What we love about Saida Towers in South Padre Island during spring break

One great reason to book your spring break trip to South Padre with Inertia Tours is that we have such a phenomenal & huge block of condos at Saida Towers. There are alot of “me-too” websites in this world, but ONLY Inertia guarantees you stay at Saida if you book it – no “bumpings” or “like kind” exchanges on Saida at the last minute. Not just this ….where are their videos? Where are their pictures? Saida is clearly demonstrated as Inertia’s headquarters party property – not Mister Rogers Tours.

Here’s a little video we did of the pool at Saida:

Why We Love Saida:

*That video shows one of the best reason to select Saida for your stay – 2 beachfront (and did we mention…HEATED) pools and two hot tubs you can see the waves from while you sip your cold brews.

* Great location – right on the beach, yet 5-6 blocks to the entertainment district. You can walk to the action if you stay here.

Need to see a map of what this might look like:
http://www.inertiatours.com/southpadreisland/map.php

*We love the view of the ocean from the Saida Units!
Here’s a video from the Balcony of Tower III where we have a ton of condos!

*Saida also has tremendous before & after parties during spring break – a big benefit to meeting other party people when you are on spring break

*Saida is located adjacent to the Full Throttle Beach & Entertainment stage during the day – where everyone parties during the day with kegs & ENORMOUS beer bongs

Here is a good video of the dance contest at the Full Throttle Beach stage they do everyday of spring break:

*The condos are “bad ass” nice inside – you get a full sized kitchen with a full sized fridge for your cold ones, and a big dining room table for beer pong, as well as multiple bathrooms (girls, think about getting ready – you need a few bathrooms or it will take hours upon hours!)

Here’s a great video of one of Inertia Tours 2 bedroom condos in South Padre at Saida:

*Saida Towers is also a “Cowboy Cadillac” in that it is surprisingly inexpensive – you can book this condo with your friends “almost all inclusive” with Inertia in that this package will have the condo, 2 dine around restaurant meals & more priced between $350 and $499 per person out the door!

*Saida represents accommodations that would be like you booking the Presidential Suite at a 4 star hotel – except that every single condo is that big & nice, and you don’t have to be the President to stay there.

*My favorite….Bens Liquor Warehouse is in the strip mall right in front of Saida Towers – you literally have to walk under 100 yards to get more hooch!

If you have any questions about Saida Towers, South Padre Island, or a great spring break trip – give us a chance at Inertia Tours to earn your business! Visit our website http://www.inertiatours.com/southpadreisland for more information, or call us toll free 800 821 2176. Emails are always appreciated too info@inertiatours.com

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How to have an overall very affordable spring break trip

Like most people, I was once a broke college student – but I also learned how to have fun when short on Pesos.

Being involved in spring break & student travel for more than a decade, I’ve picked up even more unique ways to save money while traveling which I’ll share with you here in this post.

Sometimes, these things do cut into convenience or luxury factors, but never ever the fun factor – in fact, once practiced, you will see my money saving tips actually ADD to the experience.

Selecting the right Spring Break Trip Package is the very step

1.) Cut out the airfare portion of the trip.
This tip alone with cut the overall price of your package by 50-75%. Immediately start planning a trip within the US OR think about hopping one of those Mazatlan Spring Break Party Buses (they go from Austin Texas or Phoenix Arizona) if you want to leave the country.

2.) Figure out the transportation. Is Greyhound an option? Sure, it takes a day there and back, but it’s $150 round trip. If you don’t have a sport utility you can borrow for the gang, think the bus. When did we all get so snobby that we (unlike our parents) can’t take a bus anywhere – well, you can. They didn’t have an IPOD, a lsptop, or a cell phone either to keep them occupied. Think of Greyhound as a rolling study hall. Heck, I am in the 6 figure range and I routinely take the bus to South Padre Island from our home office in Austin – why? I get 6 hours of uninterrupted work done both ways, and it’s $70 round trip…it costs me that much to drive my Lexus one way.

