It’s kind of an understood rule in our family…Christmas is to be spent at home. But just this past year we agreed to make an exception because we wanted to do something special with my Mama.
The background…
My Mama lives oceans away, so the kids get to see their Grandma only once a year.
In 2012, her visit to us in December was barely two weeks long. And because my soon to be 7 year old had school till 4 days before Christmas, we really could not do much.
To top it all off, Bunny girl auditioned for a role in our church Christmas play and got the part…
so that meant practices every night till the day of the performance on December the 23rd.
Mama’s flight was scheduled for December the 26th, so in effect if we really wanted to do a much-wanted trip to San Antonio, it would have to be on Christmas Eve/ Christmas Day.
True, we didn’t want to be away from home on Christmas morn but we also wanted to create a special memory for the kids with Grandma.
So we decided to listen to our hearts…
and off we went!
Christmas 2012 … Home away from home at the Residence Inn, San Antonio.
The invitation to be a Resident Mom could not have come at a better time. It was the perfect opportunity for our family to experience the property for the first time.
And see whether it could really serve to be our home away from home on Christmas day!
When we drove up to the Residence Inn, San Antonio, Stone Oak/North property the first thing that struck me was the brick work on the side. It reminded me of a cozy bread and breakfast inn I’d stayed at when I’d visited Frankfurt, Germany several years ago.
The wave of nostalgia that hit perhaps set the stay ahead to a good start!
As we dragged our tired bodies in through the doors at 9.30 pm (We’d just spent the whole day at Sea World’s Christmas Celebration), the warm smile at the reception and the happy Christmas decor around, was assuring, even though we were not back at home.
All that was needed to make this place “home” would be a clean, comfortable room.
And thankfully, our guest room access card opened up to just that…
a clean, comfortable, considerably well spaced Studio room.
Complete with a King bed, a sofabed and a fully functional kitchen, this was just what we needed.
My family made themselves right at home right after we checked in.
Bunny girl settled in with a few Christmas books while we sat around on the sofa chatting before church.
And yes, we even carried our tiny Christmas tree from home, to add a touch of Christmas to our room.
.
Our room’s sofabed was claimed by Mama and Bunny girl who happily cuddled in for the night, after we attended the Christmas Eve service at the nearby Cornerstone Church.
(Both insisted the bed was comfortable!)
The inclusion of a completely functional kitchen is what makes any Residence Inn property worthy of consideration when you’re looking for a property to stay at. It’s definitely the choice to make when you’re traveling with young children or intend to stay in a new city for a good number of days.
The add-on “home” benefits…
Every Residence Inn guest is given free access to the laundry facilities, the pool/whirlpool, the ice-vending machine, the cozy study and a convenient mini-Market that sells snacks, milk, water, cereal, fruit yogurt and a few other munchies that would save you a trip to the grocery store in the middle of the night!
And in the morning, a full-fledged hot Continental breakfast buffet is set up for the guests, at no additional charge.
Our breakfast buffet served coffee, tea, milk, juices, scrambled eggs, “make-your-own waffles”, breakfast potatoes, sausages, tacos, a variety of cereal, oats, yogurt, fruit, bread and freshly baked muffins that were not off a store shelf but baked in some local bakery! (I have a horrible aversion to those synthetic tasting, on-the-shelf muffins in plastic wrappers!!)
To say we walked away from the dining area with tummies content would be an understatement.
We practically rolled out of there, stuffed!
(With young kids in tow, this is a great arrangement especially if you plan to spend the whole day outdoors at a local attraction. Nothing beats starting the day off with a large, hot, breakfast! I can guarantee the frequency of melt-downs will be much lower!!)
Oh and did I mention the free wi-fi in every room?
Thoughts from a Residence Inn First Timer…
I have to say I was more than just pleasantly pleased. Contrary to what many may think, staying at the Residence Inn is very affordable.
For a family consisting of 3 adults and 2 little ones, the Studio room worked well. We were charged 89 US$ for a night (+ tax) and yes, this included the mostly freshly made, hot breakfast buffet.
I have to say what I loved the most about our room was the inclusion of the kitchen. If I’d known we had an oven with everything I needed to bake a cake, I wouldn’t have carried our pre-baked “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake for the kids to enjoy on Christmas morn!
While checking out, I noticed this plaque hanging on the wall…
And I have to agree, our family did walk out satisfied…
very satisfied.
