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Have you heard of the new trend “unrooming” in reviewing hotel rooms? Unrooming is a new concept started by Hotels.com for travellers to share hotel reviews in a manner similar to unboxing products. This fun format of customers reviewing hotels by shooting a short video guiding viewers through their hotel room gives far more insight than a written review.
To help spread this new idea of unrooming videos, Hotels.com Canada provided us with a couple night stay in The Oswego Hotel in Victoria, BC.
(Hotels.com is for both Canadians and Americans. When Canadians visit hotels.com, they are redirected to the Canadian version at ca.hotels.com.)
Take a look at our unrooming video below…
Unrooming Video
I’m a big believer in traveling close to home and becoming tourists in your own province or state. Especially when you’re traveling with kids, it’s great to save money by not buying airline tickets.
Chances are high there are lots of fun activities near where you live and you could spend a night or two in a hotel nearby and have an awesome mini “staycation”.
We live close to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It’s a short ferry ride from our home in South Surrey, which is a suburb of Vancouver.
So I packed up my girls for a short trip over to Vancouver Island to stay in the Oswego Hotel and enjoying a couple of days in Victoria.
We were absolutely thrilled with this lovely hotel.
The suite was huge with a full kitchen, living area, large bedroom, two closets and a large bathroom with a shower and a tub. I loved that there was tons of light coming in from windows all along one side of the room.
When traveling with kids, a suite like this is the best way to go. The bedroom door closes allowing some family members to stay up late and watch TV while the others go to sleep.
And having a kitchen to have breakfast and late night snacks saves time and money.
Submit Your Own Unrooming Video
You can submit your own unrooming video for a chance to win through hotels.com…
Be sure to use ebates.com to save even more on your hotel room!
Giveaway
Are you Canadian? Would you to win a $150 Hotels.com Gift Card to take a mini “staycation” in a hotel near where you live? Leave us a comment letting us know in what city you’d likely take your “staycation”. Then complete your entry below.
Since this giveaway prize is being provided by the Canadian part of the Hotels.com, it’s only open to Canada. So sorry to our American friends.
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Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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I’d like to have a staycation in Charlotte, NC
wow
I would love a staycation in Vicoria
I would like to stay in either Bailey co or Grandby co Both have good fishing nearby
I have always wanted to stay in on of those over the top hotels in Baltimore Md overlooking the harbor,
But as far as one close to me, I guess the Hilton on 2nd St in Harrisburg next to the bus station will have to do. Thank you kindly for the opportunity and have a wonderful weekend!!
Niagara Falls ON
I’d like to go to Atlanta, GA to visit family who I haven’t seen in years!
I would enjoy a staycation in Nanaimo or Victoria 🙂
I would love to take a Staycation in Boca Raton, FL
I would like to have a stay-cation in Niagara-on-the-lake.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A STAYCATION IN HAWAII, MY DREAM TRIP FOR LIFE!!!!!
I would take a staycation in Vancouver BC
I would like to take a stay vacation at Philadelphia.
Toronto for sure!
Toronto
I would take a staycation in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
I would like to take a staycation in Halifax.
we love to stay in Austin
Canmore!
I would do a staycation in Saskatoon
I’d love to take a staycation in Collingwood! 🙂
I would pick to stay in Pittsburgh
Toronto! There is so much to do for kids and adults!
I am from Calgary and would love to spend a “staycation” in the Rockies in and around Banff and Jasper.
I would love to do a staycation in Halifax, Thanks for the giveaway
I would like to go to London ,ON
I’d like to use it towards a hotel in downtown Toronto for a getaway for hubby and me.
I would love a staycation in Banff, Alberta
I’d love a staycation in downtown Toronto. I live in the nearby suburbs, so being right in the city would be a nice treat. Thanks for the chance:)
Music City (Nashville), Hotel Indigo has been on my list for a while.
Niagara Falls would be perfect!
I would love to stay in Brandon, Manitoba.
We’d stay in Vernon to visit family!
Vancouver would be awesome!
would love to go to Columbus ohio and see an Ohio State Game
I would take a staycation in Milwaukee!!
Our kids would LOVE another trip to the city (Dartmouth /Halifax)for a staycation! Thanks so very much for the opportunity! Our little girl saved up her birthday money to take us in April. We’d love to be able to take our son for his birthday in December.
Good luck everyone!
Would probably be in Toronto 🙂
I’d probably do a staycation in Dallas.
I’d like a staycation in St. Johns.
I’d love to take a Staycation to Niagara Falls.
winit
I love a stay vacation In Traverse City and stay in nice hotel
I would love a staycation in Orlando< FL!
Victoria sounds great, as does anywhere in the Okanagon.
I would do a stay cation in St. Louis, Mo. There are lots of things to do there and it would be awesome to stay the night.
This place is awesome!
I’d take a staycation in Harrison Hot Springs
I would love to stay over night in Santa Barbara, CA. Everything and everyone are beautiful and so nice…
The perfect weekend getaway, walking up and down state st. walking up and down the beach, go to a small beautiful zoo, watching the sunset etc….
There would be a Niagara Falls night out in our future!
