The internet is in no short supply of travel websites (see: Uptake!), and new site ideas are popping up nearly every day. Being that I am a travel blog writer, I’ve seen many sites advertising many deals and discounts and have seen many trends come and go. I was just introduced to Trip Alertz, a new travel site that allows you to purchase hotel packages at a major discount. As more people purchase the hotel deal, the lower your final cost for the package. Think of it as a reverse auction: instead of the price going up for demand, the hotel package price goes down on Trip Alertz.

Embassy Suites, Lake Buena Vista Resort, Orlando

The best deal I’ve found on the site so far is for the Embassy Suites Hotel Lake Buena Vista. This Embassy Suites Hotel is adjacent to Disney World and is listed as a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor® Hotel. The listed hotel package deal is currently listed at $163 for a two-night stay in a two-bedroom suite with extra perks included. Enjoy a Manager’s Reception with snacks and beverages each evening, daily complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, and free shuttle transportation to/from all Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Parks. Once purchased, the package is valid for stays Nov. 28 – Dec. 02, 2010 or Dec. 12 – Dec. 23, 2010.

The Embassy Suites Hotel invites guests with a heated indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center, tennis, basketball, and sand volleyball courts. As with every Embassy Suites Hotel, rooms open onto a large atrium that houses the registration desk and bar/restaurant.

*Instructions for how to purchase the deal and use the package, see the Trip Alertz website.

Photo courtesy: Embassy Suites, Lake Buena Vista

Thinking about Thanksgiving dinner already?

Stop.

And think about having your entire Thanksgiving weekend vacation being pampered, fed, and treated like royalty at Emerald Grande at Harborwalk Village in Destin, Florida.

Situated right on Destin harbor with a view out to the Gulf of Mexico and into the intercoastal waterway connecting to Choctawhatchee Bay, the luxury accommodations welcome you for a holiday weekend for your family to remember for decades. Book at 2- or 3-bedroom luxury suite overlooking the white sand beaches, emerald green water, and bustling harbor for your family. By staying at the Emerald Grande at Harborwalk Village between November 24 and November 30, you and your family can stay in luxury and have your Thanksgiving dinner catered to your specifications in your suite.

Luxury Bathroom in Emerald Grande at Harborwalk Village - Destin, FL

The best part: you don’t have to do your dishes. Take your Tryptophan nap in comfort after your meal as you overlook the Gulf, watching the seagulls and dolphins pass you by. And if you happen to turn on the TV to watch the Lions and Cowboys, you can do that, too.

Harbor Beach View from Harborwalk, Destin, FL

Each suite is accommodated with flat screen TVs, king-size beds, garden tubs, granite countertops, separate living rooms, WiFi, and full-sized kitchens. It’s a formula perfect for a family welcoming up to 8 people for an amazing Thanksgiving weekend for only $999 (special rate).

Overlooking the world below is one of life’s luxuries. Staying in one of the top 6 tallest hotel rooms* in the world can be defined as pure luxury. This list could also be titled “Top 5 Tallest Hotel Rooms in Dubai except for that first one in Saudi Arabia (because that one is ginormous) so I had to make it Top 6 Hotel Suites to make room for a non-Middle East country”.

Compiled below is the top 6 tallest hotel rooms and hotel suites in the world.

#1 Abraj Al Bait Towers (opening mid-2010)
Mecca (Mekkah), Saudi Arabia
Height: 1,952 ft – 76 stories
Reservations: not accepted at this time
(note: Unless you’re a devout Muslim and can pretty much prove you are, you’re not getting into Mecca. As cool as this place would be to see in person, many people will never get the chance as only Muslims are allowed in the city of Mekkah.)

Abraj Al Bait Hotel, Mecca, Saudi Arabia (artist rendering)

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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!

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