True, we weren’t at home for Christmas…
but we did manage to find “home”, away from home!
Tell me…
When you stay in a hotel room, what makes it feel like “home” for you?
**EBMR Disclaimer: As a Resident Mom, though I am being compensated for my time, the heart of this post is all me!**
About Marina
I love when there is lots of room to spread out and relax. That looks so cozy in there, and I think I would have noticed that brickwork on the building right off too!
Liz recently posted..LIVE MÁS – Taco Bell Reveals Sneak Peek Teaser of Super Bowl Commercial
Oh yes, I crave open spaces especially for the kids. It always makes a holiday so much more pleasant when they have space to run around and play a bit.
Twitter: simmworksfamily
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I love when I have little touches of home in my room. Nice fluffy pillows, a great big chair to relax in, and a comfy bead. I absolutely love how this location truly created a home away from home. Especially for the holidays.
Danielle recently posted..Celebrating San Diego Museum Month 2013
Ah…fluffy pillows!!
I totally ADORE Residence Inn!! We stayed in one years ago when our oldest son was small, and it was the best experience. That’s so nice that you brought your little christmas tree along with you.. looks like the next best place to home for the holidays!
Tree recently posted..Pintastic Meals: Hit or Fail?
Hubs wouldn’t let me drag along our 4 foot one!!
I love the Marriott hotels. Looks like you had a great time.
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Twitter: thebizymommy
says:
Looks like you guys enjoyed yourself! I love when hotels add those special little touches. I really like the coffee/tea baskets in the rooms, when they have soft and firm pillows, and of course delicious breakfast buffets!
Tiffany recently posted..Healthy Living Link Up | #Mamavation Monday 16
A good breakfast buffet gets me too!
This looks SO nice! The sofa bed looks amazing, mine is awful, LOL;)
Looks like a great hotel, I like it when they have everything there for you.
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Wow, we will definitely have to consider this hotel the next time we travel as a family!
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Twitter: mryjhnsn
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wow! wow! wow! I could do Christmas (or any day) there! I’m ready for a trip
mryjhnsn recently posted..Because Prompts Are Fun #1
It’s funny, because at home we are spread around the house…a couple watching TV in the living room, maybe one teen in her room listening to her music, another in the basement playing video games. My young mom daughter with her little one feeding her a snack in the kitchen. When we are together, we are not often TOGETHER. So, the few times we have traveled from home and gotten a hotel, I am actually excited to have more close quarters! and be TOGEHTER! Well, we still need a small suite, most preferably two room with a “living room” with pullout and another private room for noise control…so those who wish to watch a movie or read or actually SLEEP on vacation can do so. We look forward to a fridge and microwave so we can save money by buying at a grocer and make sandwiches at least for lunch. We are always on a tight budget so this is important for us. A hot breakfast is hard to find though. WOW, this looks great! My husband travels a lot and has different places he has stayed with kitchen ammenitites, but we have never stayed anywhere as a family that you can actually COOK your meals. One time only have we traveled to Florida, and to get that we had to rent a “condo”. So glad you reviewed the Residence Inn. We will definitely look into this. We want to take our mom to Chicago to see the sights. She last went to actually SEE the city when she was married to my dad about 60 years ago! Residence Inn would make her feel at home~
She will love it Eileen and it is such a great bang for your buck. You can get a 2 room suite for as low as 89$ + tax- 129$ + tax based on where you want to stay. I would definitely recommend this.
I like when it’s really clean.. I feel like I can get more comfortable. The type of bedding make a difference too
True. One stain puts me off in an instant!
We stayed at a Residence Inn in Pittsburgh PA and LOVED it! To me, there are several thing that make a hotel feel like home but the biggest thing I would say is SPACE!! I loved the 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in our Residence Inn! We all had a bit of room to spread out and I didn’t feel like we were on top of each other like we usually are in hotel rooms! I also loved that the kitchen had plates and silverware and everything needed to make meals. It was so great!!
Because we were a smaller, more compact family we picked the Studio but I think the Suite would have been our pick if we were staying for more than 2-3 days.
Aren’t those kitchens awesome? I was so impressed!
I like when its clean and space for personal items. I also like when there are small kitchen areas not a coffee pot in the bathroom.
fancygrlnancy (Nancy Partin) recently posted..Winners, Winners, Winners
Ha ha! Oh yes the coffeepot in the bathroom. Ugh!!
the clean sheets the smell of a rroom just a clean room
Definitely!
