Southern Snow - Yes, it Snows in the South!

I found this article, by the AJC (Atlanta Journal Constitution) interesting because I live in the South and I really want to hit the slopes this year! The article makes a good point – while the West may have more and bigger mountains and ski ares, there are plenty of ski areas and ski hotels and lodges to choose from here in the South – and yes, it most definitely does snow. Check them out!

1. Smokey Shadow Lodge, North Carolina

You’ll stay in a rustic looking, historic lodge made out of stones and logs that’s close to the Cataloochee Ski Area, one of the most popular in the region. Rates are $75-$135 depending on type of room and the season.

2. Sydney James Mountain Lodge, Tennessee

It’s family-owned and situated near a pretty stream near downtown Gatlinburg. You’ll be very close to the Ober-Gatlinburg Ski Area – and this is the closest ski area to Atlanta.

3. Chestnut Ridge Country Inn, West Virginia

This hotel is close to the famous Snowshoe Mountain Ski Area in West Virginia – it features the largest vertical drop in the region! The inn itself is perfectly situated – close to skiing and close to town and other attractions.

4. The Azalea Inn – North Carolina

It’s cute, comfortable, highly rated and the closes B&B to Sugar Mountain, which offers 20 slopes for all types of skiers. What more do you need?

5. The Log Cabin Motor Court

It’s only 5 miles away from downtown Asheville’s many shops, restaurants, cafes and antique shops. You can go night skiing at nearby Wolf Ridge.

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 »

Chicago is one of the greatest places to be during the winter holidays.  Yes, it’s cold.  But the snow and the tiny white lights that cover the entire city are beautiful.  Chicago winters perfectly capture the spirit of the most wonderful time of year.

Chicago Christmas Tree

The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers is offering guests incredible travel specials for the holidays – as long as you book early.

Here’s the Chicago holiday travel deal:

• Receive a $100 Macy’s gift card for each night of your stay.
• Receive a Macy’s VIP coupon book.
• Get a complimentary photo with the Macy’s Santa on State St. Available for stays Nov. 24 – Dec. 24.
• Reduced rates starting at $175 per night from Nov. 6, 2009 to February 21,  2010.

According to my math, the Macy’s gift card brings your actual room rate to about $75 per night.  You have to shop now anyway, right?

The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers will also be offering complimentary shuttle service to Macy’s and Water Tower Place – Chicago’s consumer utopias – during the weekends leading up to December 20.

How to get this Chicago Christmas  deal

• Book by November 6th.
• Offer valid for stays from November 6 to February 21.
• Book online, or call 866-716-8103
• Ask for promo code MAP

Happy Holidays from the Windy City (and Sheraton Chicago)!

Swine Flu, regular influenza, colds, sinus infections, and more lurk everywhere the public is.  Here are a few tips to keep you healthy while traveling and staying in hotels.  Even the swankiest hotels have germs lurking all over.

The Obvious:

1 ) Wash your hands.  If you aren’t washing your hands before eating, and every time you return from being in public, than you already put yourself at risk for contracting and spreading germs.  My 5 and 10 year old know to wash their hands as soon as we return from the supermarket, the shops or school and I don’t even have to prompt them anymore.  I can’t remember the last time either one of them had a cold.

2 ) Get enough sleep.  It’s sometimes difficult to get enough sleep when you’re flying at odd times or partying it up at a resort.  Try to grab a nap when you can and say no to ‘just one more drink’ at the pool bar.

3 ) Drink enough fluids.  It’s very easy when you’re busy running through an airport or vacationing to become dehydrated.  Try to get your water in where you can.

4 ) Try to get a workout or a walk in every day or every other day that you’re gone.  It will reduce stiffness from traveling, and make you feel better.

5 ) Wear flip-flops in your hotel room, including the shower.  Who knows when the carpet was last cleaned?  Avoid plantar warts and fungus by keeping your feet safe.

The Not-So-Obvious But You’ll Probably Think I’ve Lost My Mind:

6 ) Don’t use the hotel’s hot tub.  Hot tub’s often carry bacteria that cause the skin rash folliculitis.  Not afraid of a pesky skin rash?  Okay, how do you feel about breathing in the bacteria-filled air and developing pneumonia or bronchitis?  How about a UTI?  It’s more common than you think.

