ReeHart - Blogging from the Heart

Posts Tagged ‘hotels’

Many people think that vacationing in Chicago is prohibitively expensive. While it is true that there are many expensive hotels, restaurants, and attractions in downtown Chicago, there are also some that deliver high quality, without the high prices. With a little help, you can see the best of what Chicago has to offer without breaking the bank.

Let’s start from the start : Accommodations. The vast majority of Chicago’s cultural and tourist destinations are located in or near downtown Chicago. Not coincidentally, most hotels are also located in or near downtown. This leaves you without about 80 downtown hotel options to choose from.

Being a very densely populated area, parking spaces downtown are at a premium. The average nightly cost to park a car in downtown Chicago is around $35; and that is in addition to your room rate. The only downtown Chicago hotel that offers free parking is the Best Western River North. Located in Chicago’s vibrant River North neighborhood, this Chicago hotel is a quick walk to the shopping of Michigan Avenue, as well as the architecture of the Loop. The accommodations are clean and modern, and the staff is friendly. In particular, Wallace, the bell captain, can give you directions anywhere in the city you may want to go. In addition to free parking, this 7 story hotel also offers an indoor rooftop pool, fitness center, and free wireless Internet access. This hotel is truly a hidden gem in the big city.

Next, we will move on to dining. Once you are parked at the Best Western River North, you are surrounded by the best and most varied dining that Chicago has to offer. The River North neighborhood has offerings from virtually all over the globe, and at every price level. For our purposes, there are few options that stand out.

Pizzeria Ora is located in the lobby level of the Best Western River North. Here, they specialize in Chicago-style deep dish pizza. There are many Chicago-style pizza offerings downtown, but this one delivers delicious pizza at a better price and without the long waits of the tourist-oriented pizza restaurants in the neighborhood.

Just 1 block north of the Best Western River North is another Chicago favorite, Portillo’s. The prices are reasonable, and the menu includes everything from hot dogs to Italian beef to pasta and salads. Also in close proximity is Al’s Italian Beef, a restaurant that is heavy on locals, as well as flavor.

And finally, let’s talk about attractions. There are numerous activities for visitors to Chicago that can be enjoyed for little or no cost. To get a taste of culture, try the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, or the Adler Planetarium. There are many days throughout the year, in particular during the winter season, that admission is free to all of the world class institutions. During the busier summer season, you can save money by purchasing tickets from the Best Western River North.

Millennium Park is Chicago’s newest world class facility, and is completely free to the public. Completed in 2006, the $475 million required to build it was provided nearly entirely by donations from Chicagoans. Millennium Park covers 24.5 acres in the heart of downtown Chicago, and is the home to architecture and art work by Frank Gehry and Anish Kapoor, as well as the largest rooftop garden in the world.

While it is possible to spend a lot of money on a Chicago vacation, there are many ways to experience the city without breaking the bank.

Family vacation time is right around the corner and you need some travel tips to save you money? No problem, here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Consider buying your ticket through a consolidator. This is something not a great many people know about, and those that do don’t often exercise this option. A consolidator is a type of travel broker and you can save quite a bit off the regular price.

2. Purchase an Entertainment Guide for the city you plan to visit. These books are filled to the brim with coupons for money off and freebies for restaurants, shows, and all sorts of activities in the city of your choice. They are cheap and you can recoup your money tenfold easily.

3. Here’s a little tip for reserving your airline seats. It won’t actually save you any money bit it could save you space! If there are two of you traveling, and there are 3 seats together, reserve an aisle and window seat, leaving the middle seat empty. Unless the plane is completely filled, that middle seat will usually not be filled, and you’ll have the whole row to yourself. If someone does sit there, you can easily ask them to move to the aisle or window so that you can sit with your mate.

4. Even if you don’t think you travel often enough to earn any rewards through frequent flyer miles, go ahead and sign up anyway. There is no cost, and these programs offer a lot of bargains and perks.

5. Take along a kit of medications you may be taking, including prescription and non-prescription meds. You may also want to include such things as aspirin, antacid tablets, diarrhea meds, and motion sickness medication just in case. That way you won’t be stuck buying these things in the airport or hotel gift shops where you will pay extra.