Ottawa or Toronto …would be fabulous as we have not been able to go anyway this year due to my husbands illness
I would like to stay in San Diego.
I would take a staycation in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Halifax, NS
Would love a staycation in Toronto after a concert
I would love to have a “staycation” in our city of Winnipeg. 😀
I would take my granddaughter down to visit her dad by Andrews Airforce Base
I’d like to stay in Ottawa or Toronto. We’ve had a lot going on over the past 6 months so this would be a really great gift for my husband and I.
Besos, Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Toronto
I’d love to do a Staycation in New York, around the holidays! My former home is one of the best places to visit at Christmas, and I haven’t brought the kids back for the holidays in years.
I’d love for my kids and I to stay overnight in NYC. It’s only a 2 hour ride and they would have a blast! Thanks for the chance & good luck everyone!!
Would love to go to Whistler.
I would love to stay in Chicago for the weekend!
Either Vancouver or Victoria
I’d like to take a stay-cation in Toronto. There are so many delicious places to eat and interesting places to visit there.
I would love to take a stay cation in Frankenmuth
I would love to stay in Lexington ky
I would love to staycation in Calgary
I would stay in a hotel in Windsor
I would like to have a staycation in the city of Vancouver.
i would love to visit these place and these perfectly furnished rooms .
In Naples FLorida
I’d definitely say Niagara Falls!
I’d like to go to Victoria or Tofino!
I would like to have a little staycation in Halifax, my sister is getting married nearby in a couple weeks as well.
In Portland.
My first thought was Victoria too – we haven’t been since our 9 year old was a baby! I would also love Squamish or Whistler. And then another consideration – we are going back east to visit my husband’s family for Christmas, and I would love to drive to Quebec City or something like that for a one night stay. So it’d kind of be like a stay-cation within a vacation. So many ideas! 🙂
Staycations are great! I would love a small break to Canmore or Banff.
i would like to have a staycation in Syracuse NY! so many nice hotels there and its close by!
I would choose StJohns NL!
I’d likey use it for Brockville.
Prince George, love to take a staycation – dine out, wine and no adult children who all live at home with me bugging me to make them dinner!
I would say Timmins or Sudbury, Ontario. Great places to shop and enjoy some spas.
I would like to take a little staycation in Tyler!
I would love to stay in Toronto!
I would want to stay in Kingston to explore it
We have some great hotels in Halifax, a staycation would be awesome!
i’d take a staycation in whistler!
I would like to go to Vancouver
I would like to take a ‘staycation’ in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, which is not far from where we live!
Niagara Falls or Woodstock have an either side of the 400 series roads as options so one of those two , most likely Niagara
I would go to Toronto
Our family loves to take staycations in Toronto. It’s not too far and there’s so much to do!
I’d like to have a staycation in Whistler BC!
I live in Winnipeg and I’d actually like to have a staycation in Winnipeg at the Alt Hotel because it is super modern and very eco friendly. Would love to check it out!
Oooooh would love a staycation in Banff or Lake Louise!
Can you imagine the beauty!
Probably Tofino – it is stunning there.
Osoyoos, for sure!!!! It’s so beautiful in the summer, and you can do wine touring. It’s not sure far from me, only about 5 hours, but the desert landscape is totally different from the lush greenery of the greater vancouver area 🙂
I would love to enjoy a staycation in Toronto.
I’d love to do an overnight stay in Niagara Falls
niagara falls
I’d love a “staycation” in Sault Ste. Marie.
I’d like to take a staycation in St. John’s, NL
I would stay in Winnipeg for my staycation.
vaughn or toronto 🙂
Sudbury – it’s only a couple of hours away and we could hit up Costco while we’re there.
i would take a little staycation in Kelowna, BC! just far enough out of my hometown with lots to do and lots of lovely hotels 😀
I would love a stay in Victoria BC!
I’d love a trip to Kingston. Its only two hours away and its beautiful there.
Good Golly Miss Molly, a staycation in Banff would be heaven. To die for . Luv the nature there. . Wow, prize $150 gc is fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. 🙂 Pick me, pick me!
Would love to go on a staycation to whistler
A STAYCATION in Winnipeg in one of the great hotels that has theme rooms
I would go to Niagara Falls with my boyfriend! Last time we went, we only had a night there and he came down with a 24 hour stomach bug. Would love to try it again while we’re both healthy!
I would have a Stay-Cation in London, ON
I’d like to stay in Calgary.
Niagara Falls is a city near me I would like to take a mini staycation.
I would choose Toronto so I could use it for when my daughter has surgery at sick kids hospital !
Great giveaway…you don’t see hotels as giveaways very often and it’s such a nice treat and luxury
The pictures of yours looked gorgeous
Toronto, please
Kelowna, BC
I also live near Victoria – and I’ve always wanted to stay a night at the Empress! 😉
I would like to review in Halifax.
I would absolutely love a staycation in Tofino
Niagara on the lake is wonderful
I have to say Victoria, it is a ferry trip away, but lots to see and do.
I’d like to take a staycation in Toronto
Even though I only live 40 minutes away, I’d love to stay downtown Toronto. It would be nice to go out for dinner and enjoy some wine without worrying who is going to drive home…..
