Experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans aboard a Krewe of Orpheus float. Hotel Mazarin and the New Orleans Hotel Collection are offering one winner and a companion the trip of a lifetime. The Hotel Mazarin’s Grand Opening Sweepstakes includes four nights in the hotel, airfare, a limo ride from the airport to the hotel, and riding in a Mardi Gras parade.

Enter the trip contest online. The deadline is January 12, 2012.

Hotel Mazarin is French Quarter boutique property located one-half block from Bourbon and Royal Streets. Sip a cocktail inside the traditional private courtyard. Enjoy complimentary breakfast, WI-Fi, daily newspaper and coffee.

Special Rate: Between Jan 10-Feb 10 at the new Hotel Mazarin – New Orleans get a full 25% off prevailing rates by using code “Grand” in the promo code field of the reservation.

The Aloft Hotel is Uptown at the Epicenter in Charlotte, North Carolina is urban and trendy.  Fellow Traveling Mamas, Jen of One Moms World, and I were in Charlotte recently.

It is in the heart of the Epicenter of Charlotte.  There you will find an abundance of city life and activity.

This Fall, I attended a Conference at the Time Warner Arena Charlotte.  The Aloft was the perfect location for this event, within walking distance to everything.  Downtown was bustling and Starbucks was hopping.  The shops were fantastic with a variety of dining options in the area.  There was even an outdoor concert at the Epicenter, providing  a  lively and fun atmosphere.

Meanwhile, after our inspiring conference, we wanted to hit the Aloft and get back to the comfort of our rooms.  The hotel had city views, so you can pick up the energy of the city right from your room with a view.

There was an indoor lap pool to get a little exercise year round.  The lobby was funky, hip and casual, too.  Young people were visiting and playing games.  Some were shopping in the hotel shops.

The service was warm and friendly just what you would want in this bustling Southern city.  A visit to the Aloft Uptown Epicenter Charlotte is a must for comfort, flare and enjoying the heart of the city.  Aloft is a Starwood Hotel a part of W Hotels.

Special thanks to Aloft Hotel Charlotte, North Carolina for hosting my visit.  My opinion is my own - I loved it.

Dear TravelingMamas,

I read your blog and wondered if you’ve heard anything about bed bugs at Caribbean Beach Resort. I’ve read several posts on trip advisor and, at this point, not really looking forward to the trip.

We tried moving to another hotel, but choices are limited due to the upcoming holiday. Any advice is appreciated.

Concerned Mom

Concerned Mom – Thank you for reading TravelingMamas.com. Bed bugs are an industry wide concern not just for Disney Resorts, but for anyone in the hospitality industry. Bed bugs have been around since ancient times and aren’t just in some hotels. They can be found in restaurants, gyms, and residential areas. Bed bugs are not a sign of uncleanliness and are usually brought in by other travelers. In Florida’s climate, I’d be more concerned with mosquito bites.

I’ve stayed at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort in the past on a personal trip and so have other Traveling Mamas. It’s a fun themed property that is huge. While the rooms aren’t the height of luxury, I found CBR to be clean and comfortable during our time at Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. I did not find bed bugs in my room, nor did any of the other travelers in our group. We had 10 rooms in use at the resort.

I also visit TripAdvisor‘s member reviews to find tips and advice on hotels and destinations before I leave on any trip. What I’ve noticed through the years is that some people will go out of their way to complain before they will to give kudos for a job well done.

I reached out to Walt Disney World Resorts, and even during this holiday time they were glad to provide information to help ease your worries regarding your upcoming family holiday to Walt Disney World. Here are some facts from Disney regarding bed bugs not just at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, but at all official Disney properties:

· Disney has an extensive and aggressive pest management program, including trained entomologists on staff, as well as a thorough treatment process for rooms when there is a confirmed case.

· In addition to preventive efforts, housekeepers inspect guest rooms daily and follow appropriate procedures when a concern is identified.

· Additionally, Disney’s Pest Management Department works with researchers and institutions from around the world, to discover and implement safe and effective applications and techniques.

I hope this eases your fears and that you have a wonderful family holiday at Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. Please send us a trip report when you return.

Do you have a questions for TravelingMamas.com? Feel free to send your travel related questions and concerns via our contact page.

