Join me and some other beach-loving travel enthusiasts for a fun Twitter chat Tuesday, May 21, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Central Time. Just use the hashtag #CheapCaribbean to talk all things beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean, including the best beaches for family vacations, most romantic stretches of sand and bucket-list beaches!

The best part: if you Tweet at least once using the #CheapCaribbean hashtag, and you’re following @CheapCaribbean, you’re entered to win one of three prize-filled beach bags worth more than $300! The cute totes are filled with fun items like underwater cameras, sunglasses, sunscreen and more — everything you need to enjoy a day at the beach.

In the meantime, get inspired by checking out the Mexico and Caribbean packages that CheapCaribbean.com offers!

I am being compensated to participate in the CheapCaribbean.com Best Beaches Twitter chat.

Once in a while my family falls in love with a hotel that we know we will return to again and again. Most recently, that hotel is Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel, located right on Michigan Avenue and a coin’s toss from Grant Park and Millennium Park. Comfortable, cozy beds, good service, updated, safe area and convenient location are a few things we look for as a traveling family. The Blackstone meets all of these requirement, plus it has a few extra details that push it to the top of our list…

History. President John F. Kennedy and 11 other presidents have called the Blackstone Hotel home for the night. That’s why it’s earned the moniker Hotel of Presidents. The most fascinating feature though is the hotel’s Smoke-Filled Room. The room was the setting of Warren G. Harding’s nomination to run for president during the 1920 Republican Convention. An Associated Press reporter described the decision being made in a “smoke-filled room.” The phrase stuck and remains a political expression today.

Fab food. This makes an ideal two-in-one: an awesome Chicago hotel and restaurant. Located just off the Blackstone’s lobby is Mercat a la Planxa, a restaurant Inspired by Chef Jose Garces and specializing in modern Catalan cuisine. Our first night in town we dined on tapas dishes and sipped various sangrias. The Escalivada D’Alberginia (eggplant fritters with roasted red peppers, tomatoes and cipollinis, goat cheese and lavender) and Cordero (rack of Colorado lamb) were my favorite dishes. The kids were hooked up with pasta. The entire trip they kept asking to eat there again. Don’t miss this one.

Culture. When you visit, look around. There are over 1,600 original artworks throughout the hotel in both public spaces and guest rooms, many of which are created by emerging Chicago artists. This striking photo is of the Blackstone’s Art Hall. The hung art rotates and many wedding photos have been taken in this room — I can see why.

Presidential Stamp Art. Every room in the  Blackstone has stamp art by Michael Hernandez De Luna. These works comprises of a photo or photos of the president surrounded by U.S. postal stamps featuring the president.  The photo below was taken in the Presidential Suite, Sky. I’m not sure if you can tell, but President John F. Kennedy is the subject.

Fantastic lobby. When my clan first stumbled into the lobby after a long day on road the first thing I noticed was a family enjoying the pool table located a few steps for the free standing check-in desks (Cool feature, too! Makes for personalized service). 

And check out the gold couch right next to the pool table.

Awesome hotel gym. I didn’t get nearly enough time in this gym but I highly recommend the Blackstone Hotel to those looking for a high quality fitness room because it has everything: free weights, medicine balls, an assortment of cardio machines, weight machines, plus chilled towels, fresh fruit, earbuds, and even infused citrus water. A+ for this hotel gym. Yes…it’s Instagram worthy.

Starbucks. This is a personal preference but we are huge Starbucks fans, especially when on the road. By our second visit the barista already had my husband’s venti-quad-bone-dry-cappuccino down. He was beyond ecstatic.

When the kids say, “When can we come back?” I know the hotel was a hit!

Thank you to Sage Hospitality for teaming with The Vacation Gals and showing us several hotels across the United States. To read more follow our tweets by searching for hashtag: #SageWanderer  

Traditional Chaco toe-loop sandal style.

Chaco sandals are a staple for many men and women who live and play in the Colorado mountains. I’ve never been a fan of the toe-loop, strappy, sporty shoes (see left). First, I’m weird about having my big toe in its own little compartment; it needs to be free. Second, the traditional Chaco sandal style is just too hippie-like for me. I know there are ardent fans of this style — with or without toe loop — who love that the waterproof sandals that can be worn on the river, along the hiking trail and even “dressed up” a bit when paired with casual skirts. (These diehards are called Chaconians!) Still, they’re not me.