Chances are, however, you won’t have to even consider the bus. If there are 4, 5 or even 10 of you going, start scanning the vehicles your friends have. Anyone with a 4 door car is a potential car pool leader. ASK people to ASK their parents to borrow the huge, gas guzzling SUV. While you might say “15 MPG sucks, we can’t drive that to Florida or Texas” – yeah you can – because you are splitting the costs of the fuel 6 to 8 ways with that many people inside.

Let me do the math for you. If you lived in Minnesota (that’s a heck of a drive to South Texas) the road trip is 3000 miles round trip. If your SUV gets 15 MPG, and you have just 6 people going with you, and we will go ahead and assume (based on TODAY’s gas prices, and these are dropping by the way) $2.50 per gallon.

The math on your fuel expense in a gas hog SUV:
3000 miles
divided by 15 (since 15 miles per gallon)
=200 gallons of gas
x $2.50 per gallon
= $500 in gas.

Divided the $500 by 6 people going
500/6 = $84 in travel costs per person.

Now, if you are person that is using YOUR vehicle OR your parent’s vehicle, that isn’t the total expense, and don’t you dare allow your friends to abuse your being so nice (or Daddy) by putting 3000 miles on their truck and not taking care of “business”

With this in mind, we’ll take the $500 gas bill and add to that other costs & fees of traveling on spring break via my road trip idea – PRE COLLECT FOR ALL COSTS – a few morons will get so wasted by the 5th day of the trip they are out of money, and you are not their bank (nor is anyone else – and it’s not like you can strand them, so PRE COLLECT 1 week before the trip on all costs or DO NOT allow them to go.

1.) Car Washes – 1 full service when you arrive, 1 full service when you get home. $40for the pair. Full service includes $20 per wash with a vacuum, hand wash/dry & quickie armour all. In fact, www.paradisetowingcompany.com actually offers this service for just $15 if you decide to go to South Padre (they are right next to the Inertia office on the Island)

the rig will stink when you get back from fast food bags and people all farting from it.

$40

2.) Oil Changes – you’ll need one after 3000 miles. Budget $30

$30

This takes your transportation budget to $570.00, or $95 per person. See how EASY it is to get these fees – $84 vs. $95 is just $9 per person, but AFTER the trip these people will be broke & full of excuses and not help you. Think of that person that always is out of money (but still at the bar) or bumming smokes or gonja. It’s just the way some people are.

Now, you can get clever by searching out (like a good shopper would) that the Inertia Tours spring break package to South Padre Island includes a $75 gas card for a 2 bedroom condo.

You’re back down now to just $84 per person for transportation – this is in lieu of a $500 flight. The days of $300 flights are simply over folks – so that’s not worth getting into. Road trip it.

2.) Bigger groups mean lower prices. This also is simple math. If you have 6 people splitting the cost of a condo instead of 4, that’s 33% cost savings per person!

A few more points – get WAY more than 6 people – say – get 24 – that’s (4) condos of 6 per unit. Guess what – (I shouldn’t tell you this) – get the pricing off ANY travel website (their retail price) and then call them and say look – I have 24 locked people – I want your best possible deal with value in mind. Don’t start talking “cheap” price or anyone that is quality directed (like Inertia Tours or other quality travel companies) will get turned off. We are business people – and we like to sell quantities like any other business. In this scenario (at least with Inertia) I can tell you that 24 people vs. 6 people traveling would go (on average) $35 per person cheaper. PLUS the person (you) that puts it together would go for only $55. That’s a TREMENDOUS savings – for the identical travel package.

Your friends can hardly fault you for getting them $35 off their trip (or 10% off) now can they? You deserve a free trip for all the hassle of dealing with probably a jack ass or two in this group.

This a a 3 or 4 pointed trick:
1.) You gotta work hard to get a big group – it takes some work, some fielding bitching, and organizational skills – but very, very do-able (Inertia has 50+ student reps that do this every year proving its more than doable)

2) The right attitude when you call the travel company. Ask for the groups manager or the group department. DO NOT ASK for “cheap” or “group discount” – simply state your situation. You have an abnormally large group (our average group is 8 people, so don’t think 8 people means money off) and want the best possible package (and of course price) for bringing in these people. Being a smart ass won’t help – being NICE, and being a group leader WILL.

If you are calling for the peak week of spring break, the last minute, or the most sought after property – you also will get less traction with a group.