I went to London for the first time this year and fell in love. London is an amazing place with so much to see and do that I would gladly go again and again, which is why I’ve submitted my entry for a terrific contest sponsored by the folks at Visit London.

You have a chance to win airfare and a five night stay in the capitol city just in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend (it’s her 60th year on the throne). One lucky winner and a guest will spend one night in the ZSL London Zoo in a safari-style tent. The Zoo is inside Regent’s Park–a lovely green space with a huge rose garden and Open Air Theatre. The next four nights are spent relaxing in an executive suite at the Hyatt Regency London– The Churchill Hotel –a posh, five-star hotel.

Outstanding Attractions

The winner also receives tickets to the London musical, Phantom of the Opera, gets a bird’s eye view atop the EDF Energy London Eye, and visits the Tate Britain’s exhibit, “Picasso and Modern British Art”.

More Goodies

While watching the Diamond Jubilee celebration, enjoy the scrumptious treats inside a picnic hamper supplied by Fortnum & Mason. The winner also receives a restaurant and shopping voucher.

One lucky person will win this incredible package. Maybe it will be you! Simply register on the www.visitlondon.com website and enter the competition “Limited Edition London Win a Magical Trip to London.”

The Rules

The competition ends March 31, 2012. No purchase is necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter. Only one entry per person.

There’s nothing I love like hitting the road to see a new place, and it’s even better when my husband can come along.  This weekend’s destination?  San Antonio, Texas, home of the Riverwalk, the Alamo, and a brand new Home2 Suites, Hilton’s newest brand.

We arrive in San Antonio for a long weekend and head straight to our hotel host for the weekend, Home2 Suites by Hilton.  The property opened only one month ago, meaning that everything at this property is fresh and eye-popping fun. In the urban neighborhood of downtown San Antonio, this adaptive reuse project has breathed new life into a local historic landmark building to create the latest hip and humble hotel.

Built inside the Beaux Arts style South Texas Building (originally a bank), the 14-story, 128-suite hotel is located in San Antonio’s central business district, next to the San Antonio Children’s Museum and just a few minutes’ walk from the Riverwalk.   The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the hotel made it a priority to maintain the integrity of the historic and beautiful structure throughout the construction process.  Says General Manager Andy Rodriguez, “We preserved the exterior and only made a few minor modifications to the interior  . . . The building is a pier and beam structure, which we incorporated into our design, and we were able to salvage all of the original windows and elevator doors.”

The property is decorated in lime and orange, with fun, funky furniture and up-to-date styling, even on a budget.  It features an indoor saline swimming pool and six different room layouts, with 96 king studio suites and 32 queen studio suites. Included in the reasonable room rate?  Free wi-fi and printing, access to bright, inviting community spaces, and the “Inspired Table” complimentary breakfast.

After we settle in and check out the room’s amenities (huge, walk-in shower, flat screen TV, and kitchenette), we head down to the Riverwalk for dinner on a barge.  While a tour guide explains the history and development of San Antonio’s crown jewel, we feast on Caesar salad, prime rib, and lemon pie.  When the evening cools, the lights come on along the river, and the staff offer us wool ponchos to wear.  It’s romantic and unique, the perfect introduction to this Southwestern city.

Dinner Barge on the Riverwalk (photo credit: Richard Nowitz)

Day 2 breaks sunny and cool, perfect weather for northeasterners escaping from a mid-October blizzard (what was up with that?).  Our first stop?    The four beautiful missions (San José, San Juan Capistrano, Espada and Concepción) that make up the National Historic Park established by the Catholic Church’s Franciscan Order in the 1700s. They feature diverse architectural styles and Spanish colonial art;  our tour guide does a great job of explaining the history of the relationship between the native peoples and the Spanish settlers.

Mission San José

Our tour also offers a sneak peek at the River Walk’s new Mission Reach, an eight-mile section extending from Mission Concepción to Mission Espada.  The project restores riverine features, reintroduces native plants and reconnects the river’s cultural/historical features.

After touring the missions, we’re starving – good thing, because Mi Tierra serves up enormous portions of Tex-Mex to its hundreds of lunch guests.  The famous landmark is popular with hometown regulars for its authentic Mexican food and warm Texas welcome, complete with festive décor on the ceilings and walls.  I order the tamale plate, and, even though I’m more than full, I eat the whole thing – it’s that good.  My husband can’t quite make it through his deluxe Mexican meal; he comments that it’s a sin to leave the excellent guacamole unfinished.

