Family, travel, mom blog | Theme Park Mom (Leigh Caldwell)

Located on 816-acres with 3.5 miles of pristine beach on the Mexican Rivera, Estrella del Mar is Mazatlán’s premier gated American master-planned oceanfront luxury golf and beach resort. Estrella del Mar already has over 250 owners from around the world. Owners and guests alike are privileged to enjoy all the amenities the resort has to offer. This month, the resort opened its new beachside hotel, Las Villas Hotel & Spa. Guests can now experience the ultimate in hospitality, four signature restaurants and a luxurious new spa facility. The acclaimed Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Championship golf course, tennis courts and the Estrella del Mar Turtle Sanctuary complete your resort experience. Located just 10 minutes from the Mazatlán International Airport on lushly secluded Stone Island, Estrella del Mar is one of Mexico’s best kept secrets. Non-stop and one stop air access is available from 20 cities in the US, Canada and Mexico. And if nightlife, sight-seeing, the arts, international restaurants and European built architecture is of interest, the city of Mazatlán is a 30 – 45 minute drive from the resort.

Las Villas Hotel & Spa is inspired by traditional colonial Mexican design. The custom décor in the hotel’s Ocean Front, Ocean View and Garden View rooms is elegant and refined, including oversized granite and marble bathrooms with luxury tub and glass enclosed rain shower. Every guest will experience the perfect blend of luxury, affordability, unsurpassed beauty and service. Hotel guests and owners alike have access to a selection of on-site amenities, including 4 restaurants, our luxurious spa and fitness center, tennis, pool, beachside outdoor Jacuzzi’s and our acclaimed Estrella del Mar Turtle Sanctuary.

“The opening of Las Villas Hotel & Spa represents a major milestone for Estrella del Mar,” said Pat Butler, CEO of Club Acquisition Company and 50% managing partner of Estrella del Mar. “My partners and I, Paladin Realty, continue to invest in Estrella del Mar with the end goal of making it one of the premier resort destinations in all of Mexico. In a time where many resort communities have slowed progress, we’ve aggressively pushed forward to meet the long-term commitment we made to our property owners and guests.”

Additional significant hotel amenities and features include:

-    New Signature Restaurants – The existing La Paloma Restaurant, located at the clubhouse, will now be joined by three new dining experiences on property, including Los Delfines Restaurant & Bar, The Courtyard Café and for lighter fare, the Las Villas Poolside Restaurant. -    Las Villas Spa – The spa facility at Las Villas features a sauna, steam room, massage and relaxation room, hydrotherapy and many signature spa treatments of the Mexican Rivera. The facility also features a state-of-the-art fitness center and salon offering a wide array of the most popular salon treatments. -    Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Championship Golf: The 18-hole championship course boasts ocean views with beautiful tropical landscaping that borders the pristine Pacific coastline. Known for the breathtaking scenery and prestigious course layout, the Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course is the premier golf experience in Mazatlán. -    Meeting Facilities – Las Villas Resort & Spa offers two meeting rooms and substantial space for corporate meetings and retreats. Each room is fully equipped with the latest technology in audio and visual equipment and WiFi.

New Condominiums: In addition to Las Villas Hotel & Spa, Estrella del Mar recently unveiled Phase III of their Beachfront Condominium residences, representing an additional 84 units of which 32 are ready for immediate occupancy. Each residence features state-of-the-art finishes and has been designed to maximize views of the ocean and golf course and has a private walk-out patio with immediate access to the swimming pool and beach, or a private balcony providing outstanding panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Condominiums are constructed to meet the highest U.S. standards; the interior design features granite countertops, GE Profile appliances, travertine marble flooring, natural finish solid wood cabinetry, kitchen island, laundry room, central heat and air conditioning, solid wood doors, Internet access and satellite television.

Residences range from one to three bedrooms with penthouse units available. Prices start at $325,000 USD and an average cost per square foot of $325. Phase III comes on the heels of a successful sellout of Phase I and II residences.