3.) Call the travel company and ask them what’s for specials on spring break. I have this Uncle that’s a real miser, my Uncle Steve – he’s a mechanic and not a rich guy. He loves Texas-style diners. Why? Immediately upon sitting down, he doesn’t even ask for a menu. He simply says “what’s your special?” WHATEVER IT IS – he gets it. Why? Well, not only is it cheaper, 10 out of 10 times its frickin huge portion, and 9 out of 10 times it’s pretty damn good -maybe one of the best things the diner has.

I never did this before eating out frequently after college with my uncle, but the more & more I starting eating my lunches out with successful, older businessman I noticed them doing EXACTLY the same thing – automatically ordering the special. Guess what? It’s the only way I eat out now – a bit more adventuresome, and almost always super good!

Same goes with Travel – they run PAINFUL specials sometimes to move a hotel or condo that’s not as popular OR to push out the remaining rooms that they guaranteed with money down. Call them and say look – here are my spring break dates, I have about this many people, we want a road trip, what’s on special – we will travel anywhere in the USA and are open to your accommodations on special.

This little trick can save you 40% -it’s a REAL way to save money on travel – those specials, “hot deals” or whatever they call it on their store (website) look for them – they might have some this or that restrictions – see if you can make it fit. Usually, you have to call them. Not text, not email – pick up the phone. Be nice on the phone and the phone rep will be more than happy to help you – phone sales people make the same amount per trip on specials as regular trips – so their ability to make money is enhanced when promoting really superb deals their company has. I’m writing this to not only help you, but I hope you’ll call me – I might be the President of this Company but I’ll be damned if I won’t get sell you a trip myself & provide you with some of the Country-Service I was brought up to give. 800.821.2176 ask for Chad, say you wrote my blog and are looking for me to help you. I will. I might live a long way from you, but I’m a Texan transplanted from Northern Wisconsin and with that comes a value set I hope to demonstrate you’ll appreciate.

Being 100% hardcore on your destination & accommodations will in fact raise your price.

4.) Book a condo whenever possible & not a hotel room

For one, hotel rooms just suck. They have 2 double beds and shitty little bathroom. In the US, we are stuck in a “hotel room” state of mind, (Europeans are not, for example) through the billions the hotel industry spends telling you to stay in a hotel room (you pay $150/night for a bedroom – logically that’s just plain stupid when your full apartment on campus is probably what, $20 a day?

Remember, boarding houses at the turn of the century rented “bedrooms” and then they started being called “hotels” and selling “hotel rooms” as this sounds nicer. Same goes now, the rooms are usually “suites” or “mini suites” instead of hotel rooms. They are bedrooms.

Condos are not (almost never ever) “cheaper” as in the cost per night over a hotel room is almost always more. It’s the savings a condo gives you (the increased value) that will by far save you money if you consider all the costs of just having a bedroom instead of having a full spring break condo with a full kitchen and living room.

A full kitchen means you can make simple, basic meals or snacks – you don’t have to eat our or eat disgusting fast food. Also, that fridge will save you MEGA bucks on spring break – think of all your beer or the pitcher of margaritas cold in your own fridge. Condos don’t restrict you drinking at their pools with your own party beverages like hotels do. This can save you a $100 to $200 for the week.

A full sized living room means you will likely hang out & drink in your condo before the bar rather than going earlier. Herein lies more dollar savings for you & your friends.

Spend a bit more on your accommodation style choice to not only save money – BUT have more fun – much easier and less invasive to invite those cute boys or girls over for a brew to hang out than to come over & sit on your bed (even if that IS your ultimate goal hahahahahaha!)

5.) Shop for groceries at the Super Wal Mart on the way to your destination (but within an hour away so no spoilage obviously). Yeah, they lack organic food worth a damn, but let’s be realistic here – you’re unlikely to eat that healthy or work out (despite what you say when you leave) and eating a sandwich you made in your condo is much cheaper and healthier than fast food.

