Lodging

Smiley's Schooner Saloon & Hotel has an Old West appeal.

Quirky doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Bolinas is known for many things — surfers, hippies, artists,  drunks, poets, potheads, the Jefferson Airplane beach house,  Richard Brautigan’s suicide, and dogs. Lots of stray dogs.

A lush gardens path leads to the bunalows.

As a deterrent to tourists, the local residents  have a tradition  of removing the sign that signifies the turnoff to their seaside hamlet. In the 20 years I’ve been visiting, I’ve never seen a sign.

But every time I go, I make it a point to stop at Smiley’s, the saloon in the middle of town that claims to be one of the oldest in California, established in 1851, and that has served up hooch straight through Prohibition.

I like to go there for the cheeseburger — thin, flat, not too much bun, cooked in a toaster oven, and the atmosphere — scruffy, Old West, and populated with dodgy, hard-drinking characters who play pool and dice games. There is usually a mutt or two on the front porch.

I knew Smiley’s had a hotel that I figured was above the bar and would look like a set from a Deadwood episode. But when I asked the bartender, he showed me to a few cute bungalows behind the bar in a lush overgrown garden that reminded me of the Filbert steps in San Francisco. It was quiet and quite serene back there — a very different ambiance than the saloon, which hosts live music several nights a week.

The rooms are small and spartan but comfortable — no phones or television, but free WiFi. They’ll set you back a whopping $74 on weekdays/$84 on weekends.

The locals may try to keep it a secret, but Bolinas is a Northern California experience worth having. If you can find

Accommodations are behind Smiley's pub.

it, that is.

Smiley’s Saloon & Hotel
Established 1851
41 Wharf Road., Bolinas, CA
(415) 868-1311

Photo credit: Lisa Dion

By the time November comes around, New York City is buzzing with excitement.  It seems everyone is planning something: parties, trips, parades, festivals, shopping sprees.  Hotels, restaurants, and stores are all gearing up to serve not only the residents, but also the tourists, and it all starts off with one of the biggest celebrations of the year: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The parade has changed its route for 2009 and is as follows: It begins on 77th St & Central Park West, turning east onto Central Park South.  When the Parade reaches 7th Ave, the procession will turn south at the corner of Central Park South and march to 42nd St.  Traveling east along 42nd St from 7th to 6th Aves (Avenue of the Americas), the Parade will then head south and march to 34th St..  At 34th St., the procession will head west to Herald Square ending at 34th St. and 7th Ave.

This means that The London NYC is now just around the corner and makes accessing the Thanksgiving Day Parade that much easier. Located on W. 54th and nestled between 6th & 7th Ave., The London NYC is a wonderful option,whether you are visiting for the season or for the day.  Anyone that has been to the parade knows that it can often lead to long waits outside on a cold day.

The London NYC offers the option to book your room, park your car and walk to 7th Ave. and watch the spectacular floats go by. Also, The London NYC offers a cozy place to step inside, warm up and enjoy the delicious food and beverages in Gordon Ramsey’s award winning restaurant. For more information on the hotel go to www.thelondonnyc.com.

Photos courtesy of The London NYC

As with most tourist attractions, there are plenty of hotels around the Legoland theme park in San Diego, California. But until now, there hasn’t been an actual hotel at the popular attraction.

Las Vegas' Excalibur Hotel at Legoland

That will all change as Legoland says they are planning on building a Lego-themed resort.

The local Carlsbad City Council gave the approval for the proposed 254-room hotel to be built right next to the park at its October 27 meeting.  According to Legoland, the hotel will reflect the different aspects of the park, and of course, heavily feature Legos in the decor.

Basic rooms will feature bedding, carpets and wallpaper with instructions on how to make different Lego creations. Premium rooms at the hotel will borrow from different popular areas of the park. For instance, there will be a pirate-themed room that continues the fun of the Pirate Shores area of the park.

The hotel itself will reportedly have a serpentine shape around the pool, with a colorful exterior reflective of the way Legos come in many colors. Legoland says their hotel will very much appeal to families with younger children.

There is no time frame attached to the completion of the hotel, yet, but most likely it will be two to three years before the hotel is built, given the current economy.

This sounds like a fun hotel. It’d really be cool if they actually built some of the furniture out of Legos. After all, if a Barbie suite in Vegas can have plastic furniture, why not a Legoland hotel?

What do you think? Would you stay at a Lego-themed hotel?

[Photo courtesy of Legoland]

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Hotel Cheval in Paso Robles

Paso Robles is growing up. No longer the sleepy little town, Paso is known for its wine country and sophisticated dining. And while kids used to ride their horses into town, the only horse you’ll find cruising the streets of Paso Robles is Chester, a 2,000 pound Belgian draft horse.

Chester – The Horse of Course

Chester is the official mascot of Hotel Cheval. The former work horse from Big Prairie, Ohio has seen his last days of pulling plows and now carts guests of the Hotel Cheval to and from downtown Paso Robles in a handsome vintage vis a vis carriage.