However, Chaco does make a whole bunch of other summer shoes that are much more my style — including the Derby “flips.” These flip flops may not be built for adventuring outdoors as much as the strappy Chacos, but they still have some important features that make them not only comfortable, but rugged.

The proprietary LUVSEAT footbed — developed in partnership with a podiatrist — is contoured to support the foot. It helps prevent feet from overpronating (rolling inward), while heel risers help keep the foot stable. All this adds up to a secure fit. Plus, the nubuck footbed is soft on the soles; truly, these are comfortable shoes.

Chaco Derby sandal.

Adding to the comfort is the full-grain leather upper with pigskin lining. And the outer sole has EcoTread rubber, which offers good traction.

I suppose if I had one change for these sandals it would be to the strip of leather between my big and second toe — remember, I’m picky when it comes to the toes! It’s a bit thick for my liking; I really need a thin and flexible strap there. (That said, if it were thinner or more flimsy, the sandals likely wouldn’t fit so securely.)

In all, I appreciate the slim look of these flip flops. They are casual and solid enough for long walks in shorts and a tank top, but I’ve also paired them with summery dresses, too — so they’re certainly versatile for warm-weather travel.

The Chaco Derby comes in three neutral colors (light brown, chocolate brown and black) and retails for $80.

Chaco provided me with a pair of Derby sandals for purposes of editorial review.

Let’s face it: there are an overwhelming number of lodging options in Orlando, Florida. No surprise here, as the theme park capital of the world is also the most popular travel destination in the United States. Universal Studios Orlando has its own hotels, Walt Disney World does as well, and outside of theme park properties hotels from grubby to top-of-the-line abound. In short, it takes a LOT for a hotel to stand out in this crowd. The new-ish Hilton Hotel Orlando (opened 2009) does just that. And how.

I know what you’re thinking, a Hilton’s a Hilton, right? Wrong. Admittedly, I thought this too en route from the Orlando Airport. I was staying at the Hilton Orlando Hotel for work, and assumed it would be yet another in the long line of business travel-ready hotels I’ve stayed at over the years. But this Hilton goes above and beyond expectations. It’s not just me who thinks so: it was named the Hilton Hotels & Resorts 2012 Hotel of the Year.   This means that Hilton WorldWide named the Hilton Orlando Hotel the best Hilton in the WORLD, for 2012. And, every year since the Hilton Orlando was up and running, it won Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ “Connie Award” for the Hilton Hotel in the Americas and the Best Guest Satisfaction Award each year as well (for Hilton properties with over 500 rooms).

Just the facts, ma’am:

• The Hilton Orlando has 1,417 rooms and suites, all non-smoking
• The hotel has the usual amenities like in-room coffee maker, Internet, mini fridge, etc
• Dining options include Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, David’s Club Bar & Grill, The Bistro, Tropics Pool Bar & Grill, The Marketplace, Lobby Bar, and room service
• The Spa accommodates couples and groups swell as solo spa lovers. It uses Neroli based products (that’s the essential oil from orange blossoms) to help promote relaxation and wellness
• The fitness center is enormous; 4,000 square feet with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side that face the outdoor grounds. There’s a lot of equipment that fits into that fitness center, including treadmills, recumbent cycles, elliptical cross trainers and more
• The pool has “zero entry” on both sides; this lack of any sudden drop-off makes the pool child-friendly. There are six cabanas and a 10,000 square foot pool deck, and a separate “Quiet Pool” for adults. There is also an 892 foot long lazy river with water fountains and water canons
• Tennis court
• Basketball court
• Volleyball court
• Jogging track
• 9-hole putting course
• Schedules weekend and sessional activities
• Downtown Disney — 7 miles away
• Universal Studios Orlando — 5 miles away
• Seaworld — 2 miles away

Now, that’s all very boring stuff, the details you may want to know before reserving a room at a hotel. But here’s what makes the Hilton Orlando the award-winningest Hilton hotel: the unbelievable level of service. Those of us who review hotels know it’s an occupational hazard to become immune to certain details of customer service; the chocolates on the pillows after turn-down service, the towels twisted into animal shapes, the kids’ menus, yawn. When you get down to it, hotels and resorts that offer sometimes unexpected pleasures like those can do so while “phoning it in.” That is, the THINGS are there, but the actual, genuinely friendly staff eager and excited to go that extra mile are not. The Hilton Orlando Hotel is exceptional. Here, every staff member I encountered — and I encountered a lot – was so truly happy to showoff the hotel and to make my stay as easy as possible. There were no phony smiles in sight.