Estrella del Mar has golf course home sites available that offer the serenity, beauty and lifestyle like that of no others in Mazatlán. Home sites start at $89,500 and construction costs average $130 per square foot.

Visitors to Roanoke, VA, can now select a brand new, all-suite hotel conveniently positioned near area businesses. The Cambria Suites in Roanoke, VA, is adjacent to the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and the prestigious Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. Companies within one mile include Suntrust, Wachovia and Verizon. In addition to its exceptionally work-friendly location, the 100% non-smoking Cambria Suites hotel provides modern, stylish and sophisticated guestrooms and services designed to accommodate the demands of busy business travelers. In order to attract groups in search of Roanoke hotels, the Cambria Suites in Roanoke, VA, is presenting a special discounted rate. Groups who book rooms now through September will receive a $69/night room rate and those who book from October through December will receive a $79/night rate. Interested parties can visit the Cambria Group Travel page and find out more.

Amenities and services at the Cambria Suites in Roanoke, VA, include a fitness center, a coffee bar and an indoor pool with a spa. On-site dining trumps the average hotel food experience, as the Roanoke, VA hotel offers contemporary bistro-style cuisine at Reflect and gourmet to-go items at Refill Lounge. The Cambria Suites also features more than 1,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space for special events, offering amenities such as high-tech presentation and audio/visual technology, convenient catering services and free wireless Internet access to seal the deal.

A variety of upscale brand name amenities make the Cambria Suites in Roanoke a valued choice among Roanoke choice. Spacious guestrooms feature spa products from Bath and Body Works. Guests can begin busy mornings with Wolfgang Puck coffee. Additionally, rooms include two flat-screen LCD televisions and MediaHub plug and play technology for laptops, MP3 players, game consoles and digital cameras.

For information on the Cambria Suites, please visit the Cambria Suites Roanoke website or the Aimbridge Hospitality website. Call (540) 400-6226 for reservations.

About Aimbridge Hospitality Aimbridge Hospitality is one of the nation’s leading independent hotel investment and management firms with a proven track record for delivering superior returns for its strategic partners in a variety of markets and economic cycles. Aimbridge provides management, asset management, development, renovation and consulting services. Based in Dallas, Texas, Aimbridge currently owns and/or manages 52 upscale, independent and branded hotels with nearly 11,000 rooms across the United States, including such affiliations as Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Aloft, Hyatt, Wyndham and the Phoenix Inn Suites chain of hotels. For more information on Aimbridge Hospitality, please visit http://www.aimbridgehospitality.com.

The comfort and conveniences of an extended stay hotel will soon have a whole new attitude at the SpringHill Suites Tarrytown, New York hotel where an extensive renovation is planned. The hotels’ already spacious suites are being updated with a fresh new look and the lobby is undergoing a total makeover.

“I am confident that our extensive refurbishment will improve the guest experience to the extent that it will create fresh demand for the value added incentives that our particular brand brings to the market,” says Hotel General Manager Mary Kay Manchin of the renovation scheduled to be complete in early 2011.

Guest suites at this Tarrytown hotel in Westchester County will receive a full renovation with new beds, updated desks and other furnishings, lighting and even new curtains for an all new look . The suites at this distinctive hotel are already spacious by design with 25% more space than average hotel rooms and feature separate areas for relaxing, dining and sleeping as well as a pantry area, mini refrigerator and microwave. With all new furnishings and brand new bedding, these hotel suites are perfect for family or extended stay needs. Renovation of the hotel’s lobby is going all the way down to the concrete to create a contemporary great room with distinctive style that is warm and inviting to New York guests seeking quality hotel amenities, exceptional service and spacious accommodations.

Fun and affordable Tarrytown hotel deals combined with plenty of room for everyone make the SpringHill Suites Tarrytown Greenburgh hotel a perfect gathering place for family vacation fun. Unique family fun packages are available that include pizza, a movie and a $50 coupon book to Funfuzion in New Rock City; or families can “Nickelodeon” their stay for added fun for the kids and extra quiet time for mom and dad. In addition to spacious accommodations, a hotel pool and whirlpool, guests will enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet, convenience of “The Market” for 24/7 access to food, snacks and travel needs, free local shuttle service and complimentary parking.