6. If you are traveling out of the country be sure and update your immunizations if needed. Not doing so will cost you in both time and money.

7. Before visiting a city, check online to see if you can obtain free information and coupons. Usually you can be mailed a packet of visitor information that will include free maps of the city, brochures, discount tickets and passes, as well as general information about the city itself.

8. If you are considering a beach vacation, don’t rule out Alabama’s miles and miles of white sandy beaches. It is much cheaper and less crowded than such places as Florida or California, rates are cheaper, and many restaurants offer meals at budget prices.

9. Off-season scheduling of your vacation is the key to bargain prices in hotel rates, theme park tickets, rental car rates, airfares, and also you will have less crowds and spend less time standing in lines.

10. Use city transportation whenever possible to avoid having to rent a car. You can usually take a shuttle from the airport to your hotel for a small fee, and then use buses, cable cars, trolleys, or subways to navigate around the town. You’ll have more fun this way and save money on rental car fees.

Our daily life is hyperactive and from our lively to-do list we can’t take out much time for fun. Holiday is what we all hope every year for amusement and pleasure. Planning a holiday is a big check; it can be over-priced if you don’t know how to shop around the best deal. We all have two options; one is to take the services of a travel agent or do everything by ourselves. We will look here what may be the cheaper choice for people who are planning to go for holidays.

First off, things depend on the personal needs of people planning to go for a trip. Take into account that there may be two parties involved when you are going to book for your holidays. You might be dealing with an envoy but that agent in truth buys rooms from tour operators. You sometimes have to pay more because the travel negotiator might not have the room you are looking for and he might sell you two rooms to cover your family’s needs. In such cases dealing directly with trip operator can be a good pick or you can directly book your room with the hotel. It will save you a lot of money and you would also get what you are expecting in your perfect holiday lodging.

Dealing without stopping with the hotel is always the premium conclusion as there is no third party disturbed. You get what you ask and you don’t have any vacillation if you are thoughtful or being told lies. Booking staunchly is cheaper and you also can be benefited with premium deals and discounts.

For people who do not have time to book for their holidays, travel agent is the best option for them to stay stress-free. A travel agent comes with a package deal, including flight, hotel, airport transfer and car. You may have to pay a little more but it is worth of the facilities and services you are getting in return. After the deal, you don’t have to be worried about anything; travel agent is now responsible to do all the hard word for you.

One other most important thing is the added security when booking to a travel agent. You never know if the airline will go bust or the hotel will close, alternative arrangement is the responsibility of the travel agent. Your tour operator should be a member of Association of British Travel Agents. It would protect you against non-flight related issues. Always keep such issues in your mind before you take services of any travel agent.

It is always advisable to book in advance for your holidays. Booking at least two weeks before is good to get good deals. Booking in advance most often comes with discounted rates and you also have plenty of time to manage things before your departure.

If you are engrossed in ski holidays then travel agent should be your main choice. They tender ski packages which hold ski hire, tuition and clothing which is required for skiing.

Last but not the least, always book your holidays on the internet. You can find thousand of agents and companies offering budget and cheap deals. In addition, if you are not sure where you should go for your holidays, you would find information of thousand of greatest places in the world. You can choose the place according to your budget and can have fun of lifetime.

With summer holidays just around the corner, everyone is planning their holidays and what they will do during those two weeks. People either choose to go to beach for holidays or to historical places where they can take in some culture.

Regardless of where you are thinking of going, you need to start planning right now otherwise you will end up spending too much.

To start with, make sure you figure out your budget before you do anything else. Knowing how much you can spend is the first step in ensuring you have a great time. This way you can choose a location that is entertaining, but at the same time will not empty your bank account as well.

The next thing to do is to insinuate whether you longing to deal with a travel intermediary or make your bookings yourself. Both have incentives. A travel agent has a lot of information and can escort you better on the sort of holiday you can have within your budget. They can also get you discounted packages because they buy packages in bulk, and in this way you might be able to save some money. At the same time, holiday packages are not very resilient and you might end up having to take part in actions you have no interest in.