There is something so astounding about seeing all levels of staff be so enthusiastic about their jobs that it must be rare. I certainly was blown away. It’s an extrapolation, but I’d wager that the staff – from  housekeepers to concierge desk, from groundskeepers to head chef – must be treated with respect and admiration by the upper management. Even a painter, touching up the sides of the hotel, pausing, looking up, and giving me a truly friendly morning greeting, was a pleasure. It puts a bounce in the step of guests to see happy people all around them, this makes the staff happier, and the cycle repeats itself. Happy guests, happy employees, happy management…you’d think that the Hilton Orlando Hotel is trying to provide some competition in Orlando with the other so-called Happiest Place on Earth.

The Hilton Orlando Hotel has other notable, positive aspects as well, including it being a LEED-certified green hotel with committed plans in action to reduce, reuse and recycle otherwise disposable item, and a majorly locally-sourced list of ingredients for all its restaurants. This is difficult to achieve for a hotel of this size, yet it’s working — and in such a seamless way that it doesn’t affect or detract from the guest experience at all.

There are lots of hotels in Orlando, and lots of Hilton hotels in the world. Only one, though, has this remarkable green philosophy for a hotel of its size, with locally sourced restaurant menu items, service worthy of 5-star resorts, and in the most highly desired family travel destination of Orlando, Florida. The Hilton Orlando will make you happy, and help you enjoy your stay as much as possible.

The Hilton Orlando Hotel comped my stay as part of the first TMS Family Travel Conference.

Regular guest contributor to The Vacation Gals, Kim Tracy Prince, recently treated herself to a Las Vegas weekend with kids and spouse. Armed with the fact that there are certain unsavory aspects to the Las Vegas Strip, she wisely opted for a more family-friendly approach to this small family vacation. Las Vegas is a popular getaway for Los Angeles residents, and Kim quickly found out that a little research helps the whole family enjoy that time away. – Ed.

Our Las Vegas Weekend with Kids

It’s not often that you can tell someone you are going to spend a Las Vegas weekend with kids, but we did just that. Las Vegas is home to two of our family’s most recent travel wants: Cirque du Soleil and lazy rivers. So we decided to combine those two and make it a trip.

The challenge: how to have a fun family weekend in Las Vegas away from the crowds, the gambling, and the adult-themed entertainment.

The solution: family-friendly lodgings just a short drive away from the main strip, and a quick in-and-out at Treasure Island – the home of Mystère, our Cirque show of choice.

Tahiti Village: the Un-Vegas Hotel

Tahiti Village is actually a timeshare resort that is part of Soleil Management, but it was easy enough to find a very reasonably-priced retail room (that is their vernacular for just booking a room like a regular hotel room) with a kitchenette in this property that is only 2 miles south of the non-stop cluster of giant casino hotels. Their rooms are arranged in towers around a central area that has a large pool complete with beach entry (a sandy sloped entrance to the enormous wading pool) and volleyball net, and a separate lazy river. Parking is included in the $10/day resort fee, as are pool equipment rentals, wifi in public areas, and other amenities.

We found Tahiti Village to be perfect for our Las Vegas weekend with kids. While the resort kindly upgraded our room from the 580-square foot “Moorea” to the larger “Bora Bora” suite with a full kitchen, it was located on the parking lot side of the tower, so there was no view…but that didn’t matter. We didn’t spend very much time there except to sleep and eat breakfast. For that, the full kitchen was much appreciated. Lunchtime was spent down at the patio where there are a few barbecue “islands” placed about the outdoor grounds. Gas grills line the patio area and there is plenty of umbrella-covered seating for lazy dining.

