Druids Glen Resort

We spent our last two nights in Ireland at Druids Glen. It's a little bit south of Dublin, and just a few minutes from the ocean.

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I must be spoiled after staying in castles the last time I was in Ireland, but this hotel seemed pretty boring from the outside too (I thought that at our first hotel, Heritage Golf & Spa).

The inside was another story though

The lobby was stunning

I loved this spiral staircase. I hope they have a tall tree in the middle at Christmastime!

Our room

Our bathroom

You can't tell in the pictures, but that brown wall paper had gold sparkles on it. It was really pretty!

One night we went down to the hotel bar for dessert. The dessert we had was called Eaton Mess, and it was sinfully delicious. Definitely something I would like to recreate at home. I loved this wood ceiling so much that I took a picture for (someday) when I build my own house.
 

We were really impressed with this hotel. It was immaculate, the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and they offered some unusual perks like free DVD check out. We took advantage of that after a long day of site seeing in Dublin!

The location of the hotel is perfect if you're spending time in Dublin. We drove a few minutes to Greystones, left our car at a free car park the hotel staff told us about, and took the train into Dublin. It was quick and easy. We would have liked to have a little bit more time in this area, but we wrapped up our trip with two nights at a wonderful hotel. Look it up if you're headed to the east coast of Ireland!

#DruidsGlenResort #Ireland

Muckross Park Hotel

We spent three nights at Muckross Park Hotel in County Kerry.

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The location of this hotel is perfect. The first time I went to Ireland, I missed out on a lot of things in the southwest corner of the island because none of the castles I stayed in were close enough to get there, so I was thrilled to have three nights here. We had time to do the Ring of Kerry and explore an area that was new to me. Muckross is a few minutes from the town of Killarney, right outside the Ring of Kerry, and right in the heart of the Killarney National Park, as their logo states. It was a beautiful area and we loved our time there.

The hotel staff were all friendly and very helpful. We spent some time with the concierge, and he helped us plan our time in that area. His suggestions were a little bit different than what I had thought we should do, but we decided to trust him and ended up having time for almost everything we wanted to see. Breakfast (included in our stay) was a pleasant surprise with a large buffet of cold items and an assortment of hot items from the kitchen.

Our only complaints were the spotty and slow wifi, and the noise level. Our room was directly above the hotel's pub, Molly Darcy's, and we could hear music until midnight. After the first night, we decided to just go down to the pub since we were going to hear the music anyway. We were there on St Patrick's Day, so I'm not sure if they have live music every night or if it was because of the holiday. If you like to go to bed early, I would recommend asking for a room farther from the pub. But I would also recommend going to the pub! They had good food, and we loved the live music.

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Muckross Park Hotel very much, and I would highly recommend it!

#MuckrossParkHotel #Ireland

Heritage Golf & Spa Resort

On this trip to Ireland, we stayed in three different hotels. We spent our first night about an hour southwest of Dublin in the Heritage Golf & Spa Resort.

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From the outside it didn't look like much...

...but walk through the front door and you see a pretty spectacular entry.

Our flight landed in Dublin at 3:30am, and by the time we got our rental car and drove to the hotel it was still really early, so we spent some time sleeping on these couches in the lobby until the front desk was open and we could check in. They were so nice and got our room cleaned up for us even though check in isn't usually until 3:00. We were tired after a red-eye flight, so that was very appreciated.

Our room

A few minutes after we got to our room, the TV suddenly turned itself on. Kind of creepy, right? On the screen was a welcome message that was personalized with my name (the reservation was in my name) and it was a nice touch, but also kind of strange.

Our bathroom

We were at this hotel for a very short time, but we enjoyed it. The people were very friendly and accommodating, and our room was spacious and very comfortable after a long night of traveling. We didn't eat much there, but we did order apple pie in our room and have afternoon tea in the lounge. The apple pie was different than we were used to - creamier with softer apples - but it was good, and we had fun at tea since it's not something we normally do. 

Overall our stay was great. This hotel is a bit of a drive from Dublin, but if you're looking for luxury that's a little bit out of the way but still close enough to lots of interesting sites, this could be a winner.

#HeritageGolfandSpa #Ireland

Aer Lingus

I've been to Ireland twice now and have flown on Aer Lingus both times.


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I love how the planes are painted!

It's hard to really be comfortable on a trans-Atlantic flight. They're just too long, and until I can afford an upgrade to first class, coach it is. Having said that, coach on Aer Lingus has been as comfortable as I could have expected. The seats recline as much as an economy seat can, and having your own screen to watch TV, movies, and the progress of the flight makes a big difference. I would like to see more options - one episode from season two of a show I've never watched isn't all that appealing - but overall, I'm just happy to have the screen. I take my own portable DVD player, but the battery doesn't last through a flight that long so I need other options.

