Most of the resorts in North County San Diego sit atop bluffs with the beach hard to access and often with obstructed views to boot. While Alila Marea also sits atop a bluff, it has the unique benefit of facing the miles-long South Carlsbad State Beach as well as sitting directly above the Grandview Surf Beach. This makes it one of the best located - truly beach-front resorts in San Diego and offers guests unobstructed views and relaxing sounds of waves crashing on the shore at night.

There are business hotels and then there are hotels with themed rooms designed for a romantic getaway. These are fun and exciting with a little bit of naughty thrown in for good measure. Especially in a time like this where you might desperately need an escape but aren't really wanting to go out and hang around with people, finding a themed hotel room near you might just be the perfect solution. The interesting thing is that while you might think this type of getaway would be only found in California, New York, or Las Vegas... the reality is that there are options all over the country, including states you might normally think of as being more conservative such as Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, and even Utah!

Northern Sonoma County's Wine Road has a fabulous assortment of hotels, inns, and bed & breakfasts available but the Geyserville Inn combined all of the best aspects of each type of property. The rooms were modern like a hotel, it was small and personal like an inn, and the restaurant on-site had the personality of a home-cooked breakfast that you might find in a bed and breakfast property. Whether you are looking for a place to stay on a guys weekend, romantic getaway, or even a wedding or vow renewal, this place is near perfect.

Punta Gorda and Manasota Key area is one of my favorite parts of South West Florida. It's stuck right in the middle between Tampa and Fort Meyers and is the perfect place to take a deep breath and relax. While there are many lodging options here, this time we were hosted by the fun and kitchy WannaB Inn located at the southern end of Manasota Key, just before the entrance to Stump Pass Beach. It's a restored classic American beach resort with 80 rooms spanning seven different areas between Lemon Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. I've never in my life written a review where the lead photo is from my bathroom window, but that's exactly where I shot the photo above. This area is just simply beautiful beyond belief.

Looking for the ultimate in luxury? How about relaxing with your friends at a resort with the largest spa in Riviera Maya while enjoying crystal clear water that is perfect for scuba and snorkeling? Don't forget mixology classes, swim-up pool bars, and the in-room mini bar that is refreshed daily. Let's check out the Grand Velas for all this and more!

Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii is a jungle of high-rise resorts. While some are mega resorts - others are still focused on making sure the individual guests feel special and as welcome as possible. From the moment we checked into The Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach we felt that Hawaiian spirit and that it was something special. While there are other more luxurious and more modern properties available, the authentic and distinctly Hawaiian feel here allows guests to switch out of travel mode... and enter vacation mode.

We were on hand this week for the opening of Willows Hotel & Spa, but I look forward to being able to return to fully experience the resort - especially the spa, pool deck, and restaurants on our own. However, from the brief time we did spend on property and our stay in one of their Escape Suites, this is the perfect destination for anyone in San Diego that is looking for a getaway where there will be no kids. It's the perfect distance from downtown, easy to get to, and delivers a full suite of luxury, spa, pool, food, and all the action you'd expect from a casino resort. Oh yeah, and there's also some of the best outlet shopping in San Diego. 

Portland, Oregon is a city that I've wanted to visit for quite a while but just never seems to work out for a visit. However, the folks at River's Edge Hotel invited Heather and I to spend the night there on our way back home and so I figured that was kismet. While some destinations might prove to be a challenge to visit with Niki, Portland was a fantastic dog friendly getaway with great food and friendly people. In fact, my only regret is that we couldn't stay in Portland longer.

Traditionally, our wives and girlfriends sit and wait for us to pick a hotel that they want for Valentine's Day - but why can't we turn the tables and do things differently? We scoured the internet looking for epic hotel ideas that will inspire romance this Valentine's Day in a completely different manner than the typical 4-star resort with breakfast in bed!

Each of these motels caters to fantasies or have themed rooms that will make your Valentine's Day that much more fun compared to a eewwey gooey, boring romantic night at a typical hotel with red roses and chocolates.

San Diego has more diversity in hotels than nearly any other city of its size. There are ultra-luxury hotels as well as small boutique hotels and then there's The Pearl Hotel. I've driven by this location dozens of times and didn't realize it was even there since it's one of those places that is literally hidden in plain site. However, after staying there a few weeks ago as part of our Beercation with Travelocity I can't believe I've missed this hidden gem.

