Where to stay in DC: Grand Hyatt Washington

September 12, 2014 By

Wondering where to stay in DC?  We love Grand Hyatt hotels. When budget allows, the Grand Hyatt option ensures great service and even better amenities. (Check out our additional Grand Hyatt reviews for Seattle, San Diego, and Kauai.)

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Grand Hyatt Washington is no exception. With a great location on H Street (five blocks from the Mall and four from the White House), a Metro stop in the building, and a pool, it’s excellent for families visiting Washington DC with kids.

Room amenities:

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I don’t know what it is about them, but Grand Hyatt beds are amazingly comfortable. We stayed in a standard double room, which included a mini-fridge, large flat-screen TV, shower and bath, and free wifi. We had an iPod docking station and a work desk with multiple charging docks/plug-ins, which was very welcome. We had a view of H street and free wifi, but it’s the little touches I love most: the bedside reading lights, the illuminating glow of the bed stand light panels, and the killer in-room coffee (that’s unusual!).

Hyatt Grand Club:

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For approximately $75 per day, families can upgrade their room to include Grand Club access (or book a 12th floor club room). We had club access during our stay, and it worked very well for us. What’s included: the Grand Club is located on the 12th floor, and accessible only if your keycard is activated. In the club, a private dining area includes iPads and TVs, plus a computer station and printer and newspapers. Cold and hot drinks, including soda, waters, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are available at all times. During breakfast hours, a full continental breakfast, including lox, cheeses, oatmeal, quiche, cereals, danish, breads, and juices, is on offer. During lunch, expect a full lunch spread with sandwich makings, etc. Between lunch and dinner, a trail mix station, cold drinks, and homemade cookies are available, plus fresh fruit. At dinner, appetizers include cheese plates, crab cakes, small salads, sushi, and the like (it’s different every night). Can you make a full meal of it? We do! During dinner, wine, beer, and liquor are also on-hand, paid by an honor system. In the late evening, desserts are set out.

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If you’re at the club during these meal hours, the upgrade is absolutely worth the price, especially if you’re feeding the whole family. Before deciding, take a hard look at your itinerary to decide where you’ll be during meals. We’ve found that it’s worth it to us if we eat breakfast there, plus one other meal, eating the other out on the town. It’s also wonderful to grab cold water bottles or juice every day before heading out. In DC, there’s lots of walking and it can be hot, so we returned to the room daily for a break, allowing us to take advantage of the club.

Hotel amenities:

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The Hyatt uses the on-site FIT club for its guests, which includes a full fitness center and indoor pool. There’s a sauna in the locker rooms (for adults only). The pool is small and can get crowded, but is still an luxury to have in a downtown city hotel.

We appreciated the free wifi throughout the hotel, and the bellman service. There is valet parking (I believe it was $40 per day), and the Metro’s Center Station is located below the lobby. We didn’t need a car at all: we either walked, took a taxi, or took the Metro everywhere in the city center. (For reference, a cab ride to or from nearly all points along the Mall cost about $6. In the summer heat, it was worth it.)

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The hotel has a concierge on-hand during daytime hours, available in the hotel lobby. Definitely take advantage of his or her expertise.

Dining:

We dined in the Grand Club, but there are numerous restaurants onsite, including a Starbucks, deli, casual ‘Grand Slam’ restaurant, the upscale Grand Cafe, and local favorite Cure bistro. Room service is also available. In short, you won’t need to leave the hotel for food if you don’t want to. If you do venture out, Five Guys is located two blocks away, and Shake Shack is four blocks away on 9th.

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Date last visited:

July 2014

Distance from the interstate:

Close to I-95, I-66, and I-395.

Rates:

Rate vary widely, depending on the season. During the time of our 4th of July visit, rates were above $400 per night, but can be as low as $159 per night. Don’t assume any hotel is out of your price range until you’ve checked the current rates.

Directions:

The Grand Hyatt is located at 1000 H Street, only blocks from just about everything. Take the Metro to the Metro Center station from the airport, or take a cab if you don’t have a car.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we were guests of the Grand Hyatt during our stay. All opinions are our own.

