Lodging

A Room in Church Landing

Do you want to be an insider with access to special monthly promotions on popular inns, attractions, and restaurants throughout New Hampshire?  The New Hampshire Bureau of Travel and Tourism has launched a special insider promotion for fans of the VisitNH.gov Facebook page.  Become a Facebook page fan, and you’ll get offers and coupon codes for exclusive discounts through the fan page.

This month, the special promotion is for 50% off deluxe lake view accommodations at the The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls premiere lodging facility, Church Landing, right on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee.  Church Landing at The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls offers lake view rooms with fireplaces, a deluxe spa, an indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center, two jacuzzi tubs, complimentary wireless internet, and a light continental breakfast.  Lake Winnipesaukee is a short drive from Boston and is a beautiful location.

The Inns & Spa at Mill Falls is adjacent to the Mill Falls marketplace, where you can get some of your holiday shopping done, or just choose to relax in your gorgeous room by the fireplace, at the spa, or by the pool.

Photo credit: New Hampshire Bureau of Travel and Tourism

Kalaloch Lodge in Forks, Washington

Set in the lush beauty of the Olympic Peninsula, Forks, Washington is the setting for one of the ulitmate literary love stories – that of Bella and Edward from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.

With this weekend’s release of the film version of book two, New Moon, fans will once again be wanting to make the pilgrimage to view the sites mentioned in the book. If that’s you and your family, then you might be interested in a special package put together by the Kalaloch Lodge.

Its “New Moon” package offers a one-night stay, a Forks-area map highlighting locations in the book, Twilight water bottles, a special Twilight dessert and more. Rates for this package start at $149 a night.

A Cabin at the Kalaloch Lodge

Need more time? Kalaloch Lodge is also bringing back its original “Twilight” package, which includes a two-night stay, the map, water bottles, a special Twilight dessert and more.  Rates for this package start at $199.

Kalaloch Lodge is situated on the outskirts of Forks, and offers beach front access. Accommodations are offered in three styles: the Main Lodge rooms, the more rustic cabins (which are pet-friendly with a $15 additional fee per pet) and the more remote and secluded Seacrest Building rooms. All rooms are non-smoking

For more information or to make a reservation, please visit the Kalaloch Lodge website or call 866-297-7367 and use the promo code: Twilight to reserve either package.

You’ll have to bring your own vampire, though.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kalaloch Lodge
157151 Hwy. 101
Forks, WA 98331
866-297-7367
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[Photos courtesy Kalaloch Lodge/Aramark Parks & Destinations]

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Crown Princess photo Nancy D. Brown

If you long for the flavor and feel of Italy, but your budget doesn’t include a European destination, consider a cruise on the Crown Princess. Holding 3,080 passengers, this jewel of a ship from Princess Cruises is a floating resort of sorts.

I didn’t  consider myself the typical cruise customer, as the average age on my Western Caribbean cruise was about 55, yet I found myself adapting quite well to the idea of packing my suitcase once, while visiting four different exotic ports of call.

Our cruise began in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and sailed to Princess Cays, a private beach resort; Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands; Roatan, Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico during this seven day tour. Unlike land-based resorts, our ship was able to avoid an encounter with Hurricane Ida as Commodore Giuseppe Romano made a slight adjustment to our itinerary.

While the ship doesn’t sail to Italy, the crew had a large Italian contingent, including the two Giuseppe’s. Commodore Romano, who oversees the entire 17 ship fleet and Executive Chef Giuseppe Pollara. From the piazza-styled atrium to the Michelangelo, DaVinci and Botticelli dining rooms, Italian touches are reflected throughout the ship. Speaking of dining, guests will not go hungry with the wide array of restaurants featured on the ship. I’ll review Sabatini’s Italian restaurant and the Chef’s Table dinner on the restaurant blog. One final note about food on the ship; pace yourself. The average cruiser gains from 7 – 10 pounds on a typical cruise. Italian pizza from a wood fired oven is available from 11 a.m. to midnight on the lido deck 15. Ciao!

My Room with a View

Crown Princess Mini-Suite With Balcony D301

I’ve only cruised a couple of times, but I’ve sailed enough to know that the best location for a good night’s sleep is mid ship, preferably with an ocean view. On the Crown Princess, nearly 900 staterooms have private balconies (80 percent of all outside cabins.) As a guest of Princess Cruises on the first ever Twitter Press Trip, I landed on Deck 9 in stateroom 301 a mini suite on the Dolphin deck.

