February 15, 2011
If February 14 didn’t meet your expectations, Cambria Suites is offering the opportunity for a do-over with its second annual Valentine’s Day Redo Contest. The all-suites brand from Choice Hotels invites consumers to share stories of their Valentine’s Day gone wrong for a chance to win one of three vacation prize packages at the Cambria Suites property of the winner’s choice. The grand prize includes airfare for two, a three-night stay in a premier suite, a $1,000 Visa® gift card, a $150 dining credit for the hotel’s bistro and a personalized welcome package.
Between February 15 and 28, people can enter the contest by submitting their personal story in 200-words or less on the Cambria Suites Facebook page. Whether a significant other forgot about the day or best friends got into a fight, entries should demonstrate why people deserve a Valentine’s Day redo. Winners will be chosen based on their story’s originality, creativity, and adherence to the contest theme.
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Games, Hotel Living, Pearls of Travel Fun |
February 7, 2011
For safety reasons, I will usually use a hotel’s valet parking service when arriving at a hotel late at night. Otherwise I’ll use the self-parking as the rates are much lower.
Though tonight I got an unexpected and wonderful surprise. It made such a great first impression that I was already sold on this property and I hadn’t even checked in yet!
The Houston Marriott West Loop by The Galleria has a solo woman traveler’s special valet parking rate – just $13.00 a night! The regular rate for valet parking is $25.00 a night and self-parking is $13.00. But because I drove up alone (which I do 95% of the time), I received the special rate.
I thought the valet guy was kidding. I asked, “Is this a Monday special? Or You’re Just Feeling Nice?” No – he said this is always the case. Still, I had my doubts. As I checked in, the desk agent saw my valet ticket and asked if I was traveling alone. With a nod of my head, she confirmed the $13.00/night rate. Any last doubts were now gone.
This is a great safety feature for women traveling alone. Women like me who always have the head-debate going on – “Is it worth the extra money?” And it’s priceless to the hotel as well, as the cost of one parking lot incident could cost millions.
Now I don’t have to decide; it’ll be valet parking for me!
I hope I see more hotels with this great benefit.
If you know of other properties that offer smart deals for solo women travelers, please share!
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Safety |
February 2, 2011
I stayed at the Westin Dublin this past weekend and had a beautiful room overlooking the Temple Bar area. Before hitting the pubs, I took advantage of the Westin’s workout room to get in a calorie deficit before BG (Before Guinness). Their workout room was small in area, but very full in equipment. Free weights, weight machines, treadmill, bike, elliptical and more. And I had the room all to myself when I used it. Very nice!
Then I saw a sign in the elevator for WestinFitness rooms (also known as WestinWorkout rooms) – guestrooms with their own fitness equipment. What a great idea! I asked for a tour and the hotel’s staff was glad to take me to one of these rooms.
When I saw the room, my first thought was “I could really get used to this!”
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Health, Hotel Living |
January 15, 2011
I’ve got countless hotel frequent stayer cards. My husband has his collection, too. And now our dog, Toby, is starting to collect his. For every 5 nights at Preppy Pets Suites, he gets a free night. Not bad for a reward program! And when using his free night, he still gets full points for the night on his next award card. That’s a better award program than what we’re getting! His stays include free bowled water and free wi-fi. Though the wi-fi is for us, really. We can watch Toby’s playtime with friends via Preppy Pet cameras while we’re traveling the world.
Toby isn’t as ecstatic about the free night as we are, as he’d prefer to be at home and not at the ‘Suites’ at Preppy Pets. He’d better hope they don’t start offering double points as we might just leave him there a fewdays longer. (Just kidding, Toby!)
Is your pet also collecting ‘hotel’ award points?
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Pearls of Travel Fun |
October 4, 2010
The latest edition of Executive Travel Magazine offers up “Tips for Coping from Very Frequent Hotel Guests“. I offered up a few on my favorite tips for hotel living:
Traveling is a lifestyle some can’t imagine giving up. “Even after 25 years of business travel, I still love walking into a hotel that I’ve never been in before,” …
Read the full article on their site …
Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs, Hotel Living, Travel |
October 1, 2010
I think this hotel amenity is in a no-win situation – the bathroom scale. While a scale isn’t a common-place hotel amenity, I have been seeing them in various hotels. I just wonder how many people really use it?
I may get on the scale once just to compare its accuracy to my home scale. If it shows a higher number than my scale at home, then I discount its accuracy. Surely I haven’t eaten THAT much during my trip!
If the scale shows a lower number, I’ve love to believe it but would most likely be skeptical of the number. Hence, a no-win situation.
I’ve taken a poll of several female travelers and hear the same thing from them. So weigh in here (pun intended) and post a comment if you use a hotel’s bathroom scale.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living |
August 23, 2010
Carol offers up her top safety tips in her new video.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, New Travelers, Radio/TV/Media appearances, Safety |
August 22, 2010
According to Starzlife, Paris has done everything that she’s wanted to do and is ready to get into something new. Following in great-granddad’s footsteps, she’s interested in real estate and perhaps her own hotel chain. I wonder if she’ll partner up with high school classmate Lady Gaga in this new business venture. Now wouldn’t that be an interesting hotel chain?
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Pearls of Travel Fun |
August 19, 2010
Pluto never had it so good: The next major attraction to open at Walt Disney World won’t be for the kids — it will be for the dogs.
Best Friends Pet Resort, scheduled to open Aug. 27, will offer boarding, bedtime stories and a water park for dogs.
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs, Hotel Living, Pearls of Travel Fun |
August 17, 2010
I’m always excited to find a hotel that caters to women travelers. So I am drooling reading the offerings at Kimpton Hotels.
Their Women InTouch program, led by Chief Operating Officer Niki Leondakis, offers:
- Hosted evening wine hour – for both men and women guests.
- In room spa services – how perfect to enjoy a massage and facial after a long day of work!
- A complimentary tote bag that contains everything you need for yoga, core strengthening and/or meditation. You’ll find instructions and inspiration on Kimpton’s 24-hour yoga channel.
- Unique (very!) honor bars – each hotel offers a different selection. You won’t find too many salty snacks, but you’ll find an Etch-a-Sketch, Silly Putty, Astronaut Ice Cream, Clif Bars, candy necklaces all in addition to organic food and beverage options.
- Pet friendly (with Pet Packages and a Director of Pet Relations!)
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living |
