Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: Family Favorite Resort in Walt Disney World Resorts

April 4, 2012 By 4 Comments

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Entrance

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge by far is one of most memorable and our family favorite resort we have stayed in Walt Disney World. There is no doubt that the Disney’s Grand Floridian Spa & Resort is the most convenient for family but there is something about having animals roaming in the backyard (ok.. not entirely our backyard but you know what I mean) that created a lasting memory for the whole family.

Arusha Savanna View Room – Worth the Splurge

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Arusha Savanna View

We chose to splurge on this trip and booked standard room with Arusha Savanna view. There are various room types in Animal Kingdom Lodge and the most popular type is the Savanna View type. There are 3 separate savannas within the Animal Kingdom Lodge which are Sunset, Arusha and Uzima. Each savanna has different type of wildlife but Giraffes are the only animal that can be found in all three savannas.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Giraffe

The animal guide inside the room became handy for kids to help them spot and try to identify the animal. And some animal isn’t that hard to identify. Giraffe, anyone?

Room with Personality

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Bedroom

The standard room is a good size for our family of 4 with two queen beds. I love the detail that goes into the decoration to make us feel like we have stay at a safari lodge in Africa.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Mickey Ear

Of course, we won’t see Mickey Mouse towel art in Africa but it’s a little thing to keep the magic alive in Disney World Resort.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Bathroom wall

I love the detail on the wall in the bathroom. Make waiting for my turn to use the bathroom more fun.

Fun Recreation for Family

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Uzima Spring pool

Not all resort pools are created equal and the Uzima Spring pool is one of our family favorite.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Uzima Spring Pool Slide

With nicely landscape around the pool providing shade for families, zero-depth entry, 67-foot slide and kid wading pool, it’s one of the best pool on Disney World Resorts.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Playground

For little kids who are not into pool time, the Hakuna Matata playground nearby is a great place to spend that extra energy. The shade area provides great cover during the hot Florida day with a great view of the savanna to boast.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Movie under the Stars

Another fun family activity is the movies under the stars where guests can enjoy Disney movie in the pool under the stars. It was nice to enjoy great weather while watching one of our favorite Disney movie.

Animal, animal, animal everywhere

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Animal

One of the most unique feature of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is the wildlife encounter that guests can experience throughout the resort. So it’s no surprise that there are various activities available for guests from cultural immersion, animal programs & wildlife encounters to culinary exploration. Make sure to check out activities list when you check-in to find out more about available activities for everyone.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Night vision

We took the Night Vision Animal Viewing where we learned about animals at night time and used night vision goggles to check them out.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Arusha Rock

Arusha Rock and fire pit is also a great place to view animals all day long. The overlook allows guests to be able to have a closer look at animals while they roam around the Arusha Savanna.

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Lobby

The stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge came with a high price tag. But for special occasion, it’s totally worth it. The kind of service and experience we received during our stay at this resort is one of the best we have experienced. Kids still talked about their visit even months after we have checked out. So if you are looking for one of the most memorable stay for your family in Disney resort, the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge will not disappointed.

 

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Keystone Ski Resort with Kids: Wonderful Stay for Family at River Run Village

January 20, 2012 By 2 Comments

Keystone River Run Village Ice Rink

With the amount of family ski trip posts, I hope you won’t get bored about this. We have so much information to share about our first family ski trip experience that I know other families who are thinking about it will find useful. Seeing that we don’t live in the Northern part of the country, planning a ski trip is a daunting task and it’s not cheap. However, with good pre-trip planning, you and your family can enjoy family ski vacation on a budget.

Lodging Options in Keystone Ski Resort are Endless

On our Keystone Ski trip, we stayed at the River Run Village condominium. For first time visitor, choosing the right accommodation to stay with your family can be overwhelming. Keystone Ski resort offers various type of lodging from vacation home rentals, condominiums, bed & breakfast and inn.

Keystone River Run Village Room Kitchen

For family vacation, I found that renting from condominium type lodging is the best value. Not only, we have extra space for all the ski equipments, we also have kitchen that we can prepare breakfast, lunch or even dinner (if we have energy left after a long day of skiing) to help save on family ski vacation.

Inside the Dakota Lodge

Keystone River Run Village Living Room

Within River Run Village, there are multiple buildings for accommodation. We stayed at the Dakota Lodge that is right in front of the brand new Dercum Square outdoor ice skating rink. Unlike hotel, the setup for rooms in Dakota Lodge is more apartment type with separate living room, dining room and full kitchen. After picking up our ski equipments, the extra space came in handy. If you stay in a small room, there is also locker to put your ski equipment on the first floor.

Deluxe Mountain-Inspired Decoration

Keystone River Run Village Room Bedroom

Our 2 bedroom condominium is beautifully decorated with mountain-inspired theme. Each bedroom has comfortable bed that we fell asleep as soon as we hit the pillow. All standard amenities, towels, soap, shampoo, hair dryer, are provided. With 3 flat screen TVs in our unit, everyone (for once) doesn’t have to fight over what channel they want to watch. And yes, internet connection is FREE and fast. I have to say though that with a full day of skiing, I hardly touch my computer except to check out our photo from EpicMix.

River Run Village: Great Location for Family

Keystone River Run Village Ski Resort

Within Keystone Resort, there are multiple areas for lodging. The River Run is a PERFECT location for families especially ones with beginner skiers. With its central location right at the base of River Run Gondola and the Summit Express chair lift, we don’t have to take a bus or get in a car to get on the slopes.

The Keystone Ski & Ride school and the Ski rental facility are also within walking distance from the River Run Village making it’s a breeze to pick up our ski equipments and drop kids off at their school.

Keystone River Run Village

All in all, the stay at River Run got a thumb up from Miss J!

Thank you Keystone Ski resort for providing our family with complimentary accommodation, transportation and some dining during our stay.

Filed Under: Colorado, Hotel & Resort Review, Ski Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Denver with Kids: A Room with A-Mazing View at Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport

January 13, 2012 By 8 Comments

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites by Hilton Hotel

During our recent family ski vacation in Colorado at Keystone Resort, we spent a few nights in downtown Denver before heading up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. I have been searching for family friendly accommodations that is also within our budget in Denver. Yes, many online forum recommended staying in downtown Denver. But, with kids in tow we actually like to stay out of downtown in the area where we don’t have to worry about finding or paying for parking. We also prefer to  have grocery stores within driving distance.

Those factors lead us to Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport. We have stayed at various types of accommodation and Homewood Suites by Hilton remains one of top family friendly hotel in our opinion.

Convenient Location to Explore More of Denver

With the convenient location near the Denver International Airport, we were able to not only enjoy exploring downtown Denver but venture out to other surrounding area. The hotel is right by the interstate highway that lead to other cities like Colorado Springs, Aurora and Golden.

There are many chain restaurants like Outback Steak House, Ted’s Montana Grill or Applebee’s nearby which make it very convenient for us to grab a quick meal or have a special dinner night.  If you want to get your own groceries and cook in the room, there is Safeway within short driving distance.

AMAZING View from the Room

Denver with Kids: Mountain View

The majestic view of the mountain range as a backdrop to Denver is one of the best feature of this city.  Homewood Suites Denver International Airport took advantage of the view. Our room is facing the mountain and I never got tired of waking up to this view. Now I understand why Denver residents are so active. The mountain just beckons them to go out and enjoy wide range of outdoor activities

Extra Space with Everything You Need and Want

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites Denver Airport - Living Room

When travel with kids, we try to avoid staying at a typical hotel room because of the space. That’s why I love Homewood Suites by Hilton. With a suite room, we have extra space so we won’t be on top of each other. We all know how sibling love each other so much that they can’t invade each other personal space. The two-bedroom suite provides ample space for us to relax at the end of the day and gives us privacy from the kids with separate living room and kitchen area.

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites Bedroom

After spend the day doing what you do, it’s nice to know that you can rest easy in a bedroom that is clean and comfortable.  The room is spacious and has a flat screen tv that allowed me to kick back and watch my shows while Mr. Rojo and the kids watched their shows on the other tv’s.  We definitely don’t get this at home.  Did I mention the view from the room?  Oh yes.  I already did.  Just wanted to make sure you got that point.

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites Free Wifi

As a geek family, internet connection is something we need prefer. And it’s nice to have free internet connection at an acceptable speed to catch up with family and friends online at the end of the day.  Mr. Rojo is the crazy one who always likes to check the speed.  He never tells me the numbers but he had a big grin on his face after testing the speed and proceeded to go watch his online videos.

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites Kitchen

The kitchen is small but efficient. We didn’t cook any meal in the room but it’s nice to be able to have a full size refrigerator to put our drinks and fruits for late night snacks. The full service of the hotel included them putting the dishes in the dishwasher for you and running it. It’s something that I didn’t even know that they do. It’s nice not to have to worry about too much cleaning when travelling because I know many of my friends don’t like staying in VRBO because they don’t want to clean when they are on vacation! Well, at Homewood Suites you get the best of both world, the space of the VRBO and the service of the hotel.

Perfect Amenities with Family in Mind

Denver with Kids Homewood Suites Indoor Pool

Other services and amenities from Homewood Suites are also perfect for family. We love the complimentary hot breakfast, the type where you get real scramble eggs, make your own waffle and enjoy hot coffee.

The indoor swimming pool is perfect for kids to use up those energy from a long day of travel or for parents to get a quick me time at the hot tub. The exercise room looks very nice… yes, look nice because admit it we are not gonna exercise during our trip. I’m exhausted most of the time at the end of the day because of the thin air of Denver… or.. is it because I’m too lazy to exercise.  You pick.

Great Value for Budget Conscious Family

Yes, you might not be in the middle of downtown Denver. But I don’t see the benefit of staying in downtown. We would have to pay for parking fee and most hotels in downtown will cost more. The saving itself is totally worth an extra drive. It’s also not so bad when we have a great view to drive to downtown Denver when we want to explore.

At the time of our visit, room rate ranged from $99-$250 (based on date and availability). The extra space, free parking, complimentary breakfast, free internet connection and convenient location make Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport a great option for family who want value without sacrifice the luxury. Make sure to check out hotel special for any promotions or discount rate.

Disclosure: We received media rate from Homewood Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I will not write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Filed Under: Colorado, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Orlando with Kids: Great Family Value Stay @ Residence Inn Orlando International Drive

December 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Residence Inn Orlando

Our recent trip to check out the brand new Legoland Florida, we have found yet another great family hotel that I know many of my readers will love. Legoland Florida is in Winter Heaven which is about 40 minutes away from Orlando. There are several hotels in Winter Heaven but we chose to stay in Orlando area because there are just many more choices to choose from for dining and non-Legoland activities.

Convenient Location

This trip we chose to stay at Residence Inn Orlando International Drive which is conveniently located just off I-4 exit by Universal Studio so we didn’t have to go through a bunch of stop lights to get to our hotel. To our surprise, we were just a couple blocks away from one of Mr. Z’s favorite McDonald of all time. This McDonald has one of the largest Play area and also services gourmet menu like pasta, ravioli and other cook-to-order food.

Nearby there are also other options for many restaurants. But for me, I love that it’s less than 5 minutes from the Whole Food Market. When traveling with family, grocery shopping can save us a lot of money. And Whole Food Market also has hot food bar that you can pick up healthy food on the go.

Plenty of Room for Everyone and More

Residence Inn Orlando Courtyard

Walking from the lobby to our room, I already felt that this place is different from typical hotels. The setup is more like an apartment complex than hotel building, giving us a feeling of coming home than checking in to a hotel. We walked through the courtyard to our 2nd floor room. It also doesn’t hurt to have such a beautiful blue sky during the time of our stay.

Once we got inside, I couldn’t stop the squeaking of joy from my kids. You will think they have never seen a hotel room before. In fact, they have been to all types of accommodation ranging from 2-star hotel, vacation rental home, resort and luxury hotel. But what made them so excited to see was the loft in our 2 bedroom penthouse suite.

The room is definitely setup for a couple families to share the room or large family. With one queen bed on the loft and 2 full size bed in another bedroom, we were not on top of each other.

Cook Your Own Meal

Residence Inn Orlando Kitchen

With full size kitchen equipped with everything you need to cook your own meal, it’s a great option for family who looks for way to save on a vacation. Even if you don’t want to cook, I found that when we eat out we always have left over. It was nice to be able to pack it and save it for the next meal.

Family Favorite Features: Free Wi-Fi, Waffle and Swimming Pool

Residence Inn Orlando Bedroom

So I asked my family to pick one of their favorite feature from Residence Inn Orlando International Drive. Miss J couldn’t get enough of going up and down to the loft. It was one of her favorite part. Hmm.. No wonder she always talks about building her own tree house. I think she just loves to be above the ground.

For me, as a travel blogger I love that they have free internet access during our stay. It’s nice to be able to catch up with my show online after a long day in the park. It’s sad to be excited to this small thing but it’s something that’s matter to me.

Residence Inn Orlando Swimming Pool

Mr. Z loved the swimming pool. They had a blast in a pool with our friends. It was a beautiful day and we had the pool to ourselves all afternoon. They even took another dip in the pool on the departure day. It’s also good to know that their pool is heated!

Residence Inn Orlando Breakfast Waffle

Mr. Rojo loved the waffle station which is part of the complimentary breakfast. What make it even more special was that you could make mini-waffle or normal size waffle and you could also add chocolate chip or blueberries to create your own waffle. Now, that’s the kind of waffle I love!

Overall, we had a great stay and will definitely consider staying here again in the future. We were hosted by Residence Inn Orlando International Drive but when I checked the rack rate during my stay it was very reasonable considering all the extra we had like internet access, complimentary breakfast, full kitchen and friendly staffs!

Thank you Residence Inn Orlando International Drive for hosting our family for a weekend.


Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Myrtle Beach With Kids: Perfect Accommodation for Family @ Kingston Plantation

September 21, 2011 By 2 Comments

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation

Myrtle Beach is one of top family destination in the US. So it’s a given that there are plenty of choices for accommodation to choose from. To narrow down the perfect place to stay for your family is a task that can be accomplish by utilizing VisitMyrtleBeach.com, the official site of Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Choosing the Area to Stay in Myrtle Beach

First step is to decide which area of the Grand Strand you want to stay. For family-friendly and less crowded, I will suggest the North end of the central Myrtle Beach area for the proximity to various attractions and yet not as busy with crowd visitors as in downtown area.

We were hosted by Kingston Plantation Hotels and Resorts, the oceanfront Myrtle Beach resorts feature Embassy Suites Hotel and Myrtle Beach Condos.

Ideal Location for Family Beach Vacation in Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation Oceanfront

The Kingston Plantation is located on the North end of the Myrtle Beach within minutes from various family attractions and shopping centers. It’s a perfect vacation for family seeking a beach vacation where you stay in a condo that is just steps away from stretch of sand beach along the Atlanta ocean yet only a few minutes drive from all local attractions from aquarium, family entertainment centers like MagiQuest, NASCAR Speedpark or shopping mall like Broadway at the Beach or Barefoot Landing.

Spacious Oceanfront Condo for Family

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation Bedroom

The accommodation options at Kingston Plantation are plentiful and it’s sure to satisfy any type of families or vacationers. There are over 1,000 luxury accommodation choices from oceanfront room, condos and villas. I think I have found our next family reunion location!

We stayed at the 2 bedroom oceanfront condo. The condo units are individually owned but managed by Embassy Suites Hotel so you have all the amenities of home yet the luxury of hotel services. As soon as we opened the door, the kids couldn’t drop their bags fast enough to check out this 2 bedroom condo. They ran from master bedroom to dining room and bounce back to kitchen and the balcony.

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation Kitchen

The room that we stayed in has more than enough space for the 4 of us. It includes dining room with the view of the Atlantic ocean, full-size kitchen that we spent every morning enjoying breakfast and washer/dryer that we could wash our clothes from a day at the beach.

Since each condo unit is individually owned, the decoration and furniture will be different from one another. Our unit is adequate for our short stay. Many things seem a bit date but not to the point where you will think you have stayed at the 70s show.

If you plan to cook, I recommend checking before hand to see if you will have all kitchen equipment you need. When we travel and stay at a condo, I always plan a simple meal like spaghetti or rotisserie chicken. Who want to spend hours in the kitchen when the beach is calling your name!

Fun Activities for Everyone

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation Activities

Staying for 2 nights was way too short to explore this resort because there are many things to do in Myrtle Beach with kids. The resort has regular activities for guests ranging from live music, games, craft and sport activities.

Myrtle Beach with Kids - Kingston Plantation Splash Waterpark

We didn’t have time to even participate in any resort activities but we sure didn’t miss spending quality time relaxing and enjoying perfect weather at the Splash! Waterpark. Splash! Waterpark is an outdoor waterpark right on the beach with slides and lazy river for kids and adults. Unlike most pools in the property, the hour of operation is shorter so take advantage when they open.

While the kids ran up and slid down the slides numerously time, I enjoyed relaxing time amidst all the laugh and scream of happy families. It’s easy to see why Myrtle Beach is a top destination for families. I have met a family who celebrate 40th birthday and family reunion at the same time. Three generations in one place and everyone as happy as you can see.

Don’t Forget about the Beach

Myrtle Beach With Kids: Kingston Plantation Beach

And we wouldn’t be able to face ourselves if we came all the way to Myrtle Beach without spending time on the beach, right? With our busy schedule, we squeeze in beach time for kids to enjoy jumping the wave and chasing after the elusive white foam crashing to shore. It was a busy time as families try to enjoy their last hooray of summer before kids go back to school.

We would be content to just staying here for the rest of the week but life is calling and we had to pack up and go back to be a responsible adult. Stay tune for more stories about our Myrtle Beach visit in the next couple weeks.

Disclosure: I received complimentary stay from Kingston Plantation Hotels and Resorts. But there is no expectation on positive review from them. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I always provide my honest opinion on our stays and won’t write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Filed Under: Beaches, Hotel & Resort Review, South Carolina Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seattle With Kids: Fun Boutique Stay @ Hotel Monaco Seattle

June 17, 2011 By 13 Comments

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Logo

You know there will be many posts I want to share with you on our trip to Seattle and Vancouver. It was a fun trip for us with a lot of walking and more walking. Fortunately, we stayed at the Hotel Monaco Seattle that located in downtown right across from the Seattle Central Library and a short walk from the Central Link light rail station which made our exploring the city much more convenient.

Ideal Location for Independent & Family Travelers

It is always hard to figure out how far or how ideal your accommodation will be in a city you plan to visit. Yes, you can look at Google Map and check out Google Earth. But in reality, when travel with kids you will never know how far your kids will walk before the whining begins. We ran into that problem all the times. Sometimes we were lucky to pick the right location that convenient to everything and sometimes we weren’t. This time we picked the hotel that is in the ideal location.

Seattle With Kids - Central Link Light Rail

The Hotel Monaco Seattle is in a great location for family or independent travelers who look to explore more of Seattle especially downtown area and don’t want to depend on renting a car (after learning how expensive it would be to park a car per night in Seattle we decided to only rent a car on the day we planned to go to Mount Rainier). With just one block from the University Street station on the Central Link Light Rail from the airport, traveling from and to airport is cheap and convenient especially if you arrive during the rush hour.

Being in walking distance from the Central Link Light Rail station is not the only benefit of the locale at this fun & friendly hotel, the Seattle Central Library is literally right across the street. And why would I want to visit a library you ask? Just walking around and look at the architecture of the building itself is worth a visit. Not to mention a well-designed children section with bright primary colors and children play area. It’s one of the must-visit location in Seattle for family with kids.

Warm and Welcoming Staffs and Friend

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Goldfish

Our first impression as we arrived to Hotel Monaco Seattle from our late night flight was the warm and the welcoming staffs. The kids couldn’t be more excited to find our little pet goldfish friend whom they later named ‘Jachary’ waiting for us in our room. This little dude has become more than a friend to them. It was a sad day for us to leave him/her for sure!

Throughout our stay, we had always been greeted with many friendly faces and smile. Everyone treated us like an old friend and it made us feel like home every time we came back to the hotel. So much so that after a few days we started to refer going back to the hotel as ‘going home’.

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Beverage

They also provided many services like complimentary morning coffee from Starbucks (of course since we are in Seattle after all), the Wine Hour with Guitar Hero on Friday (which we missed because we were too busy exploring the city) and afternoon refreshment drinks.

Room with Amenities We Need

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Beds

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco BedroomWe stayed at the Queen Room with 2 queen-size beds. The room arrangement is typical layout that you will find in most hotel. However, we loved the window bench that provide ample space for us to spread out. At night Mr. Rojo enjoyed his downtime on the bench with his iPad while I uploaded our photos on the desk.

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Outlet

To travel with our family, many will think we bring the whole office with us and we mostly did. Between the 4 of us, we have too many electronic devices to count. So we always fight for the electrical outlet to charge up our devices at night. It was so nice to see that Hotel Monaco understands the need of travelers in this digital age. The spaceship-like outlet is a much-need in our room. And I have to say it’s very useful because we can actually use every single outlet. You know what I am talking about when your charger is too big that it takes over the adjacent outlet!

Another huge service we love was the free high speed internet access. Yes, it’s crazy to be so happy about free Wifi but staying in various type of accommodation during our family trips, I have found that you can’t simply think just because the hotel is 5 stars you will get free Wifi.

At Hotel Monaco Seattle, high speed internet access is complimentary if you sign up for Kimpton InTouch Guest Loyalty program which is free to sign up. The process took less than a few minutes and then we were connected.

Environmental Friendly Hotel

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Green

Being “Green” is all the rage this day but really do implement it in the business is not something that most businesses do. I love how Hotel Monaco Seattle has shown that they are not just talking about social responsibility but they do it.

It all starts from obvious thing like offering recycle trash bin along with normal trash bin in our room to the family-size toiletry. They also have several other programs behind the scene like using environmental friendly cleaning supplies or providing organic beverage.

Boutique yet Kids-Friendly

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco LobbyThe word ‘Boutique Hotel’ gave me a wrong impression about the Hotel Monaco Seattle. Yes, they have playful and whimsical design like stripe wallpaper and artful headboard in the bedroom, lobby with plenty of seating to welcome guests to relax but they also love kids!

Seattle With Kids - Hotel Monaco Kids Corner

The KimptonKids offers various services for family traveling with children from crib upon request, child-size robe with signature animal print, and kid-friendly activities information in the area. There is a special corner in the lobby with a chest filled with toys for kids to pick out as soon as they check in.

Now, how about price? All good things come with a price. But there are also many great package available throughout the year. Currently, they have several specials and packages like Summer Like a Local, Cars Stay Free, SoFISHticated Family Package, and many more.

Family Tips:

  • The hotel doesn’t have swimming pool or fancy hotel water park on property. It’s something that I want to let you know about. For us, every night we were so tired from walking around downtown that we didn’t even miss the pool.
  • I highly recommend using public transportation. The valet parking overnight rate for guest is $39/night which is normal in downtown Seattle area. So definitely take that into consideration when you shop around.
  • Don’t forget to pick up list of local favorite recommended by the staff. It’s very useful to learn about local suggestions.

Disclosure: I received discount media rate from the Hotel Monaco Seattle. But there is no expectation on positive review from them. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I always provide my honest opinion on our stays and won’t write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Check out other travelers Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Filed Under: Hotel & Resort Review, Washington Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Orlando With Kids: Fabulous Family Resort @ Holiday Inn Club Vacation Orange Lake

June 7, 2011 By 4 Comments

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake EntranceAs I have recently hinted about our stay at Holiday Inn Club Vacation in Orange Lake, now it’s time to get into the detail of this amazing family resort in the land of the theme parks.

It’s without a doubt that Orlando area is filled with various hotels, resorts and condos to satisfy all types of travelers. We have had a fair share of experience in different accommodations ranging from staying at our in-laws’ timeshare units to luxury resort in Walt Disney World Resort. So I was very surprised to find out that there is a hidden gem that I have yet to experience.

Entering Holiday Inn Club Vacation Orange Lake

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake

The Holiday Inn Club Vacation Orange Lake is another property from the Holiday Inn Club Vacation in Orlando. We stayed at Holiday Inn Club Vacation in Gatlinburg previously so we were happy to find that they have this property in our favorite vacation city.

The Holiday Inn Club Vacation is a timeshare / resort property which mean you can purchase the ownership of the property just like any other timeshare but at the same time they also accept reservation from guests who don’t want to commit to long term investment.

Space & Comfort for the Whole Family

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Living Room

One of the thing I love about the stay at HI Club Vacation Orange Lake is the space for the whole family. It was nice to stay in a luxury hotel but after spending a few days with my family in one room no matter how much we love each other we need some room to roam. And this property has more than enough space for the whole family.

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Dining RoomWe stayed at the 2 bedroom condo unit with full kitchen, dining room area and living room area. As soon as we walked in my kids proclaimed they didn’t want to move out EVER!

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Bedroom Desk

The master bedroom also has working desk for us to check on our blog and download pictures at night with their free WiFi. The unit is a mixed of new world and old world. The furniture and decoration is modern and clean style but yet there are a few things I notice that could use some update like bathroom fixtures.

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Bedroom

And the bed, the Bed, the BED… Mr. Rojo wanted me to point out that he slept like a baby without any pain in the morning which is not normal in our travel for him. A comfortable bed will make or break your vacation and I gladly reported that this bed will put you to sleep after a long day of fun.

Plenty of Fun for Kids (and Adults too)

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Pool 2

So enough about the bedroom because I know when we travel we want to also enjoy the amenities and the other stuff we can do in the resort and the area. And I will have to warn you that you might want to plan a day or two to just spend time at the resort because your kids might not want to leave. We actually gave up a day at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon to spend time at the River Island with our friends who came up from Florida to meet us.

First Stop the River Island, the Ultimate Pool

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Pool 3

I don’t think I can properly describe the wonderful of River Island water park in HI Club Vacation Orange Lake. It’s no mistake that it’s called a water park rather than a pool in this resort because it really is as big as a water park. Kids will enjoy a fun day in the water with lazy river, water slide, splashing pool and swimming.

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Waterfall

One of the best feature is the water park stays open until 10PM. So you will have plenty of time to enjoy a water fun even after a full day of exploring the theme parks in Orlando. But many of other fun activities at Fun Zone will not be available.

Additional Fun Around The Resort

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Beach

The River Island is not the only water park option in the resort. There are also Splash Lagoon at North Village and Water’s Edge Pool at West Village.

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Arcade

We stayed at the West Village so we explored the Water’s Edge club a little bit more. With indoor arcade for kids and cafe equipped with Starbucks coffee for parents, it’s sure to be a hang out place for the whole family.

Orlando With Kids: Holiday Inn Orange Lake Tennis

Apart from pools & water park, families can also enjoy other fun activities like putt-putt golf, tennis, golf and water sports.

Like I said earlier in the post, the stay in HI Club Vacation Orange Lake will require a couple to stay inside the resort to fully take advantage of all activities they offer. The best part, most of the activities are part of the complimentary offers there are a few activities that require extra fee which will be clearly identified on their weekly schedule you received when you check in.

Over all, we had a GREAT time at Holiday Inn Club Vacation Orange Lake. The price is very reasonable. Even though we were a guest of Holiday Inn Club Vacation, I checked out the price during our stay and for 2 bedrooms unit you can easily book for less than $150 a night. A bargain considering you will also have free Wifi, full kitchen and many amenities and activities for the whole family.

Disclosure: Thank you the Holiday Inn Club Vacation – Orange Lake for hosting our family during our stay. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I always provide my honest opinion on our stays and won’t write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Experienced the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at Walt Disney World Resort Orlando

April 11, 2011 By 6 Comments

Disney Social Media Moms 2011- Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
As I start to work on improving our blog to provide more information about family travel, I know that one of the best way to share our experience is by video.

Today we want to introduce our video production from Mr. Rojo from our recent visit to the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa during our Disney Social Media Mom celebration.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: Thank you Walt Disney World for hosting our family during Disney’s Social Media Moms. We received discount hotel stays and complimentary items like tickets, food and entertainment from Walt Disney World. But as always this post is based solely on our own experience and opinion without any no outside influence.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tennessee With Kids: Family Indoor Waterpark Resort @ Wilderness at the Smokies Sevierville

April 8, 2011 By 16 Comments

Wilderness at the Smokies Waterpark Resort

In February, we escaped the cold winter in Atlanta for a quick getaway and thawed ourselves at the fun, family-friendly indoor waterpark resort at the Wilderness at the Smokies Sevierville Tennessee.

I have been checking out and stalking the website for quite some times but have yet to pull the trigger to stay there. It was our friend’s birthday celebration and they invited us to stay with them. So we couldn’t say yes fast enough.

The Wilderness At the Smokies Sevierville TN Hotel & Waterpark Resort

Wilderness at the Smokies Lobby

The resort is located in Sevierville about 20 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg. It’s a great location for family in Atlanta to enjoy a quick getaway on the weekend or holidays. With a short distance from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, family can enjoy nature at the same time as the fun in the waterpark. The resort comprises of hotels, indoor waterpark, outdoor waterpark (seasonal) and timeshare units.

The check-in process was smooth and rather uneventful. One note for family is that you can opt to check in early which allow you more time in the waterpark with extra charge for $50. So I guess it’s up to you to decide whether extra 4  hours is worth the $50. In our case, we only stayed for one night so we decided to pay extra $50 to give us extra time in the waterpark.

Plenty of Room for Multi-Families Vacation

Wilderness at the Smokies Bedroom Bunkbed

We stayed at the one bedroom deluxe unit at the River Lodge building which connects to the Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark and Lake Wilderness outdoor waterpark (which was closed for the season).

The room layout is designed with multi-families in mind with one bedroom with 1 king beds and partial wall and another bunk bed. Kids couldn’t get enough of climbing up and down the bunk bed. With in the bedroom itself, there is also sofa bed, small fridge and a microwave.

Our group of 3 families stayed comfortable in this one bedroom deluxe with plenty of room to move around. The kitchen and dining room area was a big plus for family vacation with kids. We were able to cook dinner and have quick breakfast at our room to save money.

Wilderness at the Smokies Living room

In the living room area, there is a murphy queen bed and sofa bed for more people in our group. What I like most is the screen that you can use at night to give more privacy during night time.

Fun Time in the Wild Waterdome Indoor Waterpark

Now, I know what you want to know most is the indoor waterpark. Here is the deal. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation where you can read your book by the pool, then I would say look for somewhere else. But if you want to find a resort where kids will enjoy a full fun day and say ‘this is the best day ever’ to you multiple times a day, then you are in the right place.

Wilderness at the Smokies Waterpark

There is no mistake that the Wilderness At the Smokies resort is a family destination seeing from the rows of minivan parked in the parking lot. We went there during the holiday break so the waterpark was quite crowd. But based on my friend who visited the resort a few times in the past, she said this was not at all crowd!! Hmm.. I don’t know if I can take any more people in this space.

The whole indoor waterpark was under the see-through roof so you still get plenty of Sun. Don’t forget to put sunscreen on even though it’s indoor.

Great Fun for Kids of All Ages

Wilderness at the Smokies Waterpark Toddler Area

With many different sections and features within the Wild Waterdome indoor waterpark, kids of all ages can enjoy the fun. For the toddler and younger kids, the Flying Squirrel Play Area provides the safe area with 2 kiddie slides, bounce/swing tree and teeter totter

Wilderness at the Smokies Wave Pool

The Great Wave is definitely a favorite for the whole family especially the dare devil ones. It reminded me of the Surf Pool at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon waterpark but in a much smaller scale.

Wilderness at the Smokies Tube Slides

However, Miss J surprised me when she went on all 3 tube slides – the Storm Chaser, the Runaway Canyon and the Trail Twisters. Mr. Z was just a couple inches under the limit to ride the Storm Chaser so I guess we will have to go back again for him to experience that thrill ride.

Safety First

Wilderness at the Smokies Lifeguards

The safety measure inside the waterpark was prominent. There were several lifeguards around the park area. But I wouldn’t dare to leave my kids alone just because of how easy it was to loose sight of them in the crowd. Plus there is really no security measure to check-in or check-out of the waterpark area.

Wilderness at the Smokies Floating vest

For kids that still learn how to swim, there are plenty of float jackets available for them at the entrance of the waterpark and at the other end of the waterpark.

It was a great weekend for us to spend with our close friends and celebrated their birthday. Kids truly enjoyed the fun in the water and didn’t want to leave at all. I know we might want to go back and visit again in summer to check out their 2 other outdoor waterparks.

Family Tips:

  • Don’t forget to put on sun screen for kids. Even though, it’s indoor waterpark, the roof is see-through so it means you can still get plenty of sun.
  • The room configuration allows for sharing the room with other families to make it more affordable.
  • The cost of the room includes the waterpark admission. So the price might seem high but if you add the cost of typical waterpark admission, it is fairly affordable.
  • Most room has full kitchen so you can save by preparing your meal at your room.

Check out other travelers photo at Delicious Baby – Photo Friday.

Filed Under: Attractions/Museums, Hotel & Resort Review, Tennessee Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Disney With Kids: Luxury Family Stay @ The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

March 28, 2011 By 8 Comments

Disney Grand Floridian Carriage

Ah.. The world of luxury travel doesn’t come along often at the Q Family Adventures. As you might have notice, we are the family travel on a budget in quest to fulfill our wanderlust souls to travel all around the country and the world. So whenever we have a chance to travel, we tend to stick to budget accommodations and the like. HOWEVER, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Recently, we had a chance to attend the Disney Social Media Moms celebration in Orlando and stayed at the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, one of the Deluxe Resorts in Disney and probably one of the top rated in all Disney’s resorts.

We are no stranger to Walt Disney World theme parks as we have visited frequently in the past and stayed at various hotels in Orlando area. BUT we have never stayed at Disney’s resorts with our kids. So this was a first experience for them to stay at Disney’s resorts.

Attentive Cast Members & Inviting Lobby

As soon as we pulled our car to the entrance of the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, we were greeted enthusiastically from the valet member. The whole magical experience had begun.

Disney Grand Floridian Lobby Piano

It was during the Floridian spring break so the hotel was totally packed. We checked-in but couldn’t get to our room until later. It was nice to be able to find ample of space to lounge in the lobby while a pianist serenade all the princesses.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Kids

It would be easy to impress all the adults with the Victorian-style decoration with all the detail. But they also didn’t forget about the little ones in the family. There are a special sitting area created just for kids while we waited for our room. How cute is this pint-size TV, chairs and sofa.

I have never seen so many hotel staffs in any hotels we have been to. Everywhere we turned, we always found the smiling face ready to help us in anyway they can.

Fun Things to Do in the Water & Beyond

Disney Grand Floridian Pool

There are 2 pools at the Grand Floridian. The courtyard pool is right in front of our building with large pool, hot tub and kiddie pool. The beach pool features zero-depth entry, cascade waterfall and water slide. There are planned activities during the day.

Disney Grand Floridian Beach pool

Disney Grand Floridian Beachside pool

For Mr. Z, he decisively picked the beach pool as his favorite because it has the water slide. I was surprised to find that Miss J loved the courtyard pool more because of the size of the pool.

Disney Grand Floridian Castle beach

Apart from the fun in the pool, there are other fun things family can enjoy with their kids like watercraft rental, arcade room, white-sand beach of the Seven Seas Lagoon.

There are also other kids activities programs available like Disney’s Pirate Adventure, the Mouseketeer Club, Movie under the Star and Wonderland Tea Party. Most of the programs will require additional fee and reservation is required. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to check out any of these kids-friendly programs. But it’s good to see so many options available.

Best Location You will Ever Get to Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Disney Grand Floridian Monorail

What make the Grand Floridian an AWESOME resort to stay for family vacation visiting Disney’s theme parks is by far its prime location. Situated on the monorail line to Disney’s Magic Kingdom with a stop directly at the resort make it a perfect hotel for family with kids.

As many experts in Disney’s theme parks have pointed out, taking a break during the day helps kids enjoy the park even more in the afternoon. A stay at the Grand Floridian provides such opportunity with ease. A short hop on the monorail and we were back at our room enjoying a quick dip in the pool.

Disney Grand Floridian Boat Dock

Disney Grand Floridian Boat to MK

And to mix thing up and make it more interesting, we boarded the boat back to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. A great way to enjoy the scenery that sure to make any kids happy.

Comfortable Room After A Long Day in the Park

The room at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has all the amenities as you would expect from five stars hotel. The room includes a desk with plenty of outlet which is a nice touch especially for this family travel blogger, a day bed (which we didn’t really know how to open it up) and the arm chair.

Disney Grand Floridian Mickey Towel

The best part of this room is the BED! We typically had a hard time sleeping at the hotel because we were too spoiled with our pillow-top mattress. But not here, as soon as we laid down, there was no toss and turn. Everyone felt fast asleep even before we can say M-I-C-K-E-Y..

Disney Grand Floridian Turndown service

Kids also loved the turndown service at night. The little Mickey is a great reminder of our cruise trip animal towels. And who doesn’t love to find chocolate on their bed at night.

One note I want to point out, the internet access is NOT free at the Grand Floridian. I was provided complimentary internet access as part of Disney’s Social Media Moms. But if you were a paying guest, you would have to pay additional fee to get the internet access.

Luxury Stay Worth a Splurge

Remember the saying of ‘You get what you pay for’. I think it rings true at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Yes, the cost of one night stay here can be as much as a week stay at a cheaper accommodation (and you can also do so with Disney’s Value Resorts). But for the price you pay, you will certainly get to experience a stay with exceptional service, prime location and unforgettable memory. So it’s a stay worth a splurge for a special celebration with your family.

It’s just the total immersion in Disney’s magic that makes the whole trip that much more magical. We love our experience so much that we already plan the next trip to another Disney’s Deluxe resort at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge this summer.

As I’m dreaming about our next stay at Disney’s resort, check out other travelers dreams at Mother of All Trips.

Disney Vacation

Disclosure: Thank you Walt Disney World for hosting our family during Disney’s Social Media Moms. We received discount hotel stays and complimentary items like tickets, food and entertainment from Walt Disney World. But as always this post is based solely on our own experience and opinion without any no outside influence.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Orlando With Kids: Family Escape @ Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

March 9, 2011 By 2 Comments

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Pool

As we are preparing for our trip to Orlando next week for the Disney Social Media Moms convention, I can’t help but reminisced about our family fun escape we had last holiday break in Kissimmee. During that visit we were hosted for a couple nights at the great family resort at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.

Luxury Hotel with Family-Friendly Service

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Lobby

I have to admit that I never had any experience staying with the Omni Hotels in the past. I thought Omni Hotels equal four star business hotels or white glove service which typically don’t mix well with family travel. But this preconceived idea is wrong.

Yes, as we walked through the front door and stepped into the bright lobby with shining marble floor, I couldn’t help but held on to my kids and reminded them not to be rowdy. The elegant decoration is prominent but also the kids-friendly service. Everyone from the front desk to the bellman was friendly and genuinely welcoming our kids.

Kids Rule at the Omni Hotels

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Kids Club

After check in, each kid will receive their own Omni Sensational Kids’ backpack filled with a mini flashlight, plantable bookmark, dish launcher, flip drum, twizzlers and a kids’ canteen. Miss J and Mr. Z proudly wore their backpack as we trekked to our room.

Within the Omni Orlando Resort, there are many family-friendly activities available that family could literally forget about going out and just spend time inside the resort from family pool with water slide, water playground, lazy river pool, 36 holes championship golf course, par 3 pitch and putt, tennis court, video arcade game and more.

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Lazy River Pool

One of our favorite spot was the 850 foot lazy river pool that connected to the zero entry family pool. Kids enjoyed floating lazily along this pool through water canon and water fall along the trail. We had a really hard time getting them out of the pool.

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Kid's Club

Right next to the family pool is the Camp Omni Kids Escape where kids can escape from their parents for fun kid-friendly dinners, movies, video games, board games and other entertaining activities. This program will set you back $10 per hour, per child and includes child’s dinner served at 7 p.m. We didn’t stay long enough to try out this program.

I have also read from their website that if you plan your date night at David’s Club or ZEN for dinner, you can show your dinner receipt and receive 50% off your first two hours of Camp Omni Kids Escape, while you dine (minimum one adult entree purchased). That’s something we might try next time we visit!

Room with a View for Family

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Room

The room in the Omni Orlando Resort is nicely decorated in the subtle yet elegant style with all amenities you can expect from four stars hotel and more. I love the little touch like the turn down service with cookies and milk for the kids at night. The work desk with plenty of room and FREE internet access is definitely appreciated for this travel mom blogger.

Orlando with Kids: Omni Hotel Orlando Review Amenities

Our room faces the pool with the balcony so it was a great place to enjoy our breakfast and for me to savor a little piece of calm before the busy day at the theme parks.

Convenient Location yet a World Away

One of the unique feature of this Omni Hotel is the location. Typically, most Orlando-Kissimmee hotels are mostly along the International drive or US 192 where you will be reminded at every moment that you are in the most visited tourist city in the world. With just a short drive on I-4, the Omni Orlando Resort feels like a world away. It’s far enough to provide us with a real sense of family escape but yet close enough that we can enjoy the theme parks without any hassle.

Affordable Price for Family Travel

If you have read this far, you probably think.. yeah.. it’s good but how much will it set us back? As a budget conscious family travel, I always look for way to save during our family vacation. Even though we received complimentary stay at the Omni Orlando Resort, we checked the list price during our stay. To our surprise, the room was listed at $99 per night (Rate is subject to change based on availability and date), a steal for this level of service and accommodation.

One little note that I would like to make you aware of is the parking fee at the Omni Orlando Resort. It seems weird that you have to pay for daily parking fee for this resort when there are plenty of parking space. I would understand if it’s the downtown hotel in the city. But even with parking fee added to your room rate, this resort is still a great choice for family vacation in Orlando area.

Disclosure: Thank you the Omni Hotels for hosting my family. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I always provide my honest opinion on our stays and won’t write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gatlinburg With Kids: Fantastic Stay @ Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort

December 20, 2010 By 13 Comments

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Day Inn Club Vacations Front
This past weekend we were invited by the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort for a stay in this family-friendly resort. We have visited Gatlinburg on a weekend trip in the past but we stayed in a rental cabin home. So it was our first time staying in a resort property right in downtown Gatlinburg.

The Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort

The family friendly Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort is a newest member of Holiday Inn brand family that aims to provide luxury, resort-style accommodation at the affordable price. With the partnership of Kemmons Wilson who built the first Holiday Inn hotel in 1952 in Memphis, TN and IHG, the Holiday Inn Club Vacation offers timeshare ownership program with more than just a typical timeshare program.

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort

At first, I have my reservation when I heard about “Club Vacation or Timeshare”. We have seen those advertisement before of cheap low rate resort stay in exchange of 90 minutes presentation. We have done that a few times and do not wish to do that again.

But after checking the website and personally speaking to the representative, I was reassured that Holiday Inn Club Vacations offers regular guests to rent the resort room without any obligation. So it means you can just book a room like you would at other Holiday Inn brand hotels and you wouldn’t have to do any presentation.

Actually, they don’t even have a sale center at the Gatlinburg location. BUT if you find the value in becoming a timeshare owners, there are staffs who will be more than happy to talk to you about the detail.

The First Impression and Impressive Staffs

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacations Welcome

When we arrived at Gatlinburg, I was VERY impressed with the hospitality from ALL the staff at the resort. Everyone was genuinely nice and attentive. We spent a good 15 minutes talking to the maintenance manager who came by after we checked in to make sure that we have everything we need.

The lobby of the resort set the stage for our stay. We felt like we walked to a mountain lodge up on the Smoky Mountains when we actually were about 5 minutes away from bustling Gatlinburg downtown.

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacation Lobby

The cozy fire place with comfy chairs was perfect for us to sit down and relax. Kids also enjoyed spending time at the checker table trying to outwit each other. If we didn’t have such a busy schedule, I’m sure they would be happy to just spend time at the lobby.

Great Location in Downtown Gatlinburg

It might sound too much like a real estate commercial but the location is a big factor for family vacation. When choosing accommodations for your family trip, the location can make your trip more enjoyable or miserable.

For family who wants to explore Gatlinburg or enjoy outdoor adventures at the Great Smoky Mountains, I would highly recommend considering the Holiday Inn Club Vacation Gatlinburg.

The resort is located about 3 blocks from the main street in downtown Gatlinburg make it very convenient to walk to any downtown attractions, shops and restaurants.

If you have been to Gatlinburg, you will know that public parking in Gatlinburg can run from $5-$10 per day. With that saving, you will be able to get yourself some hand made candies or wood craved souvenirs.

Room with Plenty of Space for Family

As a club vacation resort, the rooms at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort are one-bedroom or two-bedroom villas. With separate living area and full-size kitchen, it is definitely a perfect choice for family vacation.

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacations Kitchen

We were staying at a two- bedroom villa which includes a large living room, a dining room that can easily accommodate 6-8 people and a full size kitchen. For a family of 4, the room gives us plenty of space without being on top of each other. And I think the room can accommodate even more people.

