Iconoclast -- New Aurora Guide
Puttin' On The Ritz
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Got a few extra credits to spend? You won't after you visit these places. Ok, that's not fair. After all, you do get what you pay for here. And oh, my, what you get. Ever heard of room service? Hot tubs? Waterbeds? And did someone say food? The food is amazing. If you're looking for someplace exquisite. Someplace extraordinary. Someplace that's simply above and beyond anything you've ever experienced before, then these hotels are for you. A night at any of these places is like a week's vacation in paradise.
THE HELM-BURTON (101 Olympia Court, Upper City; 503/555-4356). Currently the reigning champion amongst luxury hotels in New Aurora (See Oceans, below), the H-B features over 50 penthouse-style rooms as well as 57 other rooms, most of them with at least one window and over half with private baths. The hotel operates a small but efficient kitchen, though all meals must be delivered via room service, as there is no dining room. The Helm-Burton is a neat, clean, efficient operation, the very epitome of the businesses that encourage their employees to stay there while on business.
VERDANTINE APARTMENTS (151 Crowley Lane; 503/555-1474). One of the most reasonably-priced upper-crust apartment complexes in the city, especially when you consider the surroundings. The quiet, colorful savant district outside. A view of Aridan Park to the south. The city university just a few blocks away. And the inside is as impressive as the outside, with real flora adorning the lobby and fully furnished rooms complete with utilities. The only thing that's missing are the built-in Matrix browsers that everyone seems to expect, but you can always plug in your own.
SKYLAR APARTMENTS (220 Cryon Lane, near Silicon; 503/555-9174). The Skylar apartments offer little that other apartment complexes in the city offer - except, of course, security. Located in the heart of the Tech Quarter, these upscale, secure apartments are all furnished and come complete with a built-in Matrix node.
OCEANS (Under Construction; 1-800/623-2671). When completed, Oceans Luxury Resort will be the most exquisite resort hotel in the world. Though the entire operation is shrouded in secrecy, and architectural schematics are all "Eyes Only," some facts have come to light. We know that Oceans will be in the Upper City overlooking the E-Dist. We also know that it will include several hotels, luxury suites, fine dining, and an actual ocean. No word on how they're going to float an ocean in midair, but if they say it can be done, it can be done. And if you're wondering why you can't see any of the buildings yet, it's because everything's being constructed offsite; two months before opening, they're going to haul it all in, piece by piece, and stitch it together with nanites. It's never been done before, but they said that about a lot of things, didn't they?
Middle O' The Road
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Economy and quality. Sure, they're buzzwords, and sure, they're overused, but that doesn't mean nobody's interested in them. After all, space is at a premium in New Aurora, and it's not always easy to find a room that'll give you enough space to stretch out without cleaning out your account at the same time. You won't find anything other than the basics at these places, but you will find exactly what you need at a price that's right.
THE SOLACE HOTEL (10 North Hatan, at Nexus Plaza; 503/555- 1234). By far the most popular hotel inside the dome, the Solace Hotel features a wide variety of price ranges for its customers. Want a luxury suite? No problem. But what makes the Solace special is the lower-end rooms, which are quite clean and safe (if not all that large or well furnished). For those at the extreme low end of the salary scale, the Solace also offers a basement full of 10 by 3 by 3 "coffins" for just a credit or two a night. Not a bad deal--just don't try to throw any parties.
STONEHENGE APARTMENTS (Dirtwalk, south of South Caduceus; no phone ). Staircases decorated with ivy and moss. Furniture carved from concrete and stone. That's the sort of treatment you're in for here. But don't think that the upscale decor means the rooms are more expensive. Stonehenge is among the more affordable apartment complexes in the city, with fully furnished rooms and built-in Matrix nodes in most rooms. The lack of running water can almost be overlooked.
