Your kids did WHAT on vacation? Did they stick seashells up their noses? Let lipstick tell a tale on them? America's Best Value Inn has launched a contest for the best kiddie tale from vacation, and there are some interesting ones posted on its website. You..

Cool idea: Voting for or against poolside music. Here's a good companion to the post on poolside chaises. Veteran hotel publicist and Hotsheet reader Karen Weiner Escalera weighs in again with a great newsy tidbit. Frequent resort visitors know that poolside music has gotten louder and "hipper" in..

The Able Traveler: Haunted Hotels Fit for All. Almost every historic hotel has at least one tale of a spirit haunting the premises. Since historic doesn't always mean accessible, here are a few haunted properties that will work for wheelchair users and slow walkers.

Obama and McCain Strike Out on Travelers' Issues. In this intense presidential campaign, the two major candidates have talked about many issues, but they've said very little about issues affecting travelers. Here's where we think they stand.

Celebrating Life on the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico. Mexico's annual celebration of the Day of the Dead is the most vibrant, colorful, and culturally dynamic event on the national calendar.

Stonewall Jackson, Grand Ole Opry settle lawsuit. Country singer Stonewall Jackson has settled his federal age discrimination lawsuit against the Grand Ole Opry and its management.

MGM Mirage's CityCenter gets first phase funding. MGM Mirage said on Monday it had amended its senior credit facility and completed $1.8 billion of the $3 billion in financing needed to complete its joint venture CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip.

Citycenter Shy Only $700M for $3B Project. MGM Mirage said Monday it has closed on $1.8 billion of the $3 billion in financing it is seeking to complete Citycenter, an $11.3-billion, 19 million-sf development rising all at once on the Las Vegas Strip.

Best Western International Interior Designer Becomes Hotel Chain's First LEED Accredited Professional. Best Western International today announced staff interior designer Ciji Hoffman has earned the honor of being the first Leadership in Energy and Environment Design accredited professional for the World ' s..

Indianapolis Travelers Will Reflect, Refresh and Refill at New Upscale Cambria Suites Hotel. Choice Hotels International and Ceres Development, LLC announced today a newly signed contract to build a stylish new upscale Cambria Suites brand hotel in Indianapolis.

Global downturn is taking a toll on the travel industry. The travel industry has been hit hard by the economic slowdown, particularly in the past few weeks.

Hotel AG Sells Seven Hotels. According to H. Keith Thompson of Hotel AG, 'These transactions represent a very desirable well located portfolio of select service hotels.

Book hotel carefully: Photos might not give true picture. Traveler's Aide column: What are your rights if you discover the photos on a hotel website don't really reflect the property? Linda Burbank intervenes on behalf of a frustrated traveler.

Sound too good to be true? It's probably a glitch. Question:I live in New Zealand, and recently my wife and I traveled to San Diego. We were extremely disappointed with Xpress Shuttle, an airport transportation operator.

Top restaurant honors don't come cheap for patrons. Though the dyspeptic economy has dampened New York's dining scene, that didn't stop rival restaurant rating guides from bestowing..

Economic woes cause travelers to postpone, cancel trips. The plunging stock market, big bank failures, falling home values and other scary economic news could signal trouble for travel.

When stocks fall, hotel discount rises. You can't safely bet on the stock market these days, but even a bad day is good for those staying at Boston's The Colonnade Hotel...

AP: Airlines could save $10 billion a year with GPS. A World War II-era air traffic network that often forces planes to take longer, zigzagging routes is costing U.S. airlines billions..

That's tight: Kayaker risks life over rescue cost. A capsized German kayaker saved by a Greymouth fishing boat crew last night was more interested in how much the rescue would cost him than being fished out of the water.

Sea Kayaking Safety and Navigation How Far Away is that Distant Landmark. How Far Away Is It? One of the conundrums of sea kayaking is figuring out how far away landmarks are when you can't physically measure the distance.