Hotel review: Hotel Mondial Lisbon

If you are looking for a charming hotel, the Hotel Mondial is not the place for you. This hotel is completely devoid of charm. However, if you are looking for comfort and a great location then this hotel fits the bill to a tee.


The lobby does not impress. It is small and given that this is a hotel used by tour groups, often very busy and crowded.  The staff can seem harried but once they get to know you they are very helpful and while not overly friendly, are efficient.

A major mistake made before we even arrived resulted in our being taxied to another hotel for the first night of our stay. As the hotel we were sent to was a five-star luxury hotel, it was no hardship and the Hotel Mondial paid for the taxi both ways. They were very nice to us and when we returned we were given a room even though it was too early to check in, we were also upgraded to a superior room. Superior is a bit of an overstatement given the compact size of the room.  

This large hotel has 350 rooms and the elevators are small. It can get congested. Breakfast is included in the rate and is served 7:30-10:30. It is a buffet and while not expansive has enough to fill you up. Some fresh fruit, cold cereal, ham, and cheese, scrambled and hard-boiled eggs. They have a very unique toaster but great bread. Small croissants, sweet rolls and of course coffee, tea and hot chocolate round out the breakfast offerings. The bacon is very undercooked for our tastes and there are also little sausages. We found the oranges to be the highlight of the food offered.


The rooms have very basic furnishings. Blond furniture, very firm mattresses, small pillows and nice fresh clean bedding are comfortable if charmless. A desk with a chair and also an additional chair, a large closet and a stand for the luggage complete the furnishings. You have a choice of twin beds or double bed. The TV is the old fashioned kind but worked and had a couple English speaking channels (CNN and BBC World).


The bathroom is all tile. One sink, 2 bathrobes, large deep tube and a bidet. The first day a fruit basket and a bottle of water were delivered. The room has a minibar and a safe for which you must buy the key at the desk, WiFi is available but not free. when we were there the rates were 18 Euros for 72 hours or 3.6 Euros for 1 hour. (this was a few years ago so no doubt the rates have changed)


You may have a view of the castle from your room or as we did a view of the plaza in front. You are located right around the corner from the Praca Rossio and with the location right below the castle, it doesn't get better than this.


The hotel has 2 restaurants and a bar. One restaurant is on the 8th floor and has views of the castle. You need a reservation to eat there and if you arrive without one your reception will be cold in the extreme. (we were pretty well snubbed when we tried it)


The hotel can and will arrange tours for you. They can have you picked up by one of the tour bus companies or arrange a private tour. We did both and private is so much better and actually surprisingly reasonably priced. We hired a driver for two days of travel and it was lots of fun. 

At the end of the day, our room is just to sleep in and the Hotel Mondial provides a well-located place to do that at a price that won't break the bank.


 

Hotel review: Country Inn and Suites Harrisonburg, VA.

Every year on our way to Florida, we stop in Harrisonburg, VA. I try to stay at a different hotel every time since it gives me something new to write about. This time, we didn't stay at exit 147 which is where we usually stay but rather went down to 143. The Country Inn and Suites is right off I81.

We had a standard king room. Nice big bed with a firm mattress and 4 pillows, wing chair in the corner, desk, and chair, fridge, microwave and coffee pot and TV with a good selection of channels.

The bathroom is spacious enough and has a tub with overhead shower.

We were delighted to find out that they had a hot tub and pool. We went into the pool at 4 p.m. when we arrived and we were the only ones there which made it possible for us to do our exercise. We then spent 15 minutes in the hot tub. It was very relaxing after a long days drive in the rain and fog.

In the evening I went down to the lobby to get a couple cups of tea and hot chocolate and I got Al a couple of the complimentary cookies. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate are available 24/7 in the lobby.

I used the high-speed internet which is provided free and it worked great.

Breakfast is served on weekends from 7 a.m. to 10:30.

This is a very nice hotel and I would not hesitate to stay here again. 

Hotel review: The Biltmore Providence, R.I.

Providence, Rhode Island, is a city that has numerous luxury hotels to offer the visitor. Only one of them is a member of Grand Heritage Hotels International and that is the Providence Biltmore. This Grand Dame has been serving the traveling public for more than 80 years and with their recent renovations has been restored to a very high standard of excellence.

Located in the heart of downtown Providence, the Biltmore is a perfect location for visiting most of the revitalized areas of this historic city. Providence Place Mall is a short walk as is RISDI, Providence Performing Arts Center, Dunkin Donuts Center and Trinity Repertory Theater.

