Tag: Hotel Review

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

The Sportsman’s Lodge – Studio City CA

Jane Sadek
Maserati, Venice Beach, CA
And yes, that is a Maserati we’re driving!

WHERE TO STAY IN LA

Now we’re on our way to LA, the last stop in our 2014 California Adventure. Our accommodations were quite unique. Let me tell you about them.

THE MASERATI

Have I mentioned that we have the coolest nephews in the world?  I know I told you all about the one in San Fran – you know Jack’s dad.  Well, I have another nephew.  Bassem lives in LA, across the street from Hollywood and Highland Shopping Center.  At least he did until a few weeks ago.  And that Maserati?  Well, it’s Bassem’s.

One of the primary reasons we were in LA was because several members of Bill’s family were going to be visiting, including a niece and grand-nephew from Egypt.  Usually, we’d just bunk with Bassem, but he already had a houseful.  Since he couldn’t offer us a place to stay, he insisted on giving us his car to drive while we were in town.  That would be kind under any circumstances – when the car in question is a Maserati, well, it’s more than kind.

BUT WHERE TO STAY?

With Bassem’s home full to capacity, we needed to find a place to stay.  Some other family members chose The Standard, but it just wasn’t what we were looking for.  Even though we wanted to be close to everyone, we really didn’t want to be in Hollywood.  And besides, there was just something about a hotel with an upside down sign that irritated my OCD tendencies.

THE SHORT LIST

You have two choices when it comes to hotels around Hollywood – expensive and bedbug bait.  I spent two days on Trip Advisor and other sites trying to come up with realistic options.  The Sportsman’s Lodge was very high on my list for several reasons, but I was afraid Bill would think I was nuts.  So, I included it on the short list and waited for Bill to give me his favorites.

He came back to me and asked for more information about The Sportsman Lodge, so I knew I hadn’t been crazy at all.  It was both geographically and financially desirable, with just enough edge to be interesting.  I booked a room and looked forward to our stay.

COOL AND FUNKY

The reason I thought Bill might assume I’d lost my mind, if I suggested this hotel, was that it had (shall we say) unique decor.  Sort the Jetsons meet John Wayne.  The lobby had odd things like a rack of antlers (painted white BTW) juxtaposed with chrome stools upholstered in orange and glass tables with lime green accessories.  We’re usually more into French antiques.  The whole thing was sort of upscale meets resale.  The parking lot was definitely upscale and our Maserati fit right in.

Everything in LA costs a whole lot more than it should – and The Sportsman’s Lodge is no exception, but once you get past the sticker shock, you can really enjoy yourself.  The rooms are sparsely furnished in a minimalistic way, but you have everything you need.  The bed was comfortable, but the view was the parking lot.  There were rooms which overlooked the pool, but since it was crowded 24/7, I think I was very satisfied with the parking lot vista.  And speaking of the pool, I wish I’d gotten brave enough to spend some time there, but everyone seemed so cool that I was a little intimidated.

Still, if I were to need another hotel room near my nephew’s place, I’d probably just return to The Sportsman’s Lodge – and who knows, I might get brave enough to hang out at the pool.

I had a great time with our family in LA, beginning with a trip to the Getty Malibu.  Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about it.

Accommodations, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

Fireside Inn at Moonstone Beach

Jane Sadek
From the Fireside Inn Website
From the Fireside Inn Website

TRAVEL THERE: PLEASANT STAY AT FIRESTONE INN ON MOONSTONE BAY

Well Merry Christmas to everyone.  I hope this is a holiday to remember.  I’ll continue with my travelogue.

Fireside Inn at Moonstone Beach in Cambria is now on my list of favorite bed-and-breakfast inns.  I think you’d like it, too.

TRIP INTERRUPTED

Several months back I explained how this trip to California went through several permutations before I actually got to take it.  Though pretty much everything about the trip changed several times over, I guarded my night on Moonstone Beach with a vengeance. It was one of those experiences that I’d wanted for a long time and I was determined to keep it on the itinerary.

