Category Archives: Hotels and Other Lodging

Description of hotels, bed & breakfasts or any other type of lodging

Bed Bug Frenzy

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I’m getting ready to take a trip and stay in two different hotels. Bed bugs won’t stop skittering through my mind. What’s a traveler to do?

 

Did you know there is a Bed Bug Registry? Yes, the little critters sign up for the cool gifts they want for wedding presents. Not really. It lists places where bed bugs have been reported. One of my hotels has a clean bill of health while the other one’s history is a bit murkier.

So, what can I do to make sure my hotel room isn’t infested?

WebMD.com, my go-to health advice site, says bed bugs are more of a nuisance than a health hazard, but you still don’t want them around. They do like to take up residence in beds, but they can also be found in picture frames, headboards, upholstered furniture, and baseboards.

The good news is most hotels are not invested and you don’t have anything to worry about. To make sure:

  • Place your suitcase off the ground on the luggage holder provided
  • Leave it zipped unless you are taking an item out or putting one back in
  • Pull back the blankets, sheets and mattress pad, looking for dark spots (bug feces) and if you find something, ask for a new room – if it’s dark, use a flashlight
  • Look for blood spots or live insects in the seams, cracks, and crevices of the mattress, box spring, and other furniture
  • Upon returning home, keep your luggage in an isolated area and wash all your clothes in hot water and a use a hot dryer to avoid bringing the bugs into your home

 

Here’s an article written by Doug Brown of the Denver Post, which goes into the bed bug problem in depth – http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2011790456_trbedbugs09.html

Hopefully, we’ll all sleep tight now and not wake up to any kind of bites.

The Woodmark Hotel: Very Dog-Friendly and Inviting

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Woody is the Director of Complaints at the Woodmark Hotel

Woody, the Labradoodle, has his own private office at the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland, but prefers to spend most of his time mingling with the guests, human and four-legged.

Located on the shores of Lake Washington at Yarrow Bay, the Woodmark welcomes dog guests and provides them with a bed, water bowl and a treat. You won’t be charged a fee for your pet, either. That truly is the purest in dog-friendliness.

As the warmer weather approaches, Woody hosts a Yappier Hour on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Beach Café’s outdoor seating area. Dog treats abound. For those of us who eat with a knife and fork, the Beach Café focuses on Northwest cuisine in a casual and friendly atmosphere. The menu includes burgers, steaks, salads, seafood, chicken and more.

Hotel Lobby

For a more fine dining experience, Bin on the Lake serves local and seasonal delicacies, small and large plates, and 80 different wines by the glass.

Guestrooms and suites contain all the extras. Luxury bedding with down pillows and cashmere throws grace the beds. Complimentary high speed Internet access, a 32” LCD Flat Panel TV with surround sound and a computer docking station make it easy for those who need to stay connected. Soaking tubs and a rainwater shower along with a selection of bath amenities allow for self pampering. If you’re not inclined to use the make-your-own Martini Bar, call the desk and someone will do it for you.

Hungry late at night? You have complimentary “Raid the Pantry” privileges, from 11 p.m. – 1 a.m., to snacks that include sandwiches, soups, chips, desserts and juices.

Hotel guests can go cruising on the Woodmark II, a 28-foot Chris-Craft. The tour takes you through Yarrow Bay, to the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, by the University of Washington and in front of elegant homes on Lake Washington. One of those homes is owned by Bill Gates.

The Tacoma Waterfront Beckons

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Tacoma waterfront from Ruston Way

Yesterday we got a break from the grayness and a tiny taste of spring. Boy was it ever yummy – kind of like a big dollop of plain hot fudge or a juicy Dungeness crab leg. We grabbed the chance to take advantage of the sun shining down on us Tacomans and walked the waterfront along Ruston Way. Mother Nature made a mighty beautiful landscape there and others have helped it along with parks, sidewalks, restaurants and a hotel.

The Silver Cloud Inn, the hotel at one end of the popular walk, offers 90 waterfront rooms. Talk about a perfect place for a Staycation. Rooms come with breakfast, high-speed internet and complimentary parking. No more than three miles from most of Tacoma’s attractions, the Inn is definitely centrally located. But you wouldn’t have to leave the waterfront if you didn’t want to.

Silver Cloud Inn

If you’re not able to spend the night on the waterfront, at least eat. Restaurants about along Ruston Way and there’s not a bad one in the bunch. The Lobster Shop, Duke’s, Katy Downs, The Ram, Shenanigan’s and Harbor Lights all serve lunch or dinner or both.

