What Do Savvy Frequent Travelers Look For?

What do savvy frequent travelers look for – Know before you book!
Before you start planning your hotel stay, you should definitely research and follow these simple pointers to help you find the perfect hotel. http://bit.ly/1k0JXwD

A Warning to Savvy Travelers

For Immediate Release.

HotelPlusPortal.com, headquartered in Orlando, FL issues a word of warning to savvy travelers in response to an increase in review blackmail causing the spread of misinformation and confusion.

Hotel Reviews – Take them with a grain of salt.

 

Reviews of any kind, with the rise of the internet, are rampant. Everyone no longer just has an opinion, now everyone also has a review based on that opinion. Reviews are of course neither inherently negative nor inherently positive but no matter what it is when it comes to deciding on the place you will be spending your vacation or getaway, they are certainly important.

 

We are speaking of course about hotels and hotel reviews, where the popularity of reviews has often lead to a rise in disgruntled, negative commentary. There are some particular things to look for in any review, whether it is of a hotel, a restaurant or a club.

 

Credibility.
First, credibility, who is it that is doing the review? It may sound snobby but you should be very careful about trusting customer reviews because of the anonymity given to them; they could literally be anyone, anyone aside from your average Joe, perhaps someone with an agenda. It is hard to glean much information from a name like PrincessKatMan23 or FanFicKing55. This is why people appreciate the opinion of reviews who put themselves under the scrutiny of the public gaze, giving their name, occupation (if it is something other than reviewing and commentary) and some other personal facts. But even these people are not faultless and one would do well to never take one single review as absolute. Rather, match and compare, this will give you a fairer and more balanced view of your prospective hotel.

 

Motives.
But on to the seedier side of things; why would anyone write a negative review if they did not actually have a bad experience or if they never even went to the hotel at all? Well remember the staff of most hotel is quite large, there is maintenance, customer service, cleaning, management and so on. In addition, the rules of most hotels are very up front and rigid, no smoking on duty, do these things within the hour, carry this there, always smile like so, comport yourself with a certain bearing and so forth. All of these things can actually make, for certain people, a very stressful and conflicting work environment. Such people probably had a falling out with the management of the hotel at which they worked and writing negative reviews is, to their mind, a form of payback.

 

The could also be the friends of people whom feel they have been slighted or those that have been fired from hotel positions, writing negative articles as a favor to their friends without much personal investment.

Considerations.

Obviously, these kinds of reviews cannot be trusted so here are some tips to spot them and other bad reviewers. The way a good review, not just of hotels, but of anything, works is as clearly and concisely as possible, he or she does not just go blindly into it without some direction. However people whom have a personal grudge against an embellishment like a hotel that is deep seat will normally be quite angry and formless. They will often capitalize things that do not need to be and put a great deal of (!) exclamation points into the ends of their sentences. And always, always avoid any review that is TYPED IN ALL CAPS, not just because it is a bloody strain on your eyes but the person writing it is either too uninformed about writing and reviews to do so or is simply too angry to be reasonable.

HotelPlusPortal.com is dedicated to guest satisfaction. Being a savvy traveler plays an important role in getting a good nights sleep and ultimately in ensuring a positive experience leaving you wanting to rave rather than rant! 

Top 10 indicators that you might need a vacation

If you put on a life preserver to feel younger – you might need a vacation.

If your conversions with your spouse are 140 characters or less – you might need a vacation.

If you reply to emails on the loo – you might need a vacation.

If you use Google translate to figure out what your wife just said – you might need a vacation.

If you fall asleep at your desk and wake up to fluff your … keyboard – you might need a vacation.

If you walk around with a foil hat to get better cell service – you might need a vacation.

If you suffer from phantom vibrations – you might need a vacation.

If you know what phantom vibrations are – you might need a vacation.

If the last time you were in the sun you only needed spf 5 – you might need a vacation.

If any of the above apply to you – you might  need a vacation.

Most Extravagant Hotel Pools

When you go on a summer vacation and stay at a hotel, one of the most important amenities is the pool. Most hotels nowadays have pools and some are bigger than others, but what about the really big pools or the unique pools? Have you ever thought what the largest hotel pool in the world is?  There are many pools in the world that are big and extravagant and there are five that are in the top!

