hotel/resort review Archives - Page 12 of 14

La Costa Resort Review: Carlsbad, CA

January 6, 2011 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Over the Christmas vacation, we all left relatives in Arizona and made our way back into California via San Diego, Carlsbad to be exact, and we stayed at La Costa Resort. Upon approaching the acres of palm trees, gardens, and beautiful greens of the golf course, I suddenly felt like I was driving into paradise.

Originally my husband and I were going to come visit back in November alone, but I came down with the stomach flu. This first visit was going to be a family event, but boy does it exude “couples retreat” at first glance! The crisp, bright white villas, suites, and guest rooms were a striking contrast against the grey, stormy skies last Thursday, and I couldn’t wait to get to our room and make some coffee and snuggle under the bedcovers!

Checking into the hotel, you walk into the main building and the Christmas tree was set up with the golf course back drop that was beautiful. To the right I walked past a grand gingerbread house display with an apparent competition that had occurred, the smell of the sweets made me salivate. I was welcomed and given a map of the resort and spa, filled in about all the goings on for the following days, told about the hours and menus of the resort dining and was directed to our rooms. A bowl of fruit was awaiting us, which was a perfect snack after a long drive.

For the five of us, we stayed in a family suite which is made up of two rooms with an adjoining door. The larger room had a king bed, large marble tub, separate shower, louvered doors to the living room with hideaway sofa and desk, and more! The kids had the second room with 2 queen beds and similar marble bathroom, it was perfect for all of us.

There were 3 large televisions total, so we were all very pleased to watch what we wanted. The room had mini-bar access (we opted out) and a table of water and snacks in each room for a fee. Our laptop had internet access and the wi-fi was strong in the living quarters and the kids room, but lost signal in our bedroom. The amenities were luxurious with bathrobes and slippers in the closets for room use, comfortable, clean bedding, and lovely scented toiletries (I loved the loofah!), turn down service is available nightly as well. In both of the rooms, there were a total of 3 doors to the outside overlooking the gardens. A patio chair, lounger, and table were set outside and were very private yet open and gave us so many options to move about!

The second day we were there, the sun was out and the skies were blue, so we took a look around the gorgeous grounds complete with calming waterfalls. Having similar pools and waterslides (with a toddler slide!)as their sister resort Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, my kids were slightly disappointed that it was winter and cold. The waterslides will run upon request during the off-season and the pool and spas are heated, though we did not bring swimwear this trip.

Luckily their is another option for the kids, Vibz Game Lounge. This area is fabulous for the 10 and over group (my older kids are 12 and 9) looking for some play time, their style! There’s a large TV and couches to hang out as well as full sized pool, ping pong, foosball, and air hockey tables, an X-Box 360 game room, arcade-style video games, a basketball free-throw shooting station, and my 4-year old’s favorite SkeeBall!!

This area made them forget all about the pools, and I have to say that my husband and I got in a good game of pool, and I loved the pinball game! Most games take tokens that can be purchased from a machine right in the room. Older kids can hang out in here while parents dine or have a spa treatment, though there is no staff or supervision. We were with our kids the whole time they played there, but I’d leave my older two for an hour if I needed to, I feel it was very safe!

Just downstairs from registration and across the building from Vibz is Legends Bistro. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Legends has a wide range of delicious cuisine for adults and perfect choices and portions for children. We enjoyed two breakfasts both mornings of our stay. On the first morning we opted for the all you can eat buffet. Eggs, bacon, crepes, salmon, oatmeal, and boxed cereal for the kids made for a perfect morning. The price ($20/adults, $10/children) includes juice, coffee, or soft drinks.

You have your choice of dining inside or out (a burning fire is lit day and night) and the restaurant overlooks the golf course. The second morning we ordered off the menu, the pancakes and french toast were light and fluffy yet so filling. The night before checkout we enjoyed a family dinner. My husband and I started with wedge salads with sliced tomatoes, carrots, and crisp iceberg lettuce. I enjoyed a pepperoni pizza, which was cheesy and delicious. My husband had the pot roast and it was cooked perfectly and melted in his mouth. The kids had spaghetti and meatballs and a hamburger. I snuck in a taste of the meatballs and they were very tasty.

