The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is one of the most popular parades in the country, watched by millions on TV. But wouldn’t it be great to see it live and in person from New York City?

All you have to do is make your way to NYC and get up at the crack of dawn to get yourself a spot along the parade route, then stand for hours elbow to elbow with a crowd of restless strangers. Want the live experience without the pre-dawn wake-up call? Head to a Manhattan hotel.

As of this posting, Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers on 7th Avenue and 53rd Street still has rooms available along the parade route for November 24th, with standard guestrooms starting at $750 (hey, a tradition like this is going to cost you!). To book a room for the parade, call 212-581-1000and make sure to ask for a room facing 7th Avenue.

The W Times Square also had parade view rooms available, but there’s only one person in the hotel who can handle these specific reservations. Call 212-930-7441 and request to speak with Sherry. (Rumor has it that next year’s parade won’t go by Times Square, so this could be your last chance to see the parade from here.) Check out a few less expensive options over at the Lodging blog.

When the parade has passed you by, take advantage of some of the best shopping in the world on 5th Avenue, or head down to Chinatown for something a little more unique. Other holiday favorites in the city include visits to Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.

Photo courtesy Sheraton New York

Holiday Inn Express

Some of you might remember my post about the Twenty Dollar Trick, which can be used to get upgrades at hotels all across the country. Well, after reading through (almost) all of the comments, and after receiving an upgrade at a hotel recently *without* using the Twenty Dollar Trick, I decided that it was time for another entry about this topic.

I’m in the process of planning a wedding, and upon arriving at the Inn at Key West in Key West, Florida, we were initially assigned a standard room (at an outstanding price, I might add, which we found online.) But, we had a friend with us who works in sales, and she was able to get us a nicely upgraded room for the same price. How? She basically told the hotel, “Look. We are deciding between your hotel and one other hotel for a room block for over 50 people for next May. Let us stay in one of your bigger, nicer rooms. It’s summer and slow season, I’m sure you have bigger rooms available?”

And, guess what? We got what we wanted.

So, here’s the deal to getting a hotel room upgrade – with no money exchanging hands at all

1. Just Ask!

Sounds simple, buy many people are afraid to ask for what they want. What’s the worst that can happen? The hotel will say no. Or…they could say yes.

2. Frequent Flier Credits

This isn’t the best way to get a hotel room upgrade, because there are better ways to use your frequent flier miles, but it’s worth looking into if you have a bizillion of them.

3. Join those “Frequent Visitor” programs

They work! I’ve gotten upgrades through these programs a number of times.

4. Stay in the same hotel chain

I love Holiday Inn Expresses because they’re usually a good value and have large rooms. If you always stay with Holiday Inns, it’s more likely that the hotel will give you an upgrade upon check-in – they can check their computers for how many times you’ve stayed with them easily.

5. Don’t be afraid to complain if something is really wrong

Let’s say you get to your room and the bathroom has not been cleaned well, or there’s food on the carpets. Talk to the front desk – politely- and explain that you want another room, and an upgrade is possible. This often works, especially on non-busy weekends or weeks.

Photo: Eddie~S

My bed at the W Westwood in Los Angeles, CA

I don’t travel well, especially when it comes to getting to sleep in a strange bed.  Besides my inherent fear that someone will break into my room, there’s always the lovely sounds of hotel neighbours to rouse me before I actually get to sleep.

Having just returned from the hip and happening W Westwood in Los Angeles, (where I must admit I felt 100 years old just like last time, more on that later), the first article I wanted to write was this one.  You know, for next time.

So, if you’re a restless, weary traveler, consider the following:

1 ) When checking in or booking the room, ask to be placed at least 2 floors away from the hotel’s hot spot.  In the case of the W, make it 6 or more.  I was on the 4th floor and heard BOOM BOOM BOOM until 1 a.m.  Not ideal when I had to be up at 6.

2 ) Also request your room not be near the ice machines or the elevators.  Even if the mechanics of these areas are quiet, there will be the human element pouring off the lift or digging in the ice machine for just one. more. drink.

3 ) Unplug your phone or ask the hotel to put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode if possible.  No need for drunk dialers to wake you if you’ve already managed to crash.

4 ) Double check your alarm clock for obvious reasons.  You don’t want to be up at 4 a.m. unless it’s your flight you’re looking to catch.

5 ) Use ear plugs, if you’re so inclined.

6 ) If you’re the type to get up in the night to use the washroom or get a drink of water, make sure your foot path is clear and save yourself the trouble of getting up for water by leaving a glass of water at your bedside.

7 ) Close your curtains before bed.

8 ) If your neighbours are particularly rowdy, you could try calling the front desk but if that fails, don’t be afraid to pack it in and go to the front desk for a new room.  Personally I don’t mind the sound of happy party people.  For some reason I feel safer if I know there are people around.

9 ) If you’re going to watch television to fall asleep, set the timer for sleep mode.  That way you don’t wake up to the Slapchop dude screaming into your dreams.

10 ) If you don’t want hotel staff to wake you up in the morning, be sure to use your Do Not Disturb sign.

Personally I find having a couple of drinks at dinner gets me lubricated enough to slip into dreamland a little easier.  Hopefully sleep finds you at your destination!

Photo Credit: Karen Bodkin

There’s something special about staying in a hotel.

The feeling of knowing you don’t have to make your own bed or hang up your own dirty towels is truly bliss.

Of course, sometimes we have to forgo the hotel for a guest bed in a loved one’s home.  And, sometimes, you get to be the loved one offering up a free bed.  I live in Orlando, Florida – so I play the hostess with the mostess a free bed about 6-10 times a year.

While I do not make the beds for my guests, I do like to take a few cues from the hotel industry.  Actually, I take more than cues when it comes to pampering visitors.

I take supplies.

I never use the shampoo and conditioner provided by the hotel.  My naturally curly hair is much too delicate for that.  But I do bring home every single little bottle I find in my hotel bathroom.  When I get home, I put my hotel freebies into a little basket that I set in my guest bathroom.

Another basket sits on the nightstand next to the guest bed, and I fill that with bottles of lotion supplied by previous hotel stays.  I also fill the nightstand drawer with little notepads and pens that used to live on top of hotel room desks.

I actually got this idea from a friend who travels 4-6 months out of the year for business.  The baskets in her guest rooms are filled with everything from lotions and soap to travel tooth brushes and fluffy white slippers – all of which came from a hotel she stayed in while traveling for business.

Clearly, the nicer the hotel, the better the goodies you can bring home for free!

Photo Courtesy of leozaza on FlickR.