I wasn’t so sure about the accommodations.  Though I’ve been doing my booking with Expedia for years, recently I’ve begun to do a lot of research on Trip Advisor.  Their reviews seem to resonate with me more than the Expedia crowd’s and I love using the Saved Trips feature for things I want to see while I’m researching.  And of course there’s an app, so I can get to the items I’ve saved when I’m out on the road.

There was one small problem with Moonstone Beach.  Every single inn sounded perfect.  Oh, there was usually one or two people who ranted about smelly rooms or noise or something, but those grumps were sprinkled pretty evenly among my choices. Each time I got online I’d change my mind and Bill wasn’t much help either.  Eventually, I chose Fireside Inn, but I have no reasonable explanation for it.  I just had to make a decision, so I did.

GREAT ROOMS AND BETTER SERVICE

It was late afternoon, almost evening, when we arrived and the desk clerk made it seem as if he’d just been dying for us to get there.  He was friendly in a genuine way, not in a corporate mandate way.  He was full of restaurant suggestions and well wishes.  He acted like he hoped we’d have a reason to call him so he could visit with us again.

With that kind of reception you want to like your room and we did.  It was huge and felt more like a suite.  The bathroom had plenty of room for two people and was perfectly appointed.  The room itself was down right luxurious.  Not in an expensive over the top sort of way, but it made me want to curl up on the sofa in front of the fire.

Speaking of the fireplace, it didn’t work at first, but when I called my friend at the desk he hurried over and jiggled whatever needed to be jiggled.  The flame lit right up.  My desk clerk fan explained that it would be safe to sleep with the fire going, so we did.

MOONSTONE BAR AND GRILL

Right next door to the Fireside Inn is the Moonstone Bar and Grill.  My desk clerk friend endorsed it as a great place for dinner.  I remembered having at least one meal there and reviewers had raved about it, so that’s where we had dinner.

The place was jammed and it had been redecorated since our last visit.  The menu had also been completely revamped.  We were looking to grab a bite and they wanted us to go the full monty.  We were tired from driving all day and the noise level was extreme.

So it was not our favorite dining experience of the trip, but I think that had more to do with us than them.  The last meal we had there was earlier in the day, so we got to enjoy the view out of the big picture windows overlooking Moonstone Beach.  I’m thinking this is a “go-there-for-lunch” place – at least for us.

BACK TO THE ROOM

So after dinner we chilled out by the fire.  My only regret about the Fireside Inn is that I only had one night there.  I think it deserves at least a three night stay.  I lounged on the sofa before the fire jotting down notes from the day.  Notes which, by the way, are now packed away in some box while I’m waiting for my house to get finished.  I’m writing this from memory rather than my copious notes.

One thing I wanted to be sure everyone understood.  This is a casual seaside inn.  For me this was a plus – and the rooms are out of this world.  However, this is not the Taj Mahal.  There’s nothing fancy about the exterior or the hallways.  There’s nothing wrong with them either.  The lobby is pleasant, but not opulent  It’s clear everything is meticulously maintained, but there are no frills.  They save the good things for the room and have extreme hospitality instead of Louis XVI antiques.

BREAKFAST WAS AMAZING

We woke up refreshed with the fire still blazing.  It was one of those memories that sticks with you long after you’ve forgotten what you ate at that expensive restaurant.  We got ready for another day on the road and wandered over to the breakfast room.

What a nice experience!  Breakfast was served buffet style, so you could get whatever you wanted.  They didn’t have anyone cooking fresh eggs and such, but they did have a fresh pancake machine.  I thought that was cool, because most places have a waffle machine.  I ate with a growing appetite and everything was delicious.

The room itself is next to the pool and the day was warm enough for them to have the french doors open.  Crisp linens covered the tables and I liked the ladderback chairs.  Everything felt comfortable and homey.  Did I mention the food was delicious?

We climbed in our car and continued down Highway One, exiting at Morro Bay.  We were about to wander down memory lane.  Come back next week and wander with us.

Accommodations, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Where to Stay on Monterey Bay

Jane Sadek
Beachside in Cali
Beachside in Cali

TRAVEL THERE; BEST ACCOMMODATIONS ON MONTEREY BAY

Did you miss me?  Yes, I know I said I’d be back in a week, but for the last month or so, life has been interesting.  I’ll save the details for another post.  Now let’s hit the road!  The Pacific Coast Highway to be exact.