7 ) Use your flip flops in the pool.  (See #5)

8 ) Lose the coverlet – put it in the corner.  They are washed about every 6 months, even in the 4 star hotels.  If you are cold, ask for another blanket.  Also, check your bed for bed bugs.  Wear socks, long pants and long sleeved shirts to bed to have minimal contact with the bed.  Bring your own sheets and pillow if you’re able. Do not eat in your bed.

9 ) Never EVER use the glasses provided in the hotel room, even if they are wrapped in paper.  Studies have shown staff cleaning and drying the glasses in the bathroom sink, without soap and with your dirty towel.  The towel you use to dry your body with. Pack a few paper cups to use while you’re staying.  Lastly, skip the ice machine.  They are teeming with germs, and often overlooked in the cleaning process.

10 ) Bring and use sanitizing wipes to wipe down light switches, doorknobs and the remote before you use them.

Photo Credit: Frugal Law Student

Whenever I book a hotel, I’m looking to get the most bang for my buck.

Actually, whenever I spend a buck on anything, I’m keeping my eye on the bang factor.  But there are some times when quality outweighs budget (like with toilet paper), and other times when price is the deciding factor (like with nail polish remover).

Oh, right, this is a hotel blog.

You can find a lot of information online (and on this site) about how to save money on hotels.  But for some trips, there are more important things to consider than price when choosing a hotel.  Of course, it’s never a good idea to pay more than you have to – but when do you let the bottom line rule your decisions, and when should you be willing to pay a little more for a hotel room?

When To Pay More For A Hotel

When Location Matters – If you’re visiting New York City and all of your must see tourist attractions are in Manhattan, it might be worth spending a little more to stay in Manhattan instead of staying out by the JFK airport.  Or, if you’re attending a conference that will require you to be some place from early in the morning until late into the day, it might be worth the extra money to avoid giving yourself a daily commute to and from your conference site.

When You’ll Be Spending Time In Your Hotel Room – When I visit a new city, my main focus is to see the city – not the inside of a hotel room.  However, when my husband and I get away to relax together, we’re more concerned with relaxing together than sight seeing.  If you’re planning a vacation to get away that will involve extensive down time inside your hotel room, the quality of the hotel room is something to take into account in your planning.

When You’re Pampering Yourself – Along the same lines as a romantic getaway with your loved ones, some vacations are taken specifically because you need a little extra pampering.  If this is your specific reason for traveling, make sure you get what you want out of the trip by investing in a hotel that will make you feel luxurious.  (At the very least, avoid the threadbare flea bag motels.)

When You’re Traveling With Children – Traveling with children is a whole different beast than traveling with adults.  Consider kid friendly hotels that will make your stay more enjoyable for your children and, as a result, the adults in your party.

When Safety is a Concern – Of course, personal safety should never be completely abandoned.  But it’s of special important if you’re traveling alone or traveling as a single adult with small children.  Also, if you’re staying in a major city, you need to be more aware of (and willing to pay for) properties in safe neighborhoods than, say, if you’re traveling to small town Iowa.

As much as I’m a proponent of traveling despite a tight budget, I’m just as passionate about making sure you have the travel experience that your heart desires.  In order to do that, you may need to pay a little more for the right hotel.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance): Photos8.com on FlickR, ukcountryhousehotelsandspas on FlickR

Twitter is becoming a more popular vehicle for hotels to reach clientele and job prospects.

Twitter is fast becoming a medium for companies to reach their clients. (We’re on Twitter too!  Follow us @UpTake!)  Just yesterday my own websites went down and instead of going to my server company’s web page, I went directly to their Twitter page.  In seconds I saw they had a power outage and service would be restored within the hour.  What took the company 5 seconds to Tweet saved us both time and satisfied my need-to-know immediately.

Here are some of the top hotels on Twitter.  Feel free to add to the list in comments.

The Hyatt has twitter streams for two purposes.  One @hyattconcierge, to reach clientele and prospective clients, as well as promote their brand.  The other, @hyattcareers, is meant for a search of job prospects and to post employment opportunities within the company.  It will be interesting to see if separating the two genres will prove to be lucrative for The Hyatt.

The Marriott International (@MarriottIntl)posts interesting updates and does a good job of keeping their followers.  With 13,000+ following their feed, it’s obvious The Marriott is taking Twitter seriously.  The Marriott Vacation Club (@MarriottVacClub) is an active feed, with plenty of deals for would-be travelers.  Watch this space closely for coupon codes.

