Celebrity Cruise Lines – Mercury – Alaskan Cruise
On August 31, 2008 we set sail for Alaska aboard the Celebrity Cruise Lines. Our Ship was the Mercury.
This was our first cruise and I can tell you it will not be out last. The trip was fantastic and a total woman’s trip. No cooking, no cleaning all you worry about is what to wear. The food was so very good and I was so very impressed with it all. The sit down dinner at 6 and 9 pm was a five course which would rival any upscale Vancouver Restaurant. The service in the rooms was so prompt it was down right scary. We left in the morning for breakfast and when we returned a half hour later the room was spotless. I would Highly recommend this cruise line to anyone going on the first time cruise.
The Westin Edmonton – Edmonton – Alberta – Canada
Located downtown at 10135 100th Street, the Westin quickly displays itself as a convention hotel.
The greeting by the bellhop was fast and courteous. We declined Valet parking because I am not yet ready to let some stranger drive and park my MDX. We also declined help with our luggage as we were traveling light.
The underground parking was on the hot side and a little small. We were told that if we left our parking spot to go out, that we likely would not find one again….that would be a waste of $26. Fortunately we were not planning on going anywhere.
The main lobby was under construction and one elevator was out of order. The flooring was down to the cement and walls of tarps covered the north wall.
The convention rooms were busy as was the hotel. The wait for the working elevators was frustrating. When you did finally get an elevator they were packed with partying conventioneers in costumes.
The room was spacious an pretty clean. The fridge was not and smelled of spoiled food. My wife has pet allergies and this is a pet friendly hotel. When we told them this at the front desk, they came to the room and replaced all of the linen and pillow with fresh clean ones.
There was no exhaust fan in the bathroom and when the room steamed up it smelled like urine. The shower was very nice with dual nozzles.
Nice flat screen TV and a good size desk with high speed internet, which we did not use because we prefer to use our air card.
Despite the convention going on, the room was very quiet. My wife thought the bed was not quite as “Heavenly” as they boasted.
We tried their restaurant for a snack after traveling all day. The dry ribs were tasty. The sweet potato fries…….a few were tasty but I would not order again. The orange juice in the cocktails was tang or something similar. The place was empty and we had our choice of where to sit. The most comfortable chairs happened to be right in front of the only TV in the place. The servers were bored with the restaurant empty and were interested in watching the hockey play off game. We are not hockey fans so it was a little uncomfortable having them frequently stopping by to watch and talk about the game. Our fault for sitting there but they were the only seats that looked comfortable for my bad back.
Expect to pay for everything including $1.50 for local calls.
Toad Hall Manor B&B – Butte – Montana – U.S.A.
Very arguably THE BEST room in all of Butte!!
This was our second stay and this time we stayed in the Sr. Badger suite, which is the entire top floor of this magnificent home located on the Butte Golf and Country Club. The house was designed by Glenn himself who was / is an architect. You have to see it to believe it! There is something unique and amazing at every turn!
The hosts, Glenn and Jane Johnson are wonderful people who know how to treat there guests right! Within minutes of arriving you will be invited to join them in their sitting room with your favorite beverage! Great Scotch Glen!! Very nice after a long day of traveling!
The Badger Suite is without a doubt the best room in the house! Accessible via your own private elevator, the top floor boasts two sizable bedrooms, a large bathroom with jetted tub and separate shower room. Tons of storage. The suite has all the comforts of home.
The king bed was most comfortable bed I have slept on in recent memory! Being on the top floor in a quiet residential area, we slept like babies!
As with most B&B’s you choose your preferred breakfast time. One half hour before breakfast, there was fresh coffee and scones sent up on the elevator. What a nice way to wake up!
Glenn is a great chef and you can always count on a unique breakfast treat, complete with Cappuccino or espresso if desired! The breakfast table is simply amazing with the finest plates, glassware and cutlery. Simply nothing is out of place! Very, VERY nice!!!!