Floating Resort with an Ocean View

If you are new to cruising or simply wondering if you will be bored on a cruise ship, I offer these tips.

There is a nine hole putting course and golf simulator on board

Watch Movies Under the Stars at the outdoor movie theater

Take in an evening show or watch an art auction

Relax in the adult-only Sanctuary

Watch the world pass by from your balcony or one of 14 bars on the ship

There are four swimming pools – including one swim-against-the-current pool

There’s a sports court and jogging/walking track, as well as an ocean-view gym (where else can you get that besides San Francisco?)

Get stoned, a hot stone massage, at the Asian-inspired Lotus Spa

Spend some time in one of the largest casinos afloat

All photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown

Hanagan Meadow Lodge. Photo by Donna L. Hull

A chill is in the November air. Can you feel winter coming? It’s time to think about fun in Arizona’s snow. What’s that? You thought Arizona was all desert? An escape to Hannagan Meadow Lodge on the Arizona/New Mexico border will fulfill your craving for winter fun.

Located 22 miles south of Alpine on the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway (Highway 191), the lodge catches snow from winter storms that roll across the White Mountains. With an elevation of 9,100 feet, the area frequently sees winter’s first and last flakes.

Choices galore for winter fun
For Arizona snow lovers, Hannagan Meadow Lodge has all the bases covered. Slide down a frozen tubing hill, glide across new powder on cross-country skis, or relax by the fire watching snow swirl across the meadow on the winds of a winter storm.

Kids of all ages hurdle down the lodge’s sledding hill on over-sized inner tubes then scramble back uphill for another thrilling ride. When it is time to take a break, build a snowman in the woods or rest by the fire in your cabin with a cup of hot chocolate.

Cross-country skiing at Hannagan Meadow. Photo by Alan Hull Photography

With 26 km of cross-country skiing trails starting from the lodge, walk outside your cabin to strap on skis then glide into the meadow beside Douglas firs and Engelmann Spruce. Beginners and intermediates travel the 10 km groomed Acre Lake trail through the aspens and over the frozen meadow of Butterfly Cinega. For more advanced skiers, one of many choices is the marked but ungroomed route, the KP Rim-Willow Springs Trail that loops through the Blue Range Primitive Area offering the ultimate in back country seclusion. Equipment rental is available from Alpine Sports and Recreation Center in the General Store next to the lodge or bring your own.

Snowshoers and hikers slush through the white stuff on walks in the woods. A stroll down the Coronado Trail leads to several turn-offs where hiking and cross-country routes begin. With the abundant wildlife that populates the area, searching for animal tracks in the snow provides a quiet diversion. Listen. Is that the wind moaning in the trees or the howl of the Mexican Gray Wolf, currently restored to the area after 30 years of decimation?

If sitting by the fire is your idea of winter fun, grab a hot cup of coffee or tea from the table in the lobby and relax by the wood burning stove. Browse through the scrapbooks that chronicle Hannagan Meadow’s history which dates back to 1926.

Hannagan Meadow Lodge Rustic Cabin. Photo by Donna L. Hull

Rustic accommodations in nature’s five-star setting
The staff at Hannagan Meadow Lodge will tell you, “If you’re looking for luxury accommodations, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Due to the isolated location, help is hard to find, which means no daily maid service. But the lodge rooms, located on the second and third floors of the historic building are pleasantly furnished with antiques, and each room has its own bath.

For those interested in a longer stay, rustic housekeeping cabins are located behind the lodge. The fire in the wood burning stove will seem extra warm since you are the one who will split the logs from the pile of wood on the cabin’s front porch. Bring plenty of supplies because you’ll have to do your own cooking from Monday to Thursday. Please note that the cabins are simply decorated and extremely rustic.

In the winter, a restaurant on the lodge’s first floor serves Friday night dinner, breakfast and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Guests dine in a log-paneled room warmed by a crackling fireplace. From the large windows, look out onto the meadow as the scene fades from the golden glow of a late afternoon sun to the purple shades of  twilight. A collection of antique glass bottles in deep-hued colors sits on the windowsills, glowing like semi-precious jewels in the waning light.

Hannagan Meadow Lodge is located within 5-6 hours driving distance from the major metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque or El Paso.