The largest hotel pool in the world is almost 20 acres long, it is larger than 20 Olympic size pools and it takes 66 million gallons of water to fill it up! That pool is in Chile in the San Alfonso del Mar Resort. People scuba dive, snorkel and take a boat ride in the pool! This pool also won the Guinness World Record for being the largest pool. That is the largest pool in the world, now for the deepest pool in the world, Nemo 33 in Belgium. The Nemo 33 in Belgium holds the record for being the deepest pool in the world. It is 115 feet deep and it is heaven for divers! The pool simulates caves, has many compartments and caves deep down in the water. The Nemo 33 has become a diving academy where they teach scuba diving or it can be used for relaxation and fun! Now for a pool that literally hangs from a building! The pool at the Joule Hotel in Dallas, Texas is at the roof top of the hotel and eight feet of the pool hangs off. This unique pool is a pleasant surprise for the guests staying at the hotel because the pool has a gorgeous panoramic view of the city. The largest pool in the world is an outside pool; there is an indoor pool that is the largest indoor pool in the world. This pool is located in Miyazaki, Japan and it is 300 meters long and 100 meters wide. The indoor pool has a roof that is sky blue and it even has clouds, sand and it simulates a beach. Lastly, the underground pool in Utah’s Homestead Crater is one of the most unique pools in the world. This pool is the largest underground pool in the world and it is a thermal pool that is 65 feet deep. The water in the pool is warm, which makes it perfect for scuba divers who want to explore mineral deposits.

All these pools are unique and have broken records in Guinness. Next time you want to go on an adventurous vacation and explore a new pool, go scuba diving or simply see a unique pool that broke records, go visit one of these famous and only pools! 

Delicious Restaurants in Hotels

When you make reservations at a hotel or resort one thing that is nice to find is a great restaurant. If you like to go to a good restaurant when you are on vacation or you simply are staying one night to take your significant other on a romantic date, we have the top hotel restaurants for you.

First, there is the Jean Georges Restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in New York City. This luxurious hotel is located in the heart of New York City and right next to famous Central Park. This amazing restaurant offers delectable dishes that have an American, Asian and French influence. Secondly, there is the Picasso restaurant in The Bellagio in Las Vegas. This exquisite restaurant has artwork of one of the greatest artists of the 20^th century, the Spaniard Pablo Picasso. The cuisine is of French and Spanish influence which is where he spent most of his life. The Picasso restaurant also has a wine cellar with a selection of over 1,500 different wines to choose from. Then there is Studio restaurant at The Montage Laguna Beach. This lavish restaurant is on the beach and you get a spectacular view of the ocean. The restaurant offers delicious French cuisine with private dinners and a la carte menu options. There is also the restaurant in Meadowood at Meadowood Napa Valley. The restaurant in Meadowood offers modern and contemporary American cuisine that has something for everyone’s taste. Lastly, there is the Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. This restaurant, fit for a king, is a Texas style restaurant that offers an American cuisine with French influence. The Mansion Restaurant is perfect for couples who are looking for a romantic restaurant with a relaxing vibe.

These are all amazing restaurants in great hotels that will give you the ultimate luxurious experience. Next time you think about taking your significant other on a date or romantic weekend getaway, stay at one of these hotels and dine at these delicious and lavish hotels. 

How to Escape the Cold Snowy Weather

Picture this: You are getting ready for work and all of the sudden you peek out the window to find your car buried under snow. You are think to yourself “Now I have to unbury my car and shovel snow to get it out of the drive way”. Then you have the television on and in the news they say that work and school are cancelled because of the snow! You are happy that work was cancelled and you don’t have to shovel all that snow, but at the same time you just got ready to for work and you need the money. Well there are a couple of ways that you can escape the cold snowy weather.

First you should wear warm clothes to be around the house. Find the fuzziest socks you have, the comfiest sweat pants and a warm long sleeve shirt or hoodie. Then you should make a warm drink, preferably hot chocolate, but you can make coffee or tea to stay warm.  You want to grab your warmest blanket and snuggle up on the couch or your bed. Take out your favorite movies and have a full day of movie marathon fun or you can play board games too! If you have a fireplace you can get the fire place going and even take out the graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate bars and marshmallows to make s’mores!

Well these are some small fun tips to stay warm on those snowy days that school and work got cancelled. You can also come up with other creative ways to keep you warm and have fun on a snowy day. 