The flight attendants on Aer Lingus have always been so welcoming and helpful. Having an all-Irish crew is fun too, especially flying there when hearing their accent adds to the excitement of visiting a new place. I have only booked flights on Aer Lingus as part of a vacation package so I'm not sure how their prices compare to other airlines, but I wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again if I go back to Ireland.

#AerLingus #Ireland

Great Value Vacations

Most of my travels are with my friend Rikki, but two years ago she wasn't able to go at the last minute because of complications with a pregnancy. We don't usually do repeats because there are way too many places to see in this world, but this year I decided to make an exception and go back to Ireland since she missed it last time. You can see all of my Ireland reviews by clicking on the Ireland category in the right column, and I have added an update to the Dan Dooley review since this trip.

We booked our trip through Great Value Vacations.

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I booked our trip online after seeing a good deal listed on the Travelzoo Top 20. It was quick and easy, and I really only dealt with a person at Great Value Vacations once when I had to call and add a collision damage waiver for our rental car. The woman I spoke to quickly helped me with what I needed and emailed me the updated vouchers I would need. The booking process, the customer service I received when I called, and the value of the trip itself were all wonderful. Great Value Vacations has vacation packages that can take you all over the world. Next time you're looking for a good deal, check them out!

#GreatValueVacations #Ireland

Rickshaw Tour of the Hutong - Beijing

I recently wrote some reviews of the services I used on my trip to China. You can see all of them by clicking on the China category over there on the right >>>

Today I wanted to write about an amazing experience we had there, and I'm hoping to mix posts like this in with my reviews. Traveling isn't just about booking your trip with the right travel agency or staying in the right hotel. It's about experiencing cultures, food, and people!

One of the activities that was included with our tour package was a rickshaw tour of the hutong. I don't know the name of the company we used since I didn't book it myself, but if you're interested in doing something similar (and you should!), just do an internet search for "rickshaw tour of hutong" and you'll be able to find it.

We rode through the streets in this rickshaw which was pulled by a man on a bike. The hutong is an older area of Beijing where the streets are less than nine steps across. With roads that narrow, transportation is either a bike or your feet.

We stopped at this woman's house, and she cooked us a traditional meal for lunch. It was delicious! She didn't speak English, but our guide translated for us. She was so sweet and funny, and it was such a fun afternoon.

You can see most of her home in this picture. She lives here with her husband and 15 year old son, and this room is the living room and her son's bedroom. To the right is the bedroom she shares with her husband. In the very front of the picture you can kind of see the edge of a doorway into the kitchen, and that is her entire home. She had set up these two tables to make room for us, but normally there would be a little bit more open space.

Standing at the front door looking out, this is the courtyard her family shares with several other families. In the hutong, a group of houses like this will have a single door coming in off the road, and each house faces the center courtyard. There is also a single bathroom that is shared by all the houses. There is a great sense of family among the people. Because of its location on the Dragon Line, a home here costs more than if they were to live in an apartment with a bathroom in other areas of the city.

One of my favorite things about traveling is seeing how other people live. I mentioned in my review of smarTours that having local guides who told us about their lives was fascinating to me, and this tour of the hutong added even more depth to our cultural exposure in China. With our guides, we heard stories about their lives and that was wonderful, but sitting in someone's home we got to see it as well. I left there feeling grateful for her generosity and amazed by a culture so different than my own.

If you're visiting Beijing and you're looking for a unique experience that is fun and educational and something you'll never do at home, I recommend this tour completely. It was unforgettable!

#rickshaw #hutong #Beijing

Luxor

A few months ago, I went to Las Vegas for a conference. I grew up there, and it was kind of fun to spend a few days there as a tourist! I stayed at the Luxor.

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My room

I loved the pyramid shaped soap in the bathroom!

Hotel lobby

Looking down at the mezzanine level from the 14th floor where my room was


I went to Vegas expecting everything I own to come back smelling like cigarette smoke, because that's what I remember from the few times I went into a casino as a kid. It's been about 15 years since I graduated from high school and moved away, and I guess in that time they figured out a more effective way of filtering the smoke. None of my stuff smelled bad at all, which was definitely a pleasant surprise.

My room was spacious and clean, and the bed was decent. My biggest complaint was the pillows. They were too thick and firm for me (I like to sleep on my stomach and need smaller pillows so my neck isn't bent backwards when I lay down). As a result, I did not sleep well there at all. I didn't ask for something different though, so I'm not sure if they would have had an alternative. Since I didn't give them a chance to help, I'll just say it wasn't my personal preference and leave it at that.