Speaking of lazy, the main reason I chose to stay at Tahiti Village, sight unseen and with only a few blog posts out on the internet to guide me, was its lazy river. My 6-year-old had been telling me “I want to go there!” every time he saw a certain commercial with children floating on inner tubes along a similar manufactured waterway. But I didn’t want the greater cost and the inconvenience of staying one of the usual suspects up the strip, so I took a chance, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I’d say that after about 30 revolutions on the lazy river at Tahiti Village, my whole family was quite pleased.

We also enjoyed the shallow pool and the plentiful seating and poolside bar. It’s too bad that the two water bodies are not adjacent. Between them is a naked patch of land that hotel management told me is still owned by the land developer, and its fate is yet undeclared. Water slide, anyone?

Another great selling point of Tahiti Village for a Las Vegas weekend with kids is its shuttle to “The Strip” that leaves at regular intervals. If one bus fills up, the hotel sends another, so there can be a little wait time but that doesn’t matter if you don’t want to be bothered driving. For our Saturday night Cirque du Soleil show at Treasure Island, we ventured up to the shuttle stop at Mirage and then embarked upon our first hike from casino to casino as a family. It was about 90 degrees, so we took it slow, but we all got to experience just how large these properties are even though we snaked along the back route. In fact, that is just how you should do it if you go, too, because the back entrance to Treasure Island is right near the Mystère theater box office, where we claimed our tickets.

Mystère - the Perfect Cirque du Soleil Show for Kids

After researching all of the Cirque shows currently in production in Las Vegas, I chose Mystère. I was worried that the show would be too loud for my more sound-sensitive child, so we brought headphones with us, and then promptly left them behind in the hotel room. Not to worry, though the music was indeed loud, both of our sons were enjoying it too much to notice. The combination of death-defying acts, physical comedy, strange costumes, and intoxicating music was a delight for all four of us.

From the moment you walk into the Mystère Theater, the first permanent Cirque du Soleil theater built in a Vegas casino, you are immersed in the performance. Before the house lights go down, there are two baby carriages on stage, and the sounds of baby voices cooing is looping on the PA system. An old clown totters through the arena, “helping”guests to their seats, spilling popcorn on people, and making children (and adults) laugh.

And then the show opens, and there are adult babies, a haughty but campy ventriloquist emcee, ghostly marchers and giant drums, and acrobats dressed like clumsy birds who are anything but clumsy.  My kids’ favorite act was the aerial cube, controlled by a very strong young man who spun this larger-than-life metal cube and flipped and wheeled above our heads.  Although we in the audience trusted that the performers were experienced and adept, their bungee-jumping and trampoline-bouncing and trapeze-flipping and silk-sheet-tangling, 50 feet or more in the air, made our breath catch in our throats every time.

Only at the end of the show, when the house lights came up and the enormous inflated snail made us scratch our heads and say “huh?” were we able to exhale. It was a truly terrific thing to do during our Las Vegas weekend with kids. No, really: it was perfect. The children were impressed and overjoyed, and the 6-year-old is still talking about the incredible acts he saw at “Cirque Disco Lay.”

Getting to a Las Vegas Weekend with Kids – the 2014 Kia Sorento

We traveled to Vegas from outside Los Angeles, and we could have flown – especially with the nice amenity of the shuttle from Tahiti Village – but we stubbornly insisted on driving. For this trip we tested a 2014 Kia Sorento, which passed with good grades.

What’s important in a vehicle for a family road trip? Space? Check. The Sorento does not have a third row of seats, but it is wide enough and there is a drop down armrest/cupholder in the back seat that kept our two boys far enough apart for the duration of the grueling 6.5 hour drive (most of that due to terrible traffic within Los Angeles itself). The cargo space in the back was more than enough to hold luggage for four plus our food and a bag of digital devices and their cords.

Power? Check. There is an actual electric outlet that faces the back seat, so the kids could charge their electronic devices without a car adapter. Those devices saved us a lot of whining and headache-inducing sibling argument.