Our stay at La Costa was royal. We experienced incredible service from the staff that goes above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. With a coffee shop/store/gift shop, 2 restaurants, 3 pools, waterslides, spa, this resort has everything you need. Shopping and anything else you need can also be found within a mile with the California coast as well as Legoland just 5 minutes away!!This location is perfect for families, couples, men’s golf weekend, or girls looking for a luxurious spa getaway. I could see a couple spending their honeymoon here. I’d love to return for that couples-only trip we almost had!
We were treated to our rooms, 3 meals, and game lounge tokens. The review is our honest, tried and true experience.

Country Inns and Suites San Bernardino/Redlands, CA Hotel Review

December 30, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been away from the computer. Christmas Day our family set out on a road trip vacation that took us to Arizona, and currently in San Diego, Ca. We’ll be home via Ventura, then back to the central coast on Saturday. Being in the car with 3 kids is a lot of work. Luckily we have electronics, music, and toys to break up the trip, but also this time we did some stops in hotels to get some rest from the hours in the car.

Our first stop was half-way between home and Arizona, San Bernardino, CA and we found a Country Inns and Suites San Bernardino/Redlands to rest our weary heads. We’ve had the pleasure of this hotel group before and were excited to find a Saturday night (Christmas Day!) room to accommodate all 5 of us comfortably for $72 plus tax (AAA rate)!

Located near an IHOP, Denny’s, and The Old Spaghetti Factory, the hotel is in a great spot for any traveler in southern California with plenty of food options, near gas stations, and a major highway (hwy 10).

Upon check-in, I was welcomed and greeted with a “Merry Christmas” and was informed about the hot breakfast, fresh cookies, and shown to our room. It was hard for us to fathom spending Christmas in a hotel, but it was decorated nicely with a tree and garland that helped keep up our spirit even after 6 hours on the road. I also love any hotel that offers free wi-fi that was easy to set up upon our arrival in the room. My two older kids and I all love our social media connection!

The room was conveniently on the first floor and our car was parked close by for easy access. The room had 2 queen beds, a sofa bed, and plenty of space to spread out our entire family. The amenities were plentiful with a microwave and mini-fridge that held our drinks and snacks for the road overnight. After a superb sleep, we headed to the breakfast area in the morning and was treated to a variety of juices, coffee, yogurt, fruit, waffles, oatmeal, assorted breads and muffins PLUS hot eggs, biscuits, sausage and gravy! Plus those fresh cookies were still available.

We’ve already booked our next stay at Country Inns and Suites for this Friday since our stay was so great! While you’re in the hotel you can pick up a booklet with all the locations US-wide so you can find a comfortable, affordable place to stay each time you travel.

We were not compensated for this stay, all opinions were our 100% tried and true experience!

South Lake Tahoe Lodging: Camp Richardson Resort

December 23, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Two weekends ago we left the rain of central California and headed to the Sierras. South Lake Tahoe in fact. It’s one of the very few times we’ve been to the area during the winter with snow on the ground in the past 8 years!

Our goal was to give my youngest her first experience in the snow, my nephews were heading up as well to ski, and my parents were going to get a little gambling in. We stayed at a spot we’d been to many times in the Summer time, Camp Richardson Resort. Our friends have camped in the campground before, we’ve hit the beaches in July, and we’ve also hiked nearby at the Tallac Historical Site/Taylor Creek.

*all photos can be clicked to enlarge!* A year-round destination resort of pure relaxation offering historic lodging, camping, boating, biking, beach-going, lakeside dining, cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, and more, Camp Richardson is going to be our new go-to resort when we make our Tahoe plans. With an assortment of rustic cabins (no TV is rustic to us!!) spread about the property, a hotel, an inn, a marina duplex, and the Richardson House (sleeps 20) for a family reunion, a stay during the winter months can meet all your budget and lodging needs.

We stayed as a family in the Marina Duplex, two side by side condos that sleep six people each. Rented separately or for a larger family, they each have a room, loft, one full bathroom, kitchen, dining and living room with an adjoining door. During the summer the duplex is available at a weekly rental rate, during the winter, rental is on a daily basis ($165 Su-Thurs), with weekends being slightly higher per night ($210).

The best part of the duplex, it sits just yards away from the shore of Lake Tahoe. The piers and boat docks are literally steps away, the scenery, unmatched and literally breathtaking! Look at these adjoining photos, the view from our deck!! We felt like we were in heaven. The silence was golden and if it weren’t for being in the 30-degree range, I could sit on the deck with coffee or a cocktail all day long and admire the lake! Also I appreciate that the duplex is decorated very conservatively, with kids, you don’t ever want to feel that they can move around the place without breaking something expensive. I do wish there was less carpet (or adding a floormat) inside the front door as we had to remove boots each time we went in and out to avoid soaking the floor with snow. Later in the day when we’re in for the night, wearing socks or barefeet across that wet floor was uncomfortable.

