LivINN's Travel Insights

LivINN Hotel Sharonville (Cincinnati) Ohio

2010-11-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for friendliness and cleanliness, here we are! The LivINN Hotel of Sharonville is located just off of I-75 on exit 15, and is adjacent to the Sharonville Convention Center.

The LivINN Hotel of Sharonville is the home of family fun. We are just one mile from the Tri-County Mall and across the street from the Co-Co Keys indoor water resort. Just a few minutes down the road are Sports Plus, Midwest Sports, and Skatetown USA. For a bit of nightlife we are one block from Rhinos Night Club, and 5 minutes away from Princeton Bowling.

If you’re looking for additional fun family that will keep the whole family happy there is plenty to do. The LivINN Hotel of Sharonville is 15 minutes away from Paramount’s Kings Island Amusement Park, Cincinnati Zoo, and the Cincinnati Museum Center. A bit further, about 25 minutes from the hotel, is the nationally recognized Newport Aquarium. Would you rather spend the evening riding and having dinner on a boat around the Ohio River? We have BB Riverboat, Cincinnati’s Premier Riverboat Cruise Line about 25 minutes away. The Paul Brown Stadium , Home of the NFL’s Bengals, is located in downtown Cincinnati, just 20 minutes away.

Restaurants are just a hop, skip and a jump away from the hotel. It is very convenient to find something to suit all pallets. Local restaurants run the gambit of international cuisine including American, Italian, French and even Chinese. Or, if you do not want to go out, we have a list of restaurants that will bring food to your room.

Our hotel offers free continental breakfast, free wireless internet, an outdoor pool, and an exercise room. All of our rooms also feature a refrigerator, microwave, iron, ironing board, coffee maker, and cable with HBO. One of our guests’ favorites is the pillow-top mattresses that are in every room and suite. Some of our larger rooms include a kitchen if you prefer to do a bit of cooking yourself.

In addition to sleeping rooms, we also offer meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 50 people. Our meeting rooms come equipped with a television and a projector.

Whether you are in the Sharonville area for a business meeting or family get away, the LivINN Hotel of Sharonville is the place to be! For the best rates around book online at www.livinn.com, do not forget to check out our packaged specials to get even more out of everyone of your travel dollars. Remember, LivINN Hotels provides Comfortable Rooms at Comfortable Rates.

LivINN Hotel Fridley Minnesota

2010-10-15T09:39:00.001-07:00

The LivINN Hotel in Fridley is the place to be for the sports fanatic! Conveniently located off of Highway 694 and Central Avenue is the LivINN Hotel of Fridley. Just minutes away from our clean and comfortable hotel are several outing opportunities for both athletes and fans alike. Blaine National Sports Center is the world’s largest amateur sports and meeting facility. This sports arena features events including, but not limited to soccer, lacrosse, cycling, skating, track & field and golf. During your final training preparation be sure to take full use of the professional workout room at the LivINN Hotel of Fridley.

For those of us looking a professional sporting event to attend, the Mall of America Field, Target Center and Target Field are located just 7 miles down the road in downtown Minneapolis. Minneapolis also offers many unique dining experiences including regionally acclaimed Ichiban Steak House on Nicollet Mall and my personal favorite Hell’s Kitchen.

Once you are back at the LivINN Hotel of Fridley you we will be greeted by a member of our friendly and professional staff who will personally ensure that you are comfortable in the type of room that best fits your lodging needs. The types of rooms and suites offered include jacuzzi suites and upgraded executive suites featuring 2 flat panel TVs, slate showers with multiple body sprayers and other upgraded accommodations. All of the rooms include a microwave, fridge, hair-dryer, iron and board as well as cable with HBO. One of the most unique features of the LivINN Hotel in Fridley is the Atrium. This relaxing space is just the place to end your day with a revitalizing soak in the hot tub or a refreshing steam in the cedar-lined sauna.

After settling in for the night you will not have to go far or do much to get a great meal. We offer several choices of restaurants that will deliver to your door, as well as a great Mexican restaurant, La Casita, which is located next door.

One of the unique ways that LivINN Hotels offers you more for less is through our packaged specials. We have done the work for you to ensure that you get the most out of your travel dollar!

Remember, LivINN Hotels provides Comfortable Rooms at Comfortable Rates.

LivINN Hotel Maplewood Minnesota

2010-10-11T10:13:00.001-07:00

Nestled on the shores of Tanner’s Lake is the LivINN Hotel of Maplewood. Tanner’s Lake is one the nicest fishing lakes within the city limits. The fishing here includes both boat fishing as well as a dock to cast a line. There is also an irresistible beach to put your feet up at or do a bit of swimming. Many of the rooms feature lake views and there is a beautiful patio facing the lake to sit out on and relax.