Best Hotel Fitness Centers

For the fitness buffs and exercise gurus, one of the amenities you must look for in a hotel is a gym or a fitness center. Some hotels and resorts won’t have fitness centers or they are very small with just three to five machines. For any fitness buff, that would be detrimental! Then, there are other gyms that have the sufficient machines and weights, but they don’t WOW you. There are five hotels in the United States that have amazing fitness center and will definitely WOW you.

First, the Canyon Ranch fitness center in The Venetian in Las Vegas. This gym has a rock climbing wall that is forty feet high, locker rooms, a weight room, a fully equipped cardio center and an indoor cycling gym. The gym also has a Pilates and Kinesis studio, yoga studio and dance studio where they offer classes.  This extravagant gym is located in one of the most popular hotels in Las Vegas and it also offers healing water baths, soaking tubs and thermal cabins. Another amazing gym is located in The Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa.  This gym is rated one of the most luxurious fitness facilities. They gym at the Houstonian offers over 250 fitness programs, classes and individual consultations. It also has a cycle studio, yoga studio, boxing studio, Pilate’s studio, sauna, steam room, indoor running track, outdoor running track and it even has a kid’s gym. This lavish fitness center is very popular and offers a wide array of amenities. Thirdly, the Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia gym named the Sporting Club is one of the gyms that is continually updating and renovating themselves. This humongous gym has a full size NBA basketball gym, an indoor running track, 25 meter indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam rooms, boxing room, yoga room, strength training equipment and cardiovascular equipment. They gym even has a tanning salon onsite, for those who like to look as if they just got a fresh new tan! Another amazing gym is located within the Ritz Carlton in Washington DC gym. This state of the art gym has the latest technology to nurture a healthy lifestyle. The luxurious gym offers ellipticals, bikes with built in DVD players, treadmills, cardiovascular and strength training. Perhaps the best thing about this gym is that it is open 24 hours a day! Lastly, the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando gym is a gym fit for rock n’ roll stars! This sprawling gym has a beautifully landscaped jogging and walking path, cardio fitness and circuit fitness areas, as well as, locker facilities. The gym also has steam rooms, saunas and whirlpool.

If you love to go to the gym and you have to work out even when you are on vacation, any of these hotels will knock your socks off, especially, if you are obsessed with working out. Remember to check them out when you look for a hotel to stay for vacation.

Spring Break Is Near!

It’s that time of the year when college students get the most excited! It’s time to hang out at the pool, go to pool parties, the beach, stay at resorts or take a cruise! There are many great places to go for Spring Break, but there are some that are the most popular and have great hotels and resorts.

One of the most popular places to go for Spring Break is Cancun, Mexico. Cancun is on the Gulf Coast of Mexico and it is a beach strip full or hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars, night clubs and many things to do! In the last couple of years Cancun has been the destination for Spring Breakers who like to get wild and have fun in the sun! Another spring break destination that has been popular for many years is Daytona Beach in Florida! Daytona was one of the pioneer cities of Spring Break. Daytona Beach is a popular destination for spring break. Although it has simmered down throughout the years and it has become a bike week destination, it is still a very popular destination for spring breakers. One of the destinations that has recently become popular is Panama City in Florida. Panama City is the “it” place to go to for Spring Break.  This is the destination that college students are looking to go to every year to have a good time. Like both of the previous cities mentioned, Panama City is on the Gulf coast of Florida and it is located on the beach. There are many bars, restaurants, lounges and a great night life at Panama City that is why it is a popular destination for spring break. Another great location for spring break is South Padre Island in Texas. This destination has been known to be the wild destination. If you want to go “buckwild” for spring break, this is the place to be. Many people around the country go to South Padre to experience their wildest spring break.  South Padre is located on the Gulf Coast and the tropical tip of Texas and it has beautiful beaches and warm waters, making a popular destination for spring break. Lastly, Cabo San Lucas is the other popular destination for spring breakers. This popular destination is located on the tip of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. The beaches in Cabo San Lucas are beautiful and have a wide array of gorgeous hotels and resorts located all over. Cabo San Lucas has many activities like snorkeling and scuba diving, as well as, restaurants, bars and a great night life for the spring breakers. This destination has many amazing things to do that will keep you coming back every year!

All these places are extremely popular for spring break and college students. If you are looking for a fun and wild place to go for spring break, check out these five destinations because they will not fail you!

Breakfast, Most Important Meal of the Day!