A staycation at the Oswego would be perfect!
Vancouver, BC
I would choose Banff, Alberta because it’s so majestic there with the mountains & wildlife!
I would like to spend a night in Winnipeg, MB with the family!
Id love to take an overnight vacation to Montreal its only 1hr 30 away
Toronto-which makes it so hard! Getting away in the city is always a hard to task, but so worth it if done right!
I would like to visit Cambridge for my stayvacation!
I would love to use this in Niagara Falls! I would have such a relaxing staycation!
I have always wanted to go to Victoria, BC
A staycation sounds awesome. We’d stay in the GTA.
I would love to take a staycation to Kingston!
In san francisco!
I would pick St. John’s, which is only a 4 hour drive away
I would Staycation with hubby in the Prince Edward County region, it’s so lovely there!
I would like to stay in Saskatoon for my staycation
I would go to Niagara Falls, Ontario which is not too far but would love to stay overnight in a hotel and great place for staycation!
I’d like to do one in Toronto. I love staycations, they really help you see the city in a different perspective and appreciate the place you live even more!
I would love a staycation in Montreal
I’d love to staycation in Niagara Falls, Ontario
I would do a staycation in Toronto
I would have a staycation in Bonavista, NL!
I would visit grande prarie, its close to me, and a good place for a night out
I live on the westcoast, just outside of Vancouver so there are lots of beautiful spots to visit but I’ve never been to Tofino so I think I’d like to do a ‘staycation’ there!
in whistler bc canada
I’d love to take a staycation right in my own city, Charlotte, NC. I don’t get uptown that often and a staycation uptown would be awesome!
I’d like to take a staycation in Montreal
I’d like to take a staycation in Halifax NS
I would either like Baltimore or nyc
We would love a staycation in Victoria, BC!
I would love to have a staycation in Sun Peaks ski resort!
Seattle
definitely Niagara Falls! My husband and I had our first date there, and just had our 10 year anniversary, would be nice to go down for a date night
wed just stay in downtown portland… so super fun!
I love the idea of unrooming. That’s always my favourite part of walking into a hotel room. I look around and snoop at everything.
I’d take my staycation in Calgary
I would you like to take a ‘staycation’ in Niagara Falls.
I would love a staycation in Chicago. It’s only 45 mins away from here.
I’d like to do a staycation in Couer d’Alene, Idaho
I’d stay in Toronto, Ontario!
I would take a staycation to Branson, MO
I would like to take a Staycation to Washington DC in the spring to see the Cherry Blossoms!
I would love to take a staycation in Edmonton, its only an hr away but I haven’t been there in a few years
I would love to take a staycation in Toronto.
we would have a sleep over in winnipeg
Hometown Halifax, NS! We love staycations and take them about twice a year.
MONTREAL WOULD BE GREAT
I’d love to go for a staycation in Montreal!
I would love to do a staycation in Niagara Falls
I always enjoy hopping the ferry over to Victoria!
i am in toronto there are many hotel’s i’dl like to check out!
We’d head to Victoria – so pretty and still close enough to do a weekend.
I think we would head to either Muskoka or Niagara Falls. We’re in the middle 🙂
I would like to take a Staystation in Corner Brook, NL
I would love to do a staycation around Blue Mountain. We are in the Waterloo region of Ontario.
I live in Toronto, but I would love to staycation in Ottawa.
I live near San Francisco. It would be fun to have a staycation there!
Oops. Never mind. I am not in Canada.
I’d love to have a staycation in Winnipeg!
I would stay in a hotel in Montreal.
I would like to take a staycation in Edmonton.
I would love to have a staycation in Winnipeg! I wonder if we have places like the one you went to, wow that place you went to looks amazing!
If I were to take my three little girls I would want to go to Niagara Falls, but if it were only my hubby and I we would definitely stay in Toronto!
Great idea. Awesome giveaway. Than,s
Delta, B.C….that would be ideal!
I’d love to have a staycation up in Whistler.
I would pick Ottawa, a great city to stroll around, shop and eat.
I would pick Saskatoon, SK.
Love
This idea! I would stay in Montreal and bring the kids to La Ronde!
I would love to have a Stay Cation in Niagara Falls. It is so close that we never stay there but I would love to!
I would probably have to pick Toronto!
Toronto or Niagara Falls 🙂
We ALWAYS have staycations! I would love to stay at a local super 8 here. Take the kids and enjoy the pool! Thanks for the chance.
I’d like to take a staycation in Minneapolis!
I’d love to do one in Atlanta!!
Thanks for this giveaway. The idea is very practical. I would stay in a hotel in Montreal.
Lovely. The unrooming idea is really great. I have to say that I’ve never thought about it. The feeling when you enter a brand new hotel room is awesome.
I love “staycations” primarily because of all the adventures you can have with those you love in your own backyard! The best part of staying at a hotel (as you did) is the fact you don’t have to worry about spending time cleaning up, making breakfast, or any of the day-to-day tasks we normally do when we’re at home. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip. You looked like you had a blast!