Williamsburg Woodlands: where to stay in Colonial Williamsburg

September 1, 2014 By

So, you’ve planned your Williamsburg itinerary with kids, but don’t know where to stay in Colonial Williamsburg with kids? Official hotels of Colonial Williamsburg include options ranging from the luxury Williamsburg Inn to Colonial houses for rent, to family-focused hotel rooms. We found the perfect middle-ground for our family at Williamsburg Woodlands. This hotel is located directly adjacent to the Visitor’s Center, is within walking distance of Revolutionary City, and offers free parking, a deluxe free breakfast, and lots of included amenities and programs.

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Room amenities:

We booked two standard rooms for our group of six. We had two queen beds and a pull out single bed (it comes out of a plush chair). The rooms were not overly large, but did include a shower with tub, separate vanity/sink area, and a mini fridge. Rooms are up-to-date, comfortable, and quiet. Wifi is available in all rooms at no charge.

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Hotel amenities:

Ready for the #1 reason we love the Woodlands? Free mini golf. This 18-hole course is set in their wooded area, and was our go-to evening activity. My kids love mini golf! The #2 reason: the outdoor pool. We just missed the opening of the new pirate themed splash park, but that will be open as of July 2014, next to the large pool.

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The Woodlands also offers kids’ activities every evening starting at 5 pm. Activities range from face painting or crafts in the early hours to reenactments and historical activities in the later evening, at 7:30. Our first night, we took part in a military drill circa 1775.

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There is dining on-site: the Huzzah BBQ restaurant is a great option with family-friendly fare, many gluten-free options, and carry-out pizza. If you time your dinner right, you can sit outside on the patio around 7 pm and watch (or participate in) the 7:30 historical activities for the kids.

The hotel also has a small exercise room (it was adequate, but with only a few machines, could get crowded at key times) and coin-operated laundry facilities. Families can purchase Williamsburg tickets right on-site, or the walk to the Visitor’s Center is one minute.

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Transportation:

With your room key, you get free shuttle transportation to Colonial Williamsburg (the stop is at the Visitor’s Center). We used this option when our feet were tired after a long day! There’s also a walking path to the city, which takes about 25 minutes, and takes you right past the Great Hopes Plantation (a must!).

 

Date last visited:

June 2014

Distance from the interstate:

Just off I-64 in Williamsburg, VA.

Rates:

At the time of our (summer) visit, room rates started at $160 for a standard room. Rates are, of course, seasonal. Look for family-friendly packages: 3-4 night stay, play, and eat free packages start at $159!

Directions:

The hotel is located at 105 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg, VA.

Philly hotel review: Hotel Monaco Philadelphia

August 20, 2014 By

Need a Philly hotel review? We’ve got our pick! The minute we pulled up to Hotel Monaco Philadelphia on Chestnut Street in the heart of Philly’s historic center and met T, the hotel’s most lively and friendly doorman, we knew we were going to love our stay. T offered high fives all around, then challenged Tobias (age 9) to some air boxing on the sidewalk. Turns out, T is Hotel Monaco’s boxing expert, leading fitness classes weekly, so Tobias hardly stood a chance.

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Inside, we were met by more friendly faces at Hotel Monaco’s charming front desk (it’s shaped like a set of dresser drawers) and a glass of lemonade from the stand in the lobby’s ‘living room’. We’re no strangers to Hotel Monacos (a division of Kimpton hotels) and were glad to see Philly’s Hotel Monaco follow suit with the ones we love in Portland and Seattle: the decor is eclectic and fun, the staff warm, and the service outstanding.hotel-monaco-philly

We reserved two rooms for our two-night stay, and ended up with 414 and 814, both with stunning Liberty Bell and Independence Hall views. The hotel is literally steps from both attractions, and only a block from the Constitution Center. Local dining is in walking distance in all directions as well, which means you can give your car keys to the valet and forget about it.

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Tip: When booking at Hotel Monaco, be on the lookout for seasonal packages or promotions. We tried out the “Where the Wild Things Are” package, which included two tickets (per room) to the Philadelphia Duck Tour. Using the tickets was easy, and we would have bought them separately anyway!

Room amenities:

One of the biggest draws of Philadelphia Hotel Monaco may be the location, but room amenities abound as well. We love the high ceilings (a trademark of Kimpton and Hotel Monaco), the lovely structural design of the historic building, and the spacious bathrooms. We had two queen beds (both uber comfy) and both a shower and tub in the bathroom. We used the flatscreen TV to catch World Cup games (we visited in June 2014) and appreciated the mini fridge for storing leftovers. Note: the mini fridge does store minibar items, but there’s still room for your own snacks (or you can ask for the minibar items to be removed). We also appreciated the security measure in place for the elevators: guests must use room key cards to access all guest floors. Bonus: here’s our view…

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Dining:

The Red Owl Tavern is located at the ground level of the Hotel Monaco. This upscale pub offers the usual fare: salads, burgers, and the like, and room service is available. Breakfasts here are especially good, but if it’s out of your budget, the doormen are happy to point you in the direction of additional Philly dining. Every morning, coffee, tea, water, and a treat (we had donuts) are served in the ‘lLving Room’, an inviting lobby space with couches, board games, windows, tables, and a fireplace. In the evenings, a complimentary wine service is available in the Living Room from 5 pm to 6 pm. When our son seemed bored during this ‘happy hour’, a front desk staff member quickly supplied him with a cup of colorful candy. It’s the small touches such as this that bring us back to Hotel Monaco again and again.

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Fitness Center, WiFi, and Parking:

Hotel Monaco does not have a pool, but the fitness center is the Kimpton standard; that is to say, excellent. WiFi is free for Kimpton InTouch members (membership is free, and I recommend joining). Otherwise, it’s $12 per day. Parking is expensive in cities, and unfortunately, there’s no exception at Hotel Monaco Philadelphia: valet parking is $40 per day. There’s an off-site self-park lot available for approximately $25-30 per day, but for the difference, we opted for the extreme convenience of valet parking.

Room Rates:

At the time of our visit, room rates averaged $199 per night for Liberty Bell center views. Check for current rates.

Directions:

Hotel Monaco Philadelphia is located at 433 Chestnut, directly adjacent to Independence Hall. It’s only five minutes off I-95 or I-76.

Do you have a favorite Hotel Monaco? Do tell!

As I disclose whenever applicable, our stay at Hotel Monaco was complimentary, for the purpose of review. Comped stays are essential to bringing up-to-date reviews to Pit Stops for Kids. All opinions are our own.

Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre Calgary

July 7, 2014 By

There’s so much to do with kids in Calgary, and you’ll need a great home base! The Coast Plaza Hotel in Calgary is located about 15 minutes from downtown (by car or light rail) and a great home base for families exploring the area. Adjacent to the Trans Canada Highway 1, this full-amenity hotel comes with free parking and plenty of space to spread out.

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Coast Plaza Calgary review:

The lobby is scheduled for a remodel (as of summer 2014), but my kids didn’t care: they headed straight for the indoor pool and hot tub located downstairs next to the fitness centre. The pool area includes showers, lockers, and a sauna, and is light and airy with large windows. When we arrived in late afternoon, it was in need of a pick-up—used towels were scattered around, and the pool deck was very wet and slippery—but the actual pool and hot tub were very clean.

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On the lobby level, the hotel’s restaurant, Horizons Bistro, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers a Sunday brunch well-known in Calgary. We were anxious to head out to explore Calgary, so opted for a buffet breakfast during our stay, which included everything we could ask for, with both hot and cold selections. We got out the door for under $45 each morning, with four people (two adults, two kids). We also enjoyed Horizons for dinner, but room service is also available.

The Coast Plaza houses a busy conference centre, so expect business events or private parties to be occurring around you! We stayed at the Coast Plaza as part of Coast Hotels Great Coast Road Trip, for which the kids and I drove the first leg!