Breakfast, breakfast, breakfast! We all should be eating breakfast in the morning as it is the most important meal of the day and because it gets your metabolism going bright and early. When you go on vacation or stay at a hotel whether it is for business or pleasure, you always expect or want to have a nice breakfast. Hotels and resorts can offer different types of breakfast, including; continental breakfast, a hot breakfast and a breakfast buffet.

A continental breakfast usually consists of breads, like rolls and toast, orange juice, apple juice, coffee, tea, cereal and milk. Continental breakfasts are offered by small hotels like Days Inn, Rodeway Inn, La Quinta Inn’s etc. The continental breakfasts are also known as the quick to go breakfasts, it is something that you can grab and go. Then there are hot breakfasts, which consists of everything a continental breakfasts offers, but they have more items, like pancakes and waffles, croissants, sausages and scrambled eggs. Hotels like the Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hampton Inn, Homewood suites, etc. offer hot breakfasts. Lastly, there is the breakfasts buffet. The breakfast buffet has everything you can think of when it comes to breakfast. The breakfast buffets usually have someone making omelets, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and ham. They offer fruits, pastries, cereals, bagels, croissants and they also have a wide array of juice, coffee and tea. 

Breakfast buffets are usually offered by high end chain hotels, resorts and all-inclusive resorts.

Breakfast is an important meal and whichever hotel you stay at when going on vacation, try one with breakfast! If your hotel offers breakfast included in the rate, make sure you wake up early and take advantage of the breakfast!  

Best Hotel Spa’s in the Orlando Area

Don’t you like to be pampered once in a while? Especially, us ladies! We absolutely love going to the spa and enjoying a day of pampering! We love a spa pampering the most, when we are on vacation! That is why we have come up with a list of the top five most luxurious hotel spas in the Orlando area!

One of the newer spas in the Orlando area is the Waldorf Astoria Spa in Orlando. This spa is ideally located inside of Disney property and it is in one of the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in Orlando which is the Waldorf Astoria. The spa at the Waldorf Astoria has 22 treatment rooms, body therapies, body wraps, rejuvenating facials and massages. Another luxurious spa is the Ritz Carlton Spa in Grande Lakes. This lavish spa has 40 treatment rooms, pampering cabanas, body treatments, massages, rejuvenating facials and hair and nail salon. Thirdly, The Grand Floridian Senses Spa in Disney specializes in nurturing your senses. This elegant spa has different therapeutic treatments for all your senses. The spa also offers body wraps, massages, facials, manicures and pedicures. Then there’s the Mandara Spa at The Swan and Dolphin Hotel that is located on Disney property. The Mandara Spa has an Asian Bale style and theme and provides a wide array of services, including massages, facials, hair and beauty salons. This upscale spa has an Asian Meru Temple where you can sit in lavish chairs and couches with beautiful views to Disney and have tea and crackers at your disposal. Lastly, the Blue Harmony Spa at the Wyndham Grand Resort Orlando represents tranquility, purity and fluidity. This grandiose spa offers body treatments, facials, massage therapies, manicure and pedicures. The spa also has indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, outdoor spa garden, relaxation lounge and an outdoor hot tub.

All these spas embody the definition of luxury and having a lavish experience. Next time you are vacationing in Orlando, make sure you visit one of these spas or if you are looking to vacation to Orlando have one of these hotels in mind!

How Do You Identify Your Suitcase?

Have you ever been in the airport at luggage waiting next to those carousels for your suitcase? You happen to pick up three or four suitcases that you thought were yours, but they weren't. You swore it was your luggage because it was the same suitcase color and brand as yours, but it was someone else’s.

This actually happens quite often to many people when they travel. Let’s face it, most luggage in general looks the same! Usually luggage comes in dark colors, like black, dark blue, silver or gray and there are three or four brands that most people have because they are the more popular brands in luggage. Unless, you go and find an eccentric piece of luggage that is a bright color like pink or yellow and is an expensive brand like Louis Vuitton or Gucci, otherwise, most of us use the luggage that looks similar to everyone else!

Well there are several things that you can do to make your luggage stand out or differentiate them from other luggage. These tips will also help you find your luggage faster and not pick up other people’s luggage.