Just five minutes away is downtown St. Paul. St. Paul, Minnesota’s capital, has much to offer including professional hockey, theater, dining, nightlife and shopping. The Guthrie Theater is home to fantastic plays throughout the year. The Excel Center features the Minnesota Wild hockey team and is also the premier location for concerts and other attractions. For the young, and young at heart, The Children’s Museum and Science Museum are also both located in downtown St. Paul. Some of the areas finest chefs also work at restaurants in the area including Fuji-Wa (consistently voted the best Japanese restaurant in the Twin Cities) and Great Waters Brewing Company (home of award-winning beer brewed on the premises).

Once you are settled into your hotel room you do not have to go far to eat, shop or play as there is a 24-hour restaurant located in the parking-lot of the hotel. Within a short distance from the hotel you will also find the Sunray Strip Mall which has stores and entertainment including several restaurants, a grocery store and a bowling-alley. Maplewood mall is also conveniently located to the hotel.

Remember, LivINN Hotels provides Comfortable Rooms at Comfortable Rates. Now we offer even more! Please take a look at our new packaged specials which will save you both time and money the next time you are in our neighborhood.

LivINN Hotel Burnsville Minnesota

2010-10-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

The LivINN Hotel in Burnsville is conveniently located off of Interstate 35W and the Burnsville Parkway. We are suitably located near many shopping, entertainment and business districts.

Less than 1 mile from the hotel is the Burnsville Center. The Burnsville Center is regionally known as one of the premier shopping centers in Minnesota. This particular mall not only has a great selection of stores and restaurants, but it also has a state-of-the-art movie theater featuring SXHD technology. If the Burnsville Center is not quite enough mall for you, than we recommend the 15 minute trip to the Mall of America, the largest indoor shopping center in the country. The Mall of America is perfect for families looking for an indoor experience that you will not soon forget. The kids will love the indoor amusement park and there is more than plenty for the big kids to do as well.

If shopping is not your thing, we have you covered. Mystic Lake Casino and Canterbury Card Club and Horse Track are about 15 minutes away. These gambling halls are located in the same town as Valley Fair Amusement Park. Valley Fair is the area’s largest park for the roller coaster enthusiast or water park aficionado. Also, the famed Minnehaha Comedy Club is right down the street. The front desk can get you free tickets to most shows on Friday and Saturday nights at the comedy club.

For those of you looking for a great outdoor winter activity, Buck Hill is about a mile down the road. Buck Hill offers skiing, snowboarding, and snow-tubing. After a long day on the slopes we recommend relaxing at one of their chalets or one of the other more than 50 restaurants in the local area. My personal favorite is the Porter Creek Wood Fire Grille.

For additional nightlife we are just a short drive away from both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minneapolis features a vibrant nightlife and theater district, not to mention the home of the Vikings, Twins and Timberwolves. For all you hockey lovers, downtown St. Paul is the home of The Wild.

Once your day is winding down you will be greeted by one of the friendly and professional staff members here at the LivINN Hotel. In addition, the Burnsville LivINN Hotel has a very nice continental breakfast in the morning.

We look forward to having you as our guest! For the best rates available, look no further. We guarantee that you will not find a lower rate that here on our website!

Book a Package at LivINN.com

2010-09-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

LivINN Hotels recognizes the importance of maximizing your travel dollar. We have come up with several ways to help ensure that every dollar you spend gets you the most bang for your buck. We have partnered with several local companies surrounding our hotels to get you discounts on everything from dining to dancing.

When you book your reservations through our website be sure to look at our packaged specials. The packages that we have come up with will ensure that you will not only save on both lodging and entertainment, but that you will spend your valuable time at attractions that we have already researched to ensure the highest quality and most fun as possible.

Our packages include everything from a welcome basket to discounted amusement park tickets. In the next couple of weeks we are adding additional packages including dinner at local restaurants, movie theater tickets, birthday specials, date-night and others.

In addition to our packages all of our front desk staff have access to additional region-specific discounts. For example, at the Burnsville hotel, you can go to the local comedy club free on Friday and Saturday nights.

The next time you book with us be sure to look at our packages. This can be an easy way to save some money and ensure a great trip. Once you check-in to the hotel be sure to stop at the front desk to inquire about recommendations and discounts available to you as a LivINN guest.

We here at the LivINN Hotels recognize the importance of getting the most out of each one of your travel dollars. Remember, not only do we provide Comfortable Rooms at Comfortable Rates, but we also save you money on other parts of your trip.

We are looking forward to having you as our guest!

Keeping Winter Driving Safe

2010-09-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

Winter Driving 2/2

Last week we introduced some easy ways to ensure that you arrive at your destination safe and on-time. This week we will continue on with a few more tips to ensure your winter road-trip is a successful one.

