look for somewhere within walking distance of the places I plan on visiting. And that Holiday Inn has none of the notable destinations nearby, which is true of all the hotels in Bellingham that I'm aware of. And with so many beer spots literally around the corner from one another, who wants to drive?
     
    #55 TheBungyo, Jul 31, 2016
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  16. Moose90

    Moose90 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2012 Washington

    Very true. All you have to do is get downtown. A buddy and I walked to every brewery in town in one day last spring (2015). We started at my place, walked to Aslan —> Boundary —> Chuckanut —> E. Station —> Kulshan —> Wander —> Home. There were only those 5 open breweries at that time but we walked to all in one day without a problem.
     
    #56 Moose90, Jul 31, 2016
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  17. gator79

    gator79 Initiate (0) Nov 1, 2008 Florida

    It sounds like the Days Inn on Samish might be the way to go. It's a little closer. I like Uber, I use it regularly in FL, to bad it not available here in Island County. Thanks for the recommendations, it sounds like this will be a good time.
     
    #57 gator79, Aug 1, 2016
  18. NWer

    NWer Pooh-Bah (2,145) Mar 10, 2009 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    I'll be in Kansas on the 20th. Bummer, will have to make my own good time at a later date.
     
    #58 NWer, Aug 1, 2016
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  19. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Too bad. Maybe you can make it up for one of the BBW events?
     
    #59 BBThunderbolt, Aug 1, 2016
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  20. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    OK, next Saturday approaches! Can I get a headcount? @gator79 , you're still in?
     
    #60 BBThunderbolt, Aug 10, 2016
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