The property is very clean and fresh and you are always made to feel at home. They do have cats on the premises so if you are allergic, just let them know. My wife is allergic to cats and we NEVER see them when we are there, nor does my wife have any type of reaction when we are there!
Want to go for a round of golf? Looking for a great place to eat? Glenn and Jane will recommend and book you your reservation for you!
If you ever find yourself spending the night in Butte Montana and want the best room in town, you simply MUST stay at the Toad Hall Manor on 1 Green Lane – Butte, Montana.
We rate the Toad Hall Manor B&B in Butte, Montana as a 4 1/2 star stay! Without a doubt, the best room in Butte! So why not a 5 star rating? We’ve never given one yet! We guarantee you, this is as close as you’re gonna get! Thanks for yet another great stay Glenn and Jane.
Courtyard Inn Marriot – Provo – Utah – U.S.A.
The Courtyard Inn Marriot in Provo, Utah is conveniently located a short distance from I-15 closer to the southern end of the city.
The rooms were a good size but needed a face lift. The taps, tub, toilet and sinks were all a little dated. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable…..even my wife had a good sleep. We would have liked to have a fridge.
We had one of the rooms with a private patio which we much appreciated. We had in room high speed internet which we also very much appreciated. There was an in-room coffee maker which we always look for as we travel equipped with Lyle’s Blend!
The facility had a pool, hot tub and work out area that was open 24 hours a day. They also have, as the name implies, an outdoor courtyard with walking path, greenery and a waterfall the looks like it would be very pretty in the warmer months.
For you dining convenience there is a TGIF’s on premises as well……although we did NOT have a good experience there. See www.thatsjustouropinion.com/restaurants.
For $100 (AAA Rate) the room offered great value for travelers looking for a place to spend the night!
We rate the Courtyard Inn Marriot in Provo, Utah as 3 1/2 star Hotel. We would definitely stay there again!
The Little America – Flagstaff – Arizona- U.S.A.
The Little America – Flagstaff – Arizona- U.S.A.
Great location – right off I “40″. Easy in, easy out. Nestled in the pines it is also quiet and relaxing.
NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL!!
The bathroom was large with TONS of storage and a small fridge, BUT very old and outdated. The taps were hard to turn, the cupboards were 70′s as was the tub and tile.
The room was spacious and clean with a nice big plasma TV mounted on the wall.
They provided a fridge and coffee maker which we appreciate as we always travel with “Lyle’s” Blend!
There was a separate sitting area for women to do their make up.
There was a very VERY SMALL patio but it served our needs quit well.
The beds were best suited for those who like a hard mattress. We prefer a softer one so our sleep was hampered.
There is a TON of Great Restaurants nearby also. See thatsjustouropinion.com/restaurants for our reviews’.
We rate the The Little America in Flagstaff, Arizona as a 3 1/2 star Hotel. Within an hour and a half from the Grand Canyon, it is definitely a place we would stay again!
M Resort, Spa, Casino – Las Vegas – Nevada – USA
The “M” Resort and Spa – Las Vegas – Nevada is located 10 miles south of the “strip” just off I-”15″.
At the time that we stayed at the “M” it had opened just 7 months previously so the rooms were virtually brand new. Our room was on the 3rd floor with a view of the strip. The rooms were spacious and well laid out. The entire north wall was windows which gave us a great view of Las Vegas, both day and night! The windows could have been a little cleaner and being down low, we also had a great view of the roof of the casino and conference rooms
The beds were hard and the sheets were torn and as hard of cloth I have ever felt….I was convinced they were starched!! We did not get a very good nights sleep….I guess that is the plan….you don’t go to Las Vegas to sleep!
There was plenty of storage including 2 stands at the foot of each bed for putting suit cases and clothes on.
There were beverages in the mini fridge as well as a few snacks on the shelf…..BE AWARE….the charges for this service go by the amount of weight removed from the fridge or shelf….we put 6 water and a couple of bags of our own snacks in this area which triggered a $40 in room bar and snacks tab showing up on our bill as a result of removing OUR OWN STUFF from the scale!!
