Surprise Kiss

Posts Tagged ‘bed and breakfast’

Have you ever checked into a hotel and it ended up not looking like the photos on the internet? We’ve had that happen to us a few times. Thank goodness not very often.

Anthony Melchiorri of the Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible” was on the Today Show with Kathy Lee Gifford & Hoda Kobt and gave some great advice on how to deal with a hotel that doesn’t quite meet the standard you expected.

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Love the tip about calling the hotel manager and letting them know you are coming and what you have reserved. I will be using this idea from now on.

One time we checked into a room in Las Vegas late at night after an unusually long drive and discovered ants crawling all over the bed. We immediately walked out of the room luggage and all and went directly to the lobby and told them our situation and like Anthony said we were friendly and nice to the front desk and were given an upgraded room minus the ants. We still laugh about the story but it wasn’t too funny at the time. We were tired and hungry.

Remember that old saying “You can get more with honey than vinegar.”

For Men Only: Check in on Friday for a romantic idea to give your wife for Mother’s Day.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Your marriage deserves a romantic weekend away. Saving $5 a week for a year will give you and your sweetheart that desired getaway you both have been dreaming of for a long time.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Giving up one Starbucks or one lunch at a fast food restaurant every week for a romantic weekend away on your anniversary is a very loving thing to do for your marriage.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2012, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

When you save $5 a week of a whole year you are igniting the sense of adventure in your marriage.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2012, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

A few weeks ago I mentioned to you that I would be writing on SurpriseKiss.com three days a week as oppose to the five days a week so I could move forward with my plans to add another dimension to the website for you. My Amazon Store is now up and running! If you look at the top tabs you will notice a tab that says “Store”. If you click on it you will notice books on Cooking, Relationships and Travel. These are all related to romance. Please take the time to review the store and if you see anything you might be interested in purchasing please click on the link and it will take you to Amazon.com.

Keep checking on the “Store” tab because I will be continuing to add more things to it for you. In the near future you will notice you will be able to purchase candles, lotions, CDs, etc. Surprise Kiss is there for you, making it easier to find information and items to help you keep the romance in your relationship alive!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I have had to attend parties for the last five days. On Wednesday I went to a business associates Christmas open house at her office. Thursday it was girl’s night out with a group of girlfriends one of them is visiting from Mexico.  Larry and I had a company party to attend on Friday. Then on Saturday our daughter and her husband had the couple from Mexico and mutual friends over for dinner.  Tom cooked prime rib. Yum!!! A fun time was had by all. We talked, laughed and ate all night long. After this weekend I know we must have put on an extra five pounds or more. I don’t dare get on the scale.

I don’t know about you but I am always looking for something different to give when we have been invited to a dinner party. Typically people will bring flowers or a bottle of wine. I know flowers are a beautiful gift to give but they are not a good gift to bring when the hostess is cooking dinner. She then has to drop everything to find a vase to put them in.

I found something that was the hit of the party. It is a Wine Bottle Candelabra. I just brought an empty wine bottle for the hostess to put the candelabra in and light the candles. One little tip make sure the Candelabra fits the bottle’s opening before you bring it. Denise ended using it as the center piece of her table. (I brought it to her earlier in the day.) It was a hit. Everyone wanted to know where I got it, including our 18 year old grand-daughter who wanted to buy one for her boyfriend’s parents for Christmas. They are wine connoisseurs, so that would be a perfect gift for them.

The Candelabra makes for a really nice and unusual gift. Guys this is a great stocking stuffer to give your wife with a note saying, “For those romantic evenings together.” You can buy it at amazon.com.

[amazon_link id=”B0012UQYWA” target=”_blank” ]Scroll Wine Bottle Candelabra – Includes 5 Tealights[/amazon_link]

I bought additional ones for gifts and one for myself. I plan on using it when we have our next quite romantic dinner at home. As I mentioned we had a little trouble finding an opening that would fit the candelabra. We finally found one we had purchased and drank that had a screw top (would you believe it was an expensive bottle of wine too!)

Another great gift that is very similar to the Wine Bottle Candelabra is wine cork candles. I have put five empty wine bottles on my dining table. It makes for a beautiful and romantic dinner party. And it is an impressive and inexpensive way to decorate the table.

[amazon_link id=”B002CBLO78″ target=”_blank” ]Novelty Lifesize Wine Cork Candles – set of 4[/amazon_link]

Don’t forget to get what you need for a very memorable Christmas. See Romantic Christmas, December 2nd, 2010. Remember last year and the fun you had with your sweetheart? See Christmas Lights, Dec 18, 2009. The big reveal will be on Dec 21st.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

As you know I am always looking for ways for you to have more money for your romantic weekend away. Well, my granddaughter over the weekend sold a small Coach purse she wasn’t using anymore on eBay and made $66! This is a perfect example of things we all have laying around collecting dust and instead of it cluttering our homes and lives sell it on eBay or Craigslist.

