The Atrium at the Gaylord National

I’ve raved before about how much I love the Gaylord Hotels, and I’m so thrilled that they’ve recently partnered with Dreamworks to create a more family-friendly experience at their hotels. Now, they are offering Family Fun Nights with Shrek and Friends on special nights in February and March 2011.  These nights are the perfect way for kids to really enjoy themselves in a family vacation experience!

The Family Night Nights start at $99 per person, double occupancy, and include the following:

• Accommodations at a Gaylord Hotels resort for a family of up to four
• Admission to DJ dance party with appearances by Shrek, Fiona, and Puss in Boots
• Admission to a DreamWorks movie shown on a big screen
• Puss In Boots Quest for the Magic Beans Scavenger Hunt
• Swamp Juice and Ogre Treats
• A souvenir photo for the families
• A DreamWorks craft activity
• The daily resort fee
• Self parking

The Family Fun Night with Shrek and Friends takes place on Feb. 18, 2012 at both Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, TN., and Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, FL., and on Feb. 25, 2012 and March 10, 2012 at Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD.

The Gaylord National
201 Waterfront Street
National Harbor, MD 20745

The Gaylord Opryland
2800 Opryland Drive
Nashville, TN 37214

The Gaylord Palms
6000 W Osceola Parkway
Kissimmee, FL 34746

The Gaylord Texan
1501 Gaylord Trail
Grapevine, TX 76051-1945

Photo credit: The Gaylord Hotels

Relax in an AVIA Long Beach Grand King room

Tired of staying in the same big hotels with no personality? On your Long Beach vacation, snag a room at the AVIA Long Beach, and enjoy living well without depleting your bank account.

The boutique hotel’s 138 rooms include crisp linens, Italian-cotton coverlet, McCartan-designed furniture and lighting fixtures, complimentary wired and wireless Internet, MP3 docking station, large bathroom with walk-in shower and waterfall shower head, coffeemaker and flat-panel TV. My room, a Grand King, included a seating area and office space, so I could get my work done.

It may be tempting to lounge in your luxe room, but venture out to the hotel’s handful of restaurant/lounge options. The AVIA Kitchen offers Southern California farm-to-table fare for breakfast and dinner. Right across the lobby, the AVIA Lounge is a swanky bar where you can enjoy drinks and small plates. When the weather is good, head upstairs to the Rooftop 360˚ bar to enjoy the view.

The AVIA Long Beach is just a few steps from The Pike at Rainbow Harbor, located
in the heart of downtown Long Beach’s waterfront dining and entertainment district. It’s also within walking distance of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

AVIA Long Beach, 562-436-1047
285 Bay Street, Long Beach, CA 90802

Photo courtesy of AVIA Long Beach

More Long Beach area-related information:
Parker’s Lighthouse in Long Beach

The Mansion at Ocean Edge Resort

Are you still looking for something to do with your family for February school vacation (which is in just two short weeks here)?  It’s probably too late to book a flight somewhere, but if you are driving distance to Cape Cod, the February Break Family Getaway Package at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster is a great family vacation option.  Today, in Massachusetts, the temperature was in the 50s, so it’s entirely possible that the temperature in February will be above average!

The February Break Family Getaway package is available February 17-26, 2012, and rates start at just $129 per night, per room for a family of four for a one bedroom villa (with a sleep sofa).  Breakfast can be added daily for an additional $13.95 for adults and $7.95 for kids under 12. There’s plenty for the kids to do all week, including special programming like hip hop classes and a Project Runway challenge.  In addition, there are two indoor pools, a game room featuring XBox Kinect, and a kids’ lounge.  To book this package please make a reservation online or call (800) 343-6074 and ask for rate code FEBVACAY

Ocean Edge Resort
2907 Main Street
Brewster, MA 02631
508.896.9000

Photo credit: Ocean Edge Resort

The Sea Crest Beach Hotel

Most people don’t think of Cape Cod, Massachusetts as a great winter vacation spot, but for Valentine’s Day weekend, it may be the best spot around.  Even in the winter, it’s incredibly scenic, and February should be a nice and quiet time for a romantic weekend.  In addition, the weather here in Massachusetts has actually been unseasonably warm – so you should be able to walk around town without needing to be completely bundled up.

The Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, MA, is offering an “Escape to the Cape” getaway on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  Guests will enjoy dinner for two at the on-site restaurant Shutters, a delicious chocolate buffet, and breakfast for two on Sunday morning.

Rates for the Sea Crest Beach Hotel’s Valentine’s Day Weekend Package start at $250 including taxes and gratuities.  Additional night stay on Friday, February 10, 2012 is available based on availability starting at $89.

The recently renovated Sea Crest Beach Hotel is located on a private beach in North Falmouth on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The hotel offers 263 guest rooms and suites, some with fireplaces and water view private balconies, perfect for any romantic getaway.

Sea Crest Beach Hotel
350 Quaker Road
North Falmouth, MA 02556

Photo credit: Sea Crest Beach Hotel

Violet Thorn at the Verve, Crown Plaza Natick

Last week, the Crowne Plaza in Natick, Massachusetts, right across from the Natick Mall (the largest indoor mall in New England), revealed their metamorphosis into The Verve, Crowne Plaza Natick.  The 18-month, $25 million renovation turned the standard business hotel into a Metrowest Boston hotspot.

The lobby bar, once a standard hotel bar, has been rebranded to Violet Thorn, a flashy bar which is more reminiscent of Vegas than Metrowest Boston.  The old steakhouse restaurant has been completely transformed into the Pantry, a retro restaurant celebrating the art of cooking.  Fun features include utensil light fixtures, a TV playing cooking segments, and a wall of milk bottles.  The lobby has also been completely renovated with a fun, American pop culture vibe, and local business Bose designed a special sound system which plays popular tunes from decades past.

Business travelers will appreciate the improved WiFi in the conference rooms, and the recently renovated hotel rooms, while casual travelers will love the location right across the street from the Natick Mall, the restaurant, and the lobby shop with ice cream and coffee.  The Verve, Crowne Plaza Natick is just about 15 miles from Boston, and is conveniently located right off of Route 90 (The Massachusetts Turnpike).

Crowne Plaza Boston Hotel – Natick
1360 Worcester Street
Natick, Massachusetts 01760
877.384.0706

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig

A Room at the Colonnade Hotel

Looking for a fabulous winter break in Boston for this upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend?  Combine the Colonnade Hotel’s popular Frosty Friday’s package with their Valentine’s Dinner Menu, which is being offered as a special on the evenings of February 10-13th at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie JO.  This fun, romantic dinner includes four courses – appetizer, salad, fish, meat, and dessert.

If you’d prefer to stay overnight over Valentine’s Day (on a Tuesday this year), you can book the Overnight Escape at the Colonnade Hotel and combine it with the Valentine’s Day Dinner at Brassiere JO.  The package including deluxe accommodations for two and a full American breakfast in Brasserie JO (the dinner is separate).  Rates start at $249 per night, excluding tax and gratuities.

The Colonnade Hotel, a four-star boutique hotel that recently completed a $25 million renovation, is centrally located right in the Back Bay section of Boston.  You can walk right across the street to the Shops at Prudential Center and Copley Place.  Newbury Street, the Boston Public Garden, Symphony Hall, and Boston’s South End are walking distance away.

The Colonnade Hotel
120 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA
1-800-962-3030

Photo credit: The Colonnade Hotel

The Haute Chocolate Package at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

Valentine’s Day is coming up in less than a month – have you made your plans yet?  One option is to experience one or more of the fabulous Haute Chocolate Experiences at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, GA.  From February 1, 2012 through Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2012, there’s a different chocolate event going on that would be a great experience for any Valentine’s Day celebration.

Some standouts on the schedule include the “Haute Couples, Haute Chocolate” Candy-Making Class on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  Make it a weekend getaway, and also attend the Haute Chocolate Sundae Brunch on Sunday, February 12, 2012.  If you are planning to stay through Valentine’s Day (this year on a Tuesday), the whole fourteen day celebration ends with a special dessert – the Two Hearts are One” Dessert in The Café.

