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What A View! Balcony at Disney\'s Bay Lake Tower'); document.write('

\"Fireworks

How\'s this for a view from your room? Disney\'s Bay Lake Tower, right next to the Contemporary Resort, is so close to the Magic Kingdom that we could watch the fireworks from our balcony. We could even hear the crowds oo\'ing and ah\'ing when the show was over.

The smallest room type, the studio, was perfect for our family of four with two small children. We shared a Queen bed while the kids bunked in the pull-out sleeper sofa. A small kitchenette had a mini-fridge for milk, water and snacks, and having a microwave came in handy.

Crossing to the Contemporary Resort via the skybridge was a novelty as well as a convenience, and we had a wide selection of restaurants over there, from the casual and quick Contempo Cafe to the fabulous rooftop California Grill, where they squeezed us in at the sushi bar with no reservations. We even got up early to dine with Mickey Mouse, Goofy and the gang at Chef Mickey\'s.

The location of Bay Lake Tower and the Contemporary Resort really can\'t be beat - they\'re the only resorts that are connected to the Magic Kingdom with a walkway. It\'s about a ten minute walk. Avoiding the monorail and buses is a big benefit on crowded nights when the entire park empties out after the fireworks are over - we loved taking the short walk back to our room.

Image copyright Charlyn Keating Chisholm, licensed to About.com.

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Share Your Room With a View'); document.write('

\"View

The last hotel suite I stayed in while visiting Paris had amazing views of the Eiffel Tower -- I couldn\'t look at anything else. I love a room with a great view, don\'t you? Have you stayed in a hotel room with a view that made you unpack the camera first? Share your room with a view and gaze at some great views already sent in.

Image of the view from the Eiffel Suite at Plaza Athénée, copyright Charlyn Keating Chisholm, licensed to About.com.

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This Week\'s Great Hotel Deals: Take \'Em Along'); document.write('

\"Float

Your travel inspiration for this week: the newest hotel package deals, designed for you and the whole gang.

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A Beach Resort for Every Budget'); document.write('

\"VIP

Kathy Hagood recently checked in to the Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club, an all-inclusive resort near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. She reports that variety is the key at this sprawling beach resort adjacent to the Ocean World mega entertainment complex. \"Want quick Italian or Mexican after your snorkeling adventure? They\'ve got you covered. And if you prefer to impress your significant other with swanky white-glove VIP dining before a fabulous casino floorshow, they\'ve got that on the resort menu as well.\" The resort appeals to every budget from economy (at the Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort and Spa) to luxury (in private Lifestyle Crown Villas).

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Image of VIP Beach Serenity courtesy Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club

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What\'s Your Sentimental Favorite Hotel?'); document.write('

Every once in a while I get a hotel review from a guest that has made a real connection to a resort. David, who told me about Kona Village Resort in Hawaii, was one such guest:

Let me start with my favorite memory of Kona Village Resort. I hadn\'t been able to visit for three or four years, and when I did come back, the first person I went to see was Auntie Eleanor. When she saw me she greeted me with a huge hug and said, \"Oh, David, I wondered when you were coming home!\" That\'s not \'customer relations,\' that\'s family!

David goes on to explain:

My first visit was in 1970 and my most recent, last April, was my eighteenth, so it\'s true that I\'ve been there enough to get to know many of the staff, and they to remember me. I\'ve never felt so welcomed and comfortable in any other place.

When I travel now, I rarely get to stay in the same place twice. But as a child, I have memories of family vacations to the same places year after year. The best ones get a familiar feel where you can instantly get into vacation mode, instead of having that few days of adjustment. You can almost instantly leave behind the stress of work and home and relax. Like comfort food, I think of it as comfort travel: it\'s not exotic or exciting, but it makes you feel truly good.

It got me to wondering: Fellow travelers, do you have a favorite place you like to vacation in, year after year? I\'d love to hear about it.

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This Week\'s Great Hotel Deals: See the Sights'); document.write('

\"Descanso

Your travel inspiration for this week: see some of the sights.

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Image courtesy The Pavilion Hotel, Catalina Island

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How to Complain at a Hotel (and Get Results)'); document.write('

\"Complain

Even in the best hotels, things go wrong. Stuff breaks, misunderstandings happen, bugs appear. Learning what to complain about, who to direct your complaints to, how to say it and what to expect will go a long way toward getting satisfaction. Learn how to complain at a hotel - and get results.

Image courtesy Getty Images/CR: Jim Arbogast

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A Workout You Can Do In Your Hotel Room'); document.write('

Nothing throws off a workout like travel. And when you\'re on the road all the time, it\'s tough to keep up any sort of workout routine. Many hotels have a fitness center, but you\'re often charged extra money to use it. (I stayed at one hotel recently where the fitness center charge was $30 per day, per person - yikes!)

Fortunately (or unfortunately, if you were looking for any excuse to skip the workout), there are easy exercise moves you can do in any hotel room. No extra equipment is required for this body weight workout. Grab a towel from the bathroom and get moving. As a bonus, you\'ll get your circulation kick-started, counteracting the effects of a long plane or car ride. You may even feel more energetic and relaxed when you finish.

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This Week\'s Great Hotel Deals: Golf & More'); document.write('

\"Sierra

Your travel inspiration for this week: the newest hotel package deals, including a round of golf and other outdoor activities.

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Image courtesy Sierra Star Golf Course

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Save Money During Shoulder Season'); document.write('

\"Kayaking

Room rates at on resort, even for the exact same room, go up and down dramatically through the year. When you are deciding on the timing of your vacation, knowing the best times to visit a destination can really stretch your travel budget farther. Peak season is when crowds and prices are at their highest. On the other hand, you don\'t necessary want to visit during the off-season, when attractions are closed and the weather is bad. It pays to know why shoulder season is a good value.


More Hotel Secrets:

Image copyright Charlyn Keating Chisholm, licensed to About.com

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