Review of the Colonnade Inn - Lyndonville, Vermont

The Colonnade Inn is located in Lyndonville, Vermont and is one of the lower priced places to stay in the area.  The hotel does not offer many amenities, but does the basics well enough that I have stayed here a few times on my visits to the Lyndonville area.   I do not think you will be wowed but this hotel, but if you are looking for a clean room and decent prices, the Colonnade Inn should not disappoint you.

The Colonnade Inn is located on Back Center Road, almost at the end of the that road where it intersects with Route 5.  The Inn is also located less than a minute from the Exit 23 Interchange of Interstate 91.  It is located near the southern end of Lyndonville, with most of the downtown area, including restaurants and shopping options, to the north.  There really is nothing within walking distance of the hotel.

With the hotel close to Route 5 and Interstate 91, the Inn provides access to many of the different destinations in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Read our full review of the Colannade Inn on Epinions

19th Green Motel | Old Forge, New York (Adirondack Park)

The 19th Green Motel is located in the village of Old Forge in the western Adirondack Mountains of New York State.  The hotel is located a bit of out the "downtown area," but it has nice rooms, reasonable rates and comfortable beds.  The Thendara Golf Club is next to the motel and has golfing in the summer and cross country skiing in the wintertime.

I stayed at the 19th Green Motel because I have an annual meeting I have to go to in the Old Forge area and out of the hotels that were open in late October, this was the most reasonably priced of the few in the area.

Finding the 19th Green Motel 

The Village of Old Forge is a destination for many hikers, skiers, snowmobilers and other outdoor enthusiasts.  It is something of the western 'entrance' to the Adirondack Park and within a half hour drive of the village is almost unlimited hiking, camping, hunting, boating, cross country skiing and snowmobiling opportunities.  Hence there are a couple of different motels in Old Forge that are open throughout the year, including the 19th Green Motel.

The 19th Green Motel is located on the northern side of Route 28 just before you cross the Moose River and enter in the main 'downtown' area of Old Forge (I use the term downtown loosely here).  The motel is made of two different buildings and has plenty of parking for each of the rooms.

Old Forge is a little over an hour northeast of Utica on the New York State Thruway.

What you get at the 19th Green Motel 

The motel offers a mix of rooms with either a single queen sized bed or two queen sized beds.  The rooms all have TVs with cable along with heat and air conditioning, microwave, small fridge and one of those coffee makers that lets you brew a few cups with their pre-measured filters, sugar and cremora.  There is also free wi-fi available throughout the motel.

The rooms are pretty standard issue motel rooms.   You open your door and you have a main room with either the single or double set of queen beds.  There's a dresser and desk along with the TV along the opposite wall and a sitting chair by the window.  In the back of the room is a small closet along with a counter top area with the microwave and the small refrigerator.  Then the bathroom is off of that with a sink, toilet and a tub with a shower.

The room that we stayed in was very well maintained and very clean.  I really did not have anything to complain about going through it.  Even the  bathroom was very clean, something you do not always get in a motel setting.

The beds were pretty comfortable, though the mattresses were a bit stiff.

All of the rooms are nonsmoking at the motel.  In addition, no pets are allowed.  That would be a downside for me usually (with the pets), but since I usually travel to Old Forge for work, I do not usually have my pup with me.

What is around the 19th Green Motel? 

The closest attraction is the Thendara Golf Club.  The restaurants of Old Forge are within a few minute drive, as is the Enchanted Forest Water Park in the summertime.  Further out are the recreational resources of the Adirondack Mountains, which include several nearby hiking trails, snowmobile trails, lakes and river for paddling, and thousands and thousands of acres of state owned Forest Preserve.

Check in and Check Out 

Being a small motel, this is an easy process.  We were in our room within a few minutes of arrival and when we left, I just left the key in the room and locked the door on our way out.

We were there in October, towards the end of leaf season (well, more like slightly past the end) and the room rate was about $90.  While I think that this is high given the time of the year and the location, it is in line with what all the other motels in Old Forge charge.

