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What makes a you give a hotel a good review? The Huffingtonpost story based on U.S. hotels in Expeida’s Insiders’ Select user ratings gives major for things like free wifi and no extra cost breakfast buffets. Some of the hotels on the list are no surprise. The Ritz Carlton offers a five star experience wherever you go and the same can probably be said for most Residence Inns which are three star suite accommodations. The eco-friendly focus in the Hutton Hotel in Nashville is moderately appealing but I’m not sure how I feel about paying good money to stay in a hotel with water free urinals. On the other hand the view from the Epic Hotel in Miami looks lovely (assuming you get a room with a view similar to the one in the Huffpo picture) and I’m a reader so the Epic Page Turner guest reading program with books available in print and digital formats sounds great to me and I just might be sold on this establishment. Epic Hotel online reservations is quoting rates from about 240.oo USD/night for this month.
Luxury perks, niceties and bells and whistles aside, in any hotel, I like clean rooms and bedding (obviously). I like the sheets to be cotton because it’s unpleasant to sleep on cheapie polyester or poly blend sheets – especially if they’re old and beaded up. I like comfortable beds – and who doesn’t. Complimentary breakfast is nice if healthy foods are offered. But I’ve stayed in quite a few decent hotels where the free breakfast consisted of bagels, waffles, syrup, danishes and highly concentrated orange juice – i.e. carbs, carbs and more carbs. This kind of bleached flour and refined sugar breakfast freebie is no help and unless you are in a rush and the hotel buffet breakfast is your only chance to eat that morning you’re better off passing on the freebie and paying for a more healthful breakfast somewhere else. Free wi fi is not a make or break for me because free and fast is good, but free and so sluggish that it feels like dial up is not helpful. One of the fastest internet connections I’ve used was at the airport Days Inn in Philly, a two star hotel, and I did have to pay for it. Otherwise, this hotel is nothing to write home about. Some construction workers grill dinner outside their rooms, and the only microwave on premises is in the little kitchenette behind the front desk, but the front desk manager had no problem heating our food up for us and was friendly. In short, not fancy accommodations by any stretch of the imagination, but if you need to be in town on short notice for a funeral as I did when I stayed in this hotel, then you’re less inclined to be a nitpicky traveler. As long you have a bed with a door, and a lock and you need an internet connection so you can get your homework done then it fits the bill. Click here for the complete list and photos of Expedia’s 12 best reviewed U.S. hotels.
If you are like me and tend to wait till the last minute to choose gifts – including mother’s day gifts there is still time to find your Mom a travel gift that she’ll appreciate and enjoy. Travel is the perfect Mother’s day gift because all Moms need a getaway every now and again but many, especially of the older generation need a little coaxing and prodding to be convinced that it’s okay to indulge in some “me time”. And while it may be a little late to find getaway reservations for the weekend of May 9, 2010 – or practical to drop a trip on Mom at short notice, this is okay because you can always book a trip for your Mom now that can be enjoyed later this spring or in the summer months ahead.
Here are some travel gift ideas that are sure to make Moms and Grandmom’s happy. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re a fan of Michael Jackson, or the Jackson family, and would like to celebrate his birthday weekend near his Gary Indiana birthplace, consider the MJ Fanvention by Fluid Entertainment. This event takes place from August 26-29 2010 at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza and Star Theare in Merillville, Indiana. Some Jackson family members and friends, and authors who wrote about Michael Jackson including Aphrodite Jones and Teresa Gonsalves, will be on hand to share their remembrances of the King of Pop. Fans will also have the opportunity to take a tour to MJ’s birthplace, the famous little house on Jackson Street. And it seems that there is a voluntourist aspect to this trip to the house on Jackson street because fans will also be involved in tree planting. This remembrance event for fans is one of the first of it’s kind following Michael Jackson’s passing last year. To be honest, this travel package would be a lot more attractive if it involved a stay in LA or Las Vegas … or the Bahamas. But then again if they were in LA or Vegas, they couldn’t include a tour to the birthplace, and for what it’s worth, and not that I’m a celebrity but there probably aren’t many travel bugs who would want to put too much into going to my hometown either even though it’s a lovely place. Click HERE for more information about the MJ Fanvention schedule and the cost of the packages for this events.