If you plot your holiday yourself, you can make sure every day is filled with tons of matter you longing to do. You will need to instigate booking your rooms and flight some time in advance to get the same rates your agent would get for you, but with online booking being so useful, this is not that big a deal these days. You can even achieve some discounts by signing up for the regular flier club.

When you are searching for flights, make sure you look at all the options before booking. Sometimes a flight with a lot of stopovers can be cheaper than one with a direct connection. You can also get cheaper rates if you buy a ticket at the last minute since airlines slash rates to fill up the plane a few days before the flight. For this, however, you will need to be very flexible about your holiday dates as you never know when the best rates will come up.

Some of the finest places to go to for holidays this year are the Seychelles and Mauritius for beach holidays. Another grand place is the Greek islands as they have huge amount of activities available. If you are seeking a more historical holiday, then Italy is the finest place to go. All the cities in Italy have some great history and ethnicity to offer and you can even go to beach towns, thereby to get know-how about the historical and the beach holiday together.

The important thing when planning a holiday is to know how much you can afford to spend, and then make sure you get the most affordable and reliable package for yourself. This means that you book the cheapest accommodation, get the best flight rates, and plan every day so you get to see everything.

Greece is certainly one of the most amazing places in the world to have a great holiday tour. It is full of excitement, adventure and infinite things to do and see. Typically known as a historical town, Greece will certainly give you the experiences of a life time. All about this wonderful place is thrilling be it the monuments, climate, hotels or food.

You can find a number of cost effective holiday deals in Greece. There are many quality hotels that offer affordable packages which make visiting this place much more easy and fun. Greece offer some great time at is beaches where you can relax and enjoy the weather. There are many beautiful natural scenes to delight in. owing to its geographical location, there are three distinct weather systems present in Greece.

Those people who desire to enjoy the sun, the Mediterranean climate is best for them. The Alpine climate and the Pindus mountain range are also much enjoyable for the visitors. There are countless ancient and historical places in this great city to behold. It is replete with great buildings and some great architecture telling the legend of its prosperous history. You will also be able to see loads of marble temples here.

Other than the historical places for which Greece is well admired for, there is much more to see here. Coasts and various grand luxury hotels are not the only things to delight here. There is a complete world of things to notice here.

Greece is not only one of the most excellent destinations to visit in Europe but it is one of the best vacation destinations in the entire world. As there are too many things to see and do here, you have to craft a ‘to do list’ before heading off to this places. This pre planning will enable you to make the most of your trip and take pleasure in it to the fullest.

Greece is also popular as a romantic place where couple loves to stay. It is all about rocky shores, attractive seaside, waterfalls, caves, rivers, in addition to some of the top and exceptional birds which will surprise you here. On the top of your list, remember to inscribe the name of Rhodes, Athens, Santorini, and Mikonos which are the hallmarks of Greece. The Acropolis of Athens, Medieval city of Rhodes, and the Monasteries of Dephni are some of the top examples of the architectural brilliance.

Additionally, there are several other places to go. Some of them are Monastery complex of Aghio Oros, monastery of Aghios Ioannis Theologos, the Cave of the Apocalypse, Pythagoreio and Heraion, Monastery complex of Meteora, The Temple of Epicurean Apollo, and Mystras. All these spots are essential to visit during your journey here.

The list is endless. Because it may not be probable for you to trip every place for the duration of your trip in case it is not extensive, you can do some more research and make a list of the places that you would not want to miss. Bonjour!

The County of Montgomery is rich in history and tradition. Founded in December 1816, it is the fourth largest county in the state of Alabama. Life in some parts of Alabama is relatively laid back making it ideal for vacations.

Historical museums and memorabilia of the past, plus modern amenities such as parks, zoos, airports and malls blend in beautifully in the region’s landscape. Hence, one will surely appreciate both the old and the modern qualities of the place.

Montgomery County has a line up of hotels catering to all kinds of clients visiting either for personal or business reasons. They have rooms big enough for the family, conference halls with amenities for business meetings and conferences, different sports facilities, amenities for the physically-challenged persons, pet-friendly hotels and most of all, affordable-to-the-pocket hotels.

