It might seem a tad late to still be sorting through images from Christmas, but taking a vacation in the midst of the holidays equates to overflowing memory cards. At Christmas time I typically think of home and hearth, but this year we stayed at hotel and ordered plenty of room service. The thing I love about traveling during the holidays is seeing different versions of holiday cheer. Everyone has a different way of decorating for the holidays and hotels are no exception.

We stayed at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Salt Lake City. Conveniently their on site restaurant, Bambara has been voted one of the best restaurants in the city. We loved our stay so much, we actually extended our stay a couple days longer. There are so many things I love about staying a hotel, but these are my top five:

Not having to clean up after myself. Although I am by no means a slob, not having to make my own bed and being able to throw my towels on the floor is downright heavenly.
Taking as long a shower as I want. Long, hot showers are one of my guilty pleasures. I hate to admit this, but I usually take longer showers when I stay at hotels. I figure the price of my room is paying for all that hot water, right?
Enjoying the aesthetic of different bedrooms. Unfortunately, our bedroom has taken a backseat in the design department over the past several years. I love being able to sleep in a king size bed and enjoying a large upholstered headboard.
Cable television. At home we only stream through Netflix, so being able to watch things like TLC and the Food Network is a real treat.
Valet Parking. There is something so stress free about pulling your car up to the front door, unloading it and then having someone else park your car for you.

What are some of your favorite things about staying a hotel?