Get the hotel upgrade AND save money.

Riley loved the automatic pancake maker at the Sheraton Montreal! 

You know those hotels that don't include continental breakfast and a waterslide? Well, truth is, they often have something better.

Let's take for example, the Sheraton Montreal Centre, and the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. But heck, it could even be the Fairmont Winnipeg, Westin Ottawa or the like. What they, and most downtown business hotels offer is a "Club Lounge" or similar.

Basically, there is an open lounge setting, with TVs, couches, tables chairs, workstations and more. It's on the top floor of the hotel, and is included with some room classes, or can be added (for a fee) to regular rooms.

There are three ways to gain access to the club level: 

1) Be a member of their rewards program. Certain levels will earn you complimentary access.

2) Use your membership rewards points for an upgrade. For example, you can book the least expensive room in the hotel and then call to upgrade your room to "club" using 1500 of your Sheraton (SPG.com) rewards points. So, without any additional cash paid, you have upgraded and get all the perks free.

3) You can pay a nominal fee, at check-in, for an upgrade. Typically it's about $20 per person, but you can always try to negotiate that, especially on weekends when there are very few business travellers.

Why upgrade to Club and why is it worth is even if you are travelling with your children?

1) Space. I love having lounge space to use outside the hotel room itself. You can set up a board game with your kids, or spread out and read a newspaper. Both are typically provided. When kids have activities and other adults present, I always find they are on their best hotel behaviour.

2) The breakfasts are fabulous! "Real eggs!!!" As my son would tell you, are always worth it. If you've ever had stale pastries, powdered eggs and orange drink included as your hotel breakfast you will appreciate this obvious upgrade. Club breakfast, is more like Easter Brunch.

3) Complimentary espresso, fresh squeezed juices, bottle water, tea and hot chocolate, plus grab and-go fruit like apples and bananas are available around the clock.  This alone can be worth the $20 a day, if you are used to paying $5 a coffee and a few dollars for snacks and tea while you are on the go.

4) Both Sheraton and Fairmont offer afternoon "happy hour" and hors d'oeuvres in addition to the morning breakfast.  The Sheraton offered warm brie, cold smoked salmon, cheeses, vegetables and even nachos and guacamole. The Fairmont Chateau Frontenac was all this and more, including gourmet spoons, fresh breads and bite sized desserts.  This is great for kids as they can try new things, in small taster sizes, in a supervised setting, without you having to commit to taking them to a fancy restaurant or spending $100 or more to have such choices.

5) Access to alcohol, soft drinks, milk and juices without having to find a corner store. Aren't there times when you are travelling where you just want to kick back and have a single glass of wine, without committing to or wasting a bottle? Or wouldn't you love to have a mixed cocktail without buying all the ingredients and garnishes? After all, you are on vacation! Well, the Club Lounge has your whole bar. And while there is a fee for alcohol, it is certainly reasonable and much more convenient than hauling the groceries back up to your room and trying to keep ice in a leaky bucket.

So, while your thrifty self might routinely choose the least expensive room at the hotel, do consider the Club Lounge next time you find yourself in a business hotel. I expect you will value the food, beverages and space much more than you realized. And at $20 a day, you will see actual tangible savings over your regular spending habits on the road.

I find the greatest value in this practice, when travelling with my teenage son. I also feel it serves as a learning experience in manners, travel and social skills that I can not replicate when at home. And when it comes time for him to host a business meeting, or attend a fancy restaurant he will already be comfortable and somewhat familiar with the environment.

Shrimp cocktail, and oysters included at the Fairmont that afternoon.

Small sample of the afternoon deli selection. 

My morning cafe latte

Club Lounge at The Sheraton Montreal.

Travel Senses

I simply love how a scent or a taste can take you back to the moment. I write this as I sip my Kea Lani Orange Pineapple tea and reminisce with you.  The tea smells amazing! The tea smells like Hawaii to me, fresh and light, sweetly fruity. The taste and scent of fresh pineapple is one of the most glorious treats in Hawaii and a very touristy thing to do. (That, and eat shaved ice in Hawaii, but I digress.)  I was last in Hawaii November 2014, it was Honolulu that time. But that's not where I bought this tea.