Westminster Street offers eclectic shopping and there are over 25 restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. The Providence Convention Center is also easily accessible from the Biltmore.

If however, you don't want to leave the hotel, and once you see the grandeur of the lobby area you most likely won't want to leave, you can dine at McCormick and Schmick Seafood Restaurant who are located in the hotel. If you just want a cup of coffee or light refreshment then you can go to Starbucks also off the lobby. Room service is available from 6:30 a.m. to midnight.


The hotel now boasts 289 rooms and suites all with king or California king beds. The suites are huge with two king beds in one room and a sofa in the second room. Even the regular rooms are generous in size and have luxurious bedding and window treatments. The beds have sinfully opulent mattresses and you will be guaranteed an excellent night’s sleep. There are abundant pillows provided but if you need more don't hesitate to contact housekeeping who will be happy to provide anything you need to make your stay perfect. Bathroom size varies depending on the room type you choose, however, there is tile on the floor and walls, great pressure, a large mirror with good lighting, lots of amenities and a woman’s best friend a large soaking tub.







Additionally, all the rooms have a desk which is home to the coffee pot where you can make yourself some java. They don't offer Starbucks coffee in the room however they do provide another local favorite New England Coffee. Two real Biltmore mugs are available along with two bottles of spring water, on the house. Regular rooms have one TV in regular rooms and suites have two. They have an excellent selection of channels, over 60 are offered.


The entire building is WiFi so you will be able to bring along your laptop. If you didn't bring yours there is a business center in the lobby where you are free to use the computers and printers. The hotel has a fitness center but no swimming pool. They do however have a spa which is open daily from quite early to quite late for your convenience. They offer a full day spa experience.


If you are arriving in Providence by train the hotel is an easy walk from Union Station. If you are driving the hotel provides valet parking for $28 a day. If you are flying into T.F. Green Airport a shuttle can be provided for both pickups and drop-offs. The airport is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Rates for rooms at the hotel are moderate to expensive depending on the time of year and the day of the week.


If you are tired of cookie-cutter hotels and want to enjoy a hotel with historic ambiance, the Providence Biltmore is sure to become the place you choose to stay when you are visiting Providence. Since 2014 they have been affiliated with the Hilton Curio Collection.

Hotel review: Residence Inn Hazelton, PA

I have to admit, this Residence Inn has a great location just a minute or two off of I 81. It has been recently renovated and the lobby and rooms are stylish. Breakfast was a disappointment, however. Only half a bagel was left at 9 a.m. with breakfast going on until 10. Only one kind and one flavor of yogurt were offered. Still, since it is complimentary I guess I shouldn’t complain lol. 

I also don't like the fact that if you don't want fast food, you won't be able to get food at this exit. We knew this from a past visit and stopped at our usual exit where Damon's is located and had dinner before we got to the hotel. 

The staff was very friendly and we were warmly greeted when we arrived. The room was beautiful and we couldn't have asked for more. It has a large sectional sofa and a kitchen for cooking any food you might bring with you or purchase at the store in the lobby, 

We had a large comfortable bed with plenty of pillows. a desk and a bathroom with only a shower. There was a pool off of the lobby but we didn't use it. I was not impressed with the TV channel selection but it was adequate. We used points which got us a great deal here but if I had to pay the often very high price that they charge, I would probably opt to stay at the Fairfield Inn. 

Hotel Review: Courtyard Marriott Philadelphia, Penn.

When staying in one of the most historic cities in the United States you might also want to stay in a historic hotel. The Courtyard Marriott Philadelphia fills that requirement to a tee. This magnificently restored building was the former Annex to City Hall, which is just across the street. You know as soon as you walk in the door that history has been made in this hotel.

Originally built in 1926, it is an Art Deco gem with coffered ceilings, sparkling chandeliers, and shiny brass elevators. It is a tribute to the Marriott chain and the people of Philadelphia who did not let this wonderful building fall into decay after being abandoned for over ten years. With 18 stories and 498 rooms, it is one of the up and coming great hotels in Philadelphia. It has also earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places.



While the building is historic, the amenities are definitely 21st century. It also has that much sought after commodity- location! It is one block from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, convenient to the Avenue of the Arts and right around the corner from the Reading Terminal Market. Market Street is just outside the door. You can walk to much of the downtown and the historic district. If you do not want to walk, the Phlash has a stop very close by and taxies readily available.

