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.

The most romantic Canadian getaway

In my humble opinion, the most romantic Canadian getaway weekend would be to Quebec City, and the Fairmont Hotel, le Chateau Frontenac.

The most romantic weekend of the year, Valentine's Day.

So when I saw Air Canada's latest getaway sale, with booking dates through to April, I took a look. Sure enough, flights are at an amazing price too.

Book the hotel early (like now) and use your CAA discount and a room is yours for about $200 per night. (To stay in a castle!!!)

This is one of those situations where it pays to book ahead. To book this getaway in January or February will cost you double. 

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

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 12 The Summary

My son and I raced from Manitoba to Quebec and back in four days just to challenge ourselves and have some fun.

I modelled this spontaneous trip after the Amazing Race TV show on CTV. We took planes, trains and automobile during this adventure. I helped my son discover parts of this great country he had never seen before. And in helping him experience things for the first time I, myself, saw Canada again with fresh eyes.

I also saw a different side of my own son. I have known him to be level headed, compassionate and eager to learn, but this time, I got to see those qualities in action in a new environment. Like the moment when he quietly asked me for change to give to a street person. He debated that action in his head and decided it was the right thing to do.  And then he did it.

My son capably guided us as we walked touring Old Quebec City. He patiently tried to speak and understand French in an everyday setting. And rather than wolfing down his food, for once he lingered and enjoyed the time that was our patio dinner on Rue Saint Jean.  These actions reflected qualities I knew he had in him but are sometimes hard to see in our daily lives rushing to school and hockey rinks.

We talked and we laughed. We had a great time! We took some fantastic photos and most of all, had shared experiences which will become shared memories. That is, of course, the part that will forever be "amazing" to me.






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I've done a trip recap highlighting the cities and adventures along the way. If you'd like to read them in sequence, here's the list.  Cheers!

• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 1 The Inspiration
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 2 The Surprise
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 3 Ottawa
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 4 Taking the Train
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 5 The Hotwire Hotel
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 6 Le Chateau Frontenac
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 7 Quebec City
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 8 The Food
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 9 A Whistle Stop in Montreal 
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 10 The Westin Ottawa
• Our Amazing Adventure: Part 11 Ottawa in Pictures

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 8 The Food

I have a rule when I travel. No chain restaurants if at all possible. Oh, but I know that's a major challenge when travelling with children.... someone always wants the comfort or familiarity of Subway, and they ARE on every corner in every town. But it IS possible.

I simply feel you have a more "local" and authentic travel experience when you think outside the chain. I was very proud of my son for not even asking for a mc-something at all on this trip.

In Quebec City he chose a place called "Les Trois Garcon" for breakfast. It was great! I loved their decor. We did our best to order in French. I believe, translated directly, my son asked for "an egg of the chicken, a small pig and bread that is blank." Charming, in a grade 6 french class kind of way.

Rue Saint Jean becomes a pedestrian only street each evening.

My favourite memory from the trip was our sunset dinner on Rue Saint Jean at Sapristi. It was simply the moment. My son and I laughed and debriefed the events of the day. We had no time constraints and were just hanging out. Hanging out with fabulous food, on a fabulous summer night, on a patio in a fabulous city! Our server was a warm and gracious host. We ordered dessert just to linger in the moment. Our own little french postcard memory, if you will.

I won't pretend to be a foodie or tell you what to eat. My only advice is to budget 20% more for dining than you normally would. Not because food is more expensive in Quebec, but because you will want the moment to last. You'll splurge on dessert and another drink just so you can stay a while longer.  And you'll be so glad you did!

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 3 Ottawa

At sunrise Ry was eating his breakfast at the airport window, watching people prepare for the day's flights. Little did he know, he would be watching this day's sun set through the window of a train. But that's later! Much more to this story first!

Once we boarded our flight, I discreetly mentioned to our flight attendant that Ry and I were on an "amazing adventure" and enlisted her help to deliver the next challenge and envelope. Preparing the cabin for take-off and performing seat belt checks, she stopped by our aisle and said, "Good Morning Riley. I have your first challenge ready for you" and she handed him a small puzzle. "Just press the call button when you have it solved." The look on his face was priceless! "She's in on it too, mom?"

Once the flight landed safely in Ottawa, the flight crew went above and beyond anything I would have dreamt of asking. They invited him into the cockpit to see the controls and have his picture taken. They handed him a care package of snacks and wished him all the best in his race. Again, he was simply beaming.

On our was down the escalator to the baggage area he spied a familiar face holding a "welcome to Ottawa" sign. My friend Stacy and her daughter were there to greet us and present Ry with his next envelope.  This envelope said, "you have 3 hours to find train #28. Don't worry, we're here to help." And with that, we went to lunch with our friends and then to the train station.

Train #28.... to Quebec City!  Three provinces in one day! One very eventful day! Breakfast in Manitoba, lunch in Ontario and dinner in Quebec.  This really was shaping up to be an Amazing Race adventure.

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 1 The Inspiration

My son and I were watching the first episode of the second season of The Amazing Race Canada, on CTV,  and he blurts out, "we could totally do that!" And I thought, of course we could. And since I've always been the kind of person to put action to my words, I started thinking and then researching and then scheming. Before long I had a plan... a top secret plan!

Since I am passionate about travel, and have already taken my kids on more than a dozen trips, I knew I had the skills. A quick check of my Air Miles balance, and I knew I had the miles for 2 short haul flights. I had previously blogged about the Via Rail kids' special and was aware of the fantastic bargains on summer travel so therefore I knew I had to incorporate that into our adventure as well.

It has always been one of my parenting goals to show my kids our vast and incredible country. To this point I have succeed in showing them all the western provinces plus a bit of the Yukon. This time I was determined to go east.

A little re-jigging of the work schedule and I could put 4 days off together.  So that was it, I had a plan.  Plane...train...east and 4 days! Out of that framework came my goal: to show my son as much of Canada as I could in 4 days, in Amazing Race style. What a birthday surprise this would be for him!