Room amenities:

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For our family of five, we opted for adjoining rooms—one double queen room and one king room—and loved having two bathrooms and more space. Each room comes with my favorite amenity: a mini fridge. Also standard: a coffee and tea service with Starbucks products and large flat screen TVs. I appreciated the large desk as a work space.

Complimentary WiFi is offered throughout the hotel and in rooms, and as mentioned, parking is free.

Rates:

At the time of our visit, rates started at $149 for a standard room. It’s worth noting that the hotel also offers Calgary Zoo packages and Calgary Stampede Packages.

Date last visited:

May 2014

Directions:

The hotel is located right of Trans Canada Highway 1 at 1316 33 St NE, Calgary.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we stayed at Coast Plaza as guests of the hotel, as part of Coast Hotels Great Coast Road Trip.

Portland hotel review: Embassy Suites Portland Downtown

March 5, 2014 By

As a brand, I love Embassy Suites. We always find tremendous value for the money here. The Embassy Suites Portland Downtown is no exception. While there are many great lodging options in downtown Portland (check our Portland hotel review listings), including several with perhaps more character and historical interest, we’ve yet to find a Portland hotel that offers more kid-friendly amenities amid luxury in the heart of the city. Need a few examples? Embassy Suites Portland Downtown offers true all-suite lodging—with two actual rooms per suite, not just a partition—one of the only on-site indoor pools in the downtown area, free cooked-to-order breakfast, a free evening reception, and a location two blocks from the MAX line and three blocks from the waterfront.

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Confession time: free breakfast is very important to us. With three growing kids, we really value this amenity, and while location is our first priority in choosing a hotel, free breakfast is right up there. It saves us time, money, and hassle. During our two night stay at the Embassy Suites, we ate two very happy meals in the lobby breakfast room, where my omelette-loving son was in heaven. Also offered: pancakes, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, oatmeal, grits, danishes and muffins, and cold cereals.

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Each day of our Portland stay, we left the car at the hotel and hopped on the MAX line (free in the downtown sector, cheap if venturing further) and went to Washington Park, Pioneer Square, and other stops. Not only was taking the MAX fun for the young kids in our group, we saved on driving and parking stress and expense. Parking at Embassy Suites is $25/day in self park, or $32 in valet (with in and out privileges). To me, valet parking is worth the upgrade.

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We opted for two suites at the Embassy for our group of nine, which suited perfectly (is that a pun?). The division (with door) between sleeping area and living area allowed us to put the young kids to bed while the teenagers could stay up later. In the outer (living) room, the pull-out couch slept two, though we found it to sleep one more comfortably. Our bedrooms had two queen-sized beds each. Our rooms had both microwaves and fridges, allowing us to store leftovers from dinners out and keep the necessary snacks and drinks on-hand for the toddlers, without having to hassle with coolers. Of course, you also have a coffee maker. We actually made full toddler-friendly meals in-room.

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For entertainment for the early risers, we hit the indoor pool and exercise facility. Located on the lower level, this space is pleasantly large and suited for kids. The exercise room is located above the pool, but does have frosted windows, so it’s not possible to see swimmers from the machines (for better or for worse, you decide). There are two hot tubs on the pool deck, and a decently-sized swimming pool with a fun fountain on one end. The pool is kept pretty cool. Changing rooms are not available on the pool deck, but towels are stacked and ready.

Every evening (usually between 4 and 6) the Evening Reception serves complimentary wine and light appetizers. While this service isn’t as kid-friendly as some (I’m looking at you, Hotel Monaco), it does offer some snacks for the kids. It won’t replace a meal, but works as a nice tide-over before a later dinner out.

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Rates:

At the time of our visit, standard suites started at $150/night.

Directions:

Embassy Suites Portland Downtown is located at 319 SW Pine Street in Portland, one block from Burnside and three from Naito Parkway. From I-5, follow signage to downtown/waterfront and take Naito Parkway to Pine.

Photo credit: Amy Whitley and Embassy Suites.