When it comes to hunting and fishing lodges, my experience has been the accommodations are typically at one end or the other of a wide spectrum with very little in the middle. That's why I was thrilled to spend the night at the new Legendary Suites, part of the Woodland Resort in Devil's Lake North Dakota last week. The moment I walked through the door, I knew it was something different. While it was affordable it wasn't crummy. Instead, it felt extremely well designed and perfect for exactly what it is - a place to sleep, eat, and share stories before and after a day on the lake or marshes.

From the moment you walk through the doors of Hotel Zeppelin you are either going to love this place or hate the incredible hipster vibe. It's just that kind of place and frankly it works in a city that prides itself on creativity and re-imagining yesterday's cool as today's chic. I've stayed in several Hard Rock Hotels and while I've never had a bad experience - Viceroy Hotel Group has done it better.

I've been lucky to stay at some of the nicest hotels in the country recently. Each of them competes to deliver an extraordinary experience with softer sheets, better amenities, and cutting edge technology. Unfortunately for them, it's sometimes simply the location that serves to blow guests away and that's what I experienced during a recent visit to the Far View Lodge at Mesa Verde in Colorado. 

This hotel was booked for us by Visit Santa Fe. One of the things that I love to see is when older properties are renovated - rather than simply leveled to create something with a cookie-cutter design conceived of without any regard for the community. It shouldn't be a surprise that this was the path that the owners of the Santa Fe Sage Inn took, considering the dynamic and unique nature of Santa Fe itself. What on the outside looks like an older motel, has been lovingly restored and updated with a low-frills but comfortable and inviting decor matching the vibe of the town.

When it comes to planning your guys weekend or mancation, the hotel is almost as important as the destination. This is going to be your home base for a few days and it will generally set the tone for the rest of your adventure. While I'm of the thought that different groups of guys can pretty much make anywhere work, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country is one of my favorites since it offers pretty much everything you'd need for the perfect escape with your friends.

The Hotel Del Coronado is a famous and lavish resort in San Diego, several years ago I had the chance to stay at the resort, but I recently returned with friends to check out their Roast - beach bonfire and s'mores experience. "The Del" is a classic hotel that deserves to be part of your San Diego experience, no matter where you happen to be staying or who you are with. It somehow manages to combine the charm of a century old resort with modern amenities and a sense of gracious charm that is often lacking from today's newer beach resorts.

Having opened in 1993, Luxor is one of the icons of the Las Vegas strip and kicked off a decades long building boom of new mega resorts. While the strip offers a lot of unique opportunities - this is you only shot to sleep in a pyramid! While considerably smaller than the "Great Pyramid" of Giza (230 meters per side vs 183 meters), Kufu's designers didn't think to add a 120,000 sq ft casino, Carrot Top, Criss Angel Believe or "Fantsy" topless revue, so we're willing to accept that it's a bit smaller.

When I visit Disney World, one of my favorite parts is their resort hotels. While this is considered an afterthought at many attractions, Disney takes as much care and planning with where you sleep as they do with how you spend your day. Luckily, while there are some incredibly expensive hotel options at Disney World there are also plenty that are affordable and just as fun. A couple years ago I stayed at Pop Century and this year I decided to check out Disney's All Star Sports Resort during a quick stop at the park.

As our society evolves, we are moving away from the old-style booking in advance as business, socializing and personal time have become more fluid. People are wanting more immediate satisfaction, compared to carefully planning weeks or months in advance. This is why same day hotels booking offered by HotelsByDay and other companies that are mutually beneficial for hotels and guests, is skyrocketing in popularity in New York, considering the fast life and lack of time. 

Think about it this way - sometimes you just need to book a room for a quick meeting or to clean up before a business meeting and other times you might need a place for a quick nap after an international flight. This is where these hotels come in super handy since you really don't need the whole night and don't want to pay for it either!

River Rock Casino Resort is the perfect Vancouver hotel to host a men’s getaway. Not only does it offer five star accommodations, entertainment, a casino, and more, it’s also located close to all of the other action Vancouver has to offer. Which means that whether you want to play a game of craps, or see the city, you’re all set at River Rock Casino Resort. It's also close to the airport so it's super easy to fly into.

In fact, I think the unique thing about Vancouver is that it offers a dual opportunity for a guys getaway. On one side it's a fantastic destination on it's own. On the other side, Vancouver is the perfect gateway to all the exciting adventures that await visitors in the mountains, rivers, and forests of British Columbia.