Here is a list of some cheap hotels in Montgomery County:

Americas Best Value Inn This hotel is located in the West South Boulevard, very near the Gunther and Maxwell Air Bases as well as the Montgomery Airport. It is a pet-friendly hotel with room varying rates, depending on the added amenities.

Days Inn Montgomery Midtown Being located in Zelda Road, this hotel has amenities for the physically-challenged persons. The prices of its rooms depend on the number of occupants and featured amenities.

La Quinta Inn Montgomery With its location along Eastern Boulevard, this inn offers standard, affordable accommodations. Its local attractions include the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and the Civil Rights Memorial.

Pets are allowed but with restrictions. If bringing pets along, please contact the hotel before your arrival.

Quality Inn Montgomery Quality Inn Montgomery can be found in Carmichael Road. It is accessible to the Hank Williams Senior Museum and the Dannelly Field Airport. They offer a flat rate for all rooms.

Quality Inn and Suites Situated by the East South Boulevard, Quality Inn & Suites Governors House Convention Center is conveniently located near the Montgomery Regional Airport, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery Mall, Alabama Old Towne, as well as the Alabama State Capital, Joe Reed Acadome, Montgomery Speedway and Victoryland Greyhound Racing. Pets are welcome in this hotel.

Econo Lodge & Suites The Econo Lodge & Suites can be found along Monticello Drive. It is just a 15-minute ride from the Montgomery Zoo and the Alabama State University. It is also near Auburn University Montgomery and Hotel. They also welcome pets.

Comfort Inn Montgomery

Located at Northchase Boulevard, this hotel is near the Dannelly Field Airport. Visitors can easily go to local attractions such as Betsy Ann Riverboat, Jasmine Hill Gardens, as well as the EastDale Mall, Montgomery Zoo and Capitol Complex. It has special facilities, particularly for the hearing-impaired persons.

All of the above-mentioned have standard hotel amenities such as fully air-conditioned rooms, coffeemakers, television with cable services, dataport, telephones and laundry services.

Likewise, it offers services of free internet access, free parking, 24-hour front desk, safe deposit boxes, non-smoking rooms, and rooms equipped for the physically challenged.

Some of the hotels have gym/sports equipment, a spa and restaurant among others. Although some of the rates seem pricey, most of them can still be classified as affordable even to the budget-conscious tourists and travelers.

Thus, being cheap does not necessarily mean scrimping on the amenities and conveniences of hotel living.

The Caribbean islands are traditionally known as the West Indies, and cover over 7000 islands. The Caribbean islands are one of the worlds most sought after tourist resorts. The beaches, the jungles, and the different ecosystems of these islands attract countless tourists mainly from United States, Europe, and Latin America. The Caribbean islands prosper on the tourism commerce, and one thing that the West Indians recognize is how to have fun.

There are a number of festivals and carnivals that are celebrated through out the year on the Caribbean islands. Some of the islands were colonized by the British, others by French, Dutch, Spain, and America. Aruba is a part of the kingdom of Netherlands, and on April 30- they celebrate the birthday of queen of Netherlands. The present queen of Netherlands, Queen Beatrix was actually born in January, but it is the former queen Juliana whose birthday is celebrated on 30th of April. Interestingly, in Holland also the queens birthday is celebrated on April 30 as January is a lousy time to party and celebrate.

It is not just in Aruba that on April 30 is celebrated the queens birthday. Other Caribbean islands also have stated it as a public festival. So, going to the Caribbean islands on April 30 means participating in a grand birthday party. Musicians play on the streets and on the seaside. Besides the dancing, kite flying competitions, and numerous other activities are carried out.

No one who happens to be on the Caribbean islands as a tourist can miss out on the celebrations that happen Remember May 1 is Labor Day, so the birthday party which start off on April 30 run over to the next day also. Even prior to the Caribbean islands commenced focusing on developing tourism, one thing that they knew was to party.

Everyone is calm, and whether you would like to chip in the celebrations or not you are going to be bitten by the party bug. Wherever you go, there are contests, dances, music blaring, and much more. One thing you should not overlook is that some of the finest rum is prepared in the Caribbean.

Hotels, villas, and every place that is up for rent are rented out on this cheerful time. Visiting the Caribbean during the queens birthday is also a fine plan. The climate is perfect as it is prior to the rainy season, and in addition the winter season’s crowd of visitors has gathered back home.

