hotel Archives - MomStart

Luxury in Lake Tahoe With Resort at Squaw Creek

June 10, 2018 by Beeb Leave a Comment

All Photos courtesy of Resort at Squaw Creek, A Destination Hotel

I’ve explored some beautiful places while attending press trips for MomStart, and one memorable location was Lake Tahoe. It’s an undeniably gorgeous place that is definitely on my list to visit again. The area is home to many luxurious resorts, and one that has recently caught my eye is Resort at Squaw Creek.

This resort is located minutes away from North Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so it is surrounded by breathtaking views and opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. After reading up on it, I have to say that this would be the perfect place to go on vacation with my husband, for both the views and the activities. Resort at Squaw Creek offers guided hiking and biking tours, where families of children aged 10 and over can hike through a canyon with granite walls and beautiful waterfalls while learning about the natural habitat and enjoying lunch. They also offer a “Bike and Paddle” experience where guests can take a stand-up paddle board onto Lake Tahoe – I went kayaking over the Lake when I was there, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity as it’s one I shall never forget. But if you’re not great at paddle boarding – I know I’m not! – you can try the “Bike and Float” and enjoy a more relaxing rafting trip.

If you’re more of a lady of leisure than an outdoors enthusiast, then you can enjoy pampering at Spa at Squaw Creek. Book a facial or massage, or get creative at the “Blending Bar” where you can make your very own custom spa product – how fun is that?! And if you’re looking for more entertainment, the resort has announced a variety of new offerings for summer 2018 including everything from an on-site astrologer to shuffle board to fly fishing to “Dive-in” movies shown at their main pool, where you can also go down a 120-foot water slide. Lake Tahoe is known for luxury, and Resort at Squaw Creek is on my bucket list for my next visit for sure!

Summer Fun at The St. Regis Atlanta: Tacos, Cocktails & More

June 9, 2018 by Beeb 1 Comment

Enjoy tasty eats by the pool at The St. Regis Atlanta all this summer

This week, I came up with a new pulled pork taco recipe that was sooo good. I’m thinking that “Taco day” needs to happen with much more regularity around here because it was such a hit! Well, if you’re in Atlanta, you have a very compelling reason to make tacos a weekly occurrence, because The St. Regis Atlanta is offering a rotating taco bar now through Labor Day featuring a different mouthwatering taco each Saturday!

This taco bar will be available at the hotel’s Pool Piazza, so you can enjoy a relaxed poolside summer lunch with the whole family. Tacos and Jacuzzi? Perfect afternoon! Here’s the taco schedule, so you can plan accordingly:

Week 1: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tacos served with red peanut mole, apple and cabbage slaw, and guajillo chili infused Georgia honey
Week 2: Al Pastor Pork Tacos served with charred pineapple pico de gallo, queso fresco, and cilantro lime aioli
Week 3: Grilled Mahi Tacos served with green papaya slaw and chipotle aioli
Week 4: Skirt Steak Arrachera Tacos served with pickled red onions, guacamole and Oaxaca cheese

This menu was created by Chef Jordan Barnett and will be available from 1:00 PM through 4:00 PM each Saturday for $12 per order. And to wash it down, Mom and Dad can choose from craft cocktails such as a Frozen Watermelon Margarita or their signature Peach Frosè, made from Rosè, Grapefruit Bacardi Rum, frozen peach puree, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and simple syrup. And to entertain you while you dine, DJ Tron will also be performing from 12:30 PM through 7:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.

Which one of these tacos would you try first? The Al Pastor Pork is giving me inspiration for the next time I make pork tacos!

Enjoy a 5-Course Dinner to Benefit Mexico Earthquake Relief

October 18, 2017 by Beeb Leave a Comment

If you’re planning a night out this weekend, consider heading to Hudson’s Bar and Grill at The Heathman Lodge in Vancouver and enjoy a 5-course dinner to benefit relief efforts for the devastating earthquake that hit Mexico back in September. This special dining event will take place on Sunday, October 22nd, with 100% of the proceeds from this wonderful dinner being donated to rebuilding efforts in the community of Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla. Here are all the details:

To help rebuild infrastructure damaged by the Mexico earthquake in September, Hudson’s Bar and Grill along with Heathman Helping Hands, the company’s non-profit community fundraising organization, is hosting a 5-course charity dinner from 4:00pm – 8:00pm on Sunday, October 22, 2017.

