Staycations are the latest in absolute tacky phrases made to scare people into staying home when they should be traveling. However, here at Frill Seeker Diary, we’re no strangers to lay-offs (every single member of the staff/guest staff has gone through it at least once) and when the money is really low, we’ve noticed it’s the transportation costs, not the actual stay, that burns the wallet.

If you’re feeling that burn, you might need just one night away from the confining walls of your home. And if you do, and you’re in New York City, there’s no place better than the Roosevelt Hotel.

Besides feeling like you’ve walked back in time, the rooms at this centrally located Midtown stay are spacious and cozy with new flat screens, roomy desks, and lux linens; once you sleep in their beds you will literally never (never) want to get up. Seriously.

Below check out a few of my favorite points about this great spot, and even if you can’t get a room, stop by their top tier bars, Vander Bar and the rooftop chic Mad 46. Speak to them on Twitter, too. Thanks to the Roosevelt for hosting me.

photo via flickr.

As part of this years Metro-Area Summer Flings, Frill Seeker Diary was fortunate enough to be hosted in Lake Placid by the Mirror Lake Inn. While I don’t consider myself either an overly sophisticated person or a sports person, I found plenty to do at both the 4-star 5-diamond resort and the Olympic town.

The Mirror Lake Inn is the chicest hotel in Lake Placid, without a doubt, and has enough adult amenities- from an overstocked wine bar to a woodland fantasy pool area and amazing spa. The rooms are spacious and many have gorgeous mountain views across Mirror Lake. If you’re a single, a couple, or a group looking for some heavy R&R and a getaway from the hustle of NYC, this is certainly the trip.

A few notes about the Mirror Lake Inn after the video:

1. WiFi is available, bot not free. Check with the desk for daily rates.

2. If you’ve got kids, this may not be the place to stay. While children are certainly welcome, they’ll need to be on their best behaviour in most common areas, and the hunting-themed library could some timid kids in their place (like me).

3. That goes ditto for pets. They’re not allowed in or on the property and the nearest kennel is a few miles away. Lake Placid looked like a super friendly pet town, but the Mirror Lake Inn is for two-legs only.

4. There are no ATMs on property. In fact, the nearest ATM is on the main strip in the town bank. Yes, town bank. Pull out some cash when you arrive in town and make it last.

As for Lake Placid itself, it’s a sleep town with a lake, a large sports complex- including bobsledding, if you’re into that sort of thing. There’s also a teeny tiny classic movie theatre, a Ben & Jerry’s, a million places to get maple syrup, and some great little hidden secret eateries. Check in on Foursquare to see where the locals go.

photo via flickr.

On my first stay in the Eternal City, Rome, Italy, I had the unfortunate experience of being sick. Actually, very, very sick. Bronchitis and near Pneumonia ravaged me and the last thing I wanted to do was navigate myself through foreign city. That’s why I believe it was truly fate that my travel package landed me at the Donatello Hotel.

The Donatello was just a short 4 block walk from the A line train in Rome (the Manzoni station) and later I found out, just a few minutes by bus from Termini, where you can get off or on the Leonardo Express train from the airport. Amazing views of the Appius Claudius Aqueduct and proximity to the Colosseum and ruins aside, Donatello is right at the nexus of an area inhabited by locals, which means low priced bakeries offering stand-up coffee breakfast, adorable dinner haunted, and supermarkets for stocking up in your room.

And stock-up you might want to. Rooms at the Donatello offer a mini fridge, a small balcony, TV, comfortable beds, and roomy shower. Being plagued with illness, I spent a lot of time in the room and always found it to be comfortable and impeccably kept by the cleaning staff.

When you choose to leave the confines of your room, you’ll find a free breakfast in the basement floor, in an adorable cafe kept by a tiny powerhouse of a woman. The breakfast of three different types of bread, numerous jams, coffee, tea, and juice was more than enough to power me for my day- and all the tea and orange juice I could stomach were amazing for my bronchitis.