One popular thing to do is tie different colored ribbons to the handles of your suitcase. Put your favorite colors or your favorite team colors of ribbon on your suitcase. This way it is easier to identify and you will immediately recognize the colors on the suitcase and your suitcase will probably one of a few that has ribbons attached. Another popular thing to do is attaching a sticker or multiple stickers to your suitcase or iron on’s if you can on your luggage. You can also spray paint your first name on your luggage and paint a unique design on it that way it really pops out!

All these things are great to help you identify your luggage quicker, personalize it and make your luggage unique! So, go buy some stickers and spray paint to personalize and differentiate your luggage!

Security Check Points

When we travel whether it is by plane, train or ship you have to go through security check points. Now don’t we all love going through them? Or not. It is probably the biggest nuisance when you travel. Besides having to go through the awfully long lines, you have to take out all your liquids, such as hand sanitizer, lotion, mouth wash and perfume! Not to mention if you have a water bottle or a drink at hand, they force you to throw it away as well. Then, after all these steps, you get to the metal detectors and…. beep! You are wonder why you beeped because you took off your belt, shoes and jewelry, but somehow you still managed to beep!

Well there are a couple of tips that you can follow to make this whole process smoother.

When you start to get ready for the day that you are traveling make sure you wear something comfortable that doesn’t have any metal on it and you don’t wear a lot of metal jewelry. Whatever you do decide to wear that day make sure that it is easy to take off and put back on. Like slip on shoes, easy belts and bracelets to take off! Then ensure you put all your liquids in your large suitcase, instead of your carry on and any hand sanitizers, small lotions and little perfumes you have in your purse, take them out and leave them at home.

If you take care of all these little things before you travel I can almost guarantee that your day of traveling will be a lot smoother and you won’t have to be pulled aside to be checked for metal things or have to take out all your liquids. They are small things, but it will save you some time and stress, especially, if you have kids!

When you take your next vacation, whether it is by plane, ship or train remember to follow these small tips and your day of travel will be a lot smoother. 

Hotels inside of Malls

For those shopaholics out there, hotels located inside malls are the best! You can shop until you drop, stay at the hotel inside the mall and then wake up the next day and do it all over again! It is convenient because the hotel is situated inside of the mall!

Now let’s really talk about the convenience of a hotel that is located within a mall! First of all, when you go on vacation one of the things you must do is shop for souvenirs, clothes or anything; especially, us ladies! We have to go shopping while on vacation, so the convenience of the hotel being inside of the mall is perfect because all you have to is walk from your room to the mall! Secondly, it is convenient for eating. When you go on vacation sometimes it can be a little difficult to find somewhere to eat. When you are staying in a hotel that is inside of a mall or connected to a mall you can simply walk down to the food court and eat there! Not only is there just one place to eat, but you have a couple of choices, whereas, in some hotel locations, there might only be one restaurant nearby. Thirdly, you have constant entertainment. If you feel like doing something or going somewhere, all you have to do is take a couple of steps to the mall! You can window shop, actually go shopping and buy things for yourself, you can go get a bite to eat or just walk and talk!

If you have a family, staying at a hotel in a mall is perfect for you. The food is easily accessible and it is probably what your kids are used to, plus they have numerous options! You can walk them all over the mall, so by the end of the day they are wiped out plus tired and your and your spouse can have some alone time. The best part is, if you forgot to pack a sweater, socks, underwear or even some shirts for your little one, you are a couple of steps away from getting whatever you little one needs!

Next time you go on vacation, especially you are the type that like to be near the hub and shopping centers, think about staying at a hotel in a mall! There are many hotels in malls or connected to malls all over the United States.

How Much Is Too Much Luggage?

Remember the “good ole days” when you would travel and did not have to pay for your luggage? It seems to me that nowadays charging for luggage has become a trend in the travel industry. This new trend has affected travel and what airlines people choose to fly. Baggage fees can range from twenty dollars to fifty dollars per bag and as much as seventy-five dollars if your bag weighs over fifty pounds. The fifty pound luggage standard has definitely affected some women when it comes to packing their luggage, especially considering what we pack when they travel. Ladies, you know we always over pack when we travel. If it is a weeklong vacation, we take shoes for two months and close for six months! We like to have options when it comes to outfits and that is why we over pack!