“As soon as I heard about the devastation, I knew I had to help,” said Hudson’s Executive Chef, Ray Delgado, who grew up in the outskirts of Mexico City. Delgado organized the event efforts, working with vendors to donate product and staff to donate their time, so that 100% of sales for the dinner can be donated directly to construction efforts in the community of Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla.

The community of Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla, suffered heavy damage during the earthquake including the loss of the community’s school, church and over 250 homes. There is currently no shelter available for those affected during the quake, leaving many families homeless during the country’s rainy winter season.

The five course menu crafted by Chef Ray includes roasted turnip soup with black beluga caviar and toasted pine nuts, butter basted large scallops and seared foie gras with apple-fennel relish, forest mushroom stuffed pheasant, double RR ranch filet mignon and chocolate espresso cake, all paired with top regional wine selections.

To learn more, sign up for the dinner or to make a donation for the Mexico earthquake relief, please contact Marketing Manager Leah Sarkkinen at (360) 816-6138 or leah.sarkkinen@cohoserv.com.

Taking a Bite of The Big Apple at Omni Berkshire Place

August 31, 2016 by Beeb 1 Comment

Accommodations provided.

Last month, I flew to New York City to attend the Blogger Bash conference. During my time in the city, I stayed at Omni Berkshire Place with my roommate, Carol, and we could not have picked a better spot in NYC to stay during our trip!

Our accommodations were extremely spacious, including a large living area with a comfortable couch, chairs, and a desk perfect for charging our devices and getting work done.

The living room space led to a spacious balcony with a fantastic view of Manhattan.

View from my balcony at Omni Berkshire Place – click to view panorama full size

After a long day at the conference, Carol and I enjoyed sitting on the balcony and getting some fresh air while taking in the view – and, possibly, scouting what Pokemon were nearby…

We also had a beautiful bedroom with ample closet space for all of our clothes and luggage, as well as another long desk where we could work on our computers.

Carol and I have been mistaken for one another at blog conferences before due to our similar taste in hair and fashion, so fortunately, our bedroom led to a large bathroom with plenty of space for all of our makeup!

In addition to an abundance of style, Omni Berkshire Place has substance with a helpful and thoughtful staff. We enjoyed talking to the doormen each day who helped us get into our cabs; on our last night, we had requested our car make a quick stop in front of the Omni so that we could drop off our bags from the conference before heading to dinner. The hotel porter got a luggage rack, since there were three in our group carrying multiple unwieldy bags, and immediately offered to take it up to our room for us, which saved us time and helped us get right back on our way to our dinner reservations. The staff even surprised us with a little snack in our room!

Omni Berkshire Place is located on 52nd Street between Madison and 5th Avenue, making it a perfect spot to see the city. The hotel’s location allowed Carol and I to easily walk to Times Square and squeeze in a little sightseeing, even with our packed work schedule.

Times Square panorama – click to view full size

My trip to New York City was unforgettable, thanks in part to the comfort and luxury offered by Omni Berkshire Place. I would highly recommend it to anyone planning a Manhattan trip!

For More Information:

Omni Berkshire Place
21 East 52nd Street at Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022
(212) 753-5800
OmniHotels.com

Elegance & Comfort at Tacoma’s Hotel Murano

May 11, 2016 by Beeb 20 Comments

Accommodation provided.

During our recent trip up to Washington, Jai and I stayed at Hotel Murano in Tacoma. We stayed there once before in 2014, and were really looking forward to returning after our first visit. We had spent the afternoon at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville and were going to a family gathering in Renton the following day, so Tacoma was the perfect stopping point to relax and get some rest.

Once again, we checked in to find a beautifully decorated and extremely comfortable room, with lots of space to stretch out, stow your bags, and rest. There are a variety of amenities available to make you as cozy as possible, including a “Pillow menu” where you can request a specialty pillow!

The room also featured a large window with a panoramic view of the city. It was pretty rainy on the day that we were there, so it was relaxing to sit in our warm room and gaze out the window!

Panorama of the view from our room – click to view full size

Aside from being a restful place to stay, Hotel Murano is a very stylish place. I really enjoyed the decor and atmosphere of the rooms and hotel overall.

Everyone at the hotel is helpful and make you feel welcome as soon as you arrive. Hotel Murano has a variety of packages to make your stay easy, and ours included parking and a continental breakfast. It was incredibly convenient to grab a quick and tasty breakfast before we hit the road the next morning!