The cafs, hotels, bars, and houses are bedecked with flags streamers and balloons. Music from a range of sources load up the air and each one take part in the gala. It’s an amazing experience to behold a ruler who is living across the ocean having her birthday party with extraordinary gusto.

If you plan on visiting the Caribbean on April 30, then make sure to get your holiday bookings done well in advance. Some people come here annually on the queens birthday to participate in the competitions and others come just to party around and have fun. On April 30, you might even need to get dinner reservations! But, you are going to enjoy this huge birthday party at the Caribbean islands.

Simply put, hotel classifications are not a unified system. Many big chains, from budget options to luxury hotels, are allowed to apply their own classification systems based on the size and facilities of each of their establishments. They are not monitored by anyone except their own internal managers. And to make things more confusing, even chains change their “star criteria” from country to country!

As there are variations worldwide in the quality, size and design of different hotels the classification systems vary from nation to nation. This often means that what one would expect from, say, a three-star hotel in one country may be very much under-achieved by a similarly-rated hotel in another. Five-star hotels, for example, are expected to have the very finest of every facility made available, from restaurants to spas and other amenities, a high ratio of staff to guest and a superior location. However, France - arguably the greatest supplier of fine hotels in the world - doesn’t even have a five-star rating as even the Ritz and similar “palaces” stick to the four-star rating to avoid heavy taxes! Not to worry, as President Sarkozy is coming to the rescue of holidaymakers in Europe at least…One of his goals is to standardise the hotel rating system to ensure fair judgement and balance decision making.

Broadly speaking, star ratings should break down something like this… five star hotels (or most four and all four star luxe in France) are, as mentioned above, expected to provide everything you need at any hour of the day or night, four stars should mean formality and quality but without the very height of opulence, three stars should mean good, clean service, two stars are generally privately-owned and forgiven their faults and one star should not be considered unless you’re desperate to get inside! There is only one record of a zero star hotel, which is a converted nuclear bunker in Switzerland. We would only recommend staying there in a “dire emergency/when you hear the three-minute warning!”

But can you ever trust these ratings if they are, at best, locally judged and, at worst, self-awarded? How can you guarantee that a luxury hotel really is aluxury hotel ? A number of bodies rate accommodation providers, including the AA, the RAC, the tourist boards of various nations and, of course, independent travel guides such as Michelin, Gault Millau and Mobil. But, we’ve all had experience of disagreeing with what we’ve read or even basing our choices on reviews which are dangerously out of date.

The two paths left to the discerning traveller on the hunt for the truth are as follows. The first is to cross-reference every piece of literature you can find on the subject of each hotel, comparing the reputation of the brand (if applicable) with the designations for their rating and coming up with a fair picture of what kind of quality you are to expect. The second is so obvious that we need not even say it…Recommendations. Whether this comes from a friend or an agency doesn’t matter, as long as you trust the source. Agencies that specialise in luxury hotels and the upper end of splendour, base their reputations on customer satisfaction and separating exceptional establishments from the pretenders. As it’s in their financial interests that you are content with their choices, you’re almost certain to be directed to the experience you want, whether it’s a no- expense-spared five-star+ to the relaxed charm of a family-run chateau. To summarise, until the system changes, forget the stars and go with what you know you can trust. Or else be ready to “gets what you pay for”.

My family and I would go to Jekkyl Island during a period when it was not hot enough for my comfort anyway. This is one place to plan for summer holidays, or at least closer to the summer such as May for turtle watching, or June.

Originally an island get-away for rich vacationers, Jekkyl Island’s former patrons left lingering real estate of their lifestyle, as seen by the Victorian mansions, known as summer homes. To experience a taste of that life, the Jekkyl Club Hotel is an example of this bygone era. The hotel rates in the top 500 resorts in the world, not bad for an island in Georgia. With comparable rates, you might want to consider this hotel.

Jekkyl Island might have been named Sea Turtle Island, due to the female sea turtles arriving from the sea each May to crawl up on shore and lay eggs in nests they dig. This protected species is monitored by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and guided walks to observe this yearly ritual are available. This is a good time to keep younger or hyper children away from the turtles, as they cannot be disturbed during their period of egg laying.