Well now it is not that easy to over pack because of these limitations! There are several ways that you can pack without out being overcharged and still taking all the clothes that you want for your special trip! First of all when you pack you should plan your outfits in advance. Figure out what you are going to wear every single day of the week and make sure it is something that you like to wear and it’s comfortable. Then, you should pick one pair of shoes to wear with each outfit and sometimes you can wear a pair of shoes with more than one outfit. If you want to take more shoes than you need, put all your shoes in a small carry-on luggage, because usually there is no charge for the carry-on luggage and it gives you more space in your bigger suitcase. Another great tip you should follow is to take a big purse or an extra bag with you, just in case your luggage is over fifty pounds. That way you can take out a pair of shoes or pants and stick them in your big purse or extra bag that you took and you won’t be assessed the charge for your luggage. When you take a big purse you can also stuff some snacks, like: cookies, chips and candy. Taking snacks is a good tip because some airlines don’t feed you or the food won’t be enough and if you want to buy more food, which is quite expensive! This will help you save money if you have kids because you can entertain them and they won’t go hungry!  

Next time you travel by plane, consider these things to help you save money and get the most out of your flight to your special destination!

A Great Place for Family Vacationing

When families begin to research where they are going to vacation, there are many things they take in to consideration. Usually, families think about the area. Is it safe? Is it a family friendly area? Are there a lot of available family activities in that area? Can I get a good value and are there discounts on attractions for my family? Many questions are asked, especially, if you are traveling with kids. A great family friendly area to go with your family is Central Florida. Central Florida is filled with numerous fun family attractions! For starters, you have Disney World! What more family friendly place is there? Disney World is the mecca for family fun and attractions! They have four different parks; Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom! Disney World recently expanded and added the new fairy tale park with princess attractions for your little girls called Fantasyland. Other great family attractions are Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. They have a new Harry Potter ride and many fun things to do for the family. There is also Busch Gardens where you can see exotic animals, view awesome shows and get on all the cool rides! Go on a sea adventure at Sea World! Sea World is fun place to see how sea creatures live underwater, you get to feed dolphins and watch a live Shamu show! There are also other attractions that you can do like Old Town, which is like a fair, there is Fun Spot, where you can go GoCart riding and there is Wet N’ Wild a fun waterpark for the family. Don’t forget to stop by Wonder Works and all the restaurants that are attractions as well like Pirates Dinner Adventure and Medieval Times. With all this fun family stuff to do you have to come to Central Florida! Next time you plan your family vacation, make sure you plan it in Central Florida!

The Evolution of Hotel Beds

In the beginning we had beds with very primitive design and before beds we probably slept on the floor of caves with animal skins to keep us warm. The first were simply boxes with some sort of stuffing such as hay or straw and certainly wouldn’t have been as comfortable as we know beds are today. The Egyptians are well known for their luxurious style beds. They were raised wooden structures, often ornately carved with plush cushions and covers to adorn them. Why were they raised? To keep dry, to keep out nasty creatures, to make getting out of bed easier – you name it!

The rich and prosperous in the medieval era had extremely plush beds and bedding. The beds were generally of a larger size than today’s standard double bed, they would have a mattress stuffed with either hay or feathers and other such materials. Some bed consisted of a wooden frame with rope or leather supports, they would then place a mattress of feathers or other soft filling covered in some type of fabric outer. But for the simple and humble peasant a bed would have been a mattress stuffed with hay or straw and placed on the floor.

The Victorian era like so many other revolutions saw the very first sprung mattresses. They were packed with iron springs and feathers and were extremely heavy to lift. Each morning the mattress would be turned and beaten, the servants would then pull the mattress tight. This daily routine was to prevent bedbugs from getting into the mattress and causing infestation.

Mattresses have changed dramatically throughout millennia. We have seen therefore mentioned straw and feather filled mattresses, those with springs and cotton coverings. But we have also had mattresses filled with water, the first of which can be dated back more than 3600 years before in Persia. The water bed as it is known didn’t really take off until the 1960’s when we saw the invention of vinyl, making the mattress more stable and less likely to burst.

Hotel Beds are not just about the mattress however. It is also about pillows, duvets and sheets. We have a yearning to slip into a crisp clean linen covered bed with plush and comfortable pillows. Our beds are more that a piece of furniture to us, they are where we dream, rest and enjoy our lovers company.

When we stay away we want to know that our bed for the night is just as comfortable as the one we sleep in at home. Hotel beds have changed just as much as the beds that we have in our own homes. We expect them to be soft under us and the covers to be clean and warm. Of course it often depends on the value of the room you’re staying in but with the importation of sublimely soft Egyptian cottons and high thread counts we can only expect the best our money can buy.

