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Themed Hotel Rooms For Families
Family Travel

12 of the Most Amazing Hotel Rooms For Kids

There are hotel rooms, and then there are hotel experiences, the kinds that both grown-ups and kids dream about.
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There are hotel rooms, and then there are hotel experiences, the kinds that both grown-ups and kids dream about. Sometimes the hotel experience can be even more exciting than the destination. With that in mind, we're looking at a dozen hotel rooms truly designed with kids in mind. These themed hotel suites are nothing less than little slices of heaven for pint-size travelers and their grown-up chaperones. Case in point: the new Legoland Hotel that just opened in California. It features a full-blown pirate ship, bubble-blowing dragons, and three million Lego bricks! Sure, most of these hotels will cost you a pretty penny, but their ability to transport guests to fantasy worlds makes dreams come true. Click through for 12 of the most amazing hotel rooms for kids!

Kidsuites at the Holiday Inn Phuket Resort — Phuket Poseiden Under the Sea Suite — Fiji Treehouse Suite at Adventure Suites — North Conway, NH Hotel Tomo Player's Suite — San Francisco, CA Nickelodeon Suites — Orlando, FL Cinderella Castle Suite — Orlando, FL Mickey Mouse Penthouse — Anaheim, CA
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New Boutique Hotel 2012
Editor's Pick

12 Clever Design Ideas to Steal From This Mansion-Turned-Hotel

If you admire the innovative yet livable design sensibility of boutique hotels, but aren't sure how to adapt the aesthetic for your own home, look no further.
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If you admire the innovative yet livable design sensibility of boutique hotels, but aren't sure how to adapt the aesthetic for your own home, look no further. The new Macalister Mansion in Penang, Malaysia, is actually a historical colonial that has been reimagined as a hotel. Infusions of playful modernism elevate traditional spaces for conversing, dining, lounging, and sleeping. Keep reading to see the 12 wow-worthy design moments that we're dying to re-create.

Hanging Plants Bookshelf Art Mixed Seating White and Pastel Graphic Floors Invest in Stools That Double as Side Tables Black Shades
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Best Hotels For Kids and Families
Family Travel

7 Amazing Hotel Chains For Kids (and Their Parents!)

Traveling with kids can feel a bit like rolling the dice: what will the next turn bring?
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Traveling with kids can feel a bit like rolling the dice: what will the next turn bring? A room that somehow doesn't contain its promised crib? A 3 a.m. wake-up call from your partying neighbors? While we've detailed the most amazing hotels around, designed to impress everyone in your family with over-the-top extras, and some exciting themed hotel rooms that your kids will talk about for years to come, what about lodging for those trips when a hotel is just a necessity, not the destination? We have seven hotel chains that are always a safe bet when traveling with kids.

Offering everything from babysitting services and extra bedrooms just for little ones to kid-friendly room-service specials and check-in gifts, these chains have hundreds of locations all over the globe, all ready to make your family's travel experience a bit more like an actual vacation.

Four Seasons Kimpton Hotels Loews Hotels Embassy Suites Hyatt Omni Hotels & Resorts Westin Hotels
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How to Avoid Hotel and Flight Cancellation Fees
Travel

How to Avoid Cancellation Fees When Backing Out of a Trip

I'm sure many of you have had to deal with canceling trips in the past.
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I'm sure many of you have had to deal with canceling trips in the past. Perhaps you were a little too eager when planning a trip and rushed ahead to purchase tickets and nights at a hotel without giving it careful thought. Or maybe something came up, and you were no longer able to travel. It's definitely a bummer canceling your travel plans, not to mention a hassle and a waste of time and money. Canceling your trip doesn't always mean heavy cancellation fees. Here are a few ways to avoid paying those annoying penalties:

For plane tickets

  • Pick the right airline. Opt to pick airlines that have a more lenient change or cancellation policy. Southwest is your best bet, as the airline will let you change your flights without incurring fees.
  • Cancel within 24 hours. There's a new rule (that all airlines have to adhere to) that lets you get all of your money back if you cancel within 24 hours of your booking. The flight also needs to be at least seven days from the time of booking to qualify.
  • Get refundable fares. If there is a very high chance of your trip falling through, perhaps you should consider getting a refundable fare. Those will obviously be higher priced, but if the cancellation fee will cost more than the difference between a coach ticket and a refundable fare ticket, you might want to get the latter.

For hotel stays

  • Change the date of your hotel stay. I found this neat little tip on Lifehacker: postpone your arrival date by a few days so you won't get hit with a cancellation fee if you're planning on canceling in less than 24 hours. It's advisable to wait at least a day before canceling, rather than canceling it right away, to make it less obvious.
  • Talk directly to the hotel. Most of the time, talking to the hotels directly works a lot better than the official hotline of a hotel chain. I've gotten away with penalty-free cancellations, so just talk to the manager of the hotel and let them know your situation. Read my tips on how to talk your way into getting anything you want.

Remember, if you're canceling your trip because of work-related reasons, you can always try asking your employer to expense the cancellation fees on your behalf.