If you go:
Hannagan Meadow Lodge
928.339.4370
www.hannaganmeadow.com

Review by Donna L. Hull, My Itchy Travel Feet
Photos courtesy Donna L. Hull and Alan Hull Photography

Our Room at Glendine House Jody Halsted www.havekidwilltravel.com

Glendine House perfectly fits the romantic images the mere mention of Ireland conjures in the mind.  The Georgian Manor was built in 1830 and is filled with history (from their website): The 18th Century former Dower House of the Marquis of Donegal was built in 1830. It was first occupied by the Chichester family and later by land agents until one of them absconded with a Nursery Nurse causing a great scandal. Home to the Crosbie family for over 60 years, Glendine retains many of its original 1830 features and is full of old world charm.

Our rooms were in the original portion of the house and featured antiques, beautiful hard wood floors and, in our case, a window seat overlooking the pasture and the Barrow Estuary. Read More »

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Mexico Skyline photo by Nancy D. Brown

If you are reading this post, it is safe to say that you turn to the internet for your travel research. You are probaby familiar with Facebook and Twitter, as well.

In the know tourism bureaus are just now realizing the power of social media on the web. Facebook fan pages are popping up right and left, as are special lodging deals being offered on twitter. In fact, I was recently part of  the first ever Twitter press trip as a guest of Princess Cruises. The twitter hashtag was #FollowMeAtSea and, pardon the pun, our journey was certainly making waves.

The folks at the Riviera Maya Destination Marketing office have jumped on the social media bandwagon with their Hola Riviera Maya! website, a new twitter account and Facebook fan page. Their press release says the website will offer daily updates on news and happenings throughout the destination, last-minute travel deals and special contests.

Yo Hablo Espanol – Y Usted? (I Speak Spanish – And You?)

I followed them on Twitter today and I see that of 19 tweets from the company, only two were tweeted in English. Seems a bit odd, since their press release states that the site is targeted to the US market.

Dazzle in the Colors of Riviera Maya, Mexican Art

Unfortunately, I am not very familiar with Riviera Maya, so I can’t speak to many first-hand lodging recommendations. In late April of 2009 I stayed in Cozumel, Mexico and stopped there again for a day while cruising on the Crown Princess.

Riviera Maya is situated in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexio. Beginning eleven miles south of Cancun International Airport in Puerto Morelos, the Riviera Maya extends to Tulum, one of the most important archeological sites in the Mayan world. 

All photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown

Stoney Creek Farm stands out against the Boonsboro, Maryland sky.

Ninety-minutes north of DC and you’ll be in Baltimore. Ninety-minutes south of DC and you’re in Richmond. Both cities are known for lots of things (little of it good)–relaxing bed and breakfasts aren’t among them.

For that you’ll need to head 90-minutes west of DC, to Stoney Creek Farm in Boonsboro, Maryland.

An historic farmhouse restored and converted into a bed and breakfast in 2005, Stoney Creek Farm offers guests from metropolitan Washington, DC, a chance to relax and unwind on a weekend without having to stress out about a long drive home on Sunday. It’s just 90 minutes from Baltimore, too.

The food was delicious–wine and cheese in the afternoon, breakfast in the morning and baked goods all day long. And for full-on meals, Stoney Creek Farm offers on-site private dining in the inn or the charming creekside Stone Spring House, starting at $125 a person. As a two-week notice was requested and my wife and I weren’t aware of this option in advance, Denise, the lovely innkeeper, gave us some suggestions for nearby restaurants.

Gourmet private dinners are available at Stoney Creek Farm's Stone Spring House upon request.

And while we spent our stay at Stoney Creek Farm doing a whole lot of nothing, it’s a great starting point for hiking and biking.  In nearby Harpers Ferry, there’s whitewater rafting, kayaking and tubing. Antietam National Battlefield is also close, as is that more pedestrian pursuit: shopping.

If you need to access the Internet while you are there, Stoney Creek Farm has Wi-Fi (confession: I checked sports scores while my wife was showering.)

Sunday through Thursday rooms cost $195 to $225, with them going for $225 to $250 on weekends. The bedrooms and bathrooms were spacious and clean and the Serta Heavenly beds were, yes, heavenly (hence the name). The Equestrian Room, with its king-size bed, view and spacious bathroom is worth the additional cost.

Stoney Creek Farm's cozy great room includes a grand piano and a fireplace.

And in case you have any doubts to Stoney Creek Farm being romantic, it’s a beautiful site for weddings and marriage proposals–which is just what my brother did with his now-fiancée here.

Photos courtesy of Stoney Creek Farm.