The best test for any new bed is that of jumping on it, playing pillow fights if you must and checking out the 

creek value of your new bed! With all this in mind a hotel reservation and get yourself under those sheets and start testing! 

Famous Hotels And Meals From Movies

Movies are one of the best ways to be entertained. Have you ever loved a movie so much that you want to live it out? You often can. Many of the movies have been set inside hotels that really exist. You can also get some great meals by watching movies. Sometimes, you can watch a movie and instantly be hungry because they make it all look so good. All you have to do is pay attention to what they are eating – and some epic dishes have come out of movies over the past 100 years.

Famous Hotels and Destinations Made Famous by Movies

Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California
The hotel that Julia Roberts stayed in when she was a prostitute in Pretty Woman. The charming bellhop would hold the door open and the general manager taught her how to eat at the dinner table.

Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida
This hotel was featured in Goldfinger, where James Bond helped to uncover a mystery. A bond girl was found dead inside the hotel – and was covered in gold paint.

Serendipity is a restaurant in California
Also the title of a movie starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. A couple meets, falls in love, and then separates, convinced they will end up together again one day if it is truly meant to be.

Timberland Lodge, Oregon
This location was the home of The Shining – Jack Nicholson had spooky things going on in the movie here. It is a popular lodge for skiing and snowboarding and not the least bit creepy.

Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, CA
 The movie Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe used this 120 year old hotel as the backdrop for the hotel. It was ideal for being Prohibition era – though interior scenes were not shot inside the hotel.

Vertigo Hotel in San Francisco, CA
The Vertigo Hotel was the location for Hitchcock’s Vertigo. They lived inside the hotel, which was called the Empire Hotel when it was being filmed.

Forks, Washington
Ever since Twilight made it to the big screen, tweens flock to Forks every year, dragging their families behind them. The town has embraced their Twilight mention and offers an array of tours and other things to do.

Central Park

Some locations are used across countless movies. Just look at Central Park. There have been movies that have used the Central Park benches and the carriage rides for countless movies. Many of the movies that you know and love have used big cities like Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles as backdrops – and you may not have even known it.

Home Alone 2 was filmed almost entirely in New York. Ernest Saves Christmas was filmed in Orlando. Any movie that you find was filmed somewhere – and you can visit some of the locations that you have seen. In some instances, you can even stay in the hotels where the stars walked across the lobby floor and touched the same banister on the staircase that you will have the opportunity to touch.

Famous Meals Made Famous by Movies

Whenever you go and see a movie where there’s a food scene, you pay attention. It makes you hungry. And then because of that movie, you end up wanting to eat that same food. Some food has been created entirely as a result of movies while others are simply remembered from making an appearance in a movie.

Meatballs, anyone? Lady and the Tramp may be a Disney animated film, but it can make you crave spaghetti and meatballs just at the sight of the movie poster.

Brooklyn style pizza, folded in half. Anyone from New York will tell you this is how you are supposed to eat pizza. Tony Manero (played by John Travolta) shows you how to eat it in Saturday Night Live. He piles two slices on top of each other, folds them in half, and eats then single-handedly.

Crème Brulee with a spoon. When you watch Amelie, you want crème brulee – and when you have crème brulee, you want to watch the movie. The way she ate the dessert even made it to the movie poster.

Food of the Godfather. Al Pacino recommends “try the veal” and to this day, there are people all over the U.S. taking this advice. There are also plenty of people who take the advice on the dessert, too. They “take the cannoli” and leave the gun behind. Everyone has to have priorities.

Abe loves chowder. Once the Abraham Lincoln movie came out, more people were looking for oyster chowder since it was a favorite of the president. Many restaurants and food websites delivered by adding it to their menu or offering up a recipe.

Raisin Bran makes a comeback. In the Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley Cooper asked for Raisin Bran for dinner. Wouldn’t you know, there are now diners adding this cereal to their dinner menu in order to pay tribute to the movie.

Regardless of whether you are looking for someplace to stay, visit, or eat, you can rely on your favorite movies to provide you with inspiration. Almost every good movie has a location that is real, even if the name is changed for simple purposes. Look at what your favorite characters eat and what they do. It’s likely that you have found yourself eating many of those same foods – or wanting to do some of the same things that they have done.