Destin, Florida

Tired of the snow and cold where you live? If you live in or near the Southeast, you probably already know that Destin, Florida has great weather year-round, and it’s a great place to escape the cold for a long weekend with your honey or with your family. I didn’t know much about Destin until I started researching it recently, With soft, white sand, crystal clear waters, plenty of sunny days and a nice downtown area, Destin’s a fun and beautiful vacation destination. Check out some of the following hotels I’ve been looking into:

Pelican Beach Resort and Confernece Center

You have to look at the photos on the Pelican Beach site to get a feel for how beautiful Destin’s beaches are. Pretty, no? The resort itself is admittedly a little boxy looking from the outside, but it’s right on the beach, has two swimming pools, tennis courts, a video game room (really!) and a nice fitness center. The middle and top floors have stunning views.

Hilton Sandestin

Hilton Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort

Golf fanatics will drool over the four championship courses at this beautiful resort. All the rooms are suites, and they’re very large and comfy. This resort is only steps away from the turquoise waters of the ocean, too. The junior suites are perfect for families because they come with bunk beds.

Comfort Inn Destin

If you’re looking for very affordable accommodations in Destin, even if you have to walk a little farther to the beach, consider this Comfort Inn. (You only have to walk across the street to the beach in this case.)  It’s very highly rated, you get a deluxe free breakfast, and there’s both indoor and outdoor heated pools. Definitely request a balcony room – the views are absolutely stunning.

Photo Credits: Raymond Brown, just jennifer

Winter is definitely upon us, and many parts of the country have been blanketed in snow over the past few weeks, even cities like Las Vegas which rarely see as much snow as they got! If you’re a fan of snow and skiing, this is the perfect time of year for you. The U.S. has plenty of fantastic ski resorts – check out some of these cities, ski resorts and hotels when planning your next ski vacation:

Stowe Mountain Lodge

The Stowe Mountain Lodge

The Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, is practically brand-new, and it’s gorgeous. Stowe, Vermont is one of those perfectly picturesque towns to visit, no matter what time of year you go, including the magical winter season. All rooms have a view of either Mt. Mansfield or Spruce Peak, and you can book 1,2 or 3-bedroom suites. Most rooms have fireplaces to cozy up next to as well as balconies. There are plenty of winter activities to check out including snowboarding and dog sledding, too!

Lion Square Lodge

Lion Square Lodge

The Lion Square Lodge is located in beautiful Vail, Colorado. You can enjoy either hotel rooms or large, 1-5 bedroom condominiums. There are three outdoor hot tubs, saunas and a well-equipped fitness room. Although, after a day on the nearby slopes you probably won’t have to work out at all. You’ll be close to lots of shops, restaurants and nightlife as well.

Aspen, Colorado

Sky Hotel

The Sky Hotel, located in Aspen, Colorado, offers 90 luxurious rooms perfect for every snow bunny. The decor is hip and welcoming, and you can choose to relax in the outdoor heated pool or hit the slopes as soon as you arrive. This resort is pet-friendly, too! Aspen has a great nightlife scene, and you’ll be close to that as well.

Stay warm, have fun and enjoy an amazing ski season at these picturesque ski resorts.

Photo Credits: Lion Square Lodge website, Stowe Mountain Lodge website, Mcclave

Renovations in Progress

Whenever I go home for the holidays, I like to get a hotel room near the family. I love the family but I need my space – the mad chaos that ensues requires that I have a nice and quiet retreat (parents + many nieces and nephews + dogs = mayhem!)

I firmly believe that having a little oasis of your own can be the perfect way to keep your sanity. In downtown Monterey, Casa Munras is one of my favorite hotels to choose whenever I return home.

It is centrally located near local shops, a Denny’s across the street, a new Trader Joes and a new Peet’s Coffee around the block. You are just down the street from Del Monte Shopping Center with its stores like Macy’s and other standard mall chains. Fisherman’s Wharf is also within walking distance though a bit further.

Casa Munras has been a part of Monterey since the days when the city was the first capital of California.  The registration desk and business center are located on the property that was the original hacienda of Don Esteban Munras, the last Spanish diplomat to California. His hacienda was built in 1824 and was one of the first built outside the historic Monterey Presidio, which is about a mile away by car.

If you have never stayed here you are in for a treat because over the last few years the owners have been renovating the entire property. Currently a Larkspur Collection Hotel, this wonderful hotel is now boasting a spa called Sano and a beautiful new restaurant, Esteban named after the original owner.

While we were there this time, we didn’t have time to eat at the new restaurant but we cuddled up with our evening nightcaps by the outdoor fire pit and savored the crisp winter air.

The hotel offers a very nice heated swimming pool, a fitness room, free wi-fi, and free off-street parking (this is big because a lot of hotels in the area all charge about $25 a night to park your car).

Heated Pool and Free Off Street Parking

The million dollar renovations are ongoing but many of the rooms are finished. You might want to ask for one of the newly finished ones when you make your reservation. I found the front desk very helpful. If your stay is a special occasion, I can suggest a nice spot for dinner in Pacific Grove.

The rates are reasonable and they often offer AAA discounts – and Larkspur Hotels and Restaurants guarantees that every hotel reservation booked through their websites will have the best rate publicly available on the Internet.