Yeah, I fucking hate Wal Mart and their rapists ways, too, but this is a blog on saving money folks – and one thing I do respect Wal Mart greatly for is their operational efficiency – that efficiency saves us money – and did you know that Wal Mart is leading the charge in forcing companies to use less packaging by packing “more” into each box. They are, so let’s support that effort. They aren’t doing that for you or I nor the environment – they are doing it to make more money, and good for them! Yes, I’m an Eco-guy, deal with it, it doesn’t make me a bleeding heart liberal, either, it makes me smart.

This also goes for beer, ice, cups, etc. Please don’t use any Styrofoam and you don’t need a cup for your big drink – Inertia Tours supplies a re-usable souvenir cup at check in for FREE. If you & I don’t start on our environmental issues – no one will. Buy easy to fix & eat food – think sandwiches, chips & salsa, and breakfast cereal.

YES our trips have meals, but its only 2 a day…and you’ll get hammered and want food. Rather than being tempted by late night (and ultra fattening) fast food, get some convenience items like Pizza, Lunchables, chips, even ice cream. Almost ANYTHING is better than fast food for your body.

While this list isn’t exhaustive, it has alot of ideas to make your spring break travel plans this year ultra affordable instead of thinking “I can’t go this year because of money” – you can, it just takes some planning and forethought to go for low cash & have a memory of a liftetime.

Inertia Tours is here to help you plan such a vacation. Our website is http://www.InertiaTours.com, or call us toll free 800 821 2176 – or email us info@inertiatours.com

Thanks for the read, and I hope you find our ideas helpful.

Facts about South Padre Island, Texas from an insider

Today, I’d thought I”d take the ol’ blog a different way and tell you some things I know about South Padre Island that are rather secrets I think, or at the very least, not known by many.

As I love lists since they are easy to read, that’s how I’m gonna format this post. You’re gonna hear ALOT about food, because I love to frickin’ eat!

• If you get thrown in jail in South Padre, they give you Whataburger fast food for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. While that might sound like heaven – try eating fast food (not just the same restaurant, the same food at the same restaurant.

• The Queen Isabella Causeway (the big bridge that connects the Island with the mainland of Texas) is not just over 2 miles long, you can’t park on it, nor walk over it legally – a tremendous design flaw when you consider all of the tens of thousands of beautiful photographs that could have been taken off that bridge

• The Island of Padre actually runs all the way from Boca Chica Beach (that was cut off to put in the inter-coastal shipping channel by the US Corps of Engineers from South Padre) all the 400 miles to the North past Corpus Christi, Texas. About 27 miles north of the City proper of South Padre if you drove on the beach you’d hit the next “cut” that allows ships to pass to the inter-coastal channel.

• South Padre has less than 5 total miles of habitated land mass. The other 8 miles of US State Highway that goes beyond City Limits has zero homes, condos, or businesses. The road sometimes get “drifted over” by sand when Cameron County (because of budget problems) and the State of Texas get in a fights over which transportation sector should “plow” the road to keep it clean

• If you live on South Padre Island, your kids go to school on the mainland in the Town of Port Isabel – South Padre Island lacks a school of any kind. For that matter, South Padre Island “Golf Course” isn’t located on South Padre – it’s located on the mainland in Laguna Heights

• South Padre Island is commonly referred to as one of the top two places in the United States to kiteboard – because of the constant, steady light wind. The Outer Banks of North Carolina is the other spot typically mentioned to go. (want a lesson go to www.airpadre.com )

• The Mayor of South Padre Island, an incumbant, Robert Pinkerton, won his last election by an incredible landslide over his opponent – a candidate that ran on a platform of “any change is good” – could this spell trouble for the upcoming Presidential race? Bob is also a decorated Marine veteran with a Purple Heart, and we love him!

• The Mcdonald’s Restaurant in South Padre was one of the top 5 highest sales volumes in the WORLD in the early 90′s – due mostly due to their being open 24 hours per day during Spring Break and particulary, Texas week of spring break

• South Padre became a popular spring break destination by way of a fluke in law – in the mid 80′s, Texas REFUSED to raise the drinking age to 21 – making it a haven for a SINGLE YEAR for minors to partake in drinking on spring break. So many college students came that year, discovered its wonderful beaches & weather, and well…the law changed, but the crowds, and spring break tradition, did not.