Complaint #2 is an odd one to me. I hated the shower, and this one wasn't just personal taste. The shower head sprayed the water out so hard that it hurt when it hit my skin, and there was no way to change it. It was also really low on the wall, and I had to bend my knees and lean backwards to get the top of my head wet. I'm 5'7", so it was very strange. Definitely something to think about if you're tall and/or interested in getting your whole body wet in the shower.

Other than that, I was happy at the Luxor. I specifically booked my room there because the conference was next door at Mandalay Bay which was sold out, so as far as location goes, it was good for my needs. If you're looking for luxury, this probably isn't the best choice, but if you want an inexpensive option close to the Vegas action, the Luxor could be something to consider. Check around though. There are always hotel deals to be found in Vegas!

#Luxor #LasVegas

Grand Oasis Cancun

A few years ago my family went to Cancun and stayed for a week at the Grand Oasis Cancun, an all-inclusive resort.

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This incredible resort was right on a beautiful beach and had every amenity we could have wanted.


The hotel lobby is stunning. It felt like walking into the rain forest.




A level below the lobby is a beautiful garden, as well as a spa and a business office. To this day, the massage I had at that spa was the best I've ever had. In the office, you can get help booking any activity you want. We took full advantage of this service and booked several amazing activities there. It couldn't have been easier!


We had a few rooms for all of our family, and this was mine. It wasn't the most luxurious room I've stayed in, but all we did was sleep there and it was just fine for that.


The tap water was gross, but the resort provided plenty of bottled water to drink, so showering in it was the only issue. The water had a weird smell too, but we never felt dirty or smelled bad after showering in it. I imagine it's Cancun, not this resort specifically, that has questionable water.


In this picture, you can see one of the resort pools, the ocean in the distance, and a little bit of the building we stayed in on the left. It was a perfect tropical paradise.


We loved the location of this resort. There is a bus stop nearby and we were able to get everywhere we needed to go with a short 2-3 minute walk to the bus. We ate all but one of our meals at the resort and were happy with all of them, but be careful if you're eating outside at dusk. We got eaten alive by mosquitoes! Take your own insect repellent. They sell it at the gift shop, but it's pricey. We also took advantage of some of the family-friendly evening entertainment, and it was fun and worthwhile. I've read some other reviews that were critical of the spring break feeling there, but we were there in November so that wasn't an issue for us. Something to consider if you're traveling in the spring and want to avoid spring break partying.

We really couldn't have been happier with our time at the Grand Oasis Cancun and the whole trip in general, and I would recommend it. We were not ready to come home!

#GrandOasisCancun #Cancun

Paramount Hotel

We spent a week at the Paramount Hotel in New York City.

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Our room

We booked our room using Priceline, so we weren't really sure what we were getting. We took a cab from the airport to the hotel, and the driver had no idea what hotel we were talking about which made us a little bit concerned. It took him awhile to find it, but once he did we realized it was actually in a really great location, just a couple of blocks from Times Square. 

We spent a lot of time in our room the first morning we were there because my suitcase had gotten lost and we were waiting for someone from the airport to deliver it, and I have to say that bed was the most uncomfortable bed I have ever slept on. It was rock hard, and I would wake up in the night sore and have to change positions. I really think I would have been better off sleeping on the floor.

We thought the painting above the bed was a little bit weird too. I don't mind the painting itself, but having a huge face above you when you're sleeping is kind of creepy.

I don't have a picture of the bathroom, but it was tiny. Definitely only one person in there at a time. That was fine for us, but something to consider depending on who you're traveling with. The room was small too, but adequate.

The location of this hotel was the best thing going for it, at least for us. It wasn't horrible and we got a good deal through Priceline, but after a full day of site seeing you want to fall into a comfortable bed, and we definitely didn't get that here.

#ParamountHotel #NewYorkCity #NYC

Holiday Inn Vista Shanghai

The second half of our China trip took us to Shanghai, and we stayed in the Holiday Inn Vista.

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Hotel lobby


Our room


Fish! I've never had a hotel provide pets :)


Elevator lobby that changed with the weather


This hotel wasn't just clean and comfortable, it was luxurious. From the moment you walk through the door you see special touches that put it a step above the average hotel. Definitely more than just a place to keep your luggage and crash at night. Along with the great service and quality accommodations you would expect, we were also pleasantly surprised at the assortment of food offered in the morning (and probably other meals too, but we only ate breakfast there). Hotel breakfasts can get a little bit boring after a few days, but with so many options here, we were never disappointed.