VERAN APARTMENTS (320 East Lazarus, near Lazarus-Dawn Square; no phone ). Built by an artist for artists, the Veran Apartments redefine the term "sparse." No furniture, no utilities and little to no security. But if you're looking for relative peace and quiet, fairly spacious rooms and a comparatively low monthly rent, you can't do better than here.
MEL'S APARTMENTS (110 Dirk Avenue, near Cross; no phone ). Mel's Apartments can get quite wild sometimes, but for the price you can't beat the large apartments. Forget the one-room design; Mel offers two, three and four room places. The decor is awful, the noise is unbearable and the place isn't that clean either, but it's cheap.
Layin' Low
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Sometimes you wanna go where nobody knows your name, and nobody knows you came, and nobody asks questions. Luckily, New Aurora caters to all tastes, so if you're looking for something on the lower end of the spectrum (red light comes to mind), then these places are for you. Be forewarned--these places aren't always in the best neighborhoods. They won't cost a lot of money, but they just might cost you an arm and a leg. Literally.
THE WHISTLING VAGRANT (144 South Hatan, near Lamneth; 503/555-5544). One of the most successful bad ideas in history, The Whistling Vagrant offers cheap lodging, cheap food and access to cast off trash from others in the spirit of the open road and the happy bum. It's all marketing nonsense, but it works. TWV's New Aurora location is one of the chain's most successful, and the common sleeping room is packed solid with tourists looking for ultra-cheap lodgings in exchange for a little discomfort. In an ideal world it'd be kinda quaint, but not all the mold is decorative, and not all of the seedy looking individals are actors. Let the sleeper beware.
THE NOHTEL MOTEL (600 South New Bourbon; 503/555-7333). OK, no pulling punches. The Nohtel is a hole in the wall. Heck, the name's a dead giveaway. But unlike other cities where certain forms of "recreation" are frowned on, New Aurora doesn't have a problem with it. And so a hotel that charges by the hour as well as the night isn't only acceptable, it's a downright necessity. The decor's gaudy, the beds are filthy, and the staff is rude. But if you're looking for one of the cheapest places to sleep, especially considering the fact that you're on New Bourbon, then throw down a few credits and hit the sack. Literally--you want to make sure there's no rats in there before you lie down.
THE DOMELIGHT MOTEL (58 Hetaera Lane, Lower City; 503/555-9896). Only in New Aurora could there be a neighborhood with a worse reputation than the Red Light District. Smack dab in the middle of the infamous Black Light District, the Domelight's actually not that bad a place. The decor's average, the beds are only a little uncomfortable, and the prices are more than reasonable. And despite the neighborhood, the Domelight's somehow managed to keep out most of the riff-raff that lingers in the cramped tunnels outside. Maybe that's because there's no windows in an underground hotel to let out the musty air. Or maybe it's because the Domelight doesn't charge by the hour. Who's to say?
MAERD APARTMENTS (Dirtwalk, north of North Caduceus; no phone ). Though underground, the apartments in this complex are still fairly comfortable, despite the lack of windows. All apartments come fully furnished and include running water--a bonus. An even bigger bonus--low monthly rent. The downside? You'll find out for yourself if you don't sleep with a bat near the bed.
SANTELMO APARTMENTS (Dirtwalk, north of East Caduceus; no phone ). Neon staircases and old plastic furniture make it clear that this isn't your typical apartment complex. Though the rooms and layout are standard, the people who rent apartments here tend to live on the edge; the Matrix nodes built-into the rooms often serve as impromptu tables and footrests, since the rooms come unfurnished and without running water. Since the rooms are smaller, the parties often spill out into the lobby. Fun, as long as you're not trying to sleep.
PIERSON APARTMENTS (Dirtwalk, west of North Caduceus; no phone ). The Pierson Apartments look like they were built underground, mainly because they were. The rooms are small and cavelike, and come unfurnished and without utilities--no water, no electricity, nada. For this reason, they are dirt cheap, and that's a bonus in New Aurora.