The rooms are everything you would expect from a Courtyard. Luxuriously plush beds with great white bedding guarantee a good night's sleep. If you get chilly while you are working, there is a throw across the foot of the bed. A great desk, workstation, and high-speed Internet connection are included for the business traveler. A comfortable chair and great lighting complete your home away from home along with a TV.

The bathroom has the granite-topped vanity outside the door and is the home of the coffee maker. It is the new pod type so you brew one cup at a time.

While Courtyard Marriott has a reputation as a business-oriented hotel, this location has everything any family would want. A fitness center onsite and a swimming pool and hot tub are welcome after a long day. The restaurant has a simple enough menu that children will be appeased. The restaurant also offers room service.

If you did not bring your own computer there is a business center in the lobby as well as a small self-service store. Staff is very pleasant and check-in and checkout is a breeze. In the lobby, there were complimentary cold drinks available all day and in the sweltering summer heat, that is a welcome respite. Valet Parking is offered if you drive into the city, thought the more than $40 charge is a bit prohibitive.

This hotel has it all, a wonderfully historic building which has been beautifully restored, top notice service and amenities, reasonable prices and best of all location, location, location.

Great places to visit in the United States

When it comes to places to visit in the United States it is hard to come up with a limited list. From coast to coast, tourists can find pristine beaches, soaring mountains and sparkling lakes. No matter what you are looking for, an outdoor adventure, the shining lights of a city or touring 400 years of history, the U.S. has the perfect place for your visit. Here are five of the best tourist attractions the United States has to offer. These are just of few of my favorites. 

New York City

The Big Apple is the city that never sleeps and is number one on most tourist's list of top attractions when it comes to travel in the United States. It appeals to Americans and also to visitors from around the world. The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are landmarks recognized by people everywhere. Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and Wall Street are places that have worked their way into everyone's language. Time Square is the center of the American universe.

New York City will appeal to children, adults, and seniors; it is a city for everyone. Central Park offers a respite from the skyscrapers and brings a bit of the country mid-town with ice skating in the winter, roller skating in the summer and the zoo year-round, With some of the world's greatest museums and cuisine to tempt any palate, New York City will dazzle, amaze and entertain.

The Grand Canyon

At the other end of the spectrum, the Grand Canyon is all about wide open spaces where the only things you see when you look up are canyon walls and bright blue skies. When it comes to spectacular scenery, there is nowhere in the United States that can compare to the Grand Canyon. Whether you choose the South Rim or the North Rim, you will have views that are unsurpassed; it is hard to imagine that these colors actually exist in nature. It is even more beautiful than any picture you have ever seen. If you are visiting the north rim it is easy to combine the Canyon with a visit to Sin City, sort of a 2 for 1. You will even feel good about choosing to combine scenery with all the glitz of Las Vegas.

New Orleans, Louisiana

It isn't just about Mardi Gras in New Orleans. There isn't another city in the United States like it. The architecture, the jazz, the voodoo and the beignets are all guaranteed to make you fall in love. Walking or driving along the levees holding back the mighty Mississippi makes you realize what a precarious position this city survives in and that makes New Orleans all the more precious and unique. The historic parts of the city were almost untouched by Katrina but it is the rebuilding of this great city that is bringing many tourists back to Nawlins. Don't wait for Mardi Gras, this is a city that is at its best all year round.

Charlottesville, Virginia

While this city may not be on every tourist's radar, it should be. Three of our presidents found it charming enough to make it their home. The most famous former resident is Thomas Jefferson, who helped design the University of Virginia, which is also located in Charlottesville. He built his famous home Monticello here and today you can visit it as well as the homes of James Madison and James Monroe. Charlottesville has all the vibe of a college town and much, much more.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There is no city that is more representative of what the United States is all about than Philadelphia. Ben Franklin is probably one of the best known Americans to have ever lived and he is synonymous with the city of Brotherly Love. History, art, entertainment and plenty of outdoor activities guarantee that you can visit here every year and never get bored. Philadelphia has undergone a renaissance and it is the place to really feel the pulse of historic America.


These are just a few of the many outstanding attractions that the United States has to offer. You could spend a lifetime seeing everything this wonderful country has to show you. From east to west, north to south, there are attractions to appeal to every tourist from every country and of course if none of these appeals, there is always Orlando or Anaheim, where Disney has proven there is a child in all of us.