Comments on Vacation Spots

I found this site by a reference of another blog that I like to peruse (Net-Warriors.com).  I thought that many of these locations would be interesting to my readers.  I haven’t been to many of these yet but if I do, I will make sure I include my thoughts.  I have been to a couple so I will write them up on this site.

The words “boutique”, “elegant”, and “luxury” are not common terms associated with this working-class riverfront town in southern Indiana. However with the “permanent docking” of Casino Aztar in Evansville the need for a more upscale place to sleep made sense.

This hotel is exquisite! The furnishings are first rate, the bar is fun and often crowded with attractive people, and the shower is wonderful. Actually, wonderful is an understatement when describing this shower since it has 5 shower heads and it dumps so much water on you that you feel like you just finished a professional massage.

Embassy Suites are usually a good deal for families as well as frequent travelers. While they are rarely a destination themselves, they can be a great respite after a long day at a vacation destination or a restful stop in your journey.

The Embassy Suites that is just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth airport is very nice at first glance but tends to fall apart after a closer look. The lobby of this hotel is laid out in typical Embassy fashion - a very large atrium surrounded by floors of suites. This atrium is very well done featuring a large waterfall that fills the space with white noise. The waterfall lands into a very nice looking pond that is filled with koi.

However, entering your suite brings a different perspective. Here you will likely find outdated and worn furniture. A sink that doesn’t have a stopper. And worse yet, water damage on the ceiling of the bathroom that has been poorly plastered over and said plaster has never seen a brush with paint on it.

Water damage that has been poorly fixed and old furniture is what I expect at discount hotels along the interstates. It is not expected at a suite hotel that is part of the Hilton family and costs in excess of $150 per night. You can bet that Paris would never stay at this location!

Earlier, I wrote about being stuck in the Atlanta airport and suggested that instead of trying to rush through the airport you instead spend the night and enjoy the city.  But where to stay? You might consider The Glenn Hotel.

Sure, you could stay at the standard chain hotels but they will look the same as the ones in your own hometown and all you will really get is a decent bed (maybe). The Glenn Hotel is different. It is designed to be a "boutique" hotel and is not like any chain hotel that you ever stayed in.

If you are visiting Palo Alto, CA and want to stay at a beautiful hotel that is not modeled after the multiple chain hotels that dot our country, then the Stanford Park Hotel is a great place to stay.

The hotel has a significant amount of character. The lobby is very comfortable featuring a massive fireplace and overstuffed furniture. In the evenings, you may be blessed with a glass of fine wine and delicious cookies.

If you are looking for a hotel in Louisville that will give you a touch of class and a room that doesn’t look like the standard chain hotel, The Seelbach is the place to go.

The Seelbach is an older hotel (built in 1905) and has had the honor of having 9 US Presidents as a guest. The hotel was in “The Hustler” movie, hosted Al Capone in his hey-day, was written about in “The Great Gatsby” novel, and currently is rumored to be haunted by a ghost.

The Las Vegas Hilton is not on the busiest part of the famed Vegas strip and that can be a good thing. It is a very nice hotel that is much larger than the typical Hilton but not as gaudy and audacious as some of the hotels in Sin City.

Because it is not a regular Hilton hotel, members of the Hilton Honors program may be a little disappointed. They give out points for your stay but you won?t get the typical favored treatment that you will find in other Hilton properties. This hotel will reserve that special treatment for their high stakes gamblers.