NO IN-ROOM COFFEE MAKER…..WTF!!! Don’t they know that we always travel equipped with Lyle’s Blend! No problem….around the corner to Albertsons for supplies….including a $20 Mr Coffee coffee maker!
The bathroom was large with a separate shower and tub. The shower was quite large with a sit down area and a powerful shower head. The view from the corner of the tub was through a window in the bathroom wall that you could look through and see the strip….kinda cool!
There were double sinks with a VERY Large mirror that included a built in TV….Pretty Cool (if you are in to watching TV from the tub. They also included a makeup mirror / light. There was NO problem with the power of the toilet….the second you touched it, it almost pulled the knob right out of your hand and an IMMEDIATE SWOOSH and EMPTY toilet….careful NOT to drop anything of value in there when flushing….seriously! Simply put…..NICE CAN!! The best room in the house!
There were electric blinds for both the wall of windows on the north end of the room as well as the window in the bathroom….again….kinda cool!
Speaking of “cool”…the room was NOT! We had the A/C turned as cold as we could and were still too hot to sleep. And that was in November….I’d hate to be there in July!!! To add to the problem, the comforters were EXTRA THICK…..they would have been GREAT if you were in Northern Canada….BUT THIS IS VEGAS!!! The air outside cooled down considerably at night….too bad they did not have a patio or windows that opened to let in the cool night air!!
When we first arrived we had to wash the bathroom floor as it was VERY sticky! Someone must have dropped a drink as there was also pieces of glass that we found in the bathroom and carpet. Our second day we asked housekeeping to vacuum the carpet and bathroom as they did not catch it the previous two nights.
The faciltiy had a pool and hot tub….BOTH CLOSED FOR THE SEASON!!….it was 26°C (78°F) the week we were there and would have loved to use the pool…..crazy Canadian or crazy Las Vegas resort? You Decide!!
For you dining convenience there were 5 restaurants on premises as. We tried the “?” Bakery and The “?” restaurant. See www.thatsjustouropinion.com/restaurants. They offered room service that was guaranteed to be delivered within 25 minutes. We decided to order lunch in our rooms one day. Two hamburgers with fries and two sides of gravy for the fries. 25 minutes the meal arrived as promised. $65!!!! Which included two sides of “biscuits and gravy” at $8 a pop, 18% gratuity automatically tacked on PLUS a $2.50 delivery charge! I guess we should have sat at the slots and ordered a beer and a hot dog for $2!! Live and learn.
The ‘M’ charges an additional $25 per night on top of the room rate to cover Valet Parking and Wireless Internet. Our room rate was was $139 a night (plus $25). This was a SMOKIN DEAL withe the regular price being $235 PLUS $25. We were at an internet Marketing Conference where we were taught to under promise and over deliver…..a concept obviously NOT shared by the “M”! Most definitely NOT worth the price of admission.
We rate the “M” Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada as 3 star Hotel.
Westin – Mammoth Lakes – California – USA
For a 5 star resort, we were less than impressed with the Westin in Mammoth Lakes, California. When we checked into our first room it smelled of gas. We called maintenance and it was the pilot light on the fireplace causing the problem. They immediately moved us to a similar room around the corner. After getting mostly settled, my wife went to use the washroom and noticed a GROSS sight! The toilet had not been cleaned and the was “crap” all over the inside of the toilet (it even covered the bottom of the toilet seat). We call down once again to get someone to come and clean up the mess. While cleaning it up, it was noticed that the flush was not that good. After some discussion with the manager, we were upgraded and moved to yet our third room (a one bedroom suite).
The room was clean and comfortable but nothing special. There was two flat screen TV’s and a nice patio with a good view of the town and mountains. Once again, we ran out of Kleenex within an hour of arriving. Where is the spare box?? Thank goodness they have a different policy regarding toilet paper!!
We ate in the restaurant which was the bright spot of the stay. We had the tenderloin which was cooked to perfection and very tasty. We also enjoyed a complimentary beverage from the manager as a result of our being inconvenienced to change rooms twice.