If you’re walking along the waterfront with a dog or two, you’ll fit right in. Joggers, roller bladders and bicyclists also share the path with pedestrians.

The weather didn’t last, but the sunlit waters of yesterday still shine vividly in my memory. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait long for another sunny day and a walk along the shore of Commencement Bay.

C.I. Shenanigans on Ruston Way.

Award-Winning Hotel in Unlikely Place

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Guest room at Cedarbrook Lodge, courtesy Richmond Public Relations.

If you were dropped onto the property by helicopter, you wouldn’t know it was only five minutes from the bustling SeaTac Airport. Nestled in a woodsy setting (18 acres of restored wetlands), Cedarbrook Lodge offers guests serenity and luxury at an affordable price. They also get top-of-the-line amenities like terry-lined spa robes, soaking tubs, contemporary art work and a spacious, modern lobby. Plus it’s dog-friendly.

Canine guests receive a welcome amenity that includes a bed, bed sheet, food bowl and a tasty treat. For Fido’s other dining needs, he can order off the “Puppy Pantry” menu and have it delivered to the room.

TripAdvisor readers have found this gem because they gave it four top ratings in the 2011 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Cedarbrook was rated No. 1 Hotel in the United States, No. 2 Bargain Hotel in the U.S., No. 6 Best Service in the U.S. and No. 17 Hotel in the World.

Outdoor seating at Cedarbrook Lodge, courtesy Richmond Public Relations.

That’s not too shabby considering these awards come from real people who really travel, not paid PR people.

One guest from Idaho said, “Cedarbrook is one of those places that is so wonderfully unexpected you can hardly wait to return.”

A favorite amenity of mine is their 24-hour grab ‘n’ go snacks. You can go down the hall anytime of the day or night and grab some malt balls or Haagen-Dazs to cure the munchies. No getting in the car and driving to a convenience store.

Let’s not forget the Copperleaf Restaurant where Executive Chef Mark Bodinet prepares farm-to-table local and regional treats. Bodinet spent five years working at the French Laundry Restaurant in Napa Valley.

Unbelievable that this is just around the corner from the airport, courtesy of Richmond Public Relations.

If you’re not into quiet and relaxing there’s plenty to do just around the corner including shopping at Southcenter Mall.

This just in:  (And you don’t have to wait until the 11 o’clock news to find out what it is.) Copperleaf, a 30-seat quintessentially Northwest restaurant at Cedarbrook Lodge in Seattle, has been recognized as one of the 2011 Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. by Gayot for its farm-to-table cuisine and commitment to locally sourced ingredients.

More Top Travel Trends for 2011: The Washington State Version

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More of Thomas Stanley’s predictions and the Washington State destination that matches.

Train display at Freighthouse Square made completely out of Legos

  • Ride the Rails:  We have train travel covered here – from short 45-minute excursions to crossing the country on Amtrak – it’s all available for travelers in Washington State. My favorite short rides include a stop at the train museum and a jaunt from Snoqualmie to North Bend (www.trainmuseum.org) and the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (www.mrsr.com) that departs from Mineral.

 

Longer excursions are available on Amtrak (Amtrak.com) going north/south or east/west. But the best news of all is Amtrak opened a new stop at the Icicle Station in the Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth last year. Daily service is now available.

  • Experiential Family Travel:  A simple definition of experiential travel says it is travel we live through, instead of look at. That can mean dining where the locals eat like Downrigger’s in Friday Harbor (www.downriggerssanjuan.com) or drinking coffee at Undertown in Port Townsend. Staying at a Bed and Breakfast also qualifies. States Inn and Ranch (www.statesinn.com), also in Friday Harbor, ranks as one of my all time favorites. The locally cooked breakfast from scratch was so delectable, I couldn’t eat regular food for a week afterwards.

Hurricane Ridge, courtesy of the Olympic Peninsula Visitors Bureau

If you want an all-inclusive experience, try hiring a Native American Guide to tour the Olympic Peninsula (www.nativeamericanfootprints.com). Highlights of these tours include dining on salmon cooked the Indian way, which is by far the most delicious way of cooking salmon, speaking with the elders of the tribe and hearing their stories, making your own hand drum and much more. This tour has now taken a spot on my Bucket List.