Would I stay again? 

For sure.  The 19th Green Motel has been the nicest motel that I have stayed in while visiting and was not any more expensive than the others.  I will probably end up here next October when I have my next meeting up in Old Forge.

Final Thoughts 

For a basic motel, I was really impressed with the 19th Green Motel.  It was clean, well maintained, had comfortable beds and was reasonably priced.  The motel is located in the village of Old Forge and the shops and restaurants of the village are a short drive from the motel.

If you are going to stay in Old Forge, I would have no problem recommending a night's (or more) stay at the 19th Green Motel.

Fairbanks Inn - St. Johnsbury, Vermont

If you are visiting Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the small city of St. Johnsbury acts as the southern entrance to the region. The Fairbanks Inn is located just off of Interstate 91 in St. Johnsbury with access to the city itself and the rest of the Kingdom via I91 along with several other local and state routes that travel from the area. The hotel itself is clean, comfortable and a nice place to stay and I would definitely keep this in my list of potential places to stay next time I am in the Kingdom.

Read the full review of the Fairbanks Inn in St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Green Mountain Inn - Stowe Vermont - Quintessential Vermont Lodging

The Green Mountain Inn is a great place to stay right in the center of the village of Stowe, Vermont.  The Inn has a lot of amenities and within walking distance is shopping and dining in the village.  In addition, hiking and skiing opportunities are all over just beyond the village, with the Stowe ski area less than 20 minutes away, Smugglers Notch nearby and the Green Mountains all around.

The Green Mountain Inn is located on Main Street right near the center of the village of Stowe, Vermont.  It is located about 10 miles north of Exit 10 on Interstate 89. 

Read the full review of the Stowe, Vermont's Green Mountain Inn

Lynburke Motel - Lyndonville, Vermont

If you are looking for a no frills motel room in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the Lynburke Motel in Lyndonville, Vermont is not a bad choice. The motel offers a number of different rooms, some of which allow pets and is in a location that provides access to the village of Lyndonville, Burke Mountain Ski Area to the northeast and the trails surrounding Lake Willoughby to the northwest. The rooms are relatively inexpensive and while no one will be giving the place a 5-star rating, we have found it to be an economical choice when we are visiting the Kingdom.

Read the full review of the Lynburke Motel in Lyndonville, Vermont

Crowne Plaza Hotel - Asheville, North Carolina

When I found out that I would be attending a week long conference in Asheville, North Carolina, I really had no idea of where to stay, but the convention was being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and we got a discount to stay there, so that's where I ended up.

It turns out that the Crowne Plaza was a nice choice. The hotel has a lot of amenities, is in a decent location and after having spent a week there, I would go back again if I was going to be staying in Asheville in the future.

Read my full review of the Asheville, North Carolina Crowne Plaza Hotel on Epinions

The Fox Tower (aka the Former MGM Grand) at Foxwoods - Ledyard, Connecticut

If you've ever stayed in Las Vegas and been at one of the larger hotels on The Strip, you'll know what to expect when you get to the Fox Tower Hotel at Foxwoods. This casino, hotel and resort has something for everyone in an atmosphere that just reminds me of the hotels and casinos in Las Vegas.

In fact, it's become my new favorite place to stay here in the Northeast when I'm looking to gamble and relax. The rooms are great, the service is nice, the casino is fun, the pool and lounge area is relaxing, and the amenities that are offered can keep you quite busy.

The Fox Tower Hotel was built and opened as MGM Grand at Foxwoods several years ago.  Recently (2013) MGM pulled out of the property and Foxwoods took over full management and control of the property - hence the name change.  The property has more or less stayed the same, just that you don't see "MGM Grand" anywhere on the property and it is now more integrated into the larger Foxwoods complex.

Where is it?