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead offers 510 elegant, luxurious hotel rooms including 56 suites.  The hotel is located in the popular, trendy, Buckhead area of Atlanta, and in close proximity to the MARTA mass transit.  Amenities include a fitness center, indoor pool, business center, valet park, 24-hour in-room dining, wireless internet access, and flat-screen televisions.

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead
3434 Peachtree Road, N.E.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Phone: (404) 237-2700

Photo credit: The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

Yosemite Lodge green prototype room

One of the most awe-inspiring views in California’s Yosemite National Park is Yosemite Falls. Gawkers stand for hours at the base and hikers venture up the trail to the top. When you plan your vacation to the park, why not stay as close as possible—Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

Take advantage of the opportunity to get even closer to nature by staying in one of the new green rooms. Two of the 245 rooms at the lodge have been redesigned to be environmentally friendly as a first step to eventually get all the rooms to follow suit. The green rooms include electronic key cards, insulation made from recycled newspaper, double-pane windows, fixtures to reduce water consumption, organic cotton sheets, recycled flooring, and more.

Now that you’re all hyped up to be green at Yosemite, take note that since these are only two rooms, they may be difficult to get. When you make your reservation, make your preference known, and you may snag one. But if you don’t, you’ll be happy to know that other aspects of the hotel follow environmentally friendly practices.

Yosemite National Park seems like the ideal place to be green.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, 801-559-4884
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Photo courtesy of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

More Yosemite-related information:
Award-Winning Ahwahnee in Yosemite Delivers Best Lunch

The Mountain Club on Loon in the Winter

The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain, a slope-side, four-season resort located at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire, has just finalized their $9 million floor-to-ceiling renovation.  Enhancements include the following:

• Rooms, studios, and suites updated with new appliances, bathrooms, flat-screen televisions, and flooring
• New windows and balcony sliding doors, providing new and improved views
• Free Wi-Fi available through the resort
• Hallways updated with new carpeting, paneling, wallpaper, and lighting
• Exterior enhancements including cedar trim and new lighting
• A new heating and cooling system making it an even better four-season environment

The 234-room Mountain Club on Loon Mountain is located slope-side on Loon Mountain, overlooking the Pemigewasset River in Lincoln, New Hampshire.  It’s just a short two-hour ride from Boston, and is right off of Route 93 at the base of the Kancamagus Highway in the scenic White Mountains.  For larger groups, the hotel offers 117 suites that sleep up to six guests, including separate Club rooms with king beds and Studios with queen/double beds, a full kitchen and dining area.  Hotel amenities include garage parking, several onsite restaurants, the Viaggio Spa and Health Club, an indoor heated pool, and outdoor heated pool, indoor racquetball courts, indoor basketball courts, and ski-on, ski-off access.

The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain
90 Loon Mountain Rd.
Lincoln, NH 03251
800-229-7829

Photo credit: The Mountain Club on Loon Mountain

The Exterior of the Walt Disney World Dolphin

I recently decided to plan a last minute trip to Walt Disney World to cheer on some of my friends at the marathon.  Since it’s a popular weekend, and I was booking very last minute, my hotel options were fairly limited.  As an American Express cardholder, I was able to get a great prepaid deal at the Walt Disney World Dolphin – a hotel I hadn’t visited before.

While the Dolphin isn’t an official Walt Disney World hotel, it does have some Disney perks.  Guests are able to take advantage of Extra Magic Hours as well as Disney transportation.  However, Magical Express transportation is not available.

We had booked a two double-bed room, as there were three of us sharing the room.  However, when I checked it at 10pm, my room wasn’t available.  Instead, we got a king bed room with a sofa bed and a pull-out couch, along with a one-time $50 credit and complimentary breakfast for three.  I was a little disappointed, but the room was actually very nice.

The restaurants at the Dolphin (and sister hotel the Swan) are fabulous, if a bit expensive, and the pool area is wonderful.  But you can’t beat the location – walking distance to Epcot’s World Showcase and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Walt Disney World Dolphin
1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig