Yotel – Heathrow’s Black Light District
We had to kiss and make up with Delta. Since transatlantic ships don’t head east to west at this time of year, we had no choice. I guess we could have stayed in Europe until October, but we were jonesin’ for some Seattle.
We needed to break up our two day marathon back home with a stop in London. Rather than dropping pounds in the spendy city, we decided to try something new – a pod (I guess that’s what we’ll call it) at the Yotel in London’s Heathrow Airport. Read more 
Hotel Snapshot – Capitolium Hotel, Rome, Italy
Room: A unique and welcome find in a city known for small and expensive hotel rooms. One of the nicest features of the room itself was not actually in the room, but the beautiful and quiet gardens (fountains, palms and orange trees) that it looked on to. The room itself was enormous by European standards, with plenty of room for the two of us to work and relax. The decor was a bit feminine for our taste, but the room was decorated nicely, none-the-less. The bed was very comfortable – no “two twin bed chasm” between us. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Hyatt Regency, Vancouver
We love Vancouver. Heck, one of the reasons we moved to Seattle was because it’s closer to British Colombia. We’ve visited often and have had the chance to stay in several hotels – ranging from luxury to budget. So when we had the chance to stay at the Hyatt Regency, we were pretty excited. A new hotel to add to the list.
How did the Hyatt stack up? Very well. Here are some of the detail Read more
Princess Hotels – Alaska Wilderness Lodges
During our visit to Alaska, we had the opportunity to stay at four of Princess’s Alaska Wilderness Lodges: Kenai Princess, Denali Princess, Copper River Princess and the Fairbanks Princess. While each had unique attributes, a common thread amongst all of them was excellent service and great locations. Read more
Testing Expedia, Priceline, Travelticker and Voyage Prive
After a lot of posts from our camping adventure, it’s time to talk about the other side of our travel equation – sleeping outside of a tent. Read more
On Camping, Vegas and Potato Chips
We should not be left alone with all of the Kettle Chips we have in the house.
We have been obsessively making our way through several flavors as we get all caught up on stuff and finalize our camping adventure before taking off (next week!). Our desks are, uncharacteristically, bursting with papers, books and files – many carry the telltale sign of having eaten potato chips. Colorful salty fingerprints. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Westin Mission Hills, Palm Springs
Rooms: We had read some accounts that rooms at this resort are “old.” While the rooms were not built yesterday, a recent remodel makes this an unfair assessment. Our room was very large with a king bed, full sized sofa, oversized desk with two chairs and even a bar area. The “Heavenly Bed” continues to live up to its name. The rooms are a bit dark, but after spending a day in the blazing sun, this is something we really appreciated. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Hilton, Palm Springs
Rooms: Despite being remodeled (at least partially) it is difficult to overcome old “bones.” The rooms are nice, but have elements that remind you the resort has been around for quite some time. We were pleased with how comfortable the bed was, which is really most important. Read more
Hotel Snapshot - Hyatt Grand Champions, Indian Wells
Rooms: We were fortunate enough to be upgraded to one of the resort’s villas, which meant we had an unusually large room with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked a private patio. The rooms are very nicely decorated – warm enough to be inviting but “cool” enough to make sense in the desert. Our room had a ridiculously large, stone tiled bathroom with a double vanity, soaking tub and separate shower. We also enjoyed the large sitting area, dining table and – most importantly – a very comfortable king-sized bed. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Venetian Resort and Casino, Las Vegas
Rooms: We have previously reviewed other properties on The Venetian “compound,” including Palazzo and the hotel-within-a-hotel Venezia. However, this was our first stay at the Venetian proper. Each room is a mini-suite, a Vegas trend that was largely started by the Venetian. The sitting area includes a full sectional, dining table and desk. It’s a kitchen short of being an apartment. Despite a recent renovation, the room showed some signs of wear. When you take into account the crushing amount of traffic that these rooms must see, this is to be expected. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Vdara, Las Vegas
Rooms: Rooms, plural, could not be more appropriate here. Our, ahem, Executive Corner Suite at Vdara was less a room and more an apartment. This is one of the largest and most home-like rooms we have ever stayed in. We had a full kitchen, one and one-half baths, a dining room / living room and a separate bedroom – all with panoramic views of the strip. The huge soaking tub in the spa-like bathroom allows you to relax while watching the Bellagio fountains dance. Now that’s a view. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Sheraton, Boston
Rooms: Thanks to our SPG Gold status, we were upgraded to a large corner suite. While the spacious room did not have much a view, we enjoyed the extra space. SPG hotels tend to have very comfortable beds, and the Sheraton does not disappoint. Read more
Travelogue – (conducting a B&B showdown in) Provincetown
We’re back in the USA for the final leg of our adventure. After a brutal head-winds-all-the-way flight from Prague to JFK, we jumped on a connector flight up to Boston and then drove out to Provincetown – located on the tip of Cape Cod. What a couple of days that was. Aside from waking up at 3:00 am every morning (uh, night), we’re adjusting well and enjoying this final portion of our journey. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – K&K Central
Rooms: This room was designed like a stateroom on a luxury cruise ship – small but with every square inch maximized. There is something about this approach that really resonates with us. In addition to being expertly laid out, the room was nothing short of immaculate. We had a view of an adjoining courtyard, so – despite the hotel being just steps from one of Prague’s most visited tourist attractions – our room was quiet and secluded. Read more
Hotel Snapshot – Moods
Rooms: This is a renovation done right. The recently redone rooms have several sets of large windows, dark wood floors and modern fixtures that contrast nicely with the building’s classic bones. Add to that a design taste that is not even close to the “ikea-ized” hotels that are so common in this part of the world. Read more