The Fox Tower Hotel at Foxwoods is located on the Foxwoods property adjacent to the original Foxwoods Casino and Resort. The two have a connection that allows for walking between the two resorts. They also share the same rewards program. However the two resorts are pretty much run as individual properties and you won't need to travel between them if you don't want to.

The Fox Tower at Foxwoods is located in the southeastern corner of Connecticut off of Interstate 95. It is about 2 hours from Boston, 3 hours from New York City and probably about an hour or so from Hartford. Getting there is fairly easy, The Fox Tower is about 8 miles off of Interstate 95 and the exit and the route are signed well.

As with any casino, there's plenty of free parking. The Fox Tower has its own entrance, parking garage and valet parking aside from Foxwoods' entrances and parking areas.

What's it like?

From the design and layout of the hotel and casino to the types of amenities it has, The Fox Tower is like a little piece of Las Vegas in eastern Connecticut. There's the modern architecture with an Asian influence, an overall 'upscale' feeling to the property, a nightclub, several finer restaurants and plenty of other things to keep you busy.

What's there to do?

Gamble! But honestly that's not all there is to do.

There are several different places to eat, there's a nightclub, a couple of shops to browse in and if you're staying at the hotel, there's the pool area along with a spa and a gym where you can relax or work out.

The restaurants include two fine dining spots, Alta Strada and Shrine. There's also Junior's which I would consider your all around restaurant (burgers, sandwiches, entrees and breakfast). For something even faster, the Gelato Cafe offers sandwiches, salads and Gelato and the food court has several different kinds of food to choose from including seafood, pizza, sandwiches, burgers and Chinese food. All told everywhere that we ate was good, though since you are in a casino, everything is pricey, even the less expensive options. While we didn't dine at any of the three fine dining restaurants, they did look good and the menus weren't as outrageous as I expected. I would suggest reservations though, as they usually seemed to be crowded and I would expect that they would be full, especially on weekends. Junior's also takes reservations, though when we were there a few times during our stay, it didn't seem that we would have needed them.

On certain nights, Shrine, the restaurant also is a nightclub. We have been there on most weeknights and the club has been open. There is usually quite a line to get in and it looked to be a decent place. However, neither of us were really up for going. If you do want to go, expect to have to wait in line to get in.

Outside of the casino itself, the hotel also has the pool area and the spa floor. We spend a lot of time at the pool in the summer, which is a fairly good size. It's fan shaped so that it can hold quite a few people without feeling too crowded. There's seating all around the pool along with seating outside the immediate pool area on the grassed area. There are also private cabana's that can be rented on the outer edge of the pool area should you want them.

Most of the lounge chairs have great sun all day. What's nice about the pool area is that it's adjacent to Junior's restaurant so you can eat there or, if you don't even feel like getting up, there's waitress service around the pool with a limited menu from Junior's and a full drink menu available. So that was nice to lay there and have cold drinks while we enjoyed the sun and occasionally went swimming.

We never made it to the spa level of the hotel, which is home to the spa and a workout facility. The workout facility is part of the spa, but $25 will get you a pass to the workout area (we checked with the concierge) and that's good for your stay. If we were staying longer than our typical overnight or two night treks, I would have splurged since it sounded like a really nice gym.

The Casino

The Fox Tower's casino is not all that large, but it is spread out enough so that you never feel all that cramped when playing. There's a large selection of slot machines in all denominations along with plenty of tables for those who prefer the table games to the slots. There's also a bar on the gaming floor and free beverage service is offered to those who are playing on the casino floor by waitresses.

I like the high ceilings since that allows the smoke to rise up and not suffocate you. In addition, the air handling is pretty good. Sure there's some smoke, but overall you're not walking around in a haze of smoke. Plus the size of the no-smoking areas has been increased over time, so many areas are now pleasantly smoke free, especially most of the areas where kids would be (pretty much anywhere off the gaming floor).

The Hotel

If you're staying at the hotel, the easiest way to get there is to pull into the hotel valet parking. They'll help you with your bags and then take care of your car. You walk right into the hotel lobby and the check-in desk is to your right.