Once again, Hotel Murano provided the perfect stopping point during our travel adventures. Jai and I look forward to returning in the future!

For More Information:

Hotel Murano
1320 Broadway Plaza
Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone: (253) 238-8000
Click here for offers & rates

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place: My Favorite Chicago Hotel

February 21, 2015 by Beeb 1 Comment

Travel consideration provided.

During last week’s trip to the Chicago Auto Show, I stayed once again at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. This was my second time staying at the hotel and it has quickly become my favorite in Chicago. Here’s 3 reasons why:

Convenience: As the name implies, the hotel is connected to McCormick Place, where the Auto Show is held. This means you can walk from your room to the show without once having to step outside or brave the February snow in Chicago – a definite plus!
Amenities: Thanks to the Convenience Collection, you can call down for complimentary extras you might need during your stay – from shoe shine rags to nail files. Because I knew that they had both of my favorite brands of deodorant and shaving cream available, I was able to save some space in my suitcase when packing, which is a definite plus since I’m limited with how many liquids I can bring in my carry-on. It’s one of those touches that really means a lot and makes your stay so much easier and pleasant!
Friendly: The staff at the hotel are so lovely and helpful. I got to chatting with one of the employees about hair and makeup and waved when I saw her around the hotel, which tells you how nice they all are!

Visit McCormickplace.Hyatt.com and follow them on Twitter @HyattMcCormick!

Relax in Style at Hotel Murano in #Tacoma

November 26, 2014 by Beeb 3 Comments

Travel consideration provided.

The whole catalyst for our Tacoma trip was our experience in 2004 stopping at a hotel in the area that was less than enjoyable. A lot has changed in the 10 years that have passed: Not only does that specific hotel appear to be out of business (I wonder why), but the entire city of Tacoma has undergone a renaissance with what it has to offer. And as I have learned, there were a lot of things in Tacoma that I had overlooked all these years because I never gave the city a second glance while driving through. I never realized that Tacoma was also home to things like great zoos and museums – and, as I happily discovered, it is also home to great hotels! After checking in to our room at Hotel Murano, I wish I had a time machine à la Bill and Ted, so I could go back in time and tell myself where I should have stayed ten years ago!

When we walked in our room, we were greeted by a large window with a view of downtown Tacoma, with landmarks like the Tacoma Dome and Museum of Glass peeking out in front of a stunning backdrop of Mount Rainier. I never thought I would describe the Tacoma cityscape as “Beautiful”, but it is! I was proven wrong several times on this trip. One of our favorite parts of staying at this hotel was being greeted with this at sunset and sunrise:

Hotel Murano is a very stylish place, from its chic bar where we enjoyed drinks to the comfortable room in which we stayed. The look was modern and luxurious, and we had everything we needed to rest and enjoy our evening in Tacoma.

Staying at Hotel Murano was the perfect way to finish our little daytrip to Tacoma. Now that we know about the great places to stay and things to do in Tacoma, we will certainly return to explore further!

Hotel Murano

Address:
1320 Broadway Plaza
Tacoma WA 98402
Phone: (253) 238-8000
Rooms start at $169 per night – for booking information, visit HotelMuranoTacoma.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Share Your Travel Disasters For a Chance to Win $10,000! #VacayGoneCrayCray

July 4, 2014 by Beeb 3 Comments

This post is brought to you by Choice Hotels.

Traveling is always an adventure, which means that every traveler has at least one nightmare vacation story. I’ve got a number of anecdotes from my trips, a few of which I share in the video above. Hint: It involves ants and a cheap hotel in Tacoma. If you get a kick out of hearing funny travel stories as much as I do, then you are going to love the Vacay Gone Cray Cray contest!

Vacay Gone Cray Cray is a new contest from Choice Hotels that calls on weary travelers to submit their worst tale of woe on the road. The most hilarious will be re-enacted by YouTube stars Rhett & Link on their “Good Mythical Morning Show” – I love watching actors re-interpret funny stories, so I think this is going to be hysterical! These highlights will be posted starting July 17th, with the contest closing for submissions on August 27th. To enter, just visit VacayGoneCrayCray.com to submit your story. The winner will be announced on September 4th and take home a cool $10,000 so they can have a vacation do-over!

