Roam+Board :: The Burrard

[trip style = budget conscious + urban]

What Retro and restored, The Burrard had me at the lobby's original 1956 lava rock wall. This incited a perma-smile chain reaction as I glanced at every last detail down to the rooms' Nespresso machines, the palm tree-covered courtyard's replica Solair chairs and the still-standing 1960s neon sign.

Open in 2011 after a eight-month, multimillion-dollar refresh, The Burrard is one of Vancouver's last remaining midcentury hotels filling a HUGE void in the city's lodging scene; there's now an affordable AND hip alternative to the big and boutique set.

True to form, the entire establishment is kitted out in powder blue, canary yellow and gallery white veering toward vintage. More like a mod living room than a lobby, I'm hesitant to head up to my room in the elevator {playing lounge music, of course}, in fear I might miss a Don Draper sighting.

Rooms, many with enough space to stay awhile, continue the cheerful color palette, layering in grey tones for a nighty-night  feel. The furniture fits just so, and I later learn the lot is custom-built by a Canadian midcentury reproduction house. The petite bathrooms sporting penny tile floors and upscale Duravit and Grohe fixtures manage a BIG feel thanks to the all-white surround and shoebox-style sink. Bonus, there's a minty lip balm included in the bath amenities. Trip Styler approved.

Where Downtown Vancouver, Canada, approximately 30 mins from Vancouver's International Airport {YVR} by car or airport train {The Canada Line}.

When Vancouver's a sure thing any time of year, though best dressed with blossoms and brights in spring and summer. Fall and winter bring cozy, rain-filled days and muted tones.

Who/Why To you, a hot hotel cannot be attributed to a $500-per-night price tag. Knowing luxury doesn't equal style, you'd much rather stay in an indie, thoughtful and on-trend retreat.

Cost Rates start at $100 per night and include in-room Nespresso, bottled water, lip balm, WiFi and free North America-wide calling, as well as passes to a nearby gym and use of Electra cruiser bikes. Parking is $20 per night {though if you're crafty you can cruise into nearby street parking} and dogs are $25 per night.

More R+B Hotel de Glace – Quebec Alcazar Palm Springs – California Jumeirah Zabeel Saray – Dubai Makena Resort – Maui Nita Lake Lodge – Whistler Fairmont Banff Springs – Banff Thompson – Beverly Hills The Sorrento Hotel – Seattle The LIT! Bangkok – Thailand From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos taken by @tripstyler while staying as a guest of the hotel]

KinderHop :: Exploring New Foods Abroad

[trip style = any]

KinderHop is published once monthly and written by Trip Styler’s Seattle-based kid ‘n family writer, Keryn.

Foodies and taste mavens beware; you may be getting competition from the diaper set. Your kids will not only ignore fast food, they will eagerly anticipate sushi dinners and mild curries with naan. Impossible? Not if you start at the beginning and let their tastebuds do a little exploration of their own.

Priming For Foreign Foods Babies are born to be little sponges of knowledge. This isn’t limited to what you show them, it encompasses what you let them hear, taste and smell. Plus, introducing pint-sized jetsetters to a variety of flavors, you are less likely to search out the nearest burger and fries joint. Instead of sticking to the basic bland chicken and diced carrots once finger foods are introduced, prime them for foreign foods by spicing it up at home with a few herbs or a sauce your whole family enjoys.

Exploring Taste Take advantage of the one- to two-year-old stage where your child wants to eat everything you are eating. Allow them to sample anything they want from your plate, even if you are out at a restaurant. Salmon roe in Japan fascinated my son when he was 20 months old. He just had to try them. We grabbed a plate and he went to town, popping each little salty morsel in his mouth as if it were candy.

A World Of Adventurous Eating The most important thing to remember is let your child explore and set their own boundaries, which you can encourage them to push past from time to time. If they are interested in trying something you don't like, hold off on that “ick” face and ask for a small sample. If they reject it, no problem, just don’t be the road block in your child’s way to a world of adventurous eating.

*Check with your pediatrician before you venture into exotic foods with children under two as some dishes may contain allergens. **For more encouragement in raising an adventurous eater check out Hungry Monkey:A Food-Loving Father’s Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater by Matthew Amster-Burton

More KinderHop International Views On Family Travel Time Zones, Jet Lag & Kids Transitioning From Couple To Family Travel Back to School Seattle Shop ‘n Stay How To Keep Kids Occupied On A Plane Family Road Tripping Tips How To Pack Less With Kids In Tow Family-Friendly Big Island Making Hotel Rooms Work With Kids

[photos by @walkingontravel]

Mid-Winter Break

[trip style = weekend getaway]

For the first year ever, my province {British Columbia} is observing Family Day; basically, a day off mid-winter, or our version of Presidents' Day.  YAY. After playing hopscotch across the globe jumping West to East and back again {aka Vancouver ---> SF ---> London ---> SF ---> Vancouver ---> Tofino ---> Vancouver ---> Quebec ---> Vancouver} over the past few weeks, I figured Trip Styler would take a break today too. See you on Wednesday.

In the spirit of the winter break, here's a photo {above} my friend Debbie took of me going down the Hotel De Glace's slick and quick ice luge.

Insider Tip :: If you go down the winding slide on your feet versus your behind, you go much faster.

Happy day off, and to our friends in the rest of Canada and the USA, your day off is coming soon. Ole!