President and First Lady Obama spent this weekend on a mini-vacation in Asheville, North Carolina. This Blue Ridge Mountain town with a population of about 78,000 is known for its thriving art community and vibrant downtown area rich in examples of Art Deco, Beaux Arts and Neoclassical styles of architecture. While in this aesthetically appealing environment, you will find an eclectic mix of shops and galleries and locally owned restaurants specializing in diverse cuisine. The Obamas revisited 12 Bones Smokehouse where they stopped during their 2008 campaign, an eatery that specializes in smoked meats but also offers some vegetarian for non-meat eaters. The MLT for example is a smoked portabella sandwich with your choice of two sides for the reasonable price of $7.00.
The area’s most popular attraction is the Biltmore House, a 250 room French Renaissance-style mansion completed in 1895, that holds the distinction of being the largest privately-owned home in the US at 175,000 square feet. This super mansion also features extensive gardens with mountain views. If you’re interested in visiting Asheville this summer, the Goombay Festival featuring a variety of African, Caribbean, and gospel music, dance, food and other cultural activities sounds like an event well worth attending.
There are numerous major chain hotels as well as privately owned bed and breakfasts to choose from.
The Courtyard by Marriott, my accommodation of choice when I don’t have the time to be creative or experimental with hotels is quoting 134.00 per night for the weekend of the Goombay festival.
Visit the Explore Asheville website for more information.
In the DC area you never run out of things to do – unless you get tired of driving or walled in by traffic …. But seriously in an area that includes three states – or five of them if you want to count West Virginia and Delaware there really is a lot to see if you don’t mind driving and have a good GPS. Ask a local what they do for fun and apart from the wealth of monuments and the wealth of museum experiences offered by the Smithsonian, some might mention picnics along the Potomac, and shopping at the Leesburg Outlets. But who better to take tips from than one of the area’s most famous locals, First Lady, Michelle Obama published in the May issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
Michelle Obama says her daughters enjoyed visiting the Newseum DC’s most interactive museum, and historic attractions like Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the Frederick Douglass’ home, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate, and nature attractions like Luray Caverns in Virginia. Click Here to read more.
After this fascinating virtual tour of the handsome Frederick Douglass home in Anacostia, DC, you’ll definitely want to see it in person.
And while many of these attractions are in Virginia, this doesn’t mean the Maryland side is lacking in attractions. BTG recommends the Baltimore Harbor, and Annapolis where you can take boat rides on the Chesapeake bay. The African Museum at the Smithsonian in DC belongs on a “must see” list for the area.
Was this Mark Twain’s back handed idea of a travel tip?
When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it’s always twenty years behind the times. – Mark Twain
While I must confess Cincinnati didn’t come to mind as I planned my next late spring getaway, a quick google search led me to the official Cincinnati tourism site and a substantial list of multicultural and American history focused attractions. Here are some points of interest.
- Cincinnati was a major hub stop on the Underground Railroad, a route that carried escaped slaves to freedom. Today The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center museum commemorates and brings to life stories of the African American struggle for freedom.
- The Cincinnati Salsa festival and July 29 – August 1, 2010, and the Cincy Blues festival, August 6-7, 2010, both take place at Sawyer Point, a beautiful downtown park located on the banks of the Ohio River.
- The Contemporary Arts Center, and Art Beyond Boundaries offer year around exhibitions and displays of local art work. For a virtual gallery of Art Beyond Boundaries works – click HERE.
There are plenty of shopping and dining options. Baseball fans can get half off Cincinnati Reds tickets through October 3, 2010, by booking rooms at area hotels through the Cincinnati tourism website.