Source: Flickr User Atli Harðarson

Hotel Hacks
budget tips

7 Hotel Hacks You've Never Heard Of

There seems to be a spike in hotel dwellers in the areas hit by Hurricane Sandy.
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There seems to be a spike in hotel dwellers in the areas hit by Hurricane Sandy. It's hard to live out of a hotel room, but here are some tips that may make living conditions more bearable.

  • Make grilled cheese with an iron. If you're looking to heat up your cheese sandwich, wrap it in aluminum foil, the press an iron on top of it. Use the highest heat setting, then press each side for 30 seconds and check to see if the sandwich has been toasted.
  • Sterilize items with a microwave. Other than the obvious use for a microwave — heating up food or cooking — you can use the microwave to sterilize items like sponges, toothbrushes, dish clothes, and cutting boards. Remember to dampen them with water, lemon juice, or vinegar first before nuking. Also, don't microwave the items for more than a minute.
  • Use towels to humidify and cool the air. Hang a wet towel to dry in your hotel room, and you'll have an instant humidifier. Similarly, hang a wet towel in front of a fan, and you'll have an instant air-conditioning unit.
  • Cook with the coffeemaker. Opt for the microwave as your main method of cooking, but if your hotel room lacks one, try using your coffeemaker. You can use it to make ramen noodles, soft boiled eggs, oatmeal, instant rice, and more.
  • Towel-on-the-floor ironing board. Missing an ironing board? As an alternative, iron your clothes over a towel placed on the floor.
  • Use the shower rod to dry clothes. If you don't have a washer and dryer around, wash your clothes in the sink. Then hang them out to dry on the shower rods. If you prefer, you can hang the clothes on hangers before hooking them onto the rod.
  • Cover your food with a shower cap. The shower cap is a very versatile hotel amenity. Use the cap to cover a bowl of food before putting it in the fridge.
Design Hotels in the Mountains
hotels

Cozy Chic: Inspiring Mountain Retreats Around the World

If you're dreaming of a wintry mountain escape but don't have the time to sneak away, take inspiration from these stylish retreats on the world's most beautiful mountain ranges.
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If you're dreaming of a wintry mountain escape but don't have the time to sneak away, take inspiration from these stylish retreats on the world's most beautiful mountain ranges. From the Rockies to the Alps, these stunning locations offer the perfect cozy escape — plus breathtaking views and gorgeous, eye-catching design. Tour our favorite mountain retreats around the world for fresh, creative style ideas!

Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs Dunton Hot Springs
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Beautiful French Chateau Hotel Pictures
hotels

Princess Moment: Step Inside a Fairy-Tale-Worthy French Chateau

With medieval towers, swan lakes, and even a moat, Chateau de Canisy may as well be straight out of a storybook.
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With medieval towers, swan lakes, and even a moat, Chateau de Canisy may as well be straight out of a storybook. The (noble) family-run hotel — located on 700 sprawling acres in Normandy, France — includes 16 guest rooms, all outfitted in the finest antique decor. Guests can try clay-pigeon shooting, play some croquet, and go horseback riding for the true royal experience. Click through to see inside this gorgeous French castle!

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Bohemian Hotels in the US
interior design

Hip, Eclectic Hotels Across the US

Dreaming of a cool, bohemian escape?
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Dreaming of a cool, bohemian escape? Whether you'd like an artistic, offbeat experience or a more upscale boutique stay, we've rounded up some of the most stylish hotels across America. From coast to coast, from vintage to modern, these hip hotels are sure to satisfy your sense of wanderlust. Tour our favorite picks throughout the US!

Hotel Saint Cecilia Hotel Saint Cecilia Hotel Saint Cecilia Hotel Saint Cecilia Hotel Saint Cecilia The James Chicago The James Chicago
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Tips For Designing an Easy-to-Clean Home
Link Time

Link Time: Easy-to-Clean Home Design + a Dutch Farmhouse Hotel

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Ampersand Hotel London
Inspiration

The Ampersand Hotel's Museum-Quality Boutique Design

Opening on Aug. 29, London's Ampersand Hotel is on the top of our must-stay list.
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Opening on Aug. 29, London's Ampersand Hotel is on the top of our must-stay list. Located in South Kensington, the hotel takes its inspiration from the city's world-famous museum district and the iconic ampersand symbol. The hotel embraces Victorian values and traditions in all of its 111 boutique rooms and suites — but the execution is entirely modern, thanks to the keen eye of Dexter Moren Interiors, the firm behind the design. Believe it or not, the Ampersand Hotel's design has already been shortlisted for a design award — even before it's opened its doors!

With inspiration taken from botany, geometry, ornithology, music, and astronomy, the hotel's room designs reference everything from the V&A's costume collection to the musical notes of the Royal Albert Hall. While this hotel property was originally built in 1888, the complete redesign of its historic rooms and hallways truly transcend any one time or style. Take a tour of the soon-to-open boutique hotel, and then book a stay soon — rooms start at under $200, so this is a design destination where you can afford to linger.

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