Roam+Board :: Hotel de Glace

[trip style = adventure]

{Editor's Note: I'm currently in Eastern Canada for Carnaval de Quebec---the world's largest winter celebration---and part of the arctic experience is staying one night in the Hotel de Glace. See more photos on TS's Instagram!}

What Bucket list buffs, this stay's for you. Statuesque and stunning, the 44-room Hotel de Glace is an impressive structure on its own; add to this the fact that the entire thing---all 32,000 sf of it---is built and hand sculpted from ice and snow, and this frozen facade is by far the coolest stay around {pun intended}.

Open only during Quebec's most frosty season, it takes six weeks and 50 people working around the clock to manhandle this masterpiece. Once complete, the 1.2-metre walls and 5.4-metre arches are checked multiple times a day for stability {this assurance came in handy when I went to sleep in my candlelit room, and for some odd reason wondered if the walls would cave in.}

To say sipping a cocktail from an ice glass while mingling in an ice bar {capable of handling 400 people} is a novelty doesn't do the experience justice---it's otherworldly and, in many ways, represents the true reason we travel: to find inspiration and wonder.

Wonderstruck is the only word I can use to the describe my overnight stay in the arctic abode. Apparently it's not enough to build a giant igloo, e-v-e-r-y surface is styled {!}, and in a strange moment of travel bliss, all I wanted to do is hug my ice cocktail table and take my ice glass {carved from a 500-ton block} home as a souvenir. A picture will have to do.

Elsewhere on the snow-covered grounds there's a chapel---complete with deer fur-lined ice benches---designed in fairy tale proportions {I'm pretty sure Snow White would get hitched here}, a snowy spa to warm your core temperature before bed and an entire room devoted to an ice luge. Only in Canada.

Want more details? Check out the nitty-gritty below.

Where Fifteen minutes outside Quebec City, Canada by car.

When Hotel de Glace coincides with the region's winter wonderland and is usually open early January to mid March, weather permitting. This year's dates are January 5th - March 24th.

Who/Why Hotels made of wood or concrete are way too blasé for your tastes. Plus, against the white and clear backdrop, your faux-fur hat and Canada Goose jacket pop in photo shoots.

Cost Rates start at $199 per person, per night and include a welcome cocktail {served in an ice glass!}, a specialized minus 30 degree Celsius-rated sleeping bag, Wifi and breakfast.

FAQs 1. Did you sleep? No, but I tried really hard to. After two hours trying to warm my feet---the rest of me was warm---through vigorous movement and strange contortions, I retreated to the 24-hour inside space and found a corner to cuddle up. Note: I have very bad circulation; every other guest seemed to sleep well. 2. What do you sleep on? Your bed's base is a block of ice, followed by a wooden frame, and a foam mattress wrapped in a blanket. 3. Where do you go to the bathroom? There is a basic 24-hour indoor facility where you check in. In it, there's also lockers, a changing room, bathrooms, showers and hot bevvies. 4. What's the temperature? The temperature in the Hotel de Glace is a constant minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). 5. How should you dress? Dress warmer than you can even imagine, and then some. Think thermals, down and hand/toe warmers. And bring a scarf. Basically, cover every single inch of your body. A balaclava is not out of the question. 6. When should I visit the arctic spa? Visit the hot tubs and sauna before bed---it'll warm your body temperature prior to jumping into your sleeping bag. 7. Would you go back? YES. YOLO. Next time, I'll attach toe and hand warmers to my extremities or litter my sleep sac with thermal hot packs!

More R+B Alcazar Palm Springs – California Jumeirah Zabeel Saray – Dubai Makena Resort – Maui Nita Lake Lodge – Whistler Hester Creek Winery – Oliver, BC Fairmont Banff Springs – Banff Thompson – Beverly Hills The Sorrento Hotel – Seattle The LIT! Bangkok – Thailand Hotel De La Paix – Thailand From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos taken by @tripstyler while staying as a guest of the hotel]

Healthy On The Road :: Finding Time To Work Out When Traveling With Kids

[trip style = any]

Editor's Note :: Today's post is a hybrid between Healthy On The Road and KinderHop.

Fitting in that daily workout while on vacation {with or without kids} always requires some planning and forethought---talents we tend to leave at home when we’re footloose and fancy free. Yet when traveling with our kiddies in tow, organisation becomes the name of the game.

A Plan I think our munchkins need breathers from the hustle and bustle of daily life as much as we do, however, there are parts of their daily routine that must remain, or, let’s be honest, no one’s relaxing! My son’s need for routine has turned out to be a real gift to me, the non-planner. Case in point, when it comes to keeping our children happy and occupied, even the most relaxed parent has some sort of family vacation plan.

A Challenge Parents: I challenge you to treat your trip's parenting plan as a scaffolding of sorts, and on your next trip, build on it to construct your health and fitness routine. Ever since I started building my exercise into my son's routine---versus compartmentalizing the two (which is more doable at home)---I have a much easier time staying on top of my travel fitness than I did pre-parenthood.

An Example Plan: Family pool time // Daily Fitness Routine: Your 30-min Workout Pools are perfect places to meet everyone’s needs {provided the water comes higher than your ankle}. 1/ Be intentional about fitting in a cumulative 30 minutes---ideally in 10 min bouts---of heart-pumping exercise {you should be able to talk, but in breathy sentences}. 2/ Do a mini water circuit and get the kids involved. For example, one of your stations might be treading water while towing a tot on their floatie x4 widths of the pool, or running/racing in the shallow end with your older kids.

When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy On The Road, published the first Wednesday of every month.

More Healthy On The Road Toned In Transit Every Day Is A New Day Eat In Technicolor The 15 Minute 54321 Workout {you can do anywhere!} Keeping Fit In Hotel Hallways The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo by @tripstyler taken in Acapulco, Mexico]