Why you should stop staying on vacation and go to a hotel

There are a few things you should know about me: I love spending time with my friends and family and I love cooking. but i do No I love staying at home during the vacation.

I know some people love to prepare a big holiday dinner with all the fixings and invite their loved ones into their homes for a big celebration. I’m just not one of them. I don’t like the amount of cooking, cleaning, and running around making sure everyone is having fun.

But I found a great alternative to staying during the holiday season: skip it altogether and check into a hotel instead. Last year, for example, I spent Thanksgiving at a hotel in Orlando and it was the perfect way to start the holiday. christmas season.

Here’s why I think you should give up hosting duties and spend your vacation in a hotel.

Related: 10 luxury hotels that go all out for vacations

You don’t have to cook, clean or host.

My husband and I have three children, all boys, and as much as we try not to, the level of cleanliness in our house is questionable at best. The amount of work we have to do to make it presentable is more than we can do other than keep those kids fed, clean, and clothed.

So last year we flew to Orlando, where a spotless room awaited us at the Gaylord Palms Resort, near Walt Disney World.

Related: Something for Everyone: 6 Things You Should Know Before Visiting a Gaylord Resort

We returned to our room each afternoon to find the beds made, the trash emptied, and the room tidy. I still did my best to keep the kids’ mess under control between cleanups, but this alone relieved a lot of the stress of the holiday.

I am a big proponent of tipping. hotel staff and restaurant waitersand I recommend tipping even more during the holidays if you have the means. Tipping a little more is an easy way to say “thank you.” Plus, it was worth it to have the peace of mind knowing I could spend more time with my family instead of spending the holidays cleaning non-stop.

Although we tried to save money by stocking up on breakfast essentials and snacks for our hotel room, we also dined out during our visit. Most of the hotels I’ve visited during the holidays serve celebratory meals on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

I enjoyed lunch poolside at Gaylord Palms Cypress Springs Water Park. And while I’m not sure a tuna poke bowl is a historically accurate holiday meal, it certainly made me grateful to be sitting poolside at sunny florida instead of cooking in cold southern Indiana for many people.

Most hotels plan special meals and activities.

In many cases, it is not even necessary to leave the hotel to enjoy a traditional Christmas meal. On the way in Universal OrlandoSeveral hotel properties serve Christmas meals. Hotel Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Zafiro Falls Resort all serve a festive buffet at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Outside of Florida, there are several other hotels that serve special meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Grand Cypress Lodge in Memphis serves a Southern meal with Thanksgiving classics, while the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman serves a traditional turkey dinner (or a “Thanksgiving to Go” for guests who want to dine in the privacy of their suite). Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts in Mayan Riviera and punta-cana Serve a special Christmas brunch so you can fill up before hitting the beach or water park.

In addition to delicious meals, hotels around the world celebrate the holiday season with special events and activities. In previous years, we sang along with Christmas carols and met Santa in the lobby of the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. All Universal hotels get into the Christmas spirit.

This year, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal Orlando held a tree lighting ceremony the day after Thanksgiving. It came complete with complimentary hot chocolate, cookies, and surprise character encounters.

In addition to special meals, Santa stops by both Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts locations on Christmas and kids can participate in special Christmas-themed activities, like cookie decorating.

Or, if you’re someone who loves Christmas turkey trot races, Grand Cedar Lodge near Branson, Missouri, holds an annual “Gobble Wobble 5K” the day after Thanksgiving.

You will create new Christmas traditions and memories.

The activities above are just a few examples offered at fun and festive hotels you can visit during the holiday season. You can find similar deals in destinations around the world. No matter where you travel on vacation, unique experiences you can’t have at home help create cherished vacation memories.

My family has a tradition of visiting a Gaylord hotel during the holidays to experience the annual Christmas event called Ice!

Doing something like this, and getting out of our usual routine while filling the day with fun activities, meant I didn’t have to take my kids’ iPads away or think of ways to keep us busy.

You can earn last minute status nights or use expiring certificates

I don’t know about you, but this year I am grateful in all the ways points and miles I have improved my trips. I have received benefits such as room upgrades, late check-out and free hotel nights thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and American Express Platinum® Card.

Amex Platinum automatically grants me Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (enrollment required), which includes perks like room upgrades, late check-out, and bonus points for stays. My Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card comes with an annual free night certificate (up to 35,000 points; certain hotels may have resort rates) on my card anniversary.

I almost forgot to use it a couple of years ago, which led me to another funny story – but it’s not about the time we take our dog on a vacation to avoid losing a free hotel night. This is to remind you that the holiday season is the perfect time to check for free night certificates or other money-saving credit card benefits that may be about to expire.

For example, my Amex Platinum comes with Up to $600 in annual hotel statement credits each calendar year (up to $300 every two years) on Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection prepaid reservations through American Express Travel® (THC requires a two-night minimum stay). And as the old saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Related: Last minute tips to secure hotel elite status before the end of the year

You can also justify throwing Christmas traditions out the window and creating your own if you need to pull in some last-minute nights to ascend to a new level of elite status. You can enjoy a special vacation with your family and ensure high hotel profits for next year. That’s something to be grateful for.

In a nutshell

Don’t get me wrong: I love throwing a party. But I’m more of a hostess of snacks, drinks and board games.

Instead of going crazy trying to plan the perfect Christmas event, I found a festive alternative. It allows my family to celebrate all the things we love about the holidays without any of the stress.

However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a very happy holiday season.

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