Last Year's Gingerbread Display at the Skytop

Although I’ve never been to the Poconos, I always imagine those old-fashioned lodge-style hotels from Dirty Dancing – a place where there are just loads of activities for the entire family.  The Skytop Lodge, named one of the best resorts for family reunions, looks to be just that kind of place.

You could certainly visit the Skytop Lodge any time of year, but if you are thinking of visiting in December, you may consider attending the Gingerbread Weekend which is taking place on Dec. 10-12, 2010.  The Gingerbread Festival officially launches the start of the holiday season at the Skytop, and  last year, the resort’s gingerbread display contained 1,000 pounds of thick gingerbread, 500 pounds of creamy royal icing, and 300 pounds of candy.

The weekend also offers some great holiday fun – a viewing of the Polar Express, candy cane hunts, a tree lighting, a visit from Santa, ice-skating in the indoor rink, holiday hayrides and outdoor winter picnics with a bonfire, and more.  Holiday packages at the Skytop Lodge (excluding Christmas and New Years day) start at $395 per night.

The Skytop Lodge offers varying lodging options – from the main lodge, cottages, and the Inn at Skytop.  All room rates include accommodation as well as three meals per day.

The Skytop Lodge
One Skytop
Skytop, PA 18357
1.800.345.7759

Photo credit: Ken Shurman/VIP Studios

The Philadelphia International Flower Show

Are you headed to the Philadelphia International Flower Show, the largest indoor flower show in the United States?  If you are planning on staying the night, several nearby hotels are offering discounted accommodation packages which include one-day flower show admission.

Here are a few of the hotel specials available:

Comfort Inn Downtown Historic Area
100 North Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106
$205 per room

Courtyard by Marriott Downtown
21 North Juniper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
$279 per room tax and gratuity not included (Sunday through Thursday)
$179 per room tax and gratuity not included (Friday or Saturday)

Crown Plaza City Avenue
4100 Presidential Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19131
$193 per room

Quality Inn Gloucester City
1200 Crescent Blvd, Gloucester City, NJ 08004
$94.49 per room tax and gratuity not included

Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel Philadelphia
1701 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
$199 per room tax and gratuity not included

Le Meridien Philadelphia
99 South 17th Street, Philadelphia PA 19103
$189 per room tax and gratuity not included

Hyatt Regency Philadelphia
201 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106
$199 per room tax and gratuity not included

Loews Philadelphia Hotel
1200 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
$249 per room tax and gratuity not included

To book one of these vacation packages, call central reservations at 1-888-222-1736 and ask for the Philadelphia International Flower Show package.

Photo credit: The Philadelphia International Flower Show

Groundhog Day is here again? Seems like yesterday… If you want to shadow Punxsy Phil on Feb 2 this year, better book in at one of the hotels in Punxsutawney, and then take one of their shuttles to Gobbler’s Knob.

Gobbler's Knob

Hotel Pantall: 135 East Mahoning Street; (814) 938-6600
Hotel Punxsutawney: 108 North Findley Street; (814) 938-8182
Victorian Tudor Suite: 202 Pine Street; (814) 938-9059

The fictional ‘Cherry Street Inn’ where Phil (Bill Murray) wakes up every morning? It happens to be in Woodstock, Illinois, and is called the Royal Victorian Manor.

After being a much visited and photographed private residence all these years, it has been turned into a B&B in time for a Groundhog Day opening this year. 

The hotel where Bill Murray actually stayed for Groundhog Day while filming for the movie? That would be the Pantall Hotel, built in 1888. Now you can stay in the Bill Murray Room, or the one used by Harold Remus, director of Groundhog Day.

Murray and crew landed up in Punxsutawney on Feb 1, 1992, and he managed to get a room at the Pantall for Groundhog Day, only because someone else gave up their room for the star.  

If the Pantall, and the other hotels in Punxsutawney are all full up, then here’s some more hotels within a short drive. In case you can’t make it, you can receive Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction via text message. Just text ‘Groundhog’  to 247365 between now and Groundhog Day.

Gobbler’s Knob photo by Eddie~s

Related posts:-
Punxsutawney Phil and Other Famous Groundhogs
10 Inns Made Famous by Movies

With the World Series tied one game each after 2 games, and the third game between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies all set to be a thriller on Saturday, one hotel in Philadelphia is already gloating over the grief of Yankees fans staying with them.

Hilton Inn at Penn Grief kit for Yankees Fans

The Hilton Inn at Penn is offering We Yankees Grief Kits to Yankees fans who book their World Series Hotel Package for games 3, 4 and 5.

The kit includes a mini pack of tissues (for minor breakdowns),  a big Phillies towel (for uncontrollable bawling), a box of band-aids (to help cover the gaping wounds), and a tiny Phillies batting helmet and special edition baseball card plaque as a reminder of the wonderful game.

The World Series special package includes – in addition to the dastardly grief kit – deluxe guestroom for two, round trip transportation to Citizen’s Bank Park on Philadelphia’s SEPTA Trolley & Subway, and $25 credit to be used in the University Club, Penne Restaurant and Wine Bar or room service.

And in case anyone missed the point of the grief kits being handed out by the Inn at Penn, Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, hammered it in loud and clear – “Some would point out the coincidence of the Yankees and the Infectious Diseases Convention coming to town in the same weekend.”

Geez! Talk about sore winners…

Info: 3600 Sansom Street Philadelphia PA 19104; (215) 222-0200; www.theinnatpenn.com/

Related posts:-
Top 10 Baseball Museums from Philadelphia to Tampa
Ten of America’s Favorite Baseball Stadiums

Photo courtesy Inn at Penn (via uwishunu.com)