Our check-in usually takes about 5-10 minutes at most unless we check in at a busy time. We put a credit card down so we could charge to the room, even though the room itself is usually comp'd for the nights thanks to my play at the casino and the player's club rewards. The lobby also has a Bell Desk where you can check your bags and have them hold them until you're ready to check in or leave.

We've stayed all over the Fox Tower with rooms from the lower floors up to high floors.  We've also had standard rooms up to the basic suites.  The standard deluxe room with a single, king sized bed is what we usually have.  Most rooms, except for the very low floors have good views looking across to the Foxwoods resort and the surrounding forest lands.

The rooms are quite large too. You came into a small hallway when you entered with the bathroom to your right and the rest of the room straight ahead and to the left. The room had a king sized bed, a table, a lounge chair, a dresser and a work area. At the foot of the bed was a cabinet where the TV was held. It rose up out of the cabinet and you could lay in bed and watch it (it was a flat screen TV). The TV also swiveled so you could watch it elsewhere in the room.

The bathroom was really nice, though most don't have a tub, which was one thing I actually looking forward to at a hotel. Instead they have had a large tiled shower with glass doors. A really nice shower, but I want to soak a bit. Besides the shower, there's a large sink area and the toilet.

The beds have been comfortable. They are soft, there were plenty of pillows and we both have slept comfortably when we are there.

There's room service available that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and catering platters. Pretty much anything you could want.

Over time housekeeping service has been good at the hotel.  We have had our room be forgotten for turnover service, but a call down to the main desk has fixed that.  The only real issue we've ever had is a room with a TV that wouldn't work.  We called the main desk multiple times to have it repaired, but they never did.  When we checked out, they offered to comp all of our room charges or upgrade us to a suite the next time.  We took the suite the next visit and didn't have a problem.

Rooms

There are the standard deluxe rooms with either two queen beds or a single king sized bed. There are also several different types of suite rooms available.

Room Costs

The Fox Tower isn't cheap, though if you are a regular player at Foxwoods, you'll likely get discounted and complimentary rooms. I consider myself a fairly casual gambler, but I get offers for free rooms each month.

If you did have to pay, the rooms do get fairly pricey - upwards of $250+ a night. I'm not sure if I was on my own I'd pay that, but if you were going with a couple of people, it might be worth it.

The Players Club

For people interested in playing in the casinos at either The Fox Tower or Foxwoods, there's a players club that gives you the opportunity to earn points based on the amount of play that you have. The points you earn can be used throughout The Fox Tower and Foxwoods just like money. When you sign up for the card, you also become eligible for special offers and contests. Almost every month they have a different promotion where you swipe your card each time you are there and you stand a chance to win. There's also a monthly mailing, which depending on your average monthly play, offers free play and bonuses for your next visit, which can include free show tickets and complimentary rooms.

Foxwoods

If you do wander across the pedestrian connection (completely indoors), you'll make your way to the Grand Pequot portion of Foxwoods. From there, you can get to the rest of Foxwoods just by walking around.

Overall Impression

Besides the lack of a tub in most of the standard and the occasional housekeeping faux pas, we have not had any serious problems with our stays at the Fox Tower at Foxwoods. For the record actually, I love it. I find it to be a convenient place to go and escape to for a few days. We live about 2 hours away and it is the perfect place to go and just relax. We don't have to drive far, we have tons of things to do, lots of places to eat and a really comfortable room to relax in. I also like that it reminded me so much of a resort in Las Vegas, since that's one of my favorite places to vacation. It was like finding a little piece of Las Vegas here in the Northeast.

Final Thoughts

I know I'll continue to go back and stay The Fox Tower at Foxwoods. I my time spent there. I am able to lay in the sun at the pool, go swimming, dine in a number of different restaurants, gamble in the casino, and relax in a really comfortable room. It is a great place to stay.