With only 16 rooms, Hotel Cheval offers its guests luxury and privacy in this Central Coast location. From the outdoor stone wood-burning fireplaces to the horse shoe-shaped zinc Pony Club bar, visitors will enjoy a bit of the old ranching life, while keeping both boots firmly planted in the good life.

Chester Takes Guest from Hotel Cheval

Hotel rooms range from $225 weekdays to $325 on the weekends. Hotel Cheval is pet-friendly with a $30 charge per pet, each day.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Cheval

Hotel Cheval 1 (866) 522-6999

1021 Pine St.  Paso Robles, CA

There’s a party going on in Santa Fe, New Mexico. That’s right. The oldest capital city in the United State is celebrating its 400th birthday. The Eldorado Hotel & Spa is joining in the festivities by giving travelers a present. Guests of the four-diamond property will receive the third night free; a 33% savings value starting at $219.

Located next to historic Santa Fe Plaza, Eldorado Hotel & Spa offers 219 non-smoking guest rooms, complete with 32” flat-screen HD-compatible televisions, terry-cloth bathrobes, a workstation with task light, high-speed internet access, overstuffed lounging furniture paired with a reading lamp and tables, a refrigerated mini-honor bar and optional turndown service. A selection of larger Deluxe rooms feature wood-burning kiva fireplaces and shared terraces.

While you’re staying at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, enjoy the $100 discount on a 24-karat gold facial offered by the Nidah Spa. The golden 80-minute treatment tightens and brightens skin.

Although I haven’t stayed at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, it sure sounds convenient for attending Santa Fe’s birthday festivities. Since both promotions are valid through December 30, 2009, there’s still time to plan a visit to the 10th Annual Santa Fe Film Festival (Dec. 2-6, 2009) or the Winter Spanish Market (Dec. 12 and 13, 2009).

To book this special at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, use the ‘Super Saver’ rate code PROSSS at www.eldoradohotel.com or call (800) 955-4455

Review by Donna L. Hull, My Itchy Travel Feet

All photos courtesy of Eldorado Hotel & Spa

Comfort Suites Bedroom

When our family of six can find a hotel room for under $100, we consider it a bargain, especially if it includes free breakfast in the morning.  Thus, we were delighted to find the Comfort Suites in downtown Minneapolis on a recent outing to the Twin Cities.

The Comfort Inn and Suites is located on the eastern edge of Minneapolis’ downtown, near Hennepin County Medical Center and the Metrodome.  We were there to attend a Timberwolves game at Target Center, and because the hotel is connected to the Minneapolis Skyway System, we left our coats in the hotel room and walked to the game.  It took us about 25 minutes to get to the game, but we could have done it faster without preschoolers’ little legs.

The hotel, which apparently was formerly an Embassy Suites, sits atop the parking structure so that the lobby is on the 8th floor.  Checkin was friendly and efficient, and complimentary coffee and cookies were available in the lobby.

Comfort Suites Living Room

Our room was across from the courtyard on this main floor.  Spacious, it included two double beds, a large sofa sleeper, a table and four chairs, and a bar area.  TV’s in both the bedroom and living area as well as three sinks in the room were nice amenities.  We also had a microwave and refrigerator.  Our beds and pillows were comfortable.  We did hear some noise from the room next door, but were fortunate to have relatively quiet neighbors.

In the morning, we enjoyed a superb breakfast of all the usual hotel-breakfast items, plus made-to-order omelets and other fare.  This is honestly the best free hotel breakfast we’ve had, and there was plenty of seating available for the popular meal.  I enjoyed using real plates, cups, and tableware instead of styrofoam and plastic.  The food was good, and even the pickiest eaters found something they liked.

The downside was minimal–a few scrapes on the wall and carpet that is beginning to fray, the inconvience of having to return to the car with a permit after checking in, and insufficient staff at checkout time, but for a room for which we paid less than $90, I’m not complaining.

Comfort Suites

Comfort Suites Breakfast Area

425 7th St S
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 333-3111

Photo credits:  minnemom on flickr

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children.

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The Rio Vegas Hotel

Have you got your New Year’s plans yet? Is the difficult economic year making it tough for you to travel for New Year’s? Well a new hotel giveaway is making it much easier for you to travel this New Year’s on the cheap. The Rio Hotel and Casino is giving away 500 free weekends and one VIP New Year’s Eve experience.

The Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas has become a Las Vegas mainstay hotel, despite the rise of many new contemporary hotels on the strip. Located right off the strip, the Rio was the first all suite hotel in Las Vegas, boasting over 2,500 suites in its towers. The hotel’s suites are well-appointed, ranging in size from 600 to several thousand square feet. The Las Vegas hotel is also known for its wine cellar, which features thousands of different bottles of wine.

The Rio Vegas has gotten in on the Twitter craze by making their travel giveaway available only to their followers on Twitter. The giveaway is simple. Follow the Rio Vegas on Twitter and create a tweet with the hashtag #RioVegas. As the hotel grows its number of followers, the more weekend stays it will be giving away. Each giveaway includes two free nights at the hotel. If the Rio Vegas Hotel hits 20,000 followers by December 4th, then they’ll be giving away a VIP New Year’s package. The package includes four nights at the Rio, limo transportation to and from the airport, two tickets to Penn and Teller, dinner for two at the rooftop Voodoo Steak and admission to the Voodoo Lounge with bottle service on New Year’s Eve. 