  • Bucket List:  Just a few suggestions here – The Space Needle, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, snowshoeing, winery touring and The Museum of Flight.

 

  • Top Picks for 2011:  These are my choices. Whether they turn out to be trends or not, you can’t miss with visits to the San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, Lake Chelan or taking the North Cascades Scenic Drive.

Val Mallinson, Author of Dog Lover’s Companion Books

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Cooper and Isis told Val Mallinson what to put in her books

Today we welcome the premier Northwest dog writer, Val Mallinson, to the blog. If it’s in Washington, Oregon or parts of British Columbia and you can take your dog there, she knows about it. Her books are very handy guides for discovering new and different places to take your furry friends.

How many dogs do you have, what are their names and breeds?

Val:  I have two smooth coat, miniature dachshunds, Cooper and Isis. Both are rescues and collectively known as “The Wonder Wieners.” But, I like to tell people I wrote the book from the perspective of a large, sloppy chocolate Lab, which I’m convinced I was in a former life.

How many Dog Lover Companion books have you written?

Val:  There are three: The Dog Lover’s Companion to the Pacific Northwest, which covers Washington and Oregon from the mountains to the coast and a little bit of British Columbia; The Dog Lover’s Companion to Seattle, which extends from Everett to Olympia and the islands to Issaquah; and The Dog Lover’s Companion to Oregon, which covers, um, Oregon.

The books are so thorough. How long does it take you to write one?

Val:  The first book took two years, full time and then some, from contract to cover. The latest edition, updated in 2009, took about nine months, like a birth – sometimes as uncomfortable as a pregnancy, almost as rewarding.

Do you actually visit all the places you talk about in the book?

Val:  Yes, M’am. Our collective 10 legs, six eyes, and three bodies (sometimes four bodies, if the husband came) have visited every single spot we wrote about.

In Washington State, what are your favorite places to take dogs?

Val:  Our favorite place is always the most recent one we’ve visited! One thing I like about the books is that there’s a “Pick of the Litter” at the beginning of each chapter, giving you the highlights of each region. If forced to choose, I’d have to start with water: Whidbey Island. The dog parks and beaches are great (Double Bluff Beach!!!), the people are so friendly, the picnic food is superb, and it’s so close to Seattle, yet seems a world apart. Second on the list would be mountains: Bellingham/Mt. Baker. Cooper loves a good hike in the woods or around Lake Whatcom on the Hertz Trail. Old Fairhaven has charm, delicious food and great shops and you can take well-behaved pets into most of the boutiques along the four blocks. Finally, Lake Chelan has really captured our interest lately, for the water, mountains, sunny blue skies and (slurp) up-and-coming wine scene. Page 357 of The Dog Lover’s Companion to the Pacific Northwest (TDLCPN) lists seven fabulous wineries where pets are welcome to hang out with you on patios while you wine and dine.

Which lodging facilities in Washington are the most accommodating to dogs?

Val:  Some wonderful spots go out of their way to be as friendly as a Golden Retriever. To name a few, Willows Lodge in Woodinville is the tops; they even have a dog greeter in the lobby. In Seattle, the W Hotel puts the “W” in tail-wagging; they often host Mutt Mixer parties along with CityDog Magazine, and they have a pet package at check-in.

For upscale hotels, try Starwood Hotels . I tell you what, on the cheap, you can’t beat Motel 6—they are reliably dog-friendly, conveniently located, and their website lists all the locations that have recently been updated and overhauled to look quite nice.

What is Washington’s best-kept dog-secret?

Val:  If I told you, I’d have to ki—no wait, different job. Okay, if I’m a dog, I’m going to recommend the ends of the earth at Cape Disappointment State Park on Long Beach Peninsula. The beaches are endless, the hikes are wooded, you often have the place to yourself, and the food and lodging are constantly improving. Hint: Try the Inn at Discovery Coast. Or Guemes Island, page 48 in TDLCPN, but you really have to want to get away from it all.

Visit Fort Worden for a Host of Fun

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An appetizer courtesy of Bon Appetit

Fort Worden, in Port Townsend, along with Fort Flagler and Fort Casey on Whidbey Island, once guarded the nautical entrance to Puget Sound. Established in the late 1890s, these posts became the first line of defense designed to prevent a hostile fleet from reaching targets like Bremerton and Seattle. As an aside, I remember my dad talking about Fort Worden where he was stationed for awhile during WWII.