Winter-driving involves a lot more time in the dark and severe weather conditions. Your vehicle’s headlights are your first line of defense to combating these dangerous situations. Over time head lights may lose their original brightness. If you can visibly see that one or both lights are not as bright as they once were, it is time to have them replaced. This is also the case for fog-lights. If your car uses HID (High Intensity Display) bulbs one thing to remember is that these need to be recycled.

One area that I never attempt to save money on is my wind-shield wipers. Your wipers should be replaced annually. The beginning of the winter is a great time to do this while you are preparing the rest of your vehicle for winter. Most auto-parts retailers will both inspect and install new wipers at no-charge. Take advantage of this free service.

Ensuring your engine’s coolant levels is one of the most beneficial ways to protecting your engine in the winter. This can be a dangerous job; therefore I suggest having an automotive professional tackle this job. Most mechanics will inspect your engine coolant level at no charge when replacing your oil and filter. The next time that you have your oil changed, be sure to inquire about both the level of your coolant and whether or not it is time to have it flushed and filled.

LivINN Hotels realizes the importance of keeping more money in your back pocket. Next week we will look at ways to get more out of each one of your travel dollars.

Remember, LivINN Hotels provides Comfortable Rooms at Comfortable Rates!

Winter Driving, Arrive Alive!

2010-09-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

With summer officially in our rear view mirrors it is time to start thinking about winter-driving. Here at LivINN Hotels we want to make sure that you arrive safely and on-time. There a five relatively simple and inexpensive ways to help ensure that you arrive at your destination. They are in regards to your tires, engine coolant, head lights and wipers. This week’s blog will focus on tires.

Vehicle tires are of the utmost importance to winter-driving. Tires are where the rubber meets the road, literally. Tires should be checked for both good tread as well as appropriate wear. If you are concerned about these issues you should stop by your local car-care center to have them checked out.

The second issue surrounding tires is in regards to proper inflation. Tires should be checked for proper inflation at least once a month during the winter season. Proper inflation will maximize both MPG as well as overall control of the car. Consult your owner’s manual or an automotive professional to determine the correct PSI for your vehicle’s tires.

Do not forget about your spare! In the event of a tire malfunction you need to ensure that the spare is ready to go. Your spare tire also needs to be checked for wear, condition and proper inflation. A good idea is to do a practice run on changing a tire before you head out on the road.

Finally, get your car checked for proper alignment of the wheels. Wheels that are out of alignment will create unnecessary wear on tires, which will cause extra steering problems when driving on wet or icy roads.

It is our hope that these simple tips will help you arrive safely here at the LivINN Hotel. Next week we will explore lights, coolant and wipers.

Remeber, when your are looking for Comfortable Rooms, at Comfortable Rates, LivINN Hotels should be your first choice. Check us out at www.livinn.com.

Two New Programs From LivINN Hotels!

2009-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

LivINN Rewards

LivINN Hotels would like to reward all our Frequent Guests with our new LivINN Rewards Program. Just stay 10 nights at any of our locations and get the 11th night FREE!

This program is valid for any rooms reserved (except weekly rates and special discounted corporate rates) on LivINN.com. Just pick up a membership card at the front desk and have it punched and validated at checkout. Once you have the card filled up, simply mail it in and we will send you a Free Night Certificate that can be used at any of our locations.

Enjoy your free night any day of the year with no black out dates!

Repeat Guest Rates

Reserve your next stay on LivINN.com and get the lowest rate available or we will give you an extra 10% off!

That's right, just ask our front desk staff for a Repeat Guest Rate Card, log in to LivINN.com and follow the instructions on the card to get the special Repeat Guest Rate. This is the lowest rate avaialbe and even lower then our Best Available Rate.

Repeat Guest Rates beat out all the other non opaque travel sites including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity! So log in now and reserve your room at the lowest possible rate!

Traveling with the Kids

2009-04-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Traveling with children can be a tiresome and challenging thing to do, especially if it is a long trip in the car or minivan.

However, take heart, these types of trips can build long lasting memories for your children (and you) as they have with me. Memories of time spent with mom and dad that didn't involve TV, video games and computers.

So, how do you pass the time on these long trips? Below I have added some of my favorite websites that can give you help in this area. Check them out and make your up coming summer road trip a joy and a pleasant long lasting memory.

Moms Mini Van
Activities for Kids
Family Education
Family Fun

So enjoy your next family vacation and build the family bonds of traveling across this great country of ours and take the time to get to know each other again.

Air Travel - Passing the Security Test

2009-03-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Traveling by air these days can be a tiresome and complicated endeavor. However, it doesn't have to be if you know the rules and security measures you will need to go through in advance of your trip.