I bought the packaged tea in February, at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. I was in the gift shop with my son and I spied this gem being cross-marketed with the Chateau's own jars of rooftop honey.  Tea and honey seemed like a brilliant idea on that cold winter's day. It was an easy decision to buy both. The humble packaged tea, and thimble sized jar of honey was a far cry from the traditional afternoon tea I'd had previously at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess in Bermuda, but I had a hunch I'd enjoy this more.

While High Tea at The Fairmont is a must-do for any traveller, and I DID it, it just wasn't me. It's a fun story though. I'd been touring downtown Bermuda and had gotten caught in the rain. My raincoat shielded my clothes, but my umbrella barely kept the wind and rain out of my hair. So, I kinda looked like a curly haired stray dog. Or that's how I felt breezing into the iconic hotel for my reservation.  Oddly enough, the doorman (a gentleman of about 80 years) gave me the most lovely compliment of my life. "May I say dear, that you look simply glorious coming in out of the rain."

Whoa. Glorious??!! Me? Wow.  I fumbled my words and said thank you. Such a lovely compliment took me aback, especially in my wet dog state, but it was certainly the highlight of my High Tea afternoon.

I sat alone and did my best to present as a lady. I took the waiter's recommendation and chose a tea and a tea service that seemed nice enough. I loved the look and presentation of the food. The tower of dainties and sandwiches looked exactly as I'd seen in photos and read on other tourist blogs.  Too bad the tea tasted like stinky perfume strained through a sweat sock.  Yuck. I held my nose and had one big gulp in order to empty my cup and appear as though I was well suited to High Tea. (But ew. I didn't like that tea at all.)  Some of the dainties and sandwiches were delicious. Some were not. My absolute favourite part was the raspberry sorbet in the tiny chocolate cup. One bite and it was more than worth the price of admission. Amazing!

Sorbet in a dark chocolate cup on Fairmont fine china. Amazing! 

I ended up sitting with and having an animated conversation with another lady whose name was also Catherine. She joined my table offering to give up hers for a couple. I enjoyed the company. Well, until she had a shouting conversation into her cell phone with her 25 year old son who was lost in New York because, it seemed, he had not followed her directions. Anyways, that was High Tea in Bermuda.   And all these memories flood back, while I sip the most glorious packaged tea from the most glorious hotel in Quebec. Sweet memories.

Mark Twain statue in the lobby.  Post High Tea.

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Re-reading this piece to spell check and edit.... well, makes it crystal clear to me that I'm pretty damn lucky. I've seen hotels and countries people dream about and I've had fussy lunches and funny travel stories to write about. And all this gratitude from a sip of tea. Priceless. 

Live      Laugh     Love     Travel     Repeat

Cheaper than a stay-cation!

Broke? Tied to work? Even if you can't go anywhere, with a little imagination, you can make your own home feel like a fancy hotel. Delight the kids or dazzle your next house guests.

This can work for your cabin, your first apartment and even your RV.

Here are 5 easy ways to make your imagination, stay-cation a 5 star delight for $25 or less!

1) Afternoon tea like the Fairmont. Use the good china or picnic plates, it won't matter.... just invite your guests to join you at 3pm. Cut your sandwiches into triangles. Have veggies and dip. Put Pot of Gold chocolates or brownies on dessert plates. Place a candle on the table.  And of course, drink tea!  But give it a fancy name. "Would you like some raspberry marigold catillion tea? Why yes!"  If you're serving iced tea, make sure to add fruit as garnish and little drink umbrellas.

2) Play some elevator music. Something instrumental. It makes everything seem fancy!  Or play steel drums or Caribbean tunes if you've got an island theme.

3) Buy some sample sizes in shampoos and lotions.  New toothbrushes too. Set them out for your guests. You could even roll your towels and tie them with ribbons.

4) Post an activity schedule.  4pm badminton on the front lawn. 5pm movie trivia. 6pm cocktails on the deck. 9pm storytime by the fire.

5) Serve room service on a tray. Add a single flower from your garden, in a bud vase to emulate the elegance of a Westin hotel.

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Your Dollar Store Shopping List: 

Napkins & matching plates

Note cards or invitations 

Bud vase

Candles 

Serving tray

Tiny cups or ramekins

Grocery Store: 

Strawberries

Chocolates

Colourful veggies

Shoppers Drug Mart/Superstore/The Body Shop:

Sample size shampoo, lotion. 

Toothbrushes

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 6 Le Chateau Frontenac

The morning started with a new formal challenge for Ry. He opened the Amazing Race style envelope to reveal his quest. "Find the most photographed hotel in the world. Then have your own photograph taken with it." A few taps into his iPad would reveal Le Chateau Frontenac as the answer and google maps would point to it just 1.6 kilometres away from us.

As he was grabbing his gear and heading for the door he spied a second envelope on the floor. It was labelled ROADBLOCK.  This envelope said "Stop. Your adventure can't continue until you find a crepe and a cappuccino for you mother. Seriously!" 

He was fiercely determined. "C'mon Mom! Let's go. We have to get you your coffee and stuff! Let's GO!"  Such a competitive kid he is. I knew he would be into this race concept.

An hour or so later, and after a long brisk uphill walk, we found the Chateau Frontenac. It took my breath away. I was standing there with my mouth gaping just staring at it.

A jewel in the Fairmont Hotel Chain. The magnificent Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City

I was not alone. I'm sure there were 400 or so tourists in the immediate area doing exactly the same thing that Tuesday morning. IT IS MAGNIFICENT!  The location, the architecture, the craftsmanship, the presence, the history and the enormity.... magnificent. There is no wonder at all why it is the most photographed hotel in the world! (Below are just a minor sample of the photos I personally took of this hotel. I could probably make my own mini-album just of the Chateau Frontenac.)

For me, there was a second reason for including it in our amazing adventure. My parents had honeymooned at this very hotel. This was a splurge for them in a very modest time. They were on their way to a new home in Ottawa and had stopped there for a couple nights.

The hotel itself is flanked on two sides by public boardwalks. There is also a garden out front which designates it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Parks Canada also has a heritage tour which is located at, and UNDERGROUND at the boardwalk of the Chateau. Very cool. (Watch for that chapter of this review. Best $6 we spent!) The hotel takes up at least a city block. I can only imagine how many people it employs and how many guests it serves annually.

I haven't even mentioned the icing on the cake yet. It has its own Starbucks! Yes indeed there is a large, extremely busy Starbucks location on-site. Ry treated me to an iced coffee and purchased a smoothie for himself. We sat on a bench with our drinks and lingered a while staring at the hotel. Though he may have been thinking "can we go now" he let me savour the moment. It was perfect. Simply perfect.

I would still rather a purse than a fanny-pack!

Love that gorgeous spire on its corner.

Bermuda: What did I pack?

I always pack light. I don't want to be burdened with the trappings of home, quite literally, when I travel.

It's also more economical not to check a bag with the airline as most now charge at least $25 per bag. Secondly, I want to be free to switch flights or accept a "bump" from a flight if the chance presents itself; checking a bag only complicates that process. Not to mention I breeze through Customs and am out of the airport and onto "vacation" while most other travellers are still stuck at the baggage claim by NOT checking a bag. Oh, there are so many reasons to pack light!

So, when I pack for a trip, I check the forecast first. Knowing that Bermuda would have a mix of sun, cloud and a good chance of rain, I packed the "usual" plus a raincoat. Knowing that it would be about 20-23C and somewhat tropical/humid I focused on clothes I could layer and also dry on a hanger if they got wet. I also picked bright colours that are versatile, and go together. I choose bright colours because I'm on vacation and should look happy/cheerful. Plus bright colours are way better than black or navy in photos.  So, in addition to socks and underwear, I packed: (for 3 nights/4days)

A glimpse of my favourite travel scarf/wrap

1 - bathing suit
1 - pool cover-up
1 - long sleeve shirt
1 - linen beach pants
1 - dressy poncho/sweater
1 - Bermuda shorts
2 - T-shirts
2 - tank tops
1 - nightshirt
1 - skirt
1- sandals
1- canvas shoes
1 - raincoat

On the plane, I almost always wear sneakers, yoga pants, a t-shirt, a zip up fleece and a scarf/wrap. (A versatile scarf is the BEST travel accessory. It can serve as an in-flight blanket, a beach cover-up, or it can glam up a plain outfit.)  In the suitcase, I roll most of my clothes and place all small items (bathing suit, socks, tank tops etc) in a large Ziploc bag. Shoes are also packed in a plastic bag so as not to spread dirt/sand in the suitcase.

Hairbrush, toothbrush, straightener and hair clips go in the suitcase, but most of my makeup goes in the government Ziploc bag for liquids. I keep that pouch in my purse so it's easy for security screening. Makeup items, like mascara and lip gloss ARE considered liquids for screening purposes.

Closet which included spare blankets and a small safe. 

I don't generally buy souvenirs and when I do, I certainly don't buy anything large or bulky that I can't pack in my carry-on suitcase. This ensures that I think critically before I waste money on things I don't need. My favourite souvenirs are the photos and memories.

On the Bermuda trip, I was very pleasantly surprised by the walk-in closet in my room at the Fairmont Southampton. It was absolutely fantastic! This was one of the best stocked rooms I've ever been in. From the coffeemaker and sparkling water, to the body lotion and cotton balls, this hotel had all the guest conveniences you could ask for. When a hotel is well stocked, it makes it even easier to pack smartly and travel lightly.

Well equipped armoire. 

From YBR to YVR in an afternoon

Let's say you'd like to finish your Christmas shopping in Vancouver.... wouldn't it be fabulous to just drive 15 minutes to the airport and catch a Westjet flight to BC?

Yes, it CAN happen!!!

Here's a week long vacation package for about $1000. It includes 7 nights accommodations, flight and taxes. You can reduce this package price a little by staying at a lesser hotel. Packages range from about $800 to $1000 on these dates. But, for a little Christmas magic, you should choose a Fairmont hotel here. Treat yourself!

The flights included in this package do NOT have layovers in either direction. Very convenient.
Screen shots are from a search on November 2nd, at Redtag.ca

Seek the story

Every destination has history. Once you visit you will have a history with that destination. These will be your personal memories.  But what about those who came before you?

Some of these details you can find on the Internet. Some of the special details will be found in asking your hotel clerk, your waitress and or the people you meet at the coffee shop.

When we went to Montreal, I looked up the history of our hotel... the grand, the incredible, Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. This is a stately hotel. This is a destination in itself. There is a train station built underneath it for goodness sake! It's european and regal and I felt privileged to visit and "live" there for a week.

It didn't take a lot of digging to find that this was the hotel where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their famous "bed-in" for peace. They wrote and recorded Give Peace a Chance there.  The Fairmont honours this history and has the very room labelled.

One evening, we went up two floors in the elevator and voila! It just added something to our trip.

It's an amazing Canadian icon. It's also pretty affordable. It runs about $100-$150 a night. A little more for the Club Level. (The views alone are worth it!)

Direct flights to Montreal (YUL) from Winnipeg (YWG) run about $400-$450. See Air Canada or Westjet for dates and prices.  The contrasts in the provinces, Manitoba and Quebec, are at times dramatic. Our province feels very young. Montreal, particularly Old Montreal takes you back in time and shows you a rich French culture.  It's a wonderful experience. A weekend isn't enough.