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacation Master Bedroom

Each bedroom is charmingly decorated. I love the little details they put into the decoration that really make you feel like you are in a getaway cabin.

Resort Amenities

I probably won’t be able to list all of the detail amenities that are available for guests in the resort. But there are a few that I want to highlight because it is the little thing that count for me.

Indoor heated pool

Gatlinburg With Kids: Holiday Inn Club Vacation Pool

There is no doubt that a pool is a must-have amenities for family travel. Even if you travel in the midst of winter, a quick swim in a heated indoor pool will be almost as fun as a full day at an amusement park. Unfortunately, Mr. Z got sick once we arrived (it seems to be a theme here when we travel), we didn’t have a chance to enjoy the pool.

The picture above is taken from our 9th floor. The indoor pool is housed in the building next to the outdoor pool.

FREE Wifi

Hear that? FREE as in no extra charge to use the internet in this resort. I believe this should be a regular amenity in all hotels just like free local call. Holiday Inn has always been the pioneer of complimentary services in the hospitality industry. I hope other hotels and resorts will follow soon.

Family-friendly activities

During the week, there are various fun activities for kids and adults ranging from art & crafts, story time or photography classes. This is one big difference between staying in a typical hotel and a club vacation resort. A planned activity on a rest day where you might just want to simply lay low and enjoy time in your room.

Washer and Dryer

You may ask who would want to do laundry on their vacation! A smart traveler will say ‘Me’. With all the increased price in air travel on checking in luggage, family has to learn to pack light in order to save on check-in luggage. With washer and dryer inside your room, it makes packing light easier and less troublesome. With our weekend getaway of family of 4 we only pack 2 carry-on luggage. We are fortunate that Gatlinburg is within a driving distance. But if we have to fly, we know that we won’t have to pay extra to check in our luggage.

Price

Although, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort graciously hosted my family for the weekend and also paid for certain attractions and expenses for us, the resort room rate online is very affordable and comparable to area hotels and resorts. The rate that I checked for my weekend was less than $200 for a two-bedroom. (Rate is subject to change based on availability and date)

With the saving you will further receive from cook your own meal in the spacious kitchen and walking to various downtown Gatlinburg, it makes the Holiday Inn Club Vacations a great option for family travel. I will definitely stay there again in the future!

Disclosure: Thank you Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort for hosting my family over the weekend and providing us with complimentary attraction tickets and expense card. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence. I will not write about a place we will not stay ourselves.

Filed Under: Florida, Hotel & Resort Review, Tennessee Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Asheville With Kids: Family-Friendly Stay @ Residence Inn Biltmore

September 29, 2010 By 4 Comments

Asheville with Kids: Residence Inn Biltmore View
During our recent trip to Asheville – a small town that I absolutely love, we stayed at the family friendly Residence Inn Biltmore.

Why Residence Inn Biltmore

Like my previous trips, I had done some research looking for family and budget friendly accommodation for our weekend trip. I have to admit that Marriott chains have hardly crossed my mind due to the stereotype to business and high-end travel.

Don’t get me wrong. I would love to stay at one of the Five stars Marriott hotel but right now it wasn’t in our budget.

I have met a lovely lady from TBEX who mentioned that she has worked with Residence Inn and they are very family oriented.

I checked out the site and loved what I saw online.

  • All suite rooms with full size refrigerator and kitchen
  • Separate sitting area in all room
  • Free hot breakfast with make-your-own waffle, bacon, eggs and other healthy options
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Pet-friendly
  • Indoor heated pool with saline water

Those features look pretty darn good for me so I contacted them. The Residence Inn Biltmore graciously hosted my family for a weekend.

Convenient Location

When we arrived, we were happy to find that the location of the hotel is very convenient for family to explore Asheville whether to the Biltmore Estate, downtown Asheville or Blueridge Parkway.

The property is right at the outskirt of Biltmore Village making the visit to the Biltmore Village and the Biltmore Estate very easy.

However, Asheville has more than just the  Biltmore Estate, so I’m glad to find that we could easily get to downtown Asheville in less than 5 minutes drive. Make the location even more desirable.

Great Space For Family

Asheville with Kids: Residence Inn Biltmore Bed

Once we checked in, kids were quick to claim their room. We were booked at the  two-bedroom suites – a great option for family of 4.

The bedroom is cleverly lay out with enough space without feeling cramp. With TV in each room, we all settled in without much conflicts.

If you are on the tight budget, one-bedroom suite might also fit your family with pull-out sofa in the living room area.

Asheville with Kids: Residence Inn Biltmore Kitchen

The kitchen area has all necessities that you can easily cook your own meal. This is a great option for family travel on a budget. I would like to be able to tell you how many fabulous meals we cooked but then that would be lying.

As we all know how much I love the food scenes in Asheville. The money we saved on breakfast and Wifi had been put to a good use in tasting various restaurants in Asheville.

Family Focus Amenities

Asheville with Kids: Residence Inn Biltmore Living Room

After unpacking and settling in, I toured the hotel with the manager, Tony. The hotel is cozy and gives out the resort style atmosphere rather than just typical hotel. With 72 rooms of studio, one- or two-bedroom guest suites, the hotel is the right size that you won’t feel crowd out with too many guests.

We checked out the hotel pool and kids were so ready to jump in. Unfortunately, Miss J had a fever on the second day so they weren’t able to swim.

I always love the indoor pool. It allows kids to let go of their energy from a long trip regardless of unpredicted weather.

Asheville with Kids: Residence Inn Biltmore Pool

Right outside the pool, there is an outdoor play area where families can play basketball, badminton or soccer. The hotel also provides balls and other toys for families to borrow.

Tuck in between the building under the shade of growing trees are the outdoor grill and picnic tables if you want to have family meal.

Friendly and Helpful Staffs

Even though our stay was way too short for our liking, I was impressed with the customer service we received.

In the morning, the breakfast area was well stocked with helpful staff who was attentive to your need from helping my kids picking up his drink or making waffles for them.

On the check out day, I had to be at the conference and with a sick child. I didn’t want Mr. Rojo to check out too early and hang out around the lobby at the conference. The front desk was more than happy to extend our check out time to noon to provide me enough time to say good bye to my friends from Type A Mom conference.

With the plan to remodel the hotel next year to upgrade the appliances and interior design, this hotel will even be a great choice for family who looks for a great family and budget friendly hotel option in Asheville.

Disclosure: Thank you Residence Inn Biltmore for hosting my family over the weekend. This post is based solely on my experience and my opinion without any outside influence.

Photo courtesy of Residence Inn Biltmore

Filed Under: Hotel & Resort Review, North Carolina Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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