For speed lovers who need another diversion, check out the Golden Isle speedway, 25 minutes away from Jekkyl Island, in the town of Waynesville. They have a website for race dates and prices.

Driftwood Beach is known for the successful shelling, better some say then beaches in Florida. There is the Villa By the Sea hotel with comparable rates, a pool, playground, and horseback riding available at Victoria’s Carriages nearby. Watching dolphins swimming in the water will only make this experience more enjoyable.

Summer Waves Waterpark can be an excellent diversion for families when wanting to leave the beach for a while. The rates are very good and the Pirates Passage ride is an experience very popular for children and adults. Enjoy the wave pool here, and other activities that can be seen on their website.

Bike riding - there are 20 miles of winding trail to ride on, and bikes can be rented for approximately 11.00 per day at Mini Bike and Golf Rentals.

To top off the day, enjoy the Low Country Boil Buffet on the harbor, with enormous meals catered by SeaJay’s Waterfront Cafe. Adults are 15.00 and children are 7.50 for ages 10 and under.

Sightseeing in Portugal is a boundless adventure. From ancient castles to elegant cathedrals, this sunny land contains an unending supply of diverse cultural influences. Its natural geographical advantages make it the perfect vacation spot for golfing, water sports and hiking.

To discover Portugal, Lisbon, the capitol and largest city, is the natural place to begin. Touring millennium-old castles, exploring legendary cafes and art nouveau shops, and relaxing on the fabulous sunny beaches are wonderful ways to experience the flavor of this unique European country. But don’t stop there. Be sure to include a few side trips to areas with quaint villages and stunning historic monuments and monasteries.

Karen Brown, the well-known author of dozens of informative travel guides, understands the need for a well-rounded plan when traveling. On her website, Karen Brown’s World of Travel, she has listed a comprehensive collection of regional itineraries that include maps, attractions and wonderful inns and hotels specific to Portugal. Her readers have rated the following inns and hotels as exceptional places to stay:

If it’s romance you seek, you will surely find plenty of it in Portugal. This is especially true at the Quinta das Sequoias in Sintra, which rests in the hills above Lisbon. The spectacular views and amazing grounds are just one reason why a visit here is magical. Guests can stroll amongst the 40 acres and enjoy gardens and sea views or take a relaxing swim in the hotel’s pool. With just a half-dozen rooms so there is plenty of privacy and peace. The rooms are richly furnished and all offer a pleasing view. Guests can take part in a photography workshop, hike or mountain bike, or even enjoy an astronomy lesson. The inn was named by Karen Brown readers as Portugal’s “Most Romantic” lodging choice.

At Casa de Casal, exceptional hospitality is the order of the day. The charming boutique inn was the recipient of the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for Portugal’s “Warmest Welcome.” Spectacular mountain and Douro River views add to the charm of a stay at this family-owned inn, which dates to the mid-17th century. Guest rooms are tastefully furnished with French doors that lead outside where you can enjoy the view. The inn is located on the outskirts of the small village of Pinhao, part of the Porto wine country.

The inn chosen as offering the “Greatest Value” in Portugal by Karen Brown readers is the charming Albergaria Vila Lido, snugly seated in the middle of craggy cliffs with immediate access to the cerulean blue sea. The guest rooms offer a stunning sea view or contain private patios with access to the gardens. Nearby, you will find very good restaurants, quaint shops and a casino as well as a golf course for the sports minded visitor. Breakfasts are luscious, served in an European atmosphere with carved ceilings, a fantastic fireplace and hand painted tiles.

The Bussaco Palace, nestled in a woodland reserve, is the place to stay when desiring luxury, great amenities and fabulous dining. Designated as the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for Portugal’s best “Splendid Splurge,” this ornate palace was built in the 19th century by a Portuguese king. Rooms are tastefully decorated and the paintings and stuccoes in the lobby are unbelievable. The details that define the Bussaco Palace are meant to spoil and please its guests. The fabulous gardens offer the opportunity for a leisurely stroll. Dining on the outdoor patio, which offers stunning views of the surrounding woodlands, is a treat in itself.