But these forts were never challenged and Fort Worden closed down in 1953. Eventually all three became state parks. The dedication for Fort Worden State Park took place in 1973.

Fort Worden, a 434-acre state park has 80 campsites, 60 picnic sites and holds a place on the list of State and National Register of Historic Places. The old barracks now serve as dorms and the hospital offers meeting space.

Besides offering public recreation, conference facilities, performing arts venues, vacation housing and historic and educational interpretive programs, it’s a darn cool place to visit.

The old Guardhouse has become a Gift Shop and Information Center filled with mementos like shirts, caps, coffee mugs, key chains, magnets, tasteful lighthouse gifts and of course, friendly volunteers. All proceeds from the gift shop go to improve the Park.

If you’re coming to the Fort for a conference or taking a class through Centrum, opt for the meals at Fort Worden Commons. Besides being a bargain at $34 for three meals, you’ll have numerous choices and from the sampling I tasted, the food is off the charts. You can thank Bon Appétit and Chef Jay Payne for the quality and freshness of the food.

Touch tank at Marine Science Center

Visitors can begin at the Guardhouse Gift Shop and navigate a walking trail with interpretive signs through the Fort’s history, which includes bunkers, tunnels and gun emplacements. Kids love to take flashlights inside the bunkers and tunnels and play.

On the beach, you won’t want to miss the Port Townsend Marine Science Center with its large touch tanks and creative geologic history and coastal wildlife displays. You can get up close and personal with a live octopus and an endangered pinto abalone. Hydrophones allow you to hear the sounds Orca Whales emit underwater. The Marine Science Center offers bird migration cruises, summer science camps for kids, nature walks, public programs and lectures. To check for days and times for events, visit www.ptmsc.org.

Alexander's Castle is a one-bedroom vacation rental and the oldest buiding at Fort Worden

You can rent the Officer Row homes for your vacation or even as a place to have Thanksgiving dinner if your family is large. Two of the units have been designated pet-friendly. www.fortworden.org

Enjoy your visit.

Tacoma’s Luscious and Laid-back Hotel Murano

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Courtesy Hotel Murano, Dante Vases

You’ll notice the glass art Hotel Murano is named for first. Then the luxurious and spacious lobby with a coffee bar that morphs into a cocktail bar in the evening.

Murano, a tiny island situated near Venice, became famous as the glass center where the technique of blowing glass was perfected. Tessa Papas, art curator and an art consultant, helped choose the name of the hotel as well as select the more than $2 million worth of glass art that graces every floor of Hotel Murano. So when the elevator opens, a display case filled with the work of the featured artist for that floor appears.

“I wanted to dedicate each floor to one artist,” says Papas. The public areas feature multiple artists.”

At the hotel entrance, you’re welcomed with a 104-foot glass masterpiece titled “Orizon,” which was created by Costas Varotsos of Greece. Other artists represented throughout the hotel include Dale Chihuly, William Morris, Miriam Di Fiore, Steve Klein, Tobias Mohl, Jessica Townsend and Toots Zynsky. Glass aficionados will want to see all the art and probably take a trip to the nearby Museum of Glass, also.

Exterior of Hotel Murano in Tacoma, courtesy of Hotel Murano

In order to fully enjoy the artistic offerings, spending at night or two at the hotel will give you that opportunity. Guest room amenity’s include IPod docking stations, spiritual menus, a menu of pillow choices in addition to beds with pillow-top mattresses, valet parking, concierge services and 24-hour room service.

Bite restaurant serves delectable Northwest cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’ve never experienced a bad dish here from the Barcelona omelet for breakfast filled with chorizo and olives to the appetizers served on Thursday evenings. I do need to return and try the bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme donuts.

Savi Day Spa, onsite at the Murano has been voted best day spa by King 5 Evening Magazine viewers two years in a row. Their services include massage therapy, body treatments, foot and hand therapies and waxing.

Designated sixth best hotel in the country by Condé Nast in 2009, Hotel Murano, a Provenance property, is located in downtown Tacoma, close to the museum district, the theatre district, boutique and antique shopping and near the Convention Center.

Did I mention they are also dog-friendly? Their amenities include the right-size pet bed, food and water bowls, treats, a new toy and disposable bags for you-know-what.