Quality Inn - Petersburg, Virginia

If you're traveling along Interstate 95 through Southern Virginia and you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, the Quality Inn in Petersburg, Virginia is a decent place to spend the night.

We were on our way to Myrtle Beach and decided to call it a night when we were in the Petersburg area. We had one of those discount coupon guides for the highway and the Quality Inn won out over the others at the exit since it advertised a free hot breakfast.

Read my full review of the Petersburg, Virginia Quality Inn on Epinions

Las Vegas Hotels, Casinos and Attractions

One of my favorite vacation destinations, Las Vegas has a ton to offer just on the strip. The majority of these reviews are for attractions on the Strip, but there are also a few further afield that are worth going to if you are in the area.

General Las Vegas

• Las Vegas Boulevard ("The Strip")

Hotels & Casinos

• Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
• THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
• Excalibur Hotel and Casino
• New York - New York Hotel & Casino
• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
• Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino
• The Mirage
• Treasure Island
• Circus Circus

Las Vegas Attractions

• Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
• King Tut Museum
• The Fountains of Bellagio
• The Sirens of TI

Las Vegas Restaurants

• Pyramid Cafe
• MGM Studio Cafe
• Francesco's Restaurant

Attractions Nearby

• Red Rock Canyon
• Hoover Dam and Lake Mead
• Valley of Fire

Attractions within a day drive from Las Vegas

• Death Valley National Park
• Zion National Park

Howard Johnson Tiki Resort and Hotel | Lake George, NY | Adirondack Mountains

Pros: Respectable prices, Indoor & outdoor pools, Clean and comfortable rooms
Cons: Tiki/Hawaiian/Polynesian theme...a bit over the top...but thankfully doesn't go into the rooms

Would you like a little piece of Hawaii with your stay in Lake George, New York?

Then the Howard Johnson Tiki Resort might be right up your alley. This hotel is situated near the southern end of the Lake George ‘strip' on Route 9 and overlooks the southern end of Lake George itself. It offers a number of different amenities (in season) including dinner shows, indoor and outdoors pools, a breakfast café and a location that lends itself to walking down to the center of the Lake George village. It also offers decent rates, especially in the off-season.

Our experience with the Tiki Resort is limited to a stay in the somewhat off-season. We arrived a few days before the Columbus Day Weekend and the majority of amenities including the Polynesian dinner show, the Tiki Bar and the breakfast café were closed at that point. They were opening for the weekend, but then they would close for the season after that.

As it was, we really weren't looking for all those extras. We just wanted a place to stay while we spent some time in Lake George. Our hotel room was clean and neat and wasn't a bad place to stay. We would have taken a dip in the indoor pool if we had brought our suits, but we hadn't even though to bring them since we didn't know where we'd be staying.

Our rate was $49 a night as we used a coupon from one of those travel magazines that you find at the rest areas. This was roughly the same cost for most of the other hotels that were open at this time in the Lake George area.

Where do I find the Howard Johnson Tiki Resort?

The Tiki Resort is on Route 9, which is the main road through the center of Lake George. The hotel is about a ½ a mile north on Route 9 from the intersection with the road from Exit 21 of Interstate 87. This puts it on the edge of the Lake George "strip" but it's still within walking distance of the downtown area. My guess is that it would take 5 to 10 minutes to get there with the lakeside stuff being a little closer and the village a bit longer.

Tiki Resort?

Yes, it's like a little bit of Hawaii in Lake George. I have to admit that when I walked into the lobby of the hotel, I felt like I had been transported to the hotel I had stayed in while I was in Hilo, Hawaii. There's a tiki bar, plenty of Polynesian themed decorations and Polynesian statues outside. There's even a Polynesian dinner show.

Thankfully though, that tiki theme really doesn't follow you into the rooms themselves as they are just your run-of-the-mill hotel rooms.

The Rooms?

I don't really expect much when I spend $49 a night on a room and I was neither disappointed nor excited when I got into our room. My partner and I got a standard room with two double beds (sometimes it's nice not to share a bed). In addition to the beds, there was a small dresser, a TV and a fridge in the room along with a chair and a small table.