I love how the Ritz Carleton actually has PR rep Allison Stitch as their front woman on Twitter (@RitzCarletonPR).  Not only does that instill a sense of humanity to the stream, you know you’re actually talking to someone who’s job it is to make you happy.  Great job Ritz Carleton!

Starwood Hotels are also doing a great job of engaging fellow Tweeters at their stream (@StarwoodBuzz)  They ask questions, post interesting stories and links and reply back – a key to keeping your followers!

Omni Hotels (@OmniHotels) have a Twitter Team, complete with pictures.  They help clients and post deals when they have them.  Seems to me they are really taking the time to answer questions and go above and beyond to help others.

Joie de Vivre Hotels of California (@JDVHotels) take the time to post interesting things near their locations, answer customer questions and solve problems.  Hotel guest Michael Fishman put the JDVHotel Twitter stream to test with shredded towels (!) and received new towels and a reply on Twitter.

Morgans Hotel Group (@morganshotels) also seem to love Tweeting about nearby nigthlife and the like.  It’s proven to be a good move for them obviously, so say their high number of followers (3100+ to be exact).  One tip for Morgans?  Follow back.  We don’t bite and your ratios are whacky.

Fairmont Hotels (@fairmonthotels) have a fun stream with contests and trivia questions.  If nothing else, this Twitter stream is enjoyable and light.  Twitter host Mike Taylor does a great job or keeping his 4500+ followers on board.

Millennium Hotels (@MillenniumPR) does a great job of posting job fairs, contests and replying to clients and prospective travelers.  There’s a bonus to being one of their followers too: they post things just for us.  I can see this account growing in popularity if Millennium keeps up the momentum.

There are many more hotels on Twitter.  Here is a comprehensive list for you to find your favorites or to touch base with any of the hotels you plan on visiting.

Photo Credit: Karen Bodkin (screenshot of Twitter)

Kid Friendly Hotels

Picking the right hotel for your vacation is about much more than finding the best price.

When looking for a hotel, it’s a good idea to consider the kind of vacation you’re taking, who is staying with you, and what kind of hotel amenities are best suited for your unique vacation.

In other words, the best hotel for a romantic getaway may not be the best hotel for a family vacation with two small children.

Kid Friendly Hotels – What Amenities to Look For

1.  Continental Breakfast available on-site.

Small children don’t need an elaborate meal three times a day.  They do, however, need something for breakfast.  The more easily accessible, the better.

While a nicer hotel may have a restaurant that offers a full buffet and omelet bar, I much prefer an inexpensive hotel with a simply stocked continental breakfast when I’m traveling with my kids.  It’s generally a lot easier to set little kids up with a bowl of cereal in a small dining area that accepts footie pajamas as part of their dress code.  Traveling with kids means a lot of time spent in restaurants, and any chance to avoid that stress while still getting a decent meal is worth watching out for.

2. A pool is a plus.  A jacuzzi is completely unnecessary.

Little kids love to swim.  Or, at the very least, they love the idea of swimming – even if the reality is sitting on the pool steps for hours in their swimsuits.  But their expectations are low when it comes to a good hotel pool.

Water?  Great.  Shallow end?  Fantastic.  Clean?  If mom says so.  A jacuzzi and sauna room are less than an afterthought and should, in fact, be avoided by small children if possible.

3.  Extra sleeping area available – pullout couches, cots, massive floor space.

I always underestimate how much sleeping room my children are going to need when we travel.

“Oh, the little one can sleep with us.”

“Hey, the two little ones can bunk together.”

And then the little one is jammed between two big people in a double sized bed and the two big people end up with very little sleep.  Or the two little ones decide that this is the night that they cannot stand anymore of her touching me!

I’m all about giving up a little convenience to save a few bucks, but a good night of sleep when you’re on vacation is much more than a convenience.  Check with the hotel before you book to verify the size of the beds and the availability of cots.

4.  A bathtub.  Not just a shower – an actual bathtub.

If your kids are used to showering at home, than this is a non issue.  But if you’re traveling with a toddler, you may not want to introduce showering and water in the eyes on your oh so perfect family vacation.

Some hotels offer stand up showers only in some rooms, but have regular sized bathtubs in other rooms.  If you book your reservation by phone, ask about a room with a tub.  If you book your room online to save money, call the property you’re staying at after you’ve booked and request a room with a tub.

