My 9-year old son and I stayed one night at the Hyatt Place while visiting a friend in Maryland. Overall, our experience was a positive one, and we enjoyed the novelty of Hyatt's new hotel concept. My son and I brainstormed a list of the things we really liked about the hotel:

* very comfortable bed - I rarely sleep well on hotel beds, so it was a nice treat to to have such a comfortable bed

* great room layout - we loved having the cozy sectional couch & ottoman, wet bar, and desk in one area of the room, and the bed, closet and bathroom in the other. It was roomy and had a nice flow.

* decor & special touches - the room was very stylishly decorated and many of the decorative features were really pleasing including the granite countertops, cool bathroom and wet bar fixtures, curved shower rod in the bathroom, towel rack IN the shower (very convenient), room divider, and slow-close toilet seat (ie, no slamming lid!).

* coffee maker - my son especially enjoyed the "cool" Keurig one-cup coffee maker and helped me make my morning coffee

* TV! - the huge, hi-def, flat-screen, swiveling TV was SWEET, and its ability to integrate with laptops, DVD's & MP3's is a bonus

* great business traveler features - LARGE desk with comfortable task chair and free high-speed internet access (though I did not use it, so I don't know how good their connections were) and various hook-ups on hand

* breakfast set-up - the Hyatt Place hotel concept is hard to describe, but the vibe was decidedly different than that of a traditional hotel, and you notice it most in the "gallery" area (what a regular hotel calls the lobby). The "gallery" feels more like a hip cafe than a hotel lobby. Guests grabbed their breakfasts (large assortment of continental items) then mingled about and ate in booths, on couches & occasional chairs, and at tables or at the breakfast bar area. The decor is stylishly modern, yet somehow still cozy.

OK, those were the many positives... HOWEVER; we also made a list of the negatives. Although there were many more positves, the following things were worth mentioning:

* dirty floors - although our room looked new (and I know they recently renovated an AmeriSuites to make this Hyatt Place), the floors felt very dirty to the point where it was unpleasant to walk in bare feet in the room... almost sticky. UGH.

* POOL!!! YUCK!!! - An indoor heated pool was one thing we were looking forward to using during our stay yet, after seeing it, I can't imagine why it was even open. I was SHOCKED that the hotel staff hadn't said anything about it or told us that it was undergoing renovations or such when they directed us to where it was. Paint on the floors was cracking, most of the lounge chairs were stacked up on one side along with all of the tables, someone's half-eaten lunch and drink was left out on a table, some odd, decrepit metal crane hung eerily over one side of the pool (huh?), large empty planters were all pushed into a corner, pool-cleaning equipment (I'm assuming) was strewn about... We were disgusted and could not believe that the area wasn't closed to the public (or that staff didn't say anything about it to us) given its condition.

Overall, if you can deal with the dirty floors and just pretend that the hotel doesn't even HAVE a pool, you'll likely enjoy your stay at the Hyatt Place.

Great Wolf Lodge offers lots of noisy, active fun for families but it is very expensive with unremarkable food.

MagicQuest was the highlight of the trip for my pre-adolescent sons. With all of the kids excitedly running around the resort waving their wands, I have NO idea how a family can avoid participating in the game. It costs about $40 per kid to play, however, so we shared a wand and worked together as a "team" on all of the quests. The boys were pretty good about taking turns with the wand, and needing to work together brought us closer as a family.

The indoor water park was a blast for all of us and had rides/attractions for all ages and levels of "adventurousness". Try to deal with the slight chill of the water, though... it really feels warmer once you get wet and get moving.

Some other tips:

1) For a meal outside the resort, Pangea is a great bet. The Asian-fusion restaurant is 1/2 mile down the road on Rt. 611 (left out of the hotel). It has delicious, healthy offerings and - despite its upscale appearance and menu - has a full kids' menu with the typical hot dog, pasta, grilled cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets, etc. Ask for a table overlooking the landscaped outdoor courtyard and water feature.

2) Beware the twin beds! The thick, vinyl-encased mattresses were incredibly hot and uncomfortable for my kids to sleep on and the sheets kept coming off. Although we liked the novelty of the Kids Cabin suite, I'll be sure to get a suite without twin beds next time!

3) Ask for a room on the 4th floor! We didn't, and I can't tell you how loud it was when the kids upstairs jumped around... the banging even scared MY kids. Really... it's LOUD, so stay on the top floor!

4) We found the staff, overall to be helpful and friendly, but I was least pleased with the staff and lifeguards in the water park. Many did not greet us, smile or even make eye contact. Dealing with their "I'd rather be anywhere but here" attitude was an unpleasant part of an otherwise fun-filled water park experience.

5) Caricature drawings, hair braiding, and Build-A-Bear type stuffed animal making are other offerings the hotel has that I was unaware of before arriving. They are an additional cost, but contribute to the "resort-y" feel. If cost is an issue, be sure to take advantage of the free animatronics show in the lobby in the evenings and the free cookies in the lobby each day.

Our family of 4 (plus small dog) loved our stay at Vacation Village. The rooms, facilities and all common areas were very clean, well-maintained, and tastefully decorated. Jiminy Peak ski resort is a stone's throw away and visible from the main building and many of the condos. Our one-bedroom, one-bath unit with jacuzzi tub, gas fireplace, and balcony was spacious and in like-new condition. The kitchens are fully stocked and make eating-in super easy for a family on a budget. There are only 2 buildings that are pet-friendly, but they are in great condition, do NOT smell like "dog" inside, have pet waste-disposal bags at the entrances, and are across the street from walking trails you can take the dogs on. The main building has a beautiful, glassed-in indoor pool overlooking the slopes, a toasty outdoor hot tub, workout gym, game room and computer room. We loved hanging out at the pool in the evenings with the kids after a day of snowboarding across the street. In the warmer weather, there is also a playground and outdoor pool, plus warm-weather family activities available at Jiminy Peak.