Having 3 kids with us, and our car holding our sleds, we had to look no further than the front yard to have activities for the weekend! The natural slope from the duplex to the water provided the perfect hill for sledding! The kids spent hours going up and down and thankfully to the sand at the shore, it stopped the sleds naturally before they’d hit the water. Not used to the cold, we could enjoy the warmth indoors and also watch the kids from the windows!

Indoors in the duplexes, to the kids liking, there were televisions with all the essential channels. The kitchen had everything needed to make a meal in and save some money by not eating out (a grocery store can be found at the Y, about 2 miles away). Upstairs you’ll find a double bed in a room with a door and a double in a loft with plenty of drawer and closet space. Downstairs, there is a sofa bed, chair, and gas fireplace that keeps the place plenty warm. Despite the below freezing temps at night, keep the heat to about 68 at night, especially if everyone is sleeping upstairs. Heat rises and we found ourselves actually cracking a window on the first night!

While staying at Camp Richardson you have access to the nearby General Store, Ice Cream and Coffee Shops, The Beacon Grill located just steps from the duplex, and also Mountain Sports Center for all your outdoor activity needs. Had we not brought sleds, they have them available to rent. We did though have the opportunity to try out something we’ve never done, showshoeing! Due to lack of packed snow, our other option of cross country skiing was out, but we grabbed sets of snow shoes for the five of us and tried it out!

Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person’s foot does not sink completely into the snow, the heel is left free so you have normal range of motion when you walk. It takes a little while to get the coordination of it all, but boy is it a great work out, just think of some added weights with each step. There are trails in and around Camp Richardson. We decided to walk down the beach and back for our first experience, having a half-day rental is just the right amount of time to tire out a family of five!
During the winter Camp Richardson is a fabulous place to take your family for some snow fun! I can’t wait to look into staying there on our annual summer trip, whether it be in a cabin or possibly at the campground. Next time you’re in the area, check it out!

We were treated to our stay and 1/2 day showshoeing. The opinions expressed are our 100% tried and true experience.

La Playa Hotel in Carmel-By-The-Sea Review

December 10, 2010 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

If you are visiting the Central Coast of California, Carmel-By-The-Sea is a must visit city for shopping, dining, visiting the beach, or sight-seeing. This beautiful town is know for it’s natural scenery and artistic history and is home to one of the California Missions, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo and famous golf courses (Pebble Beach is 5 minutes away).

Just about 4 blocks from the beach and 4 blocks from quaint downtown Ocean Street you’ll find La Playa Hotel.

With its convenient proximity to the Pacific Ocean, its impeccably landscaped grounds, an intimate lobby, and professional staff, it comes as no surprise that La Playa Hotel and Cottages-by-the-Sea has been recognized as the Grande Dame of Carmel. Treat yourself to the landmark-classic choice of Carmel hotels, where you will find each detail well thought out and anticipated every time you return. A Mediterranean villa in 1905, today La Playa still rests in a picture-perfect setting – amidst oceans of flowers and cypress, with the sea itself just a stroll away. Here, design, décor, and atmosphere are all in the classic tradition of good taste. Discover this legendary Carmel California hotel, amid some of the world’s most spectacular scenery.

The Landscape
Coming up on the hotel you’ll find it has a meticulously manicured layout. Just in the day we were there, we ran into 3 separate gardeners working to keep the grounds pristine and beautiful. Benches and tables and chairs adorn the gardens to sit and read, enjoy a cup of coffee or nice glass of wine.

The Hotel
As a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America, La Playa is intimately connected to California’s colorful past, with a rich heritage all its own. Inside the lobby you’ll find many pieces of art including paintings, photographs, and maps dating back 80+ years. My husband is a huge fan of California history and along with being a land surveyor, the maps and photos of the area consumed him for a good hour. The pool is heated to a nice 82 degrees year round. There are conference rooms, a spa, and The Terrace Grill restaurant on the premises. We had dinner at The Terrace Grill during happy hour, where cocktails were regular price yet there were many crudites free with a drink purchase. Dinner is reasonably priced for the area (around $15/person), my husband enjoying a steak sandwich and fries, while I enjoyed the penne with sausage, both prepared perfectly for us. Internet access as well as a business center is offered during your stay to look for nearby attractions if need be.