Connectivity? Check. The navigation system and its traffic reporting were awesome – we could see how soon we would be free of the slow crawl. It didn’t help traffic move any faster, but it gave us hope. Also, the Bluetooth connection to my phone was an upgrade that I will not take for granted until I get a new car someday and have the ability to use it all the time. But on this trip, I was like a kid with a new toy, barking orders to my phone, streaming podcasts, and playing the music I like.

Since we own smaller vehicles, we were appreciative that the Sorento didn’t guzzle gas the way we expect an SUV to do. But what I appreciated the most about the Sorento was the smooth ride. Even when we hit a little bit of slow traffic on the way back to LA, we truly didn’t mind because we were comfortable, and we had a great vacation.

As the 6-year-old would say, “Vegas, man. Vegas.”

I received a room upgrade, discounted and complimentary tickets to Mystère, and a week of test-driving the Kia Sorento in order to facilitate this Las Vegas weekend with kids feature.

Kim Tracy Prince is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area who publishes a personal blog, House of Prince  and a hyperlocal website, Agoura Hills Mom. 

We could have taken my blue, beat-up Toyota Sienna minivan on our romantic getaway to Sorrel River Ranch, a luxury resort on the banks of the Colorado River in Moab. Second choice: my husband’s big, loud, white Dodge Dakota. Running circles around either of these options: Mazda’s brand-new, 2013 Mazda3 with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY. In “velocity red.” Done!

In driving this 5-door hatchback around town for several days, as well as the 200 miles to Moab (and back), I found it fast, fun and fuel efficient. Is it the most convenient car for a mother of two, who often has other children in tow for carpools? Not really. Would it be ideal for a long road trip — or camping weekend — for our family of four? Nope. But for one kid-free weekend, when my husband were reminiscing about our dating days and first romantic getaways together 16 years ago? Perfect!

The Mazda3 gets 31 mpg (combined city/highway) and earns an 8 out of 10 for its Fuel Economy & Greenhouse Gas Rating (per fueleconomy.gov) thanks to its engine’s proprietary SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY (so important, it’s in all caps). Frankly, I don’t know enough about cars under the hood to fully grasp the engine and mechanical features. All know is that I can go farther on a gallon of gas in this car than our current ones. That means more money in my pocket and more reasons to road trip. Bonuses in my book!

Here are my other favorite aspects of the Mazda3:

Navigation and audio system: I found the included full-color touch screen navigation system with voice command easy to operate, and the SiriusXM Satellite Radio was so fun and fabulous to have on our road trip. When my kids were in the car, they were able to quickly program their iPhones into the Bluetooth feature, so they could share their playlists with me — not always my style of music, but hey, it’s a nice way to bond with tweens.

Adaptive front lighting system: With this feature, your headlights sense when you’re making a turn, and wiull adjust their angle with the car allowing you to see more of the incoming path. We tested this as we were rounding turns — noting the difference when the AFS was switched on and off (see photo at right) — and it was pretty cool to note that the adjusting headlights did allow us to view more in our path.

Blind spot monitoring system: When other cars enter your blind spot, on your left or right side, a little icon illuminates on your side view mirror (again either of them). I absolutely love this feature. I’m a fanatic about turning my head to check for oncoming cars before passing or turning, but I appreciate this extra warning that another car is nearby.

Roomy enough back seat: I actually had my husband drive the car, while I sat in the back seat behind him, to see how comfortable the back seat was. Now, as a tall woman (five-foot-nine), I didn’t have a ton of leg room behind my husband, but for short trips, I could deal. My (shorter) children in the back seat had no complaints. There are seatbelts for three in the back, and the seats fold down (one or both) to extend the cargo room in the “way back.”

Heated front seats, keyless entry and push start, and a moonroof with one-touch open are other convenient features I appreciated in the Mazda3 hatchback.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 2013 Mazda3 5-door Grand Touring hatchback is $23,300. The technology package, which includes the Adaptive Front Lighting System and SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 4-month trial subscription, is an additional $1,500 (MSRP).

I enjoyed complimentary use of a Mazda3 for a week for purposes of editorial review.

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I wonder how many of my local friends know the compassionate and charming Pila Xian, who owns Heaven on Earth, an Aspen day spa. A gift certificate for her Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial, combined with a 30-minute neck and shoulder add-on massage, would be a heavenly (pun!) way to pamper mom this Mother’s Day. (Suggestion for my Aspen-area friends: Just send this story to your husband and perhaps they’ll get the hint…)

In fact, I’d recommend a visit to Heaven on Earth in Aspen year round — for locals and visitors. Its intimate location in the heart of downtown Aspen (above Cache Cache on Mill St.) is a convenient way to get pampered after a day of hiking or skiing — or for no reason at all other than you want to treat yourself!

A one-woman shop, Pila offers a vast array of services you might find at any of Aspen’s large resort spas, but with her treatments you enjoy the personal customer service that comes from a small owner-operated spa. Truly, Pila immediately put me at ease with her friendly and thoughtful demeanor — which only enhanced her custom delivery of my Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial the other day.

A trained and talented massage therapist, Pila integrates a bit of massage into every treatment, even if you didn’t specifically book one of her full body massages. After I told Pila my neck was sore (just your typical “too much time spent hunched over a laptop” soreness), she used some Visonary Trigger Point Therapy to help alleviate the tension. (Because of the time she took with me, technically this would have been priced at additional “add-on” massage to the facial I’d booked.)

With firm hands, and applying pressure in just the right tight spots in my neck and shoulders, she compressed on my knot until it hit a 5 on my “pain scale” of 1 to 10. Then she told me to deep breathe, and guided me in some visualizations until the knot pain dissipated: “With your mind’s eye, track your breath as it travels through out your body. As your breath travels across your shoulder use your breath to sweep up and exhale it out of your mouth” or “Imagine your favorite color and all of its healing energies radiating on your shoulder, soothing, easing and melting this knot, allowing it to melt and flow through as you exhale.”

Ah, I feel calmer just remembering Pila’s soothing voice during this treatment!

Some hand and arm massage is also included in the Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial, and warm paraffin is placed on the hands to soften skin and cuticles.

The facial itself is a bit different from your typical cleanse, exfoliate, steam, extract, massage and moisturize type of facial. This one begins with a facial massage; who knew I carried such tension in my jaw and forehead? That’s followed by two rounds of cleansing; Pila recommends you wash your face thoroughly twice each night before bed — just one round typically only removes surface makeup, moisturizer or sunscreen. You need to wash twice to actually get the cleanser to reach your skin.

Since I’d just exfoliated, Pila didn’t exfoliate my facial skin, but rather started right in with applying cooling oxygen with a wand to my face, accompanied by a hydrating serum. The steady pressure of flowing oxygen allows the serum to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin.

Pila only applied the oxygen to half of my face, then showed me the difference. In the mirror and to the touch I could tell that the “finished” side was a bit plumper, smoother and firmer. It wasn’t a dramatic difference, but it was there (Pila said sometimes the differences very noticeable, depending on the client). In the two days that followed my facial, I also noticed that my face was a bit brighter and smoother than normal. The skin felt more hydrated.

I loved Pila’s soothing touch and this facial that was quite different from the typical facials I’ve encountered. (Who can say they really like extractions?) It was calming and therapeutic, without being painful in the least.

Pila’s treatment room is tiny, but inviting, with soft lighting, landscape images on the walls, accompanying music if you like it and heated table. Next time, I think I’ll go for a full-body massage: a custom therapy blending some deep-tissue with typical Swedish strokes. Or, perhaps a Lomi Lomi massage; hailing from Hawaii, Pila is sure to be skilled in this type of body treatment!

In addition to many types of massage, facials and “heavenly add-ons,” such as Chinese cupping and herbal compresses, Pila offers bridal spa packages, waxing and tinting, as well.

Like I said, Pila truly cares about her clients’ needs. When I mentioned that my feet were chilly, she took care to warm them up — wrapping some cloth face-cradle coverings around them. (I should have brought my socks — my poorly circulated feet often get cold!) She takes care to ensure her clients are receiving the type of service that is ideal for them, just how they like it. That’s my idea of an attentive massage therapist and esthetician!

Learn more about Pila and her services at the Heaven on Earth website.

I was provided with a complimentary treatment at Heaven on Earth for purposes of review.