• The summer months of June, July, & August have higher hotel occupancy rates than Spring Break in March – largely due to the fact that South Padre is a great family destination for summer vacations because of its driveability, and therefore affordabiliy.

• One of the reasons I”m in love with South Padre Island is the people – particularly the local business people – what a tourist doesn’t see is how incredibly hard it is to have to make 12 months of income in 4 months time with this seasonal destination – and do a first class job of it with year round worries & expenses. These people have their shit together, to say the least

• The offshore fishing and bay ishing in South Padre hosts arguably the richest fishing waters in the United States. You simply have to retarded not to be able to catch fish here – and if you have the right guide, you can expect to catch more, and bigger fish, than you have in your entire life

• Drinking on the beach in South Padre Island is legal – but glass is not for obvious reasons (feet getting cut) – you WILL get a $500 fine for your very first violation

• Speaking of the South Padre Island Police – I’ve found them very fair, and not harrassing myself – but there are 3 things they absolutely are hardcore about 1.) Speeding – just don’t do it, they WILL pull you over & ticket you 2.) seat belts. Just put it on ….I won’t mention my staff guy Travis Cherro’s name, but this guy has got like 4 or 5 seat belt tickets in a month before 3.) head lights out – another big time bust issue

Finally, if you are drinking & driving, you’re just plain stupid. Cabs are only $5 to go anywhere if you

are alone. $5 – come on! You’d risk a DUI for $5 – then you deserve one, too.

• South Padre has had a recent real estate boom, since it simply has the (nicest) , the (best) and (cheapest) beachfront real estate in the United States. Like the rest of the US, they have seen a decline in 2008 in both inner island condos (not on the beach) and land lots that are not built on. I would predict January you might be able to get land & real estate as cheap as it has been there in the last 10 years. Can you believe a buildable lot less than 1/2 block to the beach (and ocean) is $175,000? It is. Compare that price to California and you will see the real value there – it’s DIRT, DIRT cheap right now.

• South Padre Island lacks both 5 star restaurants and 5 star hotels. The noteable (and upcoming) exception is the forthcoming opening of the Sapphire condo complex – we shall see. The current nicest condos in South Padre are at the Peninsula in my opinion. This is a timeshare property, but their designer was superb in all ways, and the interiors are the highest end I’ve seen, and I consider myself a bit of a design snob

• South Padre hosts a huge Gay friendly party called Splash! in late April, and early October, having as many as 5,000 people show up for the weekend festivities.

• Mexico, while only 45 minutes away, is barely visited anymore due to fears about border security. These fears are largely false, although drug cartel violence has increased in Laredo, Texas (3 hours away) from Matamorros, the border town closest to South Padre Island

• Some of the most frequented travelers from outside of Texsa to South Padre included the States of Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, and Oklahoma

• Retirees that come to the Island to escape the cold winter months up North a their homes are called “snowbirds” in Florida. In South Padre, they are called Winter Texans. Winter Texans are very cheap, and typically eat dinner out before 6 p.m. to save money & take advantage of early bird dinner specials.

• Almost every restaurant in South Padre serves some sort of shrimp in celebration of the local shrimping industry.

Inertia Tours specializes in college spring break trips to South Padre Island under 500 per person, and is the only first class, full service tour and travel company servicing the Island. Please feel free to visit www.inertiaoturs.com, or email us questions: tripinfo@inertiatours.com, or call us toll free 800 821 2176 for more information on some of the great packages we offer to students. The advice is free, and if you can’t tell, I believe that I know more about South Padre than any other copy cat spring break travel companies offering South Padre Spring Break.

The very best spring break hotels & condos for South Padre Spring Break

As my Company Inertia Tours specializes in College Spring Break Trips to South Padre Island, Texas – and my silly ass personally chooses where we put people’s heads in beds – I’m going to give you the 411 what properties are the best places to stay at. We’ll also rate them based on “factors” – or my criteria to judge these properties.

For the purpose of simplicity, we wiil rank each one on a scale of one to five, a (1) means it sucks, a (5) means it’s awesome, ok?

