My husband and I stayed at the Elm Hurst Inn and Country Spa in Ingersol Ontario, and truly enjoyed our stay. It was certainly a quiet hotel, and had crisp, clean rooms to accommodate us. We were there for a Christmas party and the decorations made the Inn look that much more picturesque in the snow and lights.
I’ve probably said this before, I’m saying it now, and I’ll be sure to say it again. I’m lucky to live in the heart of so many hotels. I have a “thing” for hotels. (It’s a good thing since I write for a hotel blog.) I LOVE staying at hotels.
Recently though, with the arrival of my two girls, I’ve started to really notice hotel pools. When we look for places to stay, one of the first things I look for on the hotel’s web site is the pool and its amenities. It must be awesome. I’m not spending my time at a hotel if it doesn’t have a pool worth visiting with my girls.
Marriott Orlando World Center Pool at Night
The Marriott Orlando World Center Resort just outside of Disney World, touts itself as a “The Hotel with the Best Pool in Orlando.” It’s pretty much like getting a waterpark for FREE included with your hotel stay. With four heated indoor pools and outdoor pools, TWO hotel kids pools, and SIX whirlpools, there’s hardly a reason to leave the hotel since it’s an attraction in itself. And look at that picture above. To me, swimming outside on a warm summer night is near bliss.
The Old Mill has long been a integral part of Toronto’s heritage. First discovered in 1615, it was then a thoroughfare for Native Canadians. Now it is home to live entertainment, weddings and corporate meetings.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada Skyline
Just before Toronto, we made a quick stop in Montreal, and even though I was there for a short time, I can tell you that the Opus Hotel one very comfortable hotel.The room was plenty big, and furnished with modern fixings such as a bowl sink and contemporary furniture. The rooms are – well, they’re concrete! The building was constructed in 1914, and it was the first concrete-poured building in North America. This surprised me t first, but it’s amazing what good lighting can do to dress up concrete walls. The room felt surprisingly cozy given the fact that much of the walls were bare concrete – it was an interesting room.
Hotel Room View from One King West Hotel, Toronto, Canada
One King West Hotel & Residence in Toronto, Canada is a beautiful, centrally located hotel with gorgeous views of Lake Ontario. This hotel’s history is really interesting – it had been a bank from 1889 until the 1990s, and then it was converted into a hotel and condo residence in 1999. “The Sliver,” a narrow addition to the building added 49 stories of hotel rooms and condo residences. The view from the top is spectacular.
My room was amazing. Check it out in the pic below – it was on the bigger side, and it had a fridge, stove, microwave oven and a dishwasher! The bathroom was spacious and the shower was large. I was only on the 19th floor, but the view of Lake Ontario was beautiful.
One King West Hotel in Toronto, Canada
The Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is quite a trip. If you find yourself at the West Edmonton Mall and don’t have a place to stay that night, definitely book a room! The rooms are decked out in one of nine different themes, all of which will make you smile, some of which will make you cringe at tackiness.
Here’s what my room looked like – it was a Polynesia-themed room, and I thought the decorations were imaginative and fun:
My Polynesian room at The Fantasyland Hotel
I sailed away to sleep in a really comfy bed, and that shelf just below the bed was handy for drinks and food.
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
One of the best places to stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is Condado Beach–with easy access to dining, shopping, nightlife, beach lounging and the historical area of Old San Juan. And smack in the middle of Condado Beach is the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, a great choice for families or couples to base their San Juan explorations. The hotel now helps guests share their vacation experience with pals back home with free YouTube postcards.
The hotel’s YouTube Concierge offers guests a chance to star in a 30-second video postcard, which is then uploaded to YouTube for you to share with friends and family back home. The free service allows you to avoid worrying about buying postcards or stamps, or whether to bring the camera down to the pool or beach. Take a look at the video we shot poolside on our last day.
The week immediately before and the few weeks after Thanksgiving are the BEST times to visit Orlando on vacation to experience the many theme parks and attractions with some of the smallest crowds of the year. The weather has cooled, the rain has dispersed (not my guarantee), and most kids are in school.
If you happen to be in town for Thanksgiving at the beginning or end of your vacation, there are some fabulous hotel restaurants catering to your Turkey Dinner needs. If you’re an “all-you-can-eat” kind of family, below is a list of the Top 5 tastiest-looking Thanksgiving Day buffet menus in the Orlando resort area.
Thanksgiving Dinner Buffets for 2009
Capriccio Grill™ – Peabody Orlando on International Drive
One of the priciest buffets in town at one of the nicest hotels, the Peabody is doing it up fancy-like for Turkey dinner. The nicest of nice foods (most of which I cannot pronounce) include Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage, Pecorino & Beurre Noisette, Apple Cider Baked Smoked Ham & Grain Mustard, and Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes.
Adults $59.50; Kids (6-12) $25 (under 6 is free)
Orlando Thanksgiving Day Buffet – Celebration Hotel in Celebration
Adjacent to Walt Disney World, Celebration, FL, has the charm and ambiance of an old-time neighborhood and city-center with all of the new-world features. The Celebration Hotel is offering a “Florida-style” Thanksgiving buffet featuring Honey Cornbread Stuffing, Granny Smith Apple-Vegetable Turkey with Giblet Gravy, and New Orleans Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce.
Adults $49.95; Kids (3-12) $19.99 (under 3 is free)
Traditional Thanksgiving Buffet – Caribe Royale on World Center Drive
Spend your Thanksgiving dinner in the company of a live Jazz Trio while dining on Shrimp & Crab Cocktail with Remoulade Sauce, Cream of Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup, Tender Roasted Tom Turkey, and a “lavish display of desserts.”
Adults – $39; Kids (3-9) – $15 (under 3 is free)
Garden Grove – Swan and Dolphin Hotel at Walt Disney World
With traditional Thanksgiving dinner fare, the Garden Grove’s buffet includes a turkey and ham carving station, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean almandine and a special kids-only offering.
Adults – $34.95; Kids (3-9) – $15.95 (under 3 is free)
Holiday Grand Buffet – Rosen Plaza on International Drive
Mixing traditional American Thanksgiving dinner accutrements with modern dishes, the Rosen Plaza has planned a tremendous spread including Roast Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus, Traditional Roast Turkey carved tableside, Pilgrims Loaded Mashed Potatoes, and Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Adults $31.95 ; Kids (4-12) $15.95 (under 4 is free)
I’m pretty much considering telling my grandma I’ll be a day late to our family Thanksgiving dinner.
photo credit: A Lynch
Guests are greeted at the Phulay Bay Hotel Pavilion
What could be a more perfect combination than the luxurious attention of the Ritz Carlton, combined with the remote beauty and tranquility of Southern Thailand?
For some of us, absolutely nothing, which is why we’re so excited by the news that the Phulay Bay Ritz-Carlton Reserve is opening in Krabi, Southern Thailand on December 22, 2009. Read More »
Madonna Inn
I asked a friend recently to tell me about their most memorable hotel experience. “The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California,” he said without hesitation. “They have caveman rooms!”
As it turns out, the Madonna Inn offers a variety of themed suites to fulfill just about every vacation fantasy. Inspiration for the 110 themed suites ranges from merry-go-rounds to Yosemite National Park’s Bridal Veil Falls. Sixteen of these suites include a unique “rock shower” and fourteen include in-room waterfalls!
© UpTake Networks, Inc. 2009