Finally, but not least in any way, the staff at the Donatello is what makes it an amazing stay. From the moment we checked in, we were greeted by a native who spoke perfect English and gave my throat a break from it’s broken Italian to rest (phew!). Mauro walked us up to our room, showed us the balcony, the heat, and left us with a detailed map. He asked what we were planning on seeing and circled exactly where all of it was, how to get there, and how to get back. During my last night in Rome, when I decided to force myself to eat, Mauro came to the rescue by suggesting a boutique restaurant, making reservations, and having the staff meet us at the door of the restaurant. Amazing.

Though I did book the Donatello as part of a package, and can’t speak to actual “bang for my buck,” the service alone was well worth my package costs, not to mention walking proximity to a lot of attractions- which is necessary as Rome’s subways are frequently down for maintenance, or just a rest in the middle of the day.

If you book the Donatello, be sure to say hello to Bernardo, Mauro, and the rest of the staff, or just stop in for the great recommendations they can provide.

Hotel Donatello, Via Di Porta Maggiore 83 00185 Roma +390(6)7010833

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As a former Travel Deals Editor, I was always torn between using hotel homepage sites to book my travel, or just scanning the aggregators. Since I worked for an actual aggregator, it seemed in my best interest to use them, know them, understand how they worked and why they save money… but in the back of my head, I was always sure that if I checked the hotel’s actual website, I’d be able to score a better deal.

These days I no longer spend my time aggregating hotel prices, and have a less loyal, more broad range of what I trust when it comes to booking and I’ve learned this: if you are searching for the bells and whistles, chocolate and strawberries, in-room bartenders, and luxe amenities to-boot, check your hotel’s site. However, if you’re an average joe just looking for a nice room in a sweet hotel, aggregators are the best way to save a buck. Here’s why.

1. It’s an area issue. Unless you are very familiar with an area- or have points piled up at a specific brand-new resort- you probably don’t know exactly where you want to stay. Many aggregators offer the chance to scan cities and regions for a list of hotels. By seeing these hotels side by side, you can compare nabe’s, amenities, transit, and all the other important things.

2. Aggregators compile leftover rooms on last-minute stays. Checking out a last-minute booking at the hotel of your choice could end up costly. Brands often jack-up those dollar signs on days they see as busy. However, aggregators are offered a certain number of unbooked rooms on these last-minute days, and it’s in their best interest to get rid of them. This means plenty of bargain prices and rates dropping all the time.

3. When hotels run deals, aggregators follow. Sure you might normally get a better deal on your agg’s, but what about those sale days? When a hotel runs a lower price as part of a promotion, the aggregators do, too. So, you’re not missing out on anything by booking without your resorts site. In fact, occasionally, aggregators will offer sales on competing hotels in the same region, to run against large brand hotel deals.

4. The proof is in the booking. High powered search sites scan all the best aggregators AND hotel websites, so you aren’t missing out on a single way to save a dollar. Plus, if there is a better deal with a nearby resort, you’ve got all of the information in front of you in one place- no searching around.

If you’re tired of the old standbys and are looking for some new shiny aggregators, try Hotels Combined and HotelGuide.com, which both offer super fast results among a myriad of top-rated sites, in a fresh, clean format that’s uncluttered with roaming gnomes or flashy bulletins.

Yes, it was about time that Frill Seeker Diary ventures to the (somewhat slightly) chilly North up to Canada. With one Canuck under our roof and a pair of Greyhound bus tickets burning a hole in our pockets, Toronto has been quite the buzz around the office, eh. So where are a group of culture loving, fashionable, young people to assemble? Queen Street’s answer to the boutique hotels of the US, of course.

The Drake Hotel (est. 2004) is a near time warping experience. Mix a centuries old building (est. 1890) with 1940′s decor, modern visual, musical, and still art, and pepper in just a dash of tomorrow’s technology for the right mix to this Saturday night staple. Let’s start with the design of the lobby, which is based off “Golden Age” Gatsby dinners, and work back to the guest rooms, affectionately named “Crashpads,” “Den’s,” “Salon’s,” and “Suites.” It might be a more innocent age downstairs, but bedrooms buzz with fresh amenities like holistic aromatherapy room sprays, iPod docking stations, and 24″ LCD TV’s; new age hippies abound with joy!

