Hotel Patrol

Ah yes, it says Motel, not Hotel – remember those? This is one of the reasons I love visiting Cape Cod. I feel like that little girl in the back of the car with my pillow while Mom and Dad drove someplace wonderful for vacation. That's the feel throughout the Cape – be prepared to be transported back to the 60's – in a good way!

Raise your hand if you love Las Vegas – wow, that many of you! Well, if you’re a Baby Boomer and you love Vegas, that means you’ve probably been there more than once and have seen the Strip change drastically over the years. So many new hotels, bright lights and modern amenities, it literally makes your head spin. What if I told you there still exists a remnant of “old school’ Vegas and the rooms are super affordable? Does the name Bugsy Siegel ring a bell? He was once the owner of this iconic hotel and casino and I’m talking about the El Cortez.

What do Doris Day, Betty Grable, Jack Benny, John Wayne and Spencer Tracy all have in common? They have all been guests at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico. 

I think anyone that has been in business for over 30 years and is involved in travel deserves to be checked out. I ran across the Evergreen Club (for people over 50) and found it to be a bit unusual, so it caught my eye and I decided to speak to the owner. It turns out Linda's mother started the company 30 years ago and she is now the keeper of the flame.

It's actually a take on the idea of a Bed and Breakfast, but it has a twist. This is a people to people set up in a person's spare guest room that also includes breakfast. I know – a bit quirky, but cool at the same time.

Crooked streets, giant hills, great bridges and cable cars – where else but San Francisco, where many have lost their hearts. The City by the Bay offers such a variety of sights, sounds and flavors that you must make multiple trips.

Sunday evening of June 9, 2023 we rolled into Niagara Falls, Ontario and made our way to our base station for the next two nights, the Niagara Falls Fallsview Best Western. The hotel had been recommended to us by a friend at the dog park in Louisville, who told us how dog friendly the hotel was. They didn’t overstate it. While writing this article, I saw a site that lists the top 12 pet friendly hotels in the world and the Fallsview Best Western was on the list.

Quick – when I say beach and lake resort, what's the first place that comes to mind? If you said Iowa, frankly, I'd be shocked, but for this review, you would be correct!

Another pet friendly property that was brought to Susie’s attention is the Five Pine Lodge & Spa in Sisters, Oregon. Five Pine is also a Conference Center with room for varying sized meetings.

Remember the 60’s? Well, of course you do – you’re a Baby Boomer! Do you recall going on vacation with your parents to Florida and staying in a motel? I know I have fond memories of those trips and that’s why I was happy to stumble across this hidden gem in Clearwater Beach. Say ooh la la to Frenchy’s Oasis Motel. This is a trip back in time in the nicest way possible. “Frenchy,” a Quebec native moved to Clearwater a few years out of high school and worked many jobs. Over the years, he created four restaurants, all of which, 30 years later, are still going strong. That shows me he must be doing something right, so in 2010 when he purchased and remodeled a motel, you knew it was going to be special.

Toronto is an amazing, exciting, cosmopolitan city and for those of you that are lovers of art, I suggest you spend at least a couple of nights at the Gladstone Hotel in the Queen Street West area. It is a boutique hotel with 37 rooms, all designed by local artists - each one is designed by a different artist. The rooms tend to be on the small side and they vary in size, but they come equipped with free WiFi, flat screen TV, Samsung Galaxy tablets for free internet surfing and all natural Canadian bath products.

O.K. all you Boomers – here's your chance to leave a mark on the world. This is not exactly about a hotel, but it is about staying somewhere in the world that can use your help. There is a wonderful organization called Global Volunteers based in Minnesota and Boomers played a significant role in developing partnerships worldwide for this organization in its early days.

They engage short-term volunteers for long-term projects “to create, nurture and sustain the well-being of the world's children.” Have I struck a chord?

For many years, I took groups of people on charter flights to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. Oh, those were the days - unfortunately, the charter flights stopped, economies took a hit, 2 hurricanes came through, and the number of tourists dropped. The good news is that things are looking up and people are returning to visit this friendly and fun island. There are some changes from my trips from the past and now most of the activity centers around Lucaya where the magnificent Grand Lucayan Hotel sits overlooking the turquoise waters of the ocean. You have a choice of 3 types of views – the Marina, The Island and the Ocean – obviously, the price goes up for an ocean view, but it is so breathtaking, you may want to spend the extra cash.

Let’s go to Boston, one of the oldest U.S. cities, founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England. So, where should we stay, you ask. Since I’m always on the hunt for the not so ordinary, how about floating out in Boston Harbor? Boston Harbor has special meaning to me because I came to the United States with my parents on a ship and we landed right in Boston Harbor, so this was our first stop in the United States. It’s only fitting I find a place on the water to enjoy this lovely city.

If you believe in fairy tale locales, then you won't be disappointed in Bermuda. Everything here is so pristine and lovely, it will take your breath away. I stayed at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, which is close to the airport and St. George – I really loved the location. Because the entire island is only 21 square miles, you are never really far from anything.

If you haven’t paid a visit to Savannah, I highly recommend you put it on your list this year. History, architecture and charm abound in this city and to really get the ambiance, I suggest you stay at the Hamilton-Turner Inn.

If you've stayed in enough hotels over the years, you pick up a few clues along the way. 

Situated facing the pristine white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, sits one of my favorite hotels stateside, the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa. I try to get there every chance I get and sadly, that's just not often enough!

Here’s a trivia question for you. What is the name and location of the last remaining hotel built and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright?

If you guessed the Historic Park Inn in Mason City, Iowa, you are correct! It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was opened to the public in 1910. The entire history of this hotel can be found on their website which is listed at the end of this article. It has recently undergone a $20 million renovation and is definitely worth making the trip to Iowa.

Liz sends her holiday greetings from the Hotel Patrol.

On Saturday, June 8, 2013, we arrived at the hotel at 3:45 in the afternoon. We selected the location south of Montreal because the rates are less outside of the city and the hotel was listed as pet friendly. At this property there was no additional charge for Susie. 

The Homewood Suites by Hilton in Beaumont, Texas is one of the best properties in the area, if not the best. We found it as a home away from home. The hotel was both handicapped and pet friendly and the staff made us feel very welcome.

What do you know about Delaware? Here are three facts for you:
# 1 - Delaware was the first State to ratify the Constitution.
# 2 – It is the second smallest State.
# 3 – The city of Lewes, Delaware was founded in 1631 and is home to the really cool Hotel Blue!

Central America has much to offer and one of the beautiful countries to visit there is Guatemala. It is rich in Mayan culture and history, so there is plenty to explore and experience. Let’s start our journey to this country around Lake Atitlan. This 1,000 foot deep lake is surrounded by three volcanoes, Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro. Located about 90 miles from Guatemala City, you will find a boutique hotel suited to Boomer couples called Hotel Casa Palapo. There are only about 7 rooms plus a private villa, so if you plan on visiting, think well in advance.

If you love to travel, chances are you have been to Amsterdam, the city of canals, windmills, museums and friendly people. I never tire of taking a Canal Boat sightseeing tour when I visit because it seems I spy something unique each time I go.