Road Warrior Discovers the Tip Top Motel

Extending a Brand... Successful Internet ventures must deliver strong technology AND personal service -- high tech, high touch. So for PikeNet that means lots of airline flights, hotels and early morning breakfast presentations. Which led to this bizarre experience... I recently arrived at the Westin River North in Chicago three hours late (thank you, United Airlines) at 9:30 p.m., instead of 6:30 p.m. Despite a confirmed reservation, the hotel was "sold out." In fact, the whole downtown was "sold out." The offered alternative: cab (back) to the Westin O'Hare, a 45-minute drive. This did not make me happy.

So I flagged down a taxi. "Could you please take me to a hotel with a vacant room?" The cab driver answered in broken English, "I can take you to the motel where my family's living in North Chicago." Hey, I'd never been to North Chicago, so it sounded OK. And soon enough we arrived at the Tip Top Motel on North Lincoln Ave. The desk clerk sat behind a (bulletproof?) glass enclosure with a conspicuous sign that read, "We do not rent rooms for illegal activities." The tariff was $44 -- cash. Inside my room, there was a mirror on the ceiling (oh-oh) and the name of the hotel was deeply etched in the plastic TV case (you get the picture). But the noisy air conditioner drowned out all the other noise, and I slept soundly.

The next morning I called the cab driver's room at 6:00 a.m. and he drove me back to the Westin River North, where I spent a very pleasant morning preaching the Internet gospel. The message of this story: Book your room early for the Expo at the Hilton Hotel in New York City. And then don't arrive late!

PikeNet Expo... Register online for the PikeNet Expo at the New York Hilton, Oct 23-24, 2000, at the Early Bird Rate of $695 for one more week. Here's where you can make your hotel and (discount) airfare arrangements.

--Peter Pike