HOTELS

Sorry, Mr. Dixon, but a hotel named the "Iron Horse" that is across the river from the Harley Museum and has an entire paragraph of amenities geared towards the motorcylce rider isn't responding to the needs of a diverse clientele....it's just a motorcycle-themed hotel. Which isn't a bad thing, either. I think hotels are smart to address the growing popularity of motorcycle ownership and participation in organized rides like Sturgis. Way to go, Best Western!

I am unclear about your comments regarding The Iron Horse Hotel. You say our hotel “isn't responding to the needs of a diverse clientele....it's just a motorcycle-themed hotel.” There is nothing motorcycle-themed about The Iron Horse Hotel. The design takes most of its direction from the original era when the warehouse was built in 1907. And we have designed the hotel to anticipate and meet the demands of a diverse clientele – including business travelers, women and motorcycle enthusiasts. For business travelers, that means an entirely wireless property with free Internet access, a great executive desk area in each room and 24-hour business kiosks with PCs, printers and on-demand copies and faxing. For female travelers, we made sure our oversize guest rooms feature great bathrooms with make-up level lighting and plenty of counter space, as well as lots of solo dining opportunities in the restaurant and lounge. And for bikers, we offer covered motorcycle parking, rag bins, check-in carts, in-room storage in-room storage for leathers, boots and helmets, an on-site bike wash, packed saddle bag lunches, ride routes, shipping and receiving, on-call rentals, and plenty of places for folks to gather after the ride. We look forward to taking care of all riders, from HOGs and Honda Cruisers to crotch rockets and custom bikes. As for our name, it’s a dual reference to our location. We are located at the origination point of the railroad where we’re treated to the slow chug of a train a few times a day – and Native Americans referred to the train as the Iron Horse as it sped through the prairies. And yes, it’s also a reference to motorcycles and our location across the river from our good neighbor, the Harley-Davidson Museum. Like you, I applaud Best Western’s agreement with Harley-Davidson for taking care of the traveling motorcycle enthusiast. There are 20 million of us out there…and room for lots of different hotel experiences.

Tesoro Los Cabos in Mexico is serving as the headquarters hotel for International Motorcycle Week (July 17-19).