Mammoth Lakes is not doubt a winter ski resort town as it was virtually deserted in November….it was like a ghost town. We could not find an open restaurant the evening we arrived.
We wonder WHY this room was $189 a night when there was no one staying there or anywhere else in town!
If we were here for a winter ski vacation, the Westin would be at the top of our list. We rate the Westin in Mammoth Lakes, California a 3 star Hotel. Not worth the $$$$.
Fairfield Inn & Suites – Nampa – Idaho – USA
The Fairfield Inn & Suites in Nampa, Idaho was a year old when we stayed there. The rooms were a little small to call it a suite, but none the less they did have all of the amenities promised. We had a microwave, coffee pot, bar fridge and sink in the what would normally be the entrance way.
As with so many places we stay the already partially empty Kleenex box was totally empty after a couple of blows. Where is the spare Kleenex Box?? Thank goodness they do not have the same philosophy with the toilet paper!!
If you like a REALLY HARD bed, you will LOVE these beds. I did OK but my wife prefers a softer mattress and she did not get a very good sleep.
Make sure to ask for a “quiet” room otherwise you may end up on the Freeway side of the Hotel where it is very noisy.
No frills or extra services here. But for $89, we did not expect any.
They had a GREAT breakfast! Hot waffles, hot and cold cereal Toast, bagels, juices, milk, yogurt, fruit and lots more. We are fussy about our breakfasts and usually shy away from Free Breakfasts, but this one was a pleasant surprise!
Overall very good value for the money.
We rate the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Nampa, as a 3 1/2 star Hotel.
Holiday Inn Express – Edmonton – Alberta – Canada
The Holiday Inn Express in downtown Edmonton is Located at:
10010-104 St.
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 0Z1
1-877-423-4656
Right in the heart of downtown and recently renovated. Don’t expect any frills here. There are trolleys at the entrance….be careful….they are a VERY tight fit in the elevator! The word “EXPRESS” should have been our first clue!
The carpets and beds were new. There was a nice large fridge in our room which we received by upgrading for $10 an night. We appreciated the patio. There was no bathroom exhaust fan.
The one BIG problem was that the hotel has turned off the A/C for the winter. At midnight the room was still excessively hot with no way to cool it off except to open the patio door. This cooled off the room of course BUT the traffic noise made it impossible to sleep with the door open. So……Too Hot or Too Noisy….pick how you want to lay awake! While we were complaining at the front desk about the lack of climate control our first night. the couple beside us were checking out and also complaining about the same thing. We had a very busy day planned and did not have any spare time to relocate to another hotel so we gave them a second nights try. When I asked how to turn the cold on they said that the A/C had been turned off for the winter. I asked about the fan on the climate control…..they said that it was also turned off. So I asked “how am I supposed to get cool air in the room?” They really did not have an answer. I told them that I had opened the patio door to get some cool air to make the room bearable. They said that that was the wrong thing to do and actually made the room hotter. We left Sunday before noon and left all the doors closed as instructed. Their engineers supposedly fixed the climate control. We arrived back in the room around 9:00 p.m. (9 hours later) and the room was STILL TERRIBLY HOT!! We turned the thermostat cooler….NOTHING HAPPENED….we turned the thermostat warmer…..NOTHING HAPPENED….we turned the fan from high, to low, to auto and…..NOTHING HAPPENED. You could see the venting near the cieling where the air flow would normally come from and there was NOT SO MUCH AS A BREATH OF AIR coming from the unit….HOT OR COLD. The entire system was clearly either turned off or not working in that room. With the temperature WAY to hot to sleep comfortably, we opened the patio door and set up the radio where there was no station as white noise to drowned out the traffic noise. We were still awakened several times during the night by the louder traffic noises but at least the room was bearable. I complained again the next day and got nothing but bullshit excuses from the front desk staff. Other people checking out had the same problem and were getting the same excuses. The supervisor on staff on the Monday morning was telling another poor lady how she should not have touched the controls or opened her patio door to stay cool and that the room would have been OK if she had just left the thermostat alone and the patio door closed. My wife was there waiting for me to get the car and could not help but to give the knob a piece of her mind saying that the climate control just was not working.