If locking yourself into your glass shower or Sealy mattressed’ed bed is not your idea of fun, why take a sneak peak at The Drake’s calendar of events. Hop up to the SkyYard, a “much celebrated” year-round roofdeck complete with taco and tequila shack, or stop by The Underground, a digital surround sound venue that will keep your parents at bay. Also frequented at the Hipster hoedown are Red Stripe and Jerk Chicken reggae nights, and boisterous singalongs.

If you’re new to town, stay at The Drake because you won’t need to maneuver taxi’s or subways for dinner rezzies, bars, or nightlife; it’s all there.

The Drake Hotel. 1150 Queen Street W. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 1.866.draketo.

More Information:

Time Out Toronto

Traveler Reviews at The Drake

Deals at The Drake Hotel

Inspired by a dear Frill Seeker friends weekend galavant to DC, I wanted to take a minute and revisit the Helix Lounge. Enter Kimpton’s adorable Hotel Helix, swing a right and you’ve found yourself in the middle of a mod paradise. Cozy plump couches with throw pillows galore, shining colorful lights coming at your from every flattering direction, and funky drinks adorned with fruit gummys and glistening ice, this is as New York- or as 1960′s- as you’re gunna get in the Capitol.

This chic bar should also be your first stop for people watching, with models and let-loose politico’s alike taking a snack break beyond Andy Warhol inspired pop prints and space age seating. This bar is slightly overpriced, even coming from a New Yorker’s perspective, but the fun is totally not to be missed. Of course, coming from the hit company over at Kimpton, what else is new?

Tip: Do not leave without a Pajama Party.

More:

Hotel Helix

Helix Lounge

I first checked into the St. James at 1am, on the last night of Mardi Gras, with way too many bags, and exhausted from a crazy trip and night out. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, directing me to my room after a simple check in, and handing me information on stuff to do when the sun came up

My room was absolutely enormous, with huge windows- and totally visible in the photo above, by the way! A king bed, mini bar with coffee maker, vanity and full bathroom gave ample space for a full desk, lounge chair, and walking around room. The location was fabulous, too. It was one of the cheaper stays, being just outside of the French Quarter, but by crossing one busy intersection, you’re in the thick of it all. Plus, the St. Charles streetcar is steps away, and there are numerous fast food and fine dining options in the hotels hub.

Be sure to try out Cuvee, one of New Orleans Magazine’s top picks, right next door- but plan ahead for a fancy outfit, and make reservations! Also, before going out, get lots change from the front desk staff. Although there are numerous activities in the area, not all of them accept cards, and the St. Charles streetcar does not give change, so bring plenty of singles!

St. James Hotel. 330 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA.

We love Coronado Springs so much that it’s become our staple resort choice for most WDW trips. From the simple layout to the numerous pools, large rooms to many shuttle bus stops across the campus, it’s a great moderate resort where you get bang for your buck.

Please visit nhdisnut05's Flickr Photostream

Take a dip in their enormous pool with matching cheetah slide, volleyball court, and children’s playground and have a sip at the beachside snack bar nearby. If you’re looking for a larger meal, you can snack at the Pepper Market with different stations to choose from like dessert bar, breads, Chinese food, and even Mexican fare. Gourmet taste buds will LOVE Maya Grill, particularly it’s stunning outdoor views of the sprawling lake.

Be sure to ask for a Casita room if you want night views of Tower of Terror and Disney Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. 1000 West Buena Vista Drive; Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-1000

More:

Coronado Springs Reviews at WDW Magic

AllEars.net Moderate Resort Reviews

Book a room at Coronado Springs

What’s more romantic than a wedding in Italy? How about tying the knot in the very place said to be the home of Juliet Capulet? The town of Verona, Italy is said to be opening the balcony of the 13th century Capello home for weddings. This, just weeks after officials unearthed the skeleton of what they believe to be a female vampire in the same village. Verona is really shaping up to be a destination for the masses!

Read more on the story here via Discovery Channel.