Homewood Suites by Hilton helps national expansion of “Books For Kids” libraries

by Scott Carmichael on

Staying in the spirit of the holiday season, Homewood Suites by Hilton has teamed up with the Books for Kids childhood education advocacy group.

Books for Kids helps provide books to “at risk” kids, helping with new books, and reading programs.

In October, the partnership yielded a massive result – a brand new library in Washington D.C. filled with 1,000 new books. The Library used to be an unused classroom, but thanks to the help from Homewood Suites team members, it was transformed into an amazing room with duck benches and reading forts.

Over the next several years, the two plan to build more libraries – which is where you can help. On the Homewood Suites Books for Kids site, you can learn how to donate to this fantastic cause.

Share your favorite holiday sweets and win a Homewood Suites stay!

by Scott Carmichael on

Can you believe that Christmas is a mere 47 days away? Seeing holiday cookies and other festive items in stores suddenly doesn’t seem so odd anymore.

The Homewood Suites “Sweets for a Suite” contest is all about holiday sweets – and by sharing your favorites, you can enter to win a two night stay at the Homewood Suites property of your choice.

Entering is simple – all you need is a Facebook and Twitter account. Once you’ve followed Homewood Suites, you simply tweet telling them what your favorite holiday treat recipe is.

Rules, ways to enter and other fine print can be found at the contest site over at Suitetrip.com. Of course, once you enter the contest, the best part is following the Sweets for a Suite Twitter hashtag to learn recipes by other contestants.

Right now, I’m learning how to make pecan tassies and peanut butter fudge. The holiday season can’t come soon enough!

Good luck entering the contest!

Homewood Suites helps you plan a family reuinion with a 5-room giveaway

by Scott Carmichael on

The Homewood Suites chain of hotels is a great choice for family trips, and family reunions. The all-suites chain has over 300 properties all around the country, and with a free breakfast and free managers reception during the week, the chain is a very affordable way to spend some time at a fairly upscale property.

This summer, the chain is going to make the task of organizing a family reunion even easier, by paying for your rooms! Their family reunion giveaway includes five suites, for a two night stay at any Homewood Suites property!

To enter, all you need to do is follow the Homewood Suites account on Twitter, and become their fan on Facebook. Then drop them an email with pictures, links, videos or a note about your “unusual, interesting, funny and/or heartwarming family reunion”.

You have till June 27th to enter. For full details and rules, check out the contest page over at SuiteTrip.com.

(Photo from Flickr/CC J’Roo)

Lewis the Duck welcomes younger guests to Homewood Suites by Hilton

by Scott Carmichael on

Some hotels consider their pool to be the only way to entertain younger guests. Homewood suites by Hilton takes welcoming kids one step further by being the only chain in the world to publish a line of children’s books.

The books revolve around the adventures of an adorable wood duck called Lewis. In the books, you join Lewis on his trips. Not only are the books really well written and illustrated – they are also educational. In the first book, “Lewis the Duck and his long trip”, kids learn about hotels and how to locate a Homewood Suites (look for the duck!). In the newest book, “Lewis the Duck goes to Canada”, kids learn about our neighbors to the north.

The books are available in the “Suite Shop” at Homewood Suites properties, or online at the fantastic Lewistheduck.com. At that site, kids can also play a Lewis the Duck game or create their own Lewis luggage tag. The books cost $7.99.

One cute fact I learned – the books are written by the global head of Homewood Suites brand management – Bill Duncan. As we mentioned earlier this week, Homewood Suites are a great pick for families traveling with kids, and being able to read to your kids from a Homewood Suites may make their trip even more enjoyable.

New family friendly blog aims to make travel much easier

by Scott Carmichael on

This week, Hilton and their Homewood Suites brand unveiled SuiteTrip.com. The site is filled with family friendly travel tips and advice, and writers come from some of the best family travel sites on the web (you’ll notice two familiar names if you regularly read Gadling). Other writers come from The Vacation Gals, Trekaroo and Travel Savvy Mom.

For me (as a dad and a writer), it is refreshing to see a hotel chain do more than just the usual “we need to be on Twitter” mentality.

The site also moves beyond trying to turn a blog into a hidden advertising portal for the hotel chain.

All the content on SuiteTrip is applicable to any hotel, and any trip. Though as someone who regularly travels with a toddler, I know from personal experience that Homewood Suites provide a good value with enough room to keep a three year old entertained.