Residence Inn looks wonderful… all the comforts of home. What makes a hotel feel like home, to me, is a nice warm breakfast in the morning.
Jan Messali recently posted..20 Mule Team Borax Review and Giveaway, US
I agree Jan. But mine has to be one that isn’t a packaged whatever heated in the microwave. It has to be fresh and more than just cereal.
When I stay in a hotel, cleanliness and friendly staff makes it feel like home to me!
I feel at home with comforts like fluffy pillows and beauty items stocked in the bathroom… a kitchen is a super bonus!
Only $89 a night?! That’s a great price!! The “coziness” of a room makes me feel at home!
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Twitter: FabFindsbyTiff
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I’ve always wanted to go to San Antonio. I will definitely stay here when we do go.
Tiffany Cruz recently posted..Macy’s Culinary Event in NOLA with Chef Marc Forgione
looks like a nice comfortable room! The pictures all look welcoming and clean, definitely need to check out residence inn’s!
The kitchen! Having a fridge to store drinks and food/snacks make all the difference!
Twitter: EARTHANGEL2B
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Wow with all those amenities I’d have to say they have more of them than any of the hotels we’ve ever stayed at and we have stayed at some nice hotels. It’s hard to beat a full little kitchen!
A kitchen like that would certainly help it feel like home, the breakfast in the morning, YUMMY! Almost like having a mom downstairs cooking for you while you sleep, that is even better than what I have at home Lol . The pool makes it feel like home bc we’re blessed to have one at our apt complex, high speed wifi is important to feeling like home. Cozy bed and pillows and furniture, cable or dish tv.
I’m not sure what makes it feel at home. To be honest, my favorite thing about being in hotels is that they are like a nice little break from home, and a new atmosphere. I guess what would make it more home-like to me, is just having my family there with me
it looks like a very nice place and certainly “homey” looking too
oh, it feels like home when the room is very sound proof so I don’t hear other doors down the hall closing or people walking down the halls etc
I hope NOTHING makes it feel like home! Isn’t that the point of going on vacation? To get away from home?
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A good breakfast buffet and clean rooms, thank you for the review — during our next travel we would be def staying in one of Residence Inn hotels
I travel a LOT for work, and always try to hunt down a Residence/Marriott Hotel when I stay. The rooms are always so nice and I have never had a problem with the staff at any of the ones I have stayed either. Glad you guys had a great holiday!
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Are you serious? Only $89 a night for all that!! I’m so staying at a resident inn next time we travel!! That is amazing!! Having the kitchen and laundry room and comfortable bed makes traveling feel like home.
Amber Edwards recently posted..EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale; Easily track weight loss!
It’s really just one thing…………the bedding. I need lots of pillows with white linens and a down comforter. No polyester bedding for sure!
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It has to be clean and very kid friendly!
Nicole (Mama to 4 Blessings) recently posted..HOW TO STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR ON YOUR GROCERY BILL
Thank you so much for your write up on residence inn. I always wondered what they were like. For me a hotels linens and bed are what makes a hotel feel like home
Twitter: parentpalace
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I need to find one of these! I love how much space there was and how accommodating they were.
Amber K. recently posted..Homemade Chili Recipe – The Perfect Solution to The Cold
Wow, I love all the amenities and you definitely cant beat the price!
Love a coffeemaker, pool and a great view out the window.
Looks like a cozy place to spend the holiday. Love the decorations in the lobby.
Tazim recently posted..Valentine’s Day Gifts from IKEA
As long as the bed is comfy it’s home for me!
Twitter: JCHARRIES
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What always makes me feel at home is if they offer a hot breakfast (pancakes/waffles) – I love the smell and it makes me feel like I’m home. Although, regardless of hotel, I usually bring a blanket from home when I travel and it feels and smells like home to me!
A comfortable bed, a sense of security, and my own pillow.
Twitter: happymomc
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good bed, clean sheets, complimentary breakfast!
Twitter: katygmorrisgmail.com
says:
How cool and fun! I loved how you decorated and how homey it looks!
a kitchen is a huge help an makes it feel homey!
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Twitter: christinaburrellhotmail.com
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Bringing my own pillow makes it feel like home!
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