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Tastes, Travel

A Stay Above The Rest

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on A Stay Above The Rest

A Kimpton Hotel Palomar Experience In Washington, DC

Washington, DC… What a great city with a lot of fun things to see and do. And if you’re looking for the perfect place to stay, you should check out the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle.

What do you look for in a hotel? I always look for great customer service, cleanliness, great food and great amenities. That’s why when my hubby and I headed to DC for our White House Staff reunion (my husband and I met working together at the White House), our first thought for a place to stay was a Kimpton hotel. They always have the best customer service, spacious rooms and delicious food. And the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle, which has been named the Best Hotel in DC by U.S. News & World Report several years in a row, seemed like the perfect fit. But why?

Location, Location, Location

When it comes to any hotel, the location can make or break a trip. That’s what makes the Kimpton Palomar in DC so great. Nestled in the heart of Dupont (just a couple blocks from my old apartment), this hotel is mere steps away from the hustle bustle of Dupont Circle as well as a short walk from the trendy shops and eateries in Logan Circle or Georgetown. It’s also minutes away from the National Mall, Kennedy Center and the White House. Now that’s what I call convenient!

The Room

The Kimpton Hotel Palomar in DC was recently remodeled, and the whole hotel now has a trendy, chic, minimalistic design that was inspired by the surrounding art galleries. How cool is that? And combine the new design with the spacious rooms (I mean, look at that room!), comfortable beds, yoga mats in every room, large bottles of Atelier Bloem Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash in the showers and Signature Kimpton bathrobes, you have the perfect place to sit back and relax.

The Food

Hotel Palomar houses Urbana Dining & Drinks. With Chef Ethan McKee at the helm, their menu features a variety of house-made Italian foods. During our stay, we tried their Chicken Meatballs (my fav!), the Arancini and the Bucatini Carbonara. They were all delicious, and worth dining at the restaurant even if you don’t stay at the hotel.

The Amenities

Oh the amenities. That is probably what makes Kimpton Hotels the best (along with their excellent customer service, of course). Everyday, they host a free Wine Hour for all guests in the lobby. Cheers to that!

The Hotel Palomar in Dupont also has yoga mats in every room, bikes for guests to use as they tour the city, a heated seasonal pool with food service from Urbana, a gym referred to as the “Sculpting Room,” in-room spa services, complimentary Wi-Fi and so much more.

Also, since I am a Gold Member, I have access to a $10 Raid The Bar credit – meaning I can use $10 towards that mini-bar or at the actual bar.

In Conclusion

To sum it up, the next time you head to DC, you should stay at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar and discover what made my stay excellent as well as why it has won the Traveler’s Choice Awards + Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. Happy Traveling!

*Note – I received a discounted room rate in exchange for an honest review.

Travel

A Howl Of A Time

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on A Howl Of A Time

Great Wolf Lodge Experience

Groupon!

Great Wolf Lodge. The kids have been asking us to go there for what feels like forever. Truth be told, my hubby and I thought it may be too gimmicky and too expensive when we’d rather put the money towards a trip to Disney World. But… A Groupon deal came up for a $94 per night rate. You read that right… only $94 a night, and that included water park entry. Sure it was over Mother’s Day, but let’s be honest, I can celebrate Mother’s Day with my family at anytime. That deal was only good for a couple days, so I took full advantage. And I’m glad I did!

The Room!

When we arrived at the resort, we ended up upgrading to a Kid’s Cabin Suite (it was an additional $35 a night so still only $129 a night), and the kids were thrilled. The room was so fun, spacious and cute! It included a fireplace, balcony and “Cabin” area (I mean… it is called the Kid’s Cabin Suite…) for the kids, where they had bunkbeds, a little table and their own television. And, the most important part… The room was very clean.

The Waterpark!

The Indoor Waterpark… This is probably what Great Wolf Lodge is best known for. The Traverse City location features 3 tube slides, 2 regular water slides, 3 kiddie slides and kiddie pool, a lazy river, 2 hot tubs (one kid-friendly, one adult only), a water basketball area, an activity pool that includes balancing lily pads and their famous water tower.

The kids loved splashing around the waterpark. While my youngest went down the kiddie slides on loop (seriously… I’m sure she went down the slides a few hundred times… Thank goodness for poolside strawberry daiquiris! LOL), my oldest jumped from the tube slides to the lazy river to the Totem Tower slides to the basketball area and back around again. And they both had a blast! And not going to lie… I always love a good tube slide too. 🙂

Another thing I found interesting about the pool area, is the staff could frequently be seen cleaning everything down or running life guard drills by planting a “dummy” in the pool areas to see how long it took the lifeguards to see and “rescue” him.

But the best part about our time in the waterpark? Since we were there during a slower time of year, there were no lines! It should also be noted that they also have an outdoor pool area that’s open in the summers.

More Fun!

One thing that surprised me about Great Wolf Lodge is how many more activities they had for the kids! Probably the favorite amongst my family was the MagiQuest – A scavenger hunt that involves magical wands, riddles and exploring the entire hotel to complete various quests that ends in a duel with a Dragon or a challenge with a Pixie. It was a great way to get moving, explore the property and use our brains to solve the riddles.

In addition to the MagiQuest, the resort also has a Bedtime Story Time, Clock Tower show, Miniature Golf, Morning Yoga for the kids, Bowling, a Creation Station (basically a Build A Bear for the Lodge) and an arcade.

The Food!

Resort food. It can be hit or miss depending on the resort, so I was skeptical of how good the food options would be at Great Wolf Lodge. And I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised at how yummy the food was! They also had plenty of food options for a variety of dietary concerns (including Gluten Free!) at a variety of restaurants.

If you want a sit down meal at a regular restaurant, head to the Camp Critter Bar & Grill. They have everything from burgers, salads and chicken to pastas and grilled cheese. Plus, they had some tasty rolls (we seriously went through 3 baskets!) and a delicious Pineapple Mango Margarita.

If you’re craving pizza and pasta, head to Hungry As A Wolf (the pizza was delish… and my youngest ate 2 whole pieces!). Hanging by the pool, Buckets Incredible Craveables has you covered with tasty chicken fingers, burgers, fries, flatbread, pretzels and more. If you want something sweet, head to the Ice Cream shop or the Candy Store. And don’t forget… Dunkin Donuts will deliver breakfast to your room in the morning!

Overall!

We had an amazing experience! If the opportunity arises, you should totally head to Great Wolf Lodge for a quick getaway filled with family fun! And don’t forget to check Groupon for a great deal!