Stoney Creek Farm
19223 Manor Church Road
Boonsboro, MD 21713
301-432-6272

La Maison Marigny in New Orleans

When I’m not staying with friends, La Maison Marigny is my home-away-from-home in New Orleans. This comfortable house is just steps away from the French Quarter in the faubourg Marigny, but it feels far away from the noise of the popular section of Bourbon Street.

All four guestrooms in the circa-1898 house have 12-foot ceilings, antique furnishings, complimentary Wi-Fi access and flat screen TVs with DVD players. Luscious continental breakfasts with fruit, freshly baked pastries and New Orleans coffee are included. Don’t load up on breakfast, though, if you want to sample some of the menus at nearby restaurants like Bayona, Stella! or Port of Call (known for its burgers).

Relax in the tropical courtyard or in a rocking chair on the front porch. I like to sit on the porch in the afternoon and pretend I’m at home while I say hello to the local characters as they pass by.

Deluxe queen rooms start at $129 per night. The balcony queen room starts at $139 per night, and the owner’s suite starts at $159 per night. Minimum stay requirements are usually two to three nights depending on the season. Special rates apply for major events, such as Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

La Maison Marigny 800-570-2014

1421 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116

Photo courtesy of La Maison Marigny

More New Orleans-related information:

Pet Friendly Olivier House in New Orleans’ French Quarter

STA Travel

The name STA Travel has been one of the most talked about travel companies over the years. Started in the late 1970s, STA Travel is one of the longest running travel organizations in the world. Although they’ve long been known for providing travel advice and experiences for students and young adults, the travel organization has started to broaden its focus. Although young adults and students are still STA Travel’s core, the company has branched out to include travel opportunities for all types of travelers. They have even recently gained momentum as being a provider of discounted travel.

When you go to STA Travel’s website, you find it filled with a wide-variety of travel packages, last minute specials, flight deals and more. You may consider signing up for their travel deal email, which sends a weekly email with some of their best travel deals. However, you don’t want to miss out on their current travel deal, which consists of two free hotel nights.

Of course anything that is free has its own stipulations, and there are a couple things to keep in mind before booking your trip and getting your two free hotel nights. The two free hotel nights from STA Travel are only valid on international travel and must be booked along with an international flight. The two free hotel nights can’t exceed $65, but if it does, then you just have to pay the difference. The free nights are valid until November 29th on travel through the end of the year. The offer can’t be completed online, but you can call STA travel at 800-781-4040 to book your trip. STA Travel also has 18 stores located around the U.S., where you can also book your trip and receive the two free hotel nights.

Even if international travel isn’t in your current travel plans for the rest of year, STA Travel has plenty of other packages and travel deals. If you’re planning on last-minute travel, STA Travel’s last minute vacation deals offers travel for as much as 70% off.

Photo from statravelers’ on Flickr.

Releasing the turtles as part of the wedding ritual.

Turtle weddings in Mexico? What tha??

That was my first reaction. So, what does that actually mean?

Try destination wedding meets ecotourism. In an elegant beachfront resort on the tip of the Baja California Peninsula.

You’ve heard of releasing doves during the ceremony? Well, two couples exchanged their vows at the Marquis Los Cabos this month, and joined by their wedding party and guests, released baby “olive ridley” sea turtles back into their ocean habitat.

This sweet ritual inside a ritual is one of the resort’s ecotourism initiatives, certified by the state-sponsored PROFEPA agency. The resort has been recognized as a sea turtle watch and rescue site, protecting five species of turtle eggs. The eggs are layed in June and hatch as early as October.

The olive ridley is named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell and it returns every year to its birth site.

As part of their wedding promotional package, the Marquis invites couples wed at the resort to return on their anniversary for a complimentary three-night stay.

Wedding destination packages include accommodations in a casita with private pool, spa treatments, champagne, a wedding coordinator, and other delights. Room rates for groups start at $295.

The 237-suite resort is located at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, minutes from the village of San Jose del Cabo and rock ‘n’ roll destination, Cabo San Lucas.

Though it features a 15,000 square-foot spa and fitness center and the acclaimed Canto del Mar restaurant, the Marquis Los Cabos is not entirely about decadence. In the May/June issue this year, National Geographic Traveler recognized the resort as one of those who give back to their employees in terms of staff health care and education.

Maybe that’s why they call it, the “resort with a heart.” Or maybe it’s because they rescue those adorable little sea turtles.

The Marquis Los Cabos
(877) 238-9399

Photos courtesy of the Marquis Los Cabos