We were just as impressed with this hotel as we were in Beijing (see that review here). If you're looking for a fantastic experience in China at a great price, definitely check out smarTours. You won't be sorry!

#HolidayInnVista #Shanghai #China

Penta Hotel Beijing

We stayed at the Penta Hotel in Beijing

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Hotel lobby


Our room


We were very impressed with this hotel. The lobby is stunning, the employees were gracious and helpful, and our room was comfortable with all the amenities we could ask for. We had heard that you shouldn't drink the tap water in China, and our room included a pot to boil water. We opted for bottled water instead, but it was a nice inclusion. We had to pay for internet in their business center, but that was in 2011 so it's possible they have added wifi since then.

This reservation was booked as part of a vacation package, so we didn't deal with the staff much other than checking in and out, but they handled our large group of over 30 quickly and efficiently. Most spoke English, so we were able to ask questions and get any help we needed.

The location of the hotel, as far as we could tell, was great. Beijing is such a huge city that it's hard to know what the best location would be. We were near a variety of food options, and it never took long to get anywhere we wanted to go. For most of our activities, we were with our tour group and didn't have to figure out transportation ourselves, but the few times we ventured off on our own we were able to find a taxi easily and get where we wanted to go.

Definitely an option to consider if you're going to be in Beijing!

#PentaHotel #Beijing #China

Air China

We flew from San Francisco to Beijing on Air China.

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We were packed into a very old plane that had ash trays in the arm rests, no control of air flow, and seats so old that there was barely any padding left.

When everyone was on the plane and they had shut the door, we sat there for an hour at the gate while they were dealing with some kind of problem. We understand that things happen sometimes, but what bothered us about that hour was that they didn't say one word to us about what was going on. We weren't allowed to get out of our seats, so add that to a 12 hour flight and we were stuck in very uncomfortable seats for 13 hours with no idea what was going on. I was so ready to get off that plane!

So, Air China got us to China...but it was extremely uncomfortable, especially for such a long flight. If you have another option for getting there, I say take it.

#AirChina

smarTours

We booked a trip to China with smarTours, and I am very happy to write a review about them because we could not have been happier with the service we received and the trip itself.

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Everything from start to finish with this trip was wonderful. The booking process was quick and easy, every detail of the trip was smooth and seemless, and we were amazed by the low price. 

Our trip was 10 days in Beijing and Shanghai. We flew from San Francisco to Beijing and were met at the airport by representatives from smarTours who took us to our hotel. Our guide in Beijing was Michael and he was wonderful. He was so much fun, and we loved hearing stories about his life. One of the things I love most about traveling is seeing how other people live, so it was fun to have a local guide telling us about life in Beijing. 

The first night we were there we had the opportunity to book some optional activities with Michael, and we took advantage of everything that was offered. We thought the prices were reasonable, and we loved every tour and every activity.

Our guide in Shanghai was Lily, and even though she wasn't quite as fun or funny as Michael, she was knowledgable and interesting. We took advantage of every tour we could with her too.

smarTours specializes in tours of Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Europe, India & Nepal, the Mediterranean, and Latin America. They are great to work with, their tours are wonderfully fun and informative, their guides are fun and knowledgeable, and their prices are surprisingly low considering the quality and all that's included. I would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone!

#smarTours #China

Spirit Airlines

I flew from Denver to Ft Lauderdale, and then on to San Jose, Costa Rica on Spirit Airlines.

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Unfortunately, I don't have much to say about Spirit that's positive. They advertise low prices, but once you add in all of the extra charges, they aren't any cheaper than other airlines. You have to pay to reserve a seat, baggage fees (especially on international flights) are high and they charge for checked bags AND carry-ons (?), and there is nothing free on the flight. You even have to pay for water. To me, that is not cost effective. It's just plain annoying. 

Another downside to Spirit is the limited number of cities they fly through. I fly out of Salt Lake City, and since they don't come here, I had to fly to Denver on another airline and then take Spirit from there. On my way home I had two stops before Denver, and it made for a very long day. Definitely not worth the so-called reduced airfare.

I do have one positive thing to say. Spirit would rather delay a flight if they know a connecting flight is late than pay for someone to stay in a hotel, and because of that I made a connection that I otherwise would have missed. Still, not worth it. 

In the future, I choose to fly on an airline that doesn't charge for every little thing - even water - and doesn't expect me to clean the plane as I'm getting off or bother me throughout the flight about paying for their membership program.

#SpiritAirlines