Being a frequent air traveler myself, I get most frustrated with people ahead of me that don't know what to do and hold up hundreds of people standing in line while they figure it out or argue with the security officers. I'll let you in on a little secret, if you don't follow the rules, you won't get on your flight, no matter how good of an debater you are or how well you present your case. The TSA has the final word and if you don't follow it you may end up missing your flight, or in handcuffs!

The best way to breeze through security is to know ahead of time what will be expected of you. Here is a little test to check your knowledge:

1. Can I carry a bottle of water onto the plane?
2. Must I take off my shoes before I go through security? What if I am wearing sandals or flip flops?
3. Can I lock my luggage?
4. If I do not have a photo ID will I still be able to pass through security?
5. Can I take liquids such as hand cream, makeup or cologne through security?

Well, how well did you do? Lets' see!

Answers:

1. Yes, you can carry a bottle of water onto the plane. However, you can't take a bottle of water through security. You must purchase the water once you have passed through security screening.

2. Yes, all shoes, even sandals and flips flops must be taken off and go through the screening machine. To make it easier, wear a slip on shoe that you don't need to tie.

3. Yes, but use a TSA approved lock or it may be cut off. Here is a link to purchase these type of locks - TSA Approved Locks

4. You may be allowed to enter through security, but must undergo a thorough search. You will be directed to a special area in which all your carry on items will be opened and thoroughly searched. You will also be padded down and checkout completely. These searches may take as long as a half hour before you are permitted to pass through security. Best thing to do is have that picture ID.

5. Yes, but follow the 3-1-1 rule:

3-1-1 Rule

3.4 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3.4 oz. container size is a security measure.

For more complete details on what you need to know, go to the TSA Website and plan ahead. Knowing what to expect will make your trip, and all the other people behind you in line, a better one.

Half Price Sundays!

2009-03-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

For a limited time, LivINN Hotels are offering Half Price Sundays to all guests who book a Saturday through Sunday Stay from now until May 31st, 2009.

Yes, get 50% off your Sunday night rate by booking now on LivINN.com and clicking on the "Packages" tab after selecting your hotel and dates.

By booking your stay at LivINN.com you are guaranteed the lowest rates anywhere on the Internet.

Avoid Extra Baggage Fees - Travel Light!

2009-03-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Airlines are now charging for baggage over 50 lbs. and some are even charging for bags over 30 lbs. Therefore it becomes ever more important to travel light these days. Keeping luggage to one piece and keeping it within weight restrictions is going to save you a lot of time, money and hassle. In addition, it may also mean that you can carry on your luggage, which eliminates the hassles of losing checked luggage.

Consider your Suitcase Choice

Consider your suitcase. How much does it weigh empty? Keep in mind that this added weight will increase the weight of the bag once packed. Lightweight nylon duffel bags weigh less than hard sided suitcases; they are also flexible so you can pack a lot in them. The lighter your bag is when it's empty, the more you'll be able to pack without overshooting your weight limit.

Make a List

Make a list before you pack. This way, you can write down everything you want or need to take with you, so that you make sure you don't forget anything. Then, as you pack, go back and take anything off your list you're not going to need. Think essentials first, and then add in extras from your list as you have room to.

Choose your Clothes Carefully

Choose just a few outfits' worth of clothing that you can mix and match, so that you can get several different looks from just two or three outfits. In addition, make sure you choose clothes that are seasonally appropriate and that can do double duty. For example, exercise pants can be great loungewear (or sleepwear) in addition to dressing you for your daily workout sessions.
It's better to layer your clothing instead of packing particularly heavy clothing. This is because layers pack better but still keep you warm, while a heavy parka is going to take up a lot of room in your suitcase.

Roll your clothes rather than folding. Shirts, pants even suit jackets will become heavily wrinkled if folded and left in a suitcase for long periods. If you roll your clothing in a tube shape, they will pack easier and come out of your suitcase virtually wrinkle free.
Bathroom kits can take up a lot of precious space. To travel light like a pro, minimize your bathroom kit to the essentials. Many bathroom items also come in 'travel-sized' containers; these are a great space saver.

The basic principle is to strip down your packing list to nothing more than what you'll need, and, if any space is left over, then consider other things above the bare essentials.

Welcome to LivINN's Travel Insights

2009-01-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new addition of the LivINN's Travel Insights Blog!

Each week we will post helpful insights to make your travel times more enjoyable. No matter if you are traveling by car, plane, boat or rickshaw, LivINN's Travel Insights Blog will help you to better manage time, the kids, your business and leisure time.

Periodically we will also provide to you special discounts and promotions for hotels stays, discounts at restaurants, attractions and special events available only to you!

So check back often and let us know what you think!