The bathroom was at the back of the room and included a large closet, a sink area and then an attached room with the toilet and the shower. I was actually pretty impressed with the bathroom area. It gave you plenty of room and was clean and well maintained.

Our window in the front overlooked the parking lot, pool and then Lake George beyond. It was an okay view, but we kept the blinds closed since people were always walking by. The walls could have stood to be a bit thicker or more insulated since some noise traveled like TV sound and some voices from neighboring rooms.

Free wifi is available in all of the rooms, though I didn't have my laptop with me to try it out.

Overall I was satisfied with the room. Most importantly it was clean and the beds were comfortable. I was also glad that it was in good repair and the bathroom was well maintained.

With regard to room types, the standard rooms are pretty much the same with the two double-bed setup that we had. If you are interested in a suite, they have a few different types including ones with jacuzzis and more living area.

Would I go back?

I probably would, considering the reasonable rates and the decent location far enough outside of Lake George village to allow you to get in and out of the area without too much traffic but not so far that you can't walk down there.

I doubt I'd partake in the Polynesian dinner show or anything like that, but I would have liked to have had breakfast at the café and if the weather was better, I wouldn't have minded hanging out in the pool (or just remembered my suit to use the indoor pool).

Final Thoughts

The Howard Johnson Tiki Resort is a decent place to spend a few nights in the Lake George region. It's got clean rooms with comfortable beds, some nice amenities and its close enough to Lake George Village that you can walk from the hotel to all of the activities in the area.

Overall I wouldn't mind staying here again and for the money, I don't think others would be disappointed after a night here.

Rivergreen Resort Hotel and Condominiums - Lincoln, New Hampshire

If you are looking for a nice place to stay in the Lincoln/Woodstock area of New Hampshire, just south of Franconia Notch, the Rivergreen Resort isn’t a bad choice. It’s conveniently located in town near restaurants, Loon Mountain is just down the street and Franconia Notch is about 15 minutes or so away via I93.

All in all, for just happening to find this place while we were making a quick trip to NH, it turned out to be a really nice hotel. I would definitely consider staying there again should we need lodging in the area.

Read my full review of the Rivergreen Resort Hotel and Condominiums in Lincoln, New Hampshire on Epinions

Sea Breeze Motel - Bar Harbor, Maine

If you want to stay outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown Bar Harbor but still want easy access to the rest of Mount Desert Island, the Sea Breeze Motel is a decent choice. Sitting on a hill overlooking the ocean, the hotel has ok rooms, a pool and a hot tub, all in a location that makes it easy to explore the island.

There’s really nothing fancy about this hotel, but when I compared it to other island hotels, I found it to be reasonably priced, and I liked the fact that there was a view and it had a pool. Turns out that those were its best points – the view is great and I had a good time enjoying the uncrowded heated pool and hot tub.

Read my full review of the Sea Breeze Motel in Bar Harbor, Maine on Epinions

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada

With decent hotel rooms, plenty of dining options, a great pool area and an expansive casino, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas isn’t a bad choice for staying in Las Vegas, it’s just that it’s not the best in my opinion.

Would I stay there again? Well, if the rooms were comp’d like they were for this trip, I probably would consider staying there again. However if I had to pay, I would choose to spend my money at a different resort along the Las Vegas Strip.

Read my full review of the MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel and Casino on Epinions

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada

Want to go to Vegas, but not be bothered with the hassle of having to travel all over the strip to get everything that you need? Mandalay Bay is one of the best all-inclusive hotel-casinos on the strip. Once you’re there, you will have your choice of first-class restaurants, nightclubs, lounges, and best of all, your own tropical bay to relax in. Depending on the length of your vacation, and your experience with Vegas, there is enough to do so that you won’t even need to leave.