Ironically, you’ll usually find these amenities in a less expensive hotel.  Luxury is, apaprently, reserved for adults.  But when you’re on a family vacation, the best luxury is being able to stay some place where everyone in the family can feel relaxed and at home.

As hotel obsessives (yes, like me) know, the Ritz-Carlton is the gold standard for service. Executives and sales departments from other industries study them to learn how to treat their most valued clients. And guests of the Ritz-Carlton consistently rave about the attention to detail and care they enjoy while staying at the properties.

The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, CA

Seriously, it’s real. For a former job, we’d put our (ridiculously rich) Board of Directors up in the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton, on Nob Hill — they demanded to stay there. I’d go running up there to do whatever gofer stuff they needed, and even then, when I was a totally junior peon, every single staff person was the picture of friendly solicitousness. They greet you at the door with a smile, everything is ready for you in a nanosecond, and if you have to wait someone brings you chilled water. On a silver tray. It’s delightful.

Yes, special tuxedo chocolate strawberries. Note the silver tray!

Like so many wonderful things in life, you have to experience it to really understand it, and it can be a bit pricey — a luxury in the most traditional sense.

Before you sigh in wishful yearning, and decide you’ll never know, check this out: This summer the Ritz-Carlton is placing that luxury (a little more) within reach with special value packages.

Not a sale, not a discount, an added value package.

A room at the SF Ritz-Carlton. Check out the view!

I’m especially impressed by the “Peace of Mind” package, which is all about relaxing and creating memories, in gorgeous locations like San Francisco (of course!), Maui, Key Biscayne, the Virgin Islands, Europe and the Middle East. The package includes:

• deluxe room accommodations
• full American breakfast for two served in the restaurant (and their restaurants are always fabulous)
• daily internet access and local phone calls
• overnight parking
• Ritz Kids special activities program for two kids
• three nights for the price of two; five nights for the price of three; and a week for the price of only four nights

Did you see that last bullet? The one in bold? A week for the price of four nights? You can do this! Make your reservations now!

This package is only available through September 30, 2009 and the rate will depend on which location. Visit the “One Vacation” page of the Ritz-Carlton site to get all the details and check availability. Then prepare to experience the good life!

Welcome to the hotels blog at UpTake, where we give you our honest take on hotels in the United States and ferret out sizzling deals.

Need the top 5 best hotels near the airport in Boston, a quirky dive for a cross-country road trip with your luv-ah, or a place to rest your head after a history bender in Harper’s Ferry? Coming right up.

A group of seasoned writers and travelers, your hosts at this blog have written for Green Daily, StyleList, Tonic, AOLCityGuide and other online and print publications as well as our scandalous, dishy and informative personal blogs. For more information, see the About Us section.

And our blog? We’re all about the details, the story, the off-kilter anecdotes you’d tell your BFF when you returned from vacation:

This month, look out for:

• Celebrity hotel room antics
• Historic seaside hotels
• Green ski resorts
• Valentine’s Day destinations in New York
• Assassination Vacation: a series on hotels to visit if you’re visiting the sites of presidential assassinations, a la NPR’s Sarah Vowell

And oh so much more.

Want more? Need more? Burning question or idea you’ve got to share? Tip your editor at hotels.blogeditor@uptake.com.

gorgeous photo by kevindooleyvia flickr creative commons

Cool shades for a hot vacation!

SunglassWarehouse.com is sponsoring an amazing travel contest to celebrate their 7th birthday. They are giving away a vacation package worth $3,000. And unlike most contests with a high “value” prize, this one actually includes cash to spend on travel arrangements.

Even better? You get to pick exactly how you want to spend it!

The winner of the contest will receive $2,500 to spend on airfare, hotel and services — did someone say mini-bar? He or she will also have a sweet $300 to spend on food, souvenirs or to use for generous tips.

In addition to the travel funds, the winner also receives an “essential vacation accessories” package that includes four pair of sunglasses, a beach tote, two bottles of sunscreen, and two beach towels.

It sounds too good to be true, but really it’s incredibly smart. For relatively little money, SunglassWarehouse.com will get loads of people to check out their site, and they are guaranteed to have a very happy winner. No whining about the hotel, because the winner gets to pick their favorite resort on Maui.

There are even ways to “earn” more than one entry, like by blogging or twittering about the contest, or joining their Facebook page. So go enter before February 16th, and if you win, come back to UpTake to plan your vacation!

Photo: SunglassWarehouse.com