There was a sign in the bathroom of our room that said if there is anything that was not satisfactory, let them know at the front desk and you will not have to pay for whatever the problem was. Well I did mention it to the front desk (TWO MORNINGS IN A ROW) and all they offered on check out was $10 off per night! All we wanted the room for was to sleep. We did not sleep at all one night and poorly the second night…..they should have offered us one night free.
They obviously allow pets here as we found dog hair on our carpet. The beds were very comfy….we know we laid awake in it all night. The towels were a little rough. The hot and cold continental breakfast filled the gap….sort of.
When we left our room for breakfast on Sunday a.m. the hallways wreaked of a smell resembling sewage…..does that answer the question, “where does the smell from each rooms bathroom go with no exhaust fans installed?” When we got home from our Sunday afternoon out, the room had been cleaned BUT there was no Kleenex to replace the empty box and no toilet paper to replace the empty roll.
Sound travels TERRIBLY in and around the hotel. You could hear people on the street on their cell phones from our 8th floor room.
Outside the hotel there are vagrants and crackheads about. As we were just about to leave the hotel on Monday a.m. a young wasted man came up to our car window, lifted his shirt and started scratching his stomach and chest and giving us a menacing look. Just around the corner another young man was jay walking and yelling at us….I was afraid he was going to hit our car. In fairness, this is a downtown Edmonton issue and not the fault of the hotel itself.
There is a very small outdoor parking beside the building that clearly would not accommodate a hotel full off people. If you missed out on one of these spots, you would be stuck on the street or in a paid parking somewhere downtown. With all of the vagrants around, you should be nervous about your vehicle being in an insecure area.
Overall we rate the Holiday Inn Express in Downtown Edmonton as a 2 1/2 star. This was most gracious and was only this good due to the recent renovations.
Avoid unless you are desperate!!!!
Waterton Glacier Suites – Waterton – Alberta – Canada
Arguably the best place to stay in Waterton at the moment since the Kilmorey Lodge burned to the ground earlier this year.
The rooms were clean and fairly spacious. The exception is the bathroom which was very compact. You could not get to the toilet with the door open and if someone walks in on you, you will get the door in the knees. The shower was so small that I doubt if someone over 250 pounds could fit. There was a nice jacuzzi tub in the bathroom which we did not use (we have one in our home) so I cannot comment on its quality. The sink and toilet were obviously made for VERY SHORT people. If you have tender skin you are NOT going to like the hard and crusty towels. The in room hair dryer was no better than sticking your head inside of a clothes dryer……don’t be in a hurry to dry your hair ladies!
There were two sinks in the room, each with it’s own mirror. There was an XL bar fridge which was much appreciated in July. There was also a microwave, small coffee pot, DVD / CD player which quit working after the first night. The clock radio is small and poor quality…..there is no local radio stations to pick up anyway….take your own music….you simply won’t find it here. The in room safe was a nice touch. We were disappointed in the small plastic glasses for our beverages (the kind you find at the Super 8). At $250 a night we would have expected real glass glasses.
There was a nice private patio but the view left something to be desired. We were in the backside of the Lodge and although we could see mountains, the majority of our view was of the parking lot and back alley.
If you need anything from the front desk, expect to wait. We called twice in the evening to have our DVD player replaced and it took a good 20 minutes to get a replacement . I actually called twice. The second time I called they told me that thy had to find one. I said there is one in every room and you are almost empty…..get me one of them! 10 minutes later it arrived. Don’t be in a hurry in Waterton! We asked for a late check out in order to go for breakfast….they offered a half hour…..thanks for nothing!
We rate the Waterton Glacier Suites as a 3 star facility. Again…..probably the best accommodations you are going to find in this quiet, small, seasonal resort town.
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