I wanted a trip to Vegas that wasn’t really about gambling, I wanted 3 days where I forgot about the crappy New England spring, I wanted to not worry about my job, I wanted to get as much of a tan as possible. What I found at Mandalay Bay, met all of those expectations and more. I went with my good friend, and my boyfriend and another friend were also out there (they were at a conference at Mandalay Bay, so my friend and I decided to go and just have a vacation while they were working).

Read my full review of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

TI (Treasure Island) Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada

Treasure Island really isn’t Treasure Island anymore. The resort is now called “TI,” and caters to a distinctly more mature crowd than the original Treasure Island did. If you are going expecting pirates and the like, you are going to be disappointed. A lot of the original styling and design is gone from the hotel and the casino – even the celebrated pirate battle in front of the hotel is now “The Sirens of TI,” a celebration more of scantily clad women with water splashing on them than anything else.

For both of us, the hotel room was the greatest disappointment. I honestly think that it was on par with a room we had at the Motel 6 down the street and if I had paid full-price for the room, I might have considered changing casinos. For the kind of money they charge for a room (between $120 and $190 depending on the night), I’d expect a nicer room.

Add in the lackluster casino and overall if I had the chance, I probably wouldn’t stay at TI again (unless they make it free for me). There are some highpoints – Mystere is an excellent show, Tangerine is a cool club and overall the restaurants are good.

Read my full review of Treasure Island (TI) Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

New York New York Hotel And Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada

It’s definitely not the worst hotel-casino resort on the strip, but it’s not quite the best either. New York-New York Hotel and Casino straddles the line between a really great place and just an okay place to stay and play while you’re in Vegas.

Located at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip near the MGM Grand, Excalibur, Luxor (and a little further, Mandalay Bay), New York-New York Hotel and Casino is located in a fairly central location that provides access to many of the hotels up and down the strip. In addition with the recently opened monorail with a station at MGM Grand, it is easy to travel to the northern end of the strip without too much effort from NY-NY.

Read my full review of the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

Excalibur Hotel And Casino - Las Vegas, Nevada

I was a little unsure going to Vegas and staying at the Excalibur, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the hotel, the service that they did provide and the amenities that were provided. If you are looking for a hotel that is inexpensive, but not cheap and that is well located on the Las Vegas strip, The Excalibur is definitely worth looking into.

Read my full review of the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

Hilo Hawaiian Hotel

If you’re looking to stay on the eastern side of the Island of Hawaii in the Hilo area, the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel is one of your best bets. It’s not very new or even really fancy, but overall it does a decent job at providing a comfortable stay in a convenient location.

When we were planning our trip to Hawaii one of the great unknowns was what the hotels were like. In Hilo there were only a few hotels and judging from the websites and information from our travel agent, we went with the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel for a total of three nights. My partner and I stayed in one room, while my parents and my brother stayed in another room. Thus, we had a chance to explore different rooms and the various amenities offered by the hotel. I can’t say I was overly impressed or disappointed by the hotel – it was everything it said it was on the website, but at the same time, I think there are some idiosyncrasies with hotels in Hilo itself and I wasn’t quite prepared for them.

Read my full review of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel in Hilo, Hawaii

Waikoloa Beach Marriott, Hawaii

“Wow” That was my first reaction as we came down the Waikoloa Beach Drive and turned into the Waikoloa Beach Marriott. As my Mom and I got out of the car and went in to check in, I thought to myself that this was going to be an enjoyable stay.

Now if you just considered my experiences, I really couldn’t find anything to complain or nitpick about, but my Mom did have trouble with her check-in at the hotel. There was also a problem with their room, but thankfully a helpful clerk was able to take care of all of it at the front desk and for the next four days, we really were in the middle of a Hawaiian paradise.

Read my full review of the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Hotel in Hawaii

THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

If you are looking to make your stay in Las Vegas more upscale while still staying close to the action of the strip, you should consider staying at THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

Both a part of and separate from the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay has definitely raised the bar when it comes to room size, comfort and service.

Read my full review of THEHotel at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas