Fantasyland Hotel

Description:

• With 116 theme rooms decorated in 12 different styles, it would seem impossible to get bored at Fantasyland -- which is exactly the point. An active hub for visitors eager to see what locals call "the eighth wonder of the world," West Edmonton Mall, Fantasyland is all about myth-building. Theme rooms aren't just a matter of subtle touches. Take the Truck Room: Your bed is located in the back end of a real pickup; the bench seats fold down into a child's bed; and the lights on the vanity are real stoplights. In the Igloo Room, a round bed is encased in a shell of faux ice blocks; statues of sled dogs keep you company; and the walls are painted with amazingly lifelike Arctic murals. The themes continue, through the Canadian Rail Room (train berths for beds), the African Room, and more. All theme rooms come with immense four-person Jacuzzis and plenty of amenities. The hotel offers tours of the different theme types on Saturdays at 2pm. It's not all fantasy, though: 238 large, well-furnished, non-theme rooms are divided into superior rooms, with either a king-size or two queen-size beds, and executive rooms, with a king-size bed and Jacuzzi. The rooms are large and exceptionally quiet and comfortable, with plush linens and dreamy mattresses. The hotel's restaurant is also quite good; of course, you have all-weather access to the world's largest mall and its many eateries as well.

• © Frommer's 2012