After heaving ourselves up from the table, we head just outside to the Farmers’ Market and El Mercado.  It’s the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico, and it offers great bargain-hunting and unique shopping and food opportunities that combine the cultural, artistic and ethnic influences of the Southwest and south of the border.  We pick up a few souvenirs – a straw cowboy hat for me, a couple of ornaments for the kids, and a painted animal for our mantle.

The Alamo (photo credit: Stephanie Colgan)

Last stop of the day?  The Alamo, the city’s first mission (est. 1718).  It was the site where 189 Texan heroes including Jim Bowie, William B. Travis and David Crockett bravely battled General Santa Ana’s army in March, 1836.  Probably most interesting about seeing the Alamo up close and personal is learning about the efforts to restore it and its beautiful painted decorations; we watch as conservationists slowly wash the plaster of the oil and dirt that has accumulated over the years, exposing the original plaster and frescoes.

After the Alamo, it’s back to the Home2 for a much-needed nap.  I snuggle in the huge, comfy bed while my husband watches Texas sports on TV.  Then it’s time for our last big Texas tradition:  a good steak.  We walk two doors down to Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood, where Executive Chef Mark Bohanan brings the famed Texas steak experience to the highest fine dining level with Japanese Akaushi Steaks and mesquite-grilled prime aged center cuts of Midwestern corn fed beef, an array of fresh seafood and flaming table-side desserts. My filet is grilled perfectly, needing no sauce or enhancement to make that great Texas beef flavor come out; Steve’s ribeye is just as good, although he sneaks bites of my filet when I’m not looking.

Dining on the Riverwalk (photo credit: Stephanie Colgan)

We wake up on our last day in San Antonio to a warm and cloudless morning and take a stroll down to the Riverwalk, where breakfast at the Original is the perfect end to a wonderful weekend.  It’s quiet on a Sunday morning, but the ducks swim by on the river, and joggers pass with their dogs.  We read the paper, toss some tortillas to the ducks, and plan our next visit to San Antonio.  It’s not adios for us – just hasta la vista, until we see you again.

A View of San Antonio (photo credit: Dennis Cox)

 This trip was sponsored by Home2 Suites by Hilton and the San Antonio Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

It’s been a pleasure for me to see the changes going on in downtown Baton Rouge. When I was growing up, it consisted of a few neighborhood bars, restaurants to feed the area office workers, and office buildings. In the evenings and on the weekends, downtown Baton Rouge was a ghost town.

Fortunately that’s changed over the years, and now Baton Rouge has its first boutique hotel — Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge. The building where the hotel now stands has gone through a variety of changes, with its original use as a hotel. Formerly, the Hotel King, the building was converted to dormitories during the Depression. It then served as an office building before returning back to its original lodging use. I recently had a chance to check out Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge and was proud to see such a lovely boutique hotel to house visitors to my city and state.

The Location

Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge is a 93 room property located at the corner of Convention and Lafayette Streets, close to the Mississippi River. Some rooms provide a beautiful view of the Mississippi River or the Shaw Center. As with all Hotel Indigo Hotels, the atmosphere is a reflection of the neighborhood, not the overall destination. The decor and design elements reflect many of the buildings and natural landscape located within walking distance of the hotel.

The Rooms

There are 93 rooms of contemporary comfort, two rooms being luxurious suites. All rooms have complimentary wi-fi, 24 hour rooms service, and allows pets.

The Amenities

My favorite amenity at Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge (besides the free wi-fi) is the complimentary use of bicycles. The property is also home to Ride Indigo, a regular organized bike ride that offers a festival feel for participants when the ride is over.

There is also an onsite fitness center, featuring an image of the Louisiana State Capitol steps.

Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge also offers an intimate conference room and a nearby business center.

Dining

Many travelers fail to realize that Baton Rouge offers a variety of culinary options for the savvy diner. Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge offers a menu offering more than your typical hotel fare. The King Bar and Bistro is the onsite dining spot featuring Louisiana favorites that reflect the cuisine of south Louisiana. My favorite aspect of this venue? They use local suppliers for the ingredients. I sampled a few of the signature dishes at a small group dinner hosted by Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge. I enjoyed the dinner, the company, and felt like I was on a mini vacation. You can read my take on King Bar and Bistro.

After dinner, a few girlfriends and I sampled a few of the many cocktails at the King Bar and Grill downtown Baton Rouge venue. It was a truly enjoyable evening and I had so much fun giggling with friends and gossiping about the many celebrities that walk through the doors of Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge. This boutique property would work well for a romantic evening, a funky girlfriend getaway, or for business travelers.

Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge participates in IHG’s guest loyalty program Priority Club Rewards. It’s located at 200 Convention Street in Downtown Baton Rouge, LA.

I must have heard it about a thousand times this past weekend:  “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”  In fact, Las Vegas has been making a concerted effort lo, these many years to market itself as a very, well, adult destination.

Don’t believe the hype.  While, yes, there are lots of grown-up, all-night, scantily-clad activities in Sin City, there’s also tons to do if you have tweens along for the ride – so much, in fact, that my two girls fought me like cats and dogs when I told them it was time to head to the airport and fly home.

The roller coaster at New York New York

Need ideas?  Try these:

Hotels

Live it up at the lake.  Lake Las Vegas is home to a kid-friendly Loews property, the place to kick back and get away from it all.  While the lake is in a different part of town than the Las Vegas Strip (where a lot of that scantily-clad stuff happens), rental cars are cheap (we got a mid-sized sedan on Expedia for $17/day), and the hotel provides a free shuttle in to the casinos.  What’s nice:  You’ll feel like you’re at a Caribbean resort, even while you have easy access to all the city has to offer!  The Loews has a giant pool complete with water slide, huge rooms with balconies over the lake, and fun water activities like kayaking and paddle boarding.

The outdoor lobby at the Loews Lake Las Vegas

•  Hit the beach. A fake beach, that is, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, where the wave pool and lazy river will keep kids happy while mom and dad enjoy adult beverages on the sand.  We went whole hog and booked a Skyview Suite on the 62^nd floor – the kids loved watching the planes and helicopters take off from the airport across the street, and my husband and I appreciated the mountain view.   Best of all?  The suite had 1 ½ baths and a full living room with two twin-sized couches, so we had separate sleeping quarters and room to spread out.

Hit the beach at the Mandalay Bay!

•  Check out what’s new. The brand new Cosmopolitan has the cushiest pool lounge chairs and the most modern décor on the Strip.  While we didn’t get a chance to stay overnight, it’s on our list for next time. 

Dining

• Bust your seams at a Las Vegas buffet.  The classic Vegas dining experience is perfect for families with kids; there’s something for everyone, and kids don’t have to wait for the food to arrive.  Our favorite?  The Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan, a one-of-a-kind food hall that delivers a multi-ethnic mix of top-quality, familiar staples arranged in an imaginative small-plates format.  My kids liked the asiago stuffed gnocchi so much that they went back for sixths; the prime rib carving station and macaroni and cheese made me drool.
  

  The beef carving station at the Wicked Spoon

• Take in the view.  At Marssa in the Loews Lake Las Vegas, you can sit by the window and look out at the lake while you and the kids feast on gourmet steaks, sushi, and fish.  While this gem of a fine dining spot has an Asian theme (complete with sushi bar and bento boxes for kids), the menu’s got something for everyone.  Don’t miss the chocolate lava cakes and the banana tempura!
• Fill up on pasta.  Lupo, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the Mandalay Bay, offers small pizzas and kid-friendly pasta dishes, as well as sea bass carved tableside.
• Hit the neighborhood pizza joint.  Ask for directions – it’s worth the hunt!  Evoking the feel of an authentic New York pizza joint, Pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan is a hidden gem serving whole pies and pizzas by the slice, an ideal stop-in-anytime kind of place.  A long, vaulted entry corridor is lined with a curated collection of vintage Italian record album covers, leading to the pizza counter and kitchen with high counters and mismatched antique bar stools.  The kids can play pinball while you wait for your pie.
  

  The pizza chefs at Pizzeria in the Cosmopolitan throw some dough around.