We will rank these factors:

Hook Up Factor: (H) This means your chances of playing kissie face, making out, or general dry humping on spring break at this property (meaning there are other hot people staying here) that you at least have the possibility of meeting

Location (L) This is talking about if you can walk to clubs, grab something to eat easily, or not have people in your condo bitching how far everything is

Party Time (PT) Is this place a good time? Can you find a good pre-party or after-bar here?

Luxury (LUX) – how nice is the place, does it have a good pool, nice inside, good condition, etc

Security IS) are security working this propery on  mission to evict you, cockblock you, or otherwise destroy your spring break?

First of all, I like properties that don’t have a kitchen with a full sized refridgerator. Many people that have only did the international spring break trip are looking for hotel rooms – brothas & sistas….you are CRAZY not to book a condo. A condo has room to have those cute boys over for a drinkie or two, or hang out with prior to the club to make a game plan. Anyone or travel entity that says “we have hotel rooms” are morons, hang up the phone. You need a condo to invite people over that are cool.

Secondly, I have sort of stuck up. I don’t like shithole properties, or accommodations with a rude staff.  If it seems like I have issued an ugly review, more times than not, this is why. Finally, don’t think that I’m here bragging about some place I have a bunch of condos at that I’ll make more money if you stay there. Bozo, I make money already. I’m taking time on my Sunday night to write about good spring break properties to stay at – that’s a personal thing, I’m trying to actually help you making sure you make the best possible choice before you there rather than being full of regrets saying “shit! Inertia Chad was right!”

H, L, PT, LUX, S

Bahia Mar “Resort”

H – 2, L – 1, PT – 4, LUX – 1, S – 2

I overall think this property needs to clean up its act. Security & staff are rude to students, the rooms are dirty, the condos smell moldy, and the place is too far north on the Island. You’ll have to take endless cabs, and don’t buy any bullshit about it being some “headquarters” – that was 10 years ago, this is spring break 2009. If this property sold itself as a dump on the beach, as an “anything goes” property with easy going security, and cheap beer & grub on location (they do have a restaurant) – I’d move this way up the scale – it used to be this property when Mary Ann Mitchell ran it, and she’s not the GM anymore. Some of the condos are cool (the ones right up directly at the ocean)

The Radisson (Sea Island Resort now)

H – 5, L – 5, PT – 3, LUX – 4, S -1

Ok, the Sea Island Resort is tough to dog on – it’s the host hotel to the Full Throttle Beach stage, you can walk to the clubs, and the management here is downright Professional in all ways. Here’s the thing….they have super duper limited condos (almost all hotel rooms, see above) and if you aren’t staying at this property, and you meet someone you want to bring back to hang out – “ain’t gonna happen” – at least not the peak weeks of spring break. Besides this…see my ratings – but condos, again, in my opinion, are key

Saida Towers

H – 5, L – 5, PT – 5, LUX – 4, S -2

Ok, Saida Towers is the powerhouse property of spring break condos – largely because I personally love the place, and http://www.inertiatours.com MOVES the spring break market down there. I push Saida because condos are big, the units are nice, and this condo property is the cloest thing to hotel resort you’ll find (pools, bar, restaurant, etc). Meeting people is easier at Saida than anywhere else in South Padre, and the property is busy any week of spring break. Will you pay more? Bet your ass you will — they sell Ferraris for more than Chevrolets, too. Security can be problematic, but if you bro them down, tip them out, feed them, and overall don’t act like a rich, drunk fraternity boy (which you very well might be, but show them respect) and it’s all good. We have this so-called competitor that tries to roll their staff through there, and security shuts them down, and when we roll in, it’s all high fives….go figure. I love Saida, if you have the money, I’d book a condo here.