And even if you don’t win big, you can still make up for a lousy vacation without having to break the bank thanks to Choice Hotels. I’m so excited to be partnering with them this summer and will be staying at one of their hotels later this month during a super fun trip that I am planning. 2014 marks Choice Hotels’ 75th anniversary, with over 6,300 hotels in their franchise in 36 countries and counting. And thanks to the verified reviews on their website, I can feel confident that the hotel I will stay in will be quality – and not full of surprises like that other hotel I found in Washington!

What’s the worst disaster you’ve experienced while traveling? Tell me in the comments below, and be sure to submit it to Vacay Gone Cray Cray for your chance to win!

Luxury Accomodation & Dining at Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel

April 17, 2014 by Beeb 6 Comments

Dining consideration courtesy Experience Kissimmee.

During my last night in Florida, we headed to Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel for a quick tour and dinner. The hotel has been designed with luxury in mind, with art-inspired decor lending a nice ambiance to the experience.

We got a peek inside one of the rooms, which had a nice balcony view of the large pool below.

I felt like this pool was calling to me to sit down and relax with a Piña Colada!

After a tour around the building and a quick elevator selfie, we sat down for dinner!

Photo courtesy Experience Kissimmee.

After starting off with a selection of fabulous appetizers, we started in on the main course. I ordered a sumptuous steak cooked to perfection with potatoes and asparagus. They told us that the steak was so tender you could cut it with a fork, and they were right.

As you can see, the portion was massive, but although it pained me to leave food on my plate, I had to leave some space for dessert:

Beautifully presented and delicious – my only complaint is that I did not have more than one stomach with which to finish all of this food!

Striking a post with Maria from Meliá Orlando; photo courtesy Experience Kissimmee.

Before we left, we struck a pose in front of our limo with Meliá sales manager Maria. Everyone we met at Meliá had such a sense of fun and were all for jumping in our silly photos! I love it!

The Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel was a fabulous place to dine and certainly looks like a fun place to stay, too. I would happily eat another one of their steaks the next time I’m in the area!

For More Information:

Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel
225 Celebration Place
Orlando, Florida 34747
Phone: (407) 964-7000

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Family Friendly Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell Montana

March 2, 2013 by Momstart 4 Comments

Last month my family went on a road trip to Montana and we had the most amazing time. Not only is Kalispell Montana surrounded by the most beautiful scenery but our place to stay was amazing as well. Our bed were comfortable, the breakfast was Ah-Amazing and our service was kind and respectable.

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell Montana. There we arrived at night and our check in was ever so smooth which was good because it was SUPER cold there. I couldn’t believe how cold it was. But our room was warm. We had requested two beds and at first they put us in a King with one room. When I went down to ask if we could be switched the front desk was more than happy to change it for us. I was expecting to have to argue but nope. I put on the Disney Junior channel for the kids and my husband and I got settled for the night. We also took in the maps and things to do that were in the hotel lobby and planned out the next day.

First though, we had to have breakfast. The restaurant had a full service cook who could make omelets to order, waffles, and French toast. At the time of our stay my braces were still very tender so the only thing I could eat was an omelet and it was amazing. The breakfast cost $9 but it was worth it because that omelet was that good. Even my husband was surprised at how good the omelet was.

We had a full day planned at Glacier park and ended up back at our hotel after dinner where the kids fell fast asleep because they were so tired. While they were sleeping I turned on a movie, I love watching movies at hotels, you see we don’t have cable. Staying at a hotel is the only time I have to watch movies or current television. The channel selection at The Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell was larger than most places I have stayed, fancy hotels included.

There was some kind of Casino turnament or conference going on because the hotel was booked. There were a lot of people there and everyone seemed to be happy. The Hotel connects to the convention center. It is conveniently located between the Crown of the Continent, Glacier National Park (30 miles northeast), and Flathead Lake (10 miles south). The Kalispell City Airport is adjacent to the Kalispell hotel, and Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) is just 10 miles north. Be sure to use the complimentary hotel airport shuttle bus for your convenience.

Whether you’re visiting for business or leisure, they have everything covered to give you a wonderful Kalispell, MT lodging experience. Host your next meeting or convention in 14,000 sq. ft. of conference and banquet space with catering services. Great facilities such as the indoor swimming pool and complimentary fitness center mean you’ll be able to wind down after a busy day working or sightseeing. And of course whenever you stay at a Hilton Garden Inn you have a kitchenette with a microwave, fridge and sink. Just go downstairs and they have a little shop where you can buy a bite to eat. We had so much fun we didn’t even have time to use the pool.

We had to drive to Montana but Hilton Garden Inn put us up for two nights in exchange for our honest opinion.