Activities

• Laugh for a full hour.  Mac King, who has been headlining at Harrah’s Las Vegas for more than 11 years and was recently named Best Strip headliner by the Las Vegas Weekly, presents a super family-friendly show filled with laughter and magic that keeps the audience asking “How did he do that?”  The show is G-rated and in the afternoon, so it’s perfect for kids (mine are still giggling).
  

  The hilarious Mac King

• Ride an ocean liner.  Or pretend you did, anyway, at the Titanic exhibit in the Luxor.  When you “board,” you’ll get a boarding pass for a real Titantic passenger.  Strolling through, you’ll learn the story of the Titanic’s doomed voyage and see artifacts recovered from the ocean floor.  At the end, you’ll find out whether “your” passenger survived the iceberg collision (Abby’s and mine lived to tell the tale, but Steve’s perished in the icy waters).
• Reflect on the circle of life.  At the Lion King show at the Mandalay Bay, your kids will be mesmerized by the joy pouring out from the stage (I’m not kidding – Abby smiled from ear to ear for two hours plus).  The Las Vegas production is virtually identical to the other companies seen around the globe and is staged with all of the same spectacular music, sets, and costumes that have made it a worldwide phenomenon. Try for an aisle seat, all the better to see the performers dance down to the stage through the audience.
  

  The Lion King wows Las Vegas audiences.

• Get ”Tanked.” Yep, the popular Animal Planet show takes place right here in Vegas.  Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, the company featured on the program, is open to the public and easy to access if you have a rental car.  Even better, Brett and Wayde, the show’s hosts, really work on site and are great with kids.
  

  With Brett and the family at "Tanked"

• Take the plunge.  Lots of Vegas options for this one:  Ride the roller coaster at New York, New York; slide through the shark tank at the Golden Nugget; or bungee jump off the top of the Stratosphere.  Or, if you’re interested in a different kind of plunge, do what Steve and I did and renew your vows with “Elvis.”
  

  Renewing our vows with Elvis

This fall, I jetted halfway around the world to Palau, a beautiful Micronesian island nation  where the people are friendly, the culture is fascinating, and the reefs are spectacular.  Palau’s an archipelago (a group of islands), and visitors can choose to stay at traditional resorts on one of the main islands or at funkier places in the Rock Islands.

If your family is looking for a classic resort experience, the Palau Pacific Resort is the place for you.  The luxury resort features 160 bungalow-style guestrooms, all of which are comfortable and well-appointed (after a long flight from Philly to Palau, the light-as-air comforters on the PPR beds felt like heaven).  Families will love the 1000-foot white sand beach, where they can rent aqua bikes, sailboats, and kayaks, as well as kick back in cushy lounge chairs.  Even better, the resort is committed to biodiversity, offering a “clam planting program” (an opportunity for guests to plant their own baby giant clams at the resort’s private lagoon), a nature trail (where guests can see kingfishers and Palau fruit doves), and a fish pond (where baby stingrays make their home).

Palau Pacific Resort

Some families, on the other hand, aren’t looking for all the amenities; they’re all about diving, and that’s it.  For them, Carp Island Resortmight be just the ticket.  Sure, you can only reach it by a 45-minute boat ride, and sure, the cottages are rustic, but the roughing-it feel of this place is part of the fun.  At Carp Island, you’re sort of glamping, but you’re in a beautiful spot to see the sunrise and catch the dive boat out to the reefs.

Photo by Lynn O'Rourke Hayes

Want luxury and Palau charm?  Check out two sister properties, Palau Plantation Resort on the large island of Koror and Ngellil Nature Island Resort.  a brand-new, eight room property on one of Palau’s outlying islands.  At the Plantation, tucked away but in the heart of all the Palau action,  you’ll find twenty matchless guest rooms, a tranquil spa, an outdoor pool, and walkways through carefully planted jungle plants. Ngellil, on the other hand, is all about isolation and peace.   The resort staff will transfer you to and from the airport by car and boat; once you’re there, you’ll revel in the silence (not to mention the delicious barbecue meals).  Designed to harmonize with nature, the resort has only two buildings, one housing the luxe guest rooms and the other serving as lobby and restaurant. Families can enjoy sea kayaking and sailing tours, hikes on the private hiking trails, and relaxing in the plentiful hammocks around the property.