We have sold a few antiques we were no longer using on Craigslist one year and used it to do something special for our anniversary. The money was spent on a beautiful room at a bed and breakfast in Mendocino, CA overlooking the ocean. The place was elegantly decorated and very expensive but we were able to afford going there because we sold on Craigslist.

You could also have a yard sale. Get together with your sweetheart and decide what you are no longer using or want and sell it on the web or have a garage sale. Make a pack that whatever you sell will be put toward your dream weekend. Even if you don’t make all the money you need for that special place maybe it will be enough if you add an extra $1 a week to make up the difference. Instead of saving $5 a week you will save $6 a week.

Look around your home and garage to see what is cluttering your home and you are no longer using. Sell it on the internet or have a garage sale. Your romantic weekend just got better.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Do you want to get away from it all, where the only sound you hear is the sound of the birds singing their beautiful songs and the trees softly whispering to each other in the wind? A place where there is time to connect with each other. A few years back my husband and I found that place. It is a beautiful bed and breakfast up on a hill commanding incredible views of Lake Oroville in California.

The place is called Lake Oroville Bed and Breakfast and it is approximately 1 mile off the highway on a graveled road that goes up the hill. Getting there is half the fun. There are signs posted sporadically on the side of the road telling you to keep going you are almost there. When you get your first glimpse of the inn you will see a beautiful wraparound covered porch in front of the inn with tables and chairs that overlook the views of the woods and the lake. The inn is on 40 acres and they are a pet friendly inn. When you make reservations let them know you are bringing your pet along.

There are six rooms available, each with a private bath. They have a billiard table and games for you to enjoy. Complimentary full breakfast is served in the dining room. Barbeque facilities are available for your use. We wished we had brought a couple of steaks and a salad with us to enjoy on the patio. The views are too picturesque not to enjoy a private dinner there. After going into town for dinner we enjoyed a bottle of wine we had brought with us on the covered porch in the evening. We stayed only one night and wished we could have stay longer but we had reservations in Lake Tahoe we couldn’t cancel.

The prices range from $135 to $175 a night. Right now they are having winter specials:

• Two nights at regular price, 3rd night free (with a week night)
• One night at regular price, 2nd night ½ price (weeknights only)

Here is the breakdown using the Winter Special for two nights in the middle of the week:

Room Rate                           $155.00
Second Night                           77.50
Tax                                                         ?
Total                                       $232.50

I was unable to find out how much tax was for the inn. If you decide to spend the night there you will need to factor that in. You would probably have enough for tax or it would be pretty close.

Saved                                    $260.00
B&B Cost                                232.50
Leftover $                           $ 27.50

If you are looking for a quiet and tranquil place for your next romantic getaway then you will want to try Lake Oroville Bed and Breakfast. You will never forget the place. I know we didn’t.

Keep those sparks flying!

JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Would you like to stay at a bed and breakfast or a small inn for your anniversary but don’t know where to stay at? You will need to research the area you want to stay in and what is available to you. There is a great website called BedandBreakfast.com.

They have listed The Best of BedandBreakfast.com awards for 2009 – 2010. The awards are based on independently posted reviews on Bed and Breakfast.com’s website.  Here is a list of all the awards they have on their website:

• Top 10 Overall
• Innkeepers of the Year
• Best Food
• Best Urban Inns
• Categories (Best on the Beach, Most Romantic, Best Views, Best Pet Friendly Inn, etc)
• Best in the West (United States)
• Best in the Southwest (United States)
• Best in the Rockies (United States)
• Best in the Midwest (United States)
• Best in the Great Lakes (United States)
• Best in the South (United States)
• Best in the Mid-Atlantic (United States)
• Best in New England (United States)
• Best in Canada
• Best in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America
• Best in Central America
• Best in the United Kingdom
• Best in the Netherlands
• Best in Ireland
• Best in Austria
• Best in Belgium
• Best in Italy
• Best in Portugal
• Best in Spain

In addition, you can read the winners from 2008 through 2003. This is a great resource for finding specials at specific inns you might be planning on going to. Check out BedandBreakfast.com for your next stay at a bed and breakfast or inn. Read the reviews and then make your decision. Always remember, “Buyer Beware,” some inns are very nice and some are the inns from hell. You want to have a wonderful experience no matter were you stay so please research, research.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.