Remember, all you have to do to be entered is to follow the Rio on Twitter and tweet about them with the hashtag #RioVegas. Winners will be alerted via direct message on Twitter and will have 48 hours to respond once notified.

Photo courtesy of 3dphoto.net on Flickr.

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Hacienda Corona is named after Mexican Muralist Salvador Corona

Cowboys know it as the Guevavi Ranch. John Wayne was a frequent visitor to the ranch when his friend, Ralph Wingfield, owned Hacienda Corona de Guevavi. Seems the previous ranch owner let some of his cattle make guest appearances in Wayne’s “Red River” cowboy movie.

Today, guests of the Nogales, Arizona bed and breakfast see the Hacienda as a place for a romantic Southwest getaway.

While I haven’t yet stayed at the property, horse lovers, as well as nature lovers will appreciate the wide open beauty of the Hacienda. Current owners, Phil and Wendy Stover, offer horseback riding lessons to equestrian vacation lovers. For those wanting to go on longer trail rides, neighbor Ride the West, can meet your needs.

Guests can sleep in “La Patrona” with its king bed and stone fireplace, this Junior Suite will satisfy the mistress of the household. Perhaps “The Duke” is more to your liking? The two room suite has a queen bed and French door that opens onto the patio. Rates range from $189 – $239 including evening wine and full breakfast.

 For lodging specials, evening BBQs or special offerings such as the Tamale Making Party, check the website.

"The Duke" room features a VCR with John Wayne movies

Photos courtesy of Hacienda Corona de Guevavi

Hacienda Corona de Guevavi 1-520-287-6503

348 South River Road, Nogales AZ 85628

Marriott Ko Olina Hotel

As the holidays get closer, it seems that traveling is getting cheaper at the end of a year that has been marked by discounted travel. Last week Southwest Air had their 72-hour fare sale with one-way fares for as low as $25. Hyatt this year has given away more free hotel nights than any other hotel brand. And now Marriott has gotten in on the many hotel deals and giveaways by offering an extensive list of discounted options at their many hotel brands. The worldwide hotel brand has pushed their giveaways and hotel deals heavily on their website and various social media outlets. 

Marriott has created a lot of buzz around their brands in the last year due mainly because of their influence in the social media realm. They recently took advantage of this by offering a Hawaii vacation giveaway via Twitter. The giveaway recently finished and involved giving away three island vacations. Participants simply had to tweet about the contest via the Marriott Hawaii website and they were entered into the giveaway. The vacation included roundtrip airfare from several U.S. west coast cities, a five-night stay, rental car and select island activities. Read More »

This is a guest post authored by Amie O’Shaughnessy of Ciao Bambino!

 There are many attributes that make Italy wonderful for families.  High on the list is the outrageously good yet kid-friendly food and a culture that worships children. 

In addition, there are a wide array of accommodations that support families perfectly with kitchens and plenty of indoor/outdoor space to make it easy to live like a local for a week or more.  In most destinations, the trick is finding the decent options with these amenities.  Not so here.  Far more challenging is distinguishing between them. 

Tuscany in particular has an incredible number of rural properties that cater to families. Some are part of the agriturismo network—working farms—and others are large estates that have been converted into apartments.  Most agriturismi produce a mix of wine and olive oil.  Sadly for kids, these ‘farms’ do not have a menagerie of animals running around other than the usual variety of dogs and cats. 

Agriturismo in Tuscany

The vast majority of rural accommodations in Tuscany have a swimming pool.  Given the cost of energy in Europe, most pools are unheated.  Fortunately, the swimming season that runs from June-September is typically hot and humid, so the cool water is bearable. 

The main thing to consider when evaluating these accommodations is the number of onsite amenities you want to access.  If you envision sightseeing most days, a pool and apartment facilities may be all you need.  On the other hand, some families appreciate more extensive facilities like an onsite restaurant, playground, and structured activities for kids.  There are big differences between what is offered at each property. 

 Usually, there is some sort of onsite resource to help navigate through local excursions, although it is worth understanding if they live onsite or need to be reached on the phone (the latter can be disconcerting for some travelers). 

There are quite a few agriturismo directory websites for Italy like Agriturismo.it  and Agriturismo.net.  These resources are comprehensive, but are of little value to families that want to quickly narrow down a short list of the best options.  On Ciao Bambino, we list all the key family-oriented features including specific kids’ facilities and babysitting rates.  All of our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted and experienced by real families.  See our list of the best accommodations with kids in Italy and my recent blog post on Italy Travel 101: Creating a Family-Friendly Itinerary for more information.     

 Independent villas are plentiful and best for multiple families traveling together.  Villas provide more privacy and space, but families will miss the social aspects of a resort setting—a big part of the fun in a country that attracts visitors from all over the world. 

Photo provided by Ciao Bambino

Amie O’Shaughnessy is the Editor of Ciao Bambino, a family travel blog and guide to the best accommodations with kids.