Palau Plantation Resort

Affordable hotels and great travel deals aren’t too hard to find around the theme park areas of Florida. One destination that gets overlooked is Kissimmee, which practically borders Disney property. We’ve put together a list of lodging alternatives that are similar to many Disney resorts, yet the price is just right!

• Instead of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, check into Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. Gaylord Palms offers luxury lodging and a wide array of amenities, complete with lush grounds and an onsite spa. Gaylord Palms offers packages and seasonal specials and sits on 63 acres and is only five minutes from Walt Disney World Theme Parks.

• Instead of Port Orleans Resort, check into Quality Suites Royale Parc Suites – Not only does Royale Parc Suites offer a French Quarter feel, but you’ll also have FREE breakfast, FREE shuttles to area theme parks, and FREE internet.

• Instead of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, check into Star Island Resort and Club. Star Island is more upscale and spacious that the Moderate Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. Accommodations begin with mini-suites and can go up to a 1400 sq ft three bedroom suite. Similar to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Star Island Resort offers family friendly amenities and activities, including a game room, themed resort pool, restaurants, and a lake.
• Instead of Disney’s All Star Movies Resort, check into Seralago Hotel and Suites. Seralago Hotel and Suites is a budget-friendly family hotel that offers similar amenities as Disney’s All Star Movies. With two olympic size pools, arcade, kiddie play areas, and activities such as free nightly family movies at the in-hotel theater, you might night want to leave the resort. Families on a budget will appreciate the in-room microwaves and refrigerators and the complimentary resort shuttles.
• Instead of Disney’s All Star Music Resort, check into Celebration Suites at Old Town. Celebration Suites at Old Town are basic accommodations with plenty of space for a family. This all suite property offers apartment style lodging with full kitchens in each unit and is located next door to Old Town entertainment center. Be sure to take advantage of the FREE shuttle to Walt Disney World Resort.
• Instead of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Cabins, check into the Kissimmee/Orlando KOA Campground Kottages. The Kissimmee/Orlando KOA Campground not only offers campsites for tents and RVs, but also KOA Lodges for those wanting the cabin feel. The lodges sleep six and provide a full kitchen area for mealtime.

If you’re looking for affordable luxury lodging inside Walt Disney World’s gates, be sure to take a look at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Don’t forget to check out our fun tips for planning a Disney vacation and our list of top sites for Disney deals and tips.

Our East Coast family flew across the US and took on the West Coast for seven full days last month. We had the trip of a lifetime as this was my girls and husband’s first trip out west. We stayed in two hotels during our stay, and hands down the Manchester Grand Hyatt was the best of the two. The whole family shakes their head in agreement. Why did we love it so much?

The views were so amazing from our room. My husband and the kids immediately went to the window when we arrived.

The rooms were so spacious. We went to our other hotel for the second part of the week, San Diego Marriott and Marina, and did not have NEAR the room and the views were not spectacular either. After a busy day in San Diego, it was so nice to come back “home” and crash into the nice fresh linens and super comfortable “Grand” trademarked beds that included the pillow top mattresses.

The workaholic in me could not stay away from work, so it is always nice to see the business area in the room with many outlets for this technology geek.

The bathroom was very divine with a marble-tiled bath and never-ending supply of Portico products.

We came back from lunch one day with a fun surprise from Hyatt. They treated the girls to their very own Hyatt see-through backpacks filled with all kinds of goodies. I may or may not have stole a goodie from them .

After a quick nap, we went out and enjoyed the pool. This is not just a pool, this is a pool with an amazing view and lots of activities. Enjoy the splash or just sit back and take in the beautiful views of the blue waters of San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Cap the night off in the hot-tub.

We usually ended each night with watching the beautiful sunset. Oh how I miss these nights and being surrounded by the ones I love.

The luxurious 46” flat screen high definition TV would be our ending entertainment each night.

I do have to mention too, you don’t have to worry about going off-site for your coffee each morning. Ann Marie’s Coffee House opens each morning at 6:30am and they proudly serve Starbucks and all kinds of different breakfast items. The best part, you can sit right out on the boardwalk to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere.

Now can you see why we LOVE the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego? I am hoping we can make the trek across the US at least one more time to experience this hotel again.

Disclosure: Thank you to the Grand Hyatt for hosting our stay. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.