Various Hotels on the beach, including:

La Copa, La Quinta, Surf Inn, Island Inn, Padre South

The biggest problem with these hotels is just that – they ARE hotels with standard hotel rooms, or these cheesy rooms with a pull across curtain they call “condos” or suites – you need a condo foo !!!! But Chad, they are cheap! Yep, Wal Mart is cheap too – I say this all the time. So, are all of your clothes from Wal Mart? If you can’t say yes, I ask you “but why college boy, Wal mart is cheap!!!” It’s because while I shop at Wal Mart for paper, diet Coke, and my beer, I sure as shit don’t buy my clothes there. If this is too complicated of a line of reasoning for you to follow – follow this – you get what you pay for. Sure, you have a hotel room for spring break – but nothing else. Let’s see, I have a full condo at Saida Towers, or even a cheap condo at Galleon Bay – and you have a hotel room. All things even, I invite some ladies back to after bar – where do you think they are going to choose? The condos – get one SOMEWHERE

Gulfview Condos

H – 2, L – 3, PT – 3, LUX – 2, S -3

This is a good cheap condo choice. The location is ok, you do have a full condo, and you have a real decent pool and hot tub area. Security can be dicks, but again, respect them and you’ll get it back. This is a real good choice for those on a budget that want to go to on spring break, have 6 or less people, and need to be into the trip for $300 or so per person – Gulfview is ok – we don’t get complaints from here really.

Sheraton Hotel

H – 5 L – 3, PT – 3 LUX – 5, S -1

I can’t simply throw Sheraton into the same category as the other beachfront hotels – it’s the closest thing to a 5 star hotel South Padre Island has. I like this place because rich people stay here. Rich people tend to have more fun since they spend more money, have better breeding (better looking) and are better dressed. I told you I was a snob LOL. The hot tub & pool here are nice, the restaurant I wouldn’t go there to eat at like most hotels, but it’s good for a hotel. Security are way too tough, and people I know that stay here usually say things like “we don’t feel welcome as students there” “the staff is rude to us as spring breakers” – I’m not making this stuff up – it’s what is said. Again, they charge waayyyyyyyyyyy too much for a stupid standard hotel room, and the condos you almost have to win the lottery to afford them.

Micro Hotels (super 8, motel 6, best value inn, flamingo, holiday inn express, comfort suites, etc)

H – 1, L – 1-5, PT – 3, LUX – 1, S -5

One GREAT thing about these as a choice is they usually have none to little security (the good news). The bad news is, they aren’t on the beach (part of the reason you go to the beach is to stay on it I think) and rarely do I run across these big groups of hot guy or hot girls that have booked “The Motel 6″ standard hotel rooms suck.

I get that if you didn’t make any plans and roll in on a Friday night of Texas week and need a place to crash, you take one of these….but if you are reading this blog, you should be making plans ahead of time and you will realize that these places lack condos, are not nice, and they are not on the beach. It’s tough to really say this is a spring break package – it’s a hotel room you really don’t want, and really won’t like.

Various other beachfront condos including:

Inverness, Aquarius, Sunchase, Franke, Summit, Florence I/II, International, etc.

These places are usually a crap shoot – here are the questions you need to ask when you book:

• ask for lots of pictures, and an address so you can google maps it from Saida Towers or Louies Backyard. The closer, the better
• ask about condo wristbands and their enforcement – many people are astounded that when they book a condo, they can’t bring back a chick they met that night – after all, they paid for the condo, right? Well, if the condo tower has a tough condo management or owners assocation, they might “limit” occupancies of condos – and with that, they keep people out that aren’t staying there. BE AWARE
• find out of a major travel company (like Inertia) is pushing it, that means lots of students, duh! A complex that is sparkling brand new but doesn’t work with a student travel company might be dead with students, and that’ll suck. Not always, just know that it could be an issue

If you are looking for a complete package, of course I’d like you to at least look at Inertia Tours for it based on not only this advice, but on the overall value I can provide you for your trip. You won’t be second guessing decisions – it’s all dialed in. BUT if your Aunt Betty has a condo at this XYZ complex, and you want to know the downlow on it, email me: chad@inertiatours.com – I’ll respond within 2 days with any questions you might have – no obiligation to you, or call me 800 821 2176, ext 101

Again, if you’re some jerk off that thinks you are going to sue me or send me the tough guy email for or over my opinion — I’ve got this finger in between my ring & pointer, and that’s for you supastar-it’s a subjective opinion and should not be construed as representing the position of Inertia Tours Inc, even if I AM the head dude.

Call Inertia Tours 800 821 2176, email us: info@ineriatours.com, or visit our website http://www.inertiatours.com/southpadreisland