Heavenly Highway One

This Texas girl wasn’t crazy about life in California.  During the six years I lived there, all I wanted to do was move back to Dallas.  Now that I hang my hat in the Lone Star State, I do love visiting my old West Coast stomping grounds.  Even though I didn’t love living there, I appreciate the scenery – especially on Highway One.

Every mile of the PCH is remarkable, but some miles are more remarkable than others.  My favorite bit hugs Monterey Bay.  When I lived on the Central Coast we would frequently drive the shorter inland route to Monterey and then return via the glorious Pacific Coast Highway.  If we had to, we could make it home in time for bed – but we didn’t always hurry home.

Rooms By The Beach

One of our favorite places to stay back in the day was the Marina Dunes Resort.  The resort has changed hands and is now called Sanctuary Beach Resort.  The reviews suggest that it’s even better than it used to be.  So, if you’re inspired to visit Highway One, Sanctuary Beach Resort would be a good place to start.

We love it because it’s very different from your usual hotel experience.  When you check in, you’re assigned your own golf cart.  You see, cars aren’t allowed down by the sandy beach where the rooms are.  I have fond memories of those golf carts.   On bright sunny days they’re a blessing, but they can also be a curse.

One night we arrived quite late and it was cold, rainy and windy.  Thankfully we found the logistics of it all hysterical.  We were drenched as we loaded the luggage from the car into the golf cart.  Then we maneuvered the less than powerful cart through the thick darkness, because lights are frowned upon down at the beach, also.  Had it been our first visit, we might have given up and moved to the Holiday Inn, but we knew what was waiting for us.

The rooms at the resort are elegant and comfortable – fireplaces, french doors to the beach and luxurious linens.  One of those places where you’re tempted to just live in your room.  On the cold, rainy, windy night we were also hungry and the weather discouraged going very far.  So, we decided to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, which was all the way back up the hill near registration.

The golf cart almost didn’t make it.  It was going so slow that Bill actually got out and pushed, while I kept my foot on the gas and steered.  The hotel was all apologies when we finally got to registration and assigned us a new cart.  That might have been the same stay where we woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a beach creature wandering around in our dresser.

If we still love the place, in spite of the faulty golf cart and the midnight invader, you can imagine how wonderful the place is.  We’ve also stayed at the Holiday Inn in Seaside, just a few miles from the Sanctuary Beach Resort.  The budget accommodations reminded us that you really do get what you pay for.

More Rooms By The Beach

This trip we didn’t stay in Marina or Seaside, because it was too early in the day and we were on a tight schedule – not so tight we couldn’t drop by Cannery Row.  We love Cannery Row.  Author John Steinbeck made it famous, but I doubt he’d recognize it today.  The sardine canning facilities have been “re-purposed” and the whole area has been “re-vitalized”.  I’m not sure that re-vitalized is the correct term.  Maybe “tourist-ized” would be a better one.  Still, we enjoy spending time there.

Our first stop was the grand old Monterey Plaza Hotel.  We love this place and we refer people to it all the time. Funny thing is, we never stayed there.    We fell in love with the resort in Marina and made it “our” place, but we’ve always promised ourselves that we’re going to correct the oversight.

Monterey Plaza Hotel is right on the bay, but it’s beach is rocky rather than sandy.  Of the two resorts, I’d say MPH has the more dramatic views.  The rooms aren’t on the beach, they are overlooking the ocean.  It’s also a part of Cannery Row, more congested and busy than Marina.  Though both hotels give you a great peek at nature, MPH has a lot more wildlife and nightlife.  I don’t say any of that to criticize MPH, it’s a great hotel.  I’m just trying to give you a feel for the differences.

Here’s my confession – the main reason we dropped into the MPH was to use the restroom.  In fact, that’s the only thing we ever do at MPH.  We park near by, stroll the the hotel and hang out on the balcony, but so far we’ve never so much as ordered a drink in the bar.  Still, we’ve sent them so much business that we don’t even feel guilty.

You Can’t Lose

The bottom line is that you should go visit Monterey and both of these places are wonderful.  In fact, you should go and stay at both and then tell me which one you liked best.

After our MPH potty stop we did spend a few hours hanging out on Cannery Row.  Come back next week and I’ll tell you about it.  I promise – my sabbatical is over and I will be here next week.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Omni’s La Mansion de Rio in San Antonio

Jane Sadek
Borrowed from the Omni website
Borrowed from the Omni website

TRAVEL THERE: OMNI LA MANSION DE RIO

San Antonio Hotel with Historic Significance offers Modern Indulgence on the Riverwalk

I love swanky hotels, but usually I opt for bargains, in order to travel more frequently. Still, there are opulent hotels on my wish list and every once and a while, I get the chance to check them off.  That’s what happened on this trip to San Antonio.

Thank you, Expedia

As I planned a trip to see the Riverwalk’s Christmastime luminaries, just for grins, I checked La Mansion‘s pricing on expedia.  As if Santa were filling my order a little early, there was a deal I couldn’t resist. I rocketed up the stairs to beg Bill’s indulgence, but he was in a good mood, so he told me to book the deal before I even had the chance to kneel.

I’d wished for La Mansion long before it was part of the Omni chain.  Unless I’m completely off, I think it used to be part of the Rosewood chain that has THE Mansion, here in Dallas.  Whatever the case, I’d wander around the Riverwalk wishing that hotel was my vacation address.  This time it would be.

Parking There Was Not Half the Fun

After a visit to the Witte Museum we drove to La Mansion with little to no trouble (thank you GPS), but upon arrival found a $35 hickey for valet parking.  That strained our spartan ways.  The staff told us we could park across the street cheaper, but that begged the whole luggage thing and the lot across the street charged for in-and-out.  So we bit the bullet, ponied up for the parking and even tipped a bellhop.  I think the tip may have actually caused Bill physical pain.

Luxuriating in the Splendor

Once our pocketbook quit bleeding, a look around our room excited us.  La Mansion occupies a building which was a university, a long long time ago.  Wood beams hold up the ceiling and rod iron balconies are just outside the French doors.  Since the hotel is an Omni, the furniture, upholstery and drapes are lush.  As we inspected our accommodations and tried on the luxurious robes provided, we decided we weren’t as upset about the price of parking as we thought we were going to be.

Bill whipped open his laptop to check the market and I started to unpack.  Next to the TV was a lovely bottle of water and I thought, “What a nice gesture,” but thankfully I checked the hang-tag before opening it. Six bucks!  So, I opened the dresser and yes, there it was the minibar and snacks.  So many ways to capture extra income!  At least there was free shampoo. (They didn’t have a safe in the room, though and I thought that was an oversight.)

I’m poking a little fun at the Omni, but we actually enjoyed our stay there completely. The historical building gave everything a very special touch and we did get top notch service.  The bed was beyond comfortable and if the only thing we could see out of our window was the parking lot across the street, that was our fault for not choosing to pay extra for a room with a view.

The True Parking Solution

We also figured out the parking problem.  See, overnight valet parking is $35, but they don’t charge you for each in and out.  The overnight parking across the street is $10, and I assumed it was $10 every time – and that could get expensive quick.  But across the street you aren’t charged the overnight price every time, only when you stay overnight.  You can short term park much cheaper.  Since short term valet parking at the Omni is only $15, that evening we recovered our car and went to dinner.  When we came back, we parked across the street.  The good news is the Omni never charged us the $15.  Thank you Omni!

I’d Do It Again

The next morning we had breakfast in the hotel’s Las Canarias Restaurant, but I’ve already talked too much for today.  The Omni La Mansion De Rio is a lovely hotel and I’m so glad we stayed there.  Since the Polar Express hit while we were there, it was a little cold to traipse across the river for the privilege of working out at the Omni spa property, but we did peek in and decided it would be great if the weather was friendlier.

Do I think you should stay at Omni’s La Mansion de Rio?  I have to say yes.  It was a remarkable experience.  The proximity to everything on the Riverwalk and the downtown area was perfect for sightseeing.  We were blown away by the service.  Just keep your eyes open.  Who knows when expedia will have another deal! (And keep coming back, because I’ll eventually tell you about breakfast!)