The Accommodations
You can stay in the hotel in a luxurious room, suite, with a patio, near the pool or in a beautiful cottage just beyond the main building. A few of the rooms available have an ocean view, while you can’t go wrong anywhere at La Playa.The cottages make a nice romantic escape with fireplaces, decks, full kitchens, and other fabulous amenities depending on your choice. My husband and I were treated to the owner’s cottage with full kitchen, patio, living/dining room, fireplace and two bedrooms. The gas fireplace was lovely as we watched tv with our drinks and relaxed.

In the morning, we strolled down to the beach and took in the surfers, the dog walkers, and the view of Pebble Beach Golf Course. It was an overcast day, but about 58 degrees. The sand on this stretch of the coast is finer white powder than just south in Monterey and Pacific Grove, the water more turquoise. Take a ride to Carmel-by-the-Sea, and if you get a chance, stay at the La Playa Hotel, it’s a splurge worth making! We feel so very lucky that this is a spot we can drive to in less than an hour and take in all it’s beauty!

Our accommodations were compensated, all opinions are our 100% tried-and-true experience.

The Half Moon Bay Inn: Comfortable and Cozy!!

November 5, 2010 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

Last weekend, we were stressed that we hadn’t taken our kids to a pumpkin patch yet and it was the day before Halloween. Luckily we had planned to drive up the central coast of California into Half Moon Bay, the fall’s best spot for pumpkin patch fun. Each year in mid October, Half Moon Bay hosts a Pumpkin festival, though we missed it, there were plenty of pumpkin farms to discover as we came up hwy 101 and over to 92. Just beyond the farms in this quaint ocean-front city, down in the heart of main street you will find the Half Moon Bay Inn.

Styled in Mexican Revival architecture, the corner lot provides lodging for those on business or pleasure, on romantic getaway or family vacation. Our family was invited to stay in the Hacienda Familia on our trip over, a spacious, extra large room with the most comfortable amenities and extra special touches. With entry directly off the street, we could literally drive up to our room for easy in and out with our bags. We were also pleasantly surprised that being in town by the street, we heard no outside noise!!

Upon check in, the day was cool and crisp and we needed a moment to come in and warm up. We were pleasantly surprised to see comfy beds and so many extra blankets draped on the chair, bed, and day bed to cozy up with! The room had plenty of seating including the desk and the leather chair and ottoman, with a family of 5 everyone had their space. We were pleased to find out the second bed in the room was a trundle style, so all 3 of our small children had a comfortable spot to sleep and rest.

My husband and I found that our bed had a lovely down comforter on top of a ultrasoft mattress, heaven on our bodies for sure! Lighting was plentiful for relaxing and reading, with the wall to the street side had plenty of privacy with the wood blinds. The hardwood floors gave the room a cozy cabin in the woods feel, I loved that the atmosphere put you in a different world yet stepping out the door you’re in walking distance of shopping, coffee shops, and the beach.

With normal amenities (coffee maker, fridge, and microwave), we also were treated to a two quality robes to enjoy during our stay, and luxurious shower gels and shampoos in the ADA compliant bathroom the kids dubbed the “family shower.”

Little specifics had me falling in love with the room, old-fashioned crystal door knobs were precious, the mini vase with fresh rose on the desk felt so personal, the artwork on the walls made me think of my grandparents who came from Mexico and this is definitely something you could have seen in their home. Lastly the decorative wine chiller and glasses was a bonus for couples who enjoy wine and don’t want to use the paper cups in the bathroom! 😉

It’s Italia is the adjacent restaurant where you can find some delicious smelling wood-fired pizza, pasta, and wine, dining indoors or on the back patio that backed up to our room. The room included the full menu on the desk to peruse. In the morning of our overnight stay we welcomed clear skies and walked up and down main street taking in the great small bookstores, delis, cafes, and art galleries. Had it been a different time of year, the beach is a 1/2 mile walk where you can see surfers in the water year ’round.

The Hacienda Familia room is fabulous, staying longer would have been blissful. Check out is at a great time of noon, so you can enjoy your morning, take a walk, have breakfast, and not feel rushed.

If you want to head to a great city on the California coast, make sure you stop into Half Moon Bay and stay at the Half Moon Bay Inn!

Our stay was compensated for one night, our opinions are our honest 100% tried and true experience.