Port Townsend for a Day or Three

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An artisan latte from Undertown Coffee & Wine Bar

On a recent trip, Christina Pivarnik, the marketing director for the City of Port Townsend, showed three of us travel writers around and uncovered places I didn’t even know existed. Even though I’ve spent my entire life in Washington State, until recently I’ve not spent much time in Port Townsend. And it seems like every time I go there I find something new. It’s like uncovering treasures in your own backyard.

Secret Port Townsend

I seriously doubt that I would have ever found the Undertown Coffee & Wine Bar on my own. It’s, well, underground. When you discover the stairs to this coffee shop on Water Street, you’ll see the sign for it.

We walked through a tunnel underneath the street and sidewalk. Then you go through a tunnel until you find the door and while you’re enjoying the Stumptown Coffee they serve, you’ll forget that you’re below street level. The fresh pastries, baked on site in a small convection oven by the lady with a bow in here hair, are to die for.

The Clam Cannery lodging facility remains unmarked and inconspicuous when you drive by, but take a look at the rooms on their web site, www.clamcannery.com. Each suite offers an unobstructed view of Port Townsend Bay and they are pet-friendly. This is definitely a place I want to see from the inside.

Dining

I highly recommend T’s Restaurant, located on the waterfront. Tim, the chef, has worked at Spago’s and trained with Wolfgang Puck. T’s has been designated as a stop on the Olympic Culinary Loop.

Menu items include local Manila clams, a cheese plate featuring Mt. Townsend cheeses, fresh sea scallops, Black Angus Flat Iron Steak and my personal favorite, Ginger & Scallion Crusted Cape Cleare Wild King Salmon with artichoke hearts, roasted fennel and edamame succotash, garnished with a pomegranate port gastrique. My compliments to the chef.

Actually the food scene here gets rave reviews so the town prints a “Menu Guide” every year which you can pick up at the Visitor’s Center, 2437 East Sims Way or you can get the basics at www.ptguide.com/restaurants-and-dining.

My grandson recommends the crab shooters in Sambuca cream at Silverwater Café, 237 Taylor Street. For Italian fare, the locals like Lanza’s Ristorante, 1020 Lawrence Street.

For walking off some of those calories, request a room on the third floor of the Bishop Victoria Hotel – you’ll negotiate 44 fairly steep stairs getting to your room. An elevator is not an option. But the room décor as well as the common areas brings back the authentic Victorian era. The Bishop also allows dogs, gives you towels for them and has a stash of treats behind the desk.

For more information, visit:  www.ptguide.com or www.enjoypt.com.

Captain Whidbey Inn Delivers on Its Promises

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The lagoon where many weddings take place at the Captain Whidbey Inn on Whidbey Island

The brochure calls this inn “rustic sophistication.” After finally getting the opportunity to spend a night at the Captain Whidbey, I call it a “haven in paradise.” Lush grounds, a cozy cottage, no TV and nature’s beauty all around make this Penn Cove lodging one-of- a-kind.

More than 100 years ago, in 1907, Judge Still and his men cut and placed the first timber and laid the stone for the inn. When the Captain Whidbey (then it was called the Whidbey Island Inn) was first built, guests arrived by boat. Nearby, the town of Coupeville became a place for sea captains to settle.

Over the years the inn changed to a general store, a post office and a girls’ school, but it always returned to being a respite for travelers.

Accommodations include suites like the Captain’s Suite inside the Historic Inn that boasts a four-poster feather bed, a lagoon room with a balcony, private bath and view of the lagoon or a cabin with a deck, working fireplace and hot tub access. The lagoon rooms and cabins all have private baths.

The inviting lobby of the Captain Whidbey Inn.

 

The lobby invites you to make yourself at home – with the fireplace, a luscious view, a computer just in case you need to check your e-mail and comfortable places to lounge, read or just savor your down time. I even welcomed the rain as it added a kind of cloak of protection around the area that blocked out the stress of city life.

The chef takes advantage of locally grown foods including produce, seafood and meat for the entrees he creates for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m., Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner on Thursdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Penn Cove Mussels, oysters, Sockeye Salmon, Dungeness Crab, pork chops, lamb and beef tenderloin are just some of the fare served in The Dining Room. Captain Still’s Tavern offers lighter fare like burgers, hummus and a cheese plate plus scrumptious sounding desserts like chocolate silk tart and blackberry crème brulee.

How I’d love to attend a Whidbey Island Writers’ Workshop here and take advantage of this place to engage in relaxed creativity. It has all the elements to foster productivity, originality and some really awesome writing.

For more information, visit www.captainwhidbey.com.