When planning business meetings or social events, the SpringHill Suites is a perfect destination for clients or out-of-town guests and its first class amenities along with two intimate event spaces, catering services and professional event planners make it perfect as a wedding hotel in Tarrytown. Rooms may be booked online at http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hpntr-springhill-suites-tarrytown-greenburgh/ or call 1-800-228-9290 for reservations or more information.

About the SpringHill Suites Tarrytown Greenburgh

Conveniently located near major area corporations, Pace University, Fordham University, West Point Military Academy and Phelps Memorial Hospital, the SpringHill Suites Tarrytown Greenburgh Hotel offers guests stylish accommodations and a smoke-free environment. The hotel provides guests with complimentary high-speed Internet access, a full-service business center and an on-site fitness center that boasts updated equipment with personal TVs.

As much as I would like to believe that my family’s vacations are luxurious affairs where money is no object, let’s face it, most of us are looking for ways to save money when we travel.

I believe one of the easiest ways to save is to avoid going out for breakfast. Staying in a hotel with a free breakfast is a great idea, but if that’s not an option, there are plenty of ways to avoid spending $20-$40 on your family’s first meal of the day. Just bring breakfast foods with you.

Here are some tips:

• You can prepare instant oatmeal packets just about anywhere. They are easy to pack, and you can use your hotel room’s coffeemaker to heat the water and make it in the provided coffee cups. Just pack some plastic spoons.
• Dry cereal and granola bars are also easy to pack and eat.
• Don’t forget easy-to-handle fruit like apples and bananas. If you are flying to your destination, you can usually pick up these items at a nearby convenience store.

Many hotel rooms come equipped with refrigerators these days, and that really opens up your options:

• You can pick up the individual plastic serving bowls with cereal already inside at a drug store or supermarket. You just peel off the lid and pour milk in. Even if you don’t have a refrigerator, you can probably get a glass or two of milk to go from the hotel restaurant.
• Don’t forget about protein. I am a big believer in protein in the morning because I think it keeps you feeling full longer than just carbs. Yogurt, cheese sticks or even hard-boiled eggs can be packed in a cooler (if you’re driving) or bought at your destination and kept in a refrigerator in your room.

I just tried the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt, and I really like it for breakfast. I have enjoyed the tangier, thicker flavor of Greek yogurts, and the added bonus is all the protein in that little cup. One serving of Yoplait Greek Yogurt has 12 grams of protein.

I tried the honey vanilla and blueberry varieties, and I liked them both and have already bought more. (Plain and strawberry flavors are also available.) In the past, I had to go to a special section of my supermarket or to a specialty grocer to find Greek yogurt. Now that Yoplait is making it, it is easier to find right in the usual dairy case at my Publix.

Good news!

Yoplait has a coupon online now that gives you 30 cents off so that you can try Yoplait Greek Yogurt.

Better news!

Yoplait and My Blog Spark are giving away a “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack like the one above so that one Theme Park Mom reader can try Yoplait Greek Yogurt for free. Besides some VIP coupons, the package includes a terry-cloth wrap, slippers, a loofah and some other items so that you can have a spa night at home.

To enter, leave a comment to tell me which variety of Yoplait Greek Yogurt you most want to try.

For extra entries (be sure to leave a separate comment for each):

• Leave a comment to tell me how you like to nourish your inner goddess.
• Tweet about this contest with a link to this post. (Sample: Enter to win Yoplait Greek Yogurt and a “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack @themeparkmom’s blog: http://bit.ly/cc29kh)
• Share this post on Facebook.

I will choose a winning comment through random.org at noon on Saturday, April 17.

UPDATE: And the winner is… Comment No. 6, Amy V.!

Disclosure notice: Yoplait and My Blog Spark provided me with VIP coupons, a gift pack and information about Yoplait Greek Yogurt. Thanks to Yoplait and My Blog Spark for providing the prize for this giveaway.