hotel/resort review Archives - Page 3 of 14

San Francisco to Pebble Beach in the Ford C-Max Hybrid

October 7, 2013 by The Mom Jen 14 Comments

I believe that I live in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Okay, so I haven’t been outside of the US, but few would argue that the central coast of California is mighty lovely. Just this last weekend, I had the opportunity to join Emily from Clever Housewife on a road trip to test out the new Ford C-Max Hybrid.

Our trip would begin in San Francisco and bounce over to Half Moon Bay, past Santa Cruz, Capitola, Monterey, Carmel, then onto Pebble Beach. If there is a better one-day cruise, please let me know, because this was superb and the October weather was near perfect. During a short briefing, we learned the Ford C-MAX is the first-ever hybrid-only vehicle line from Ford in North America. The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid offer the sporty style and performance of a Ford vehicle with the added benefit of leaving a smaller carbon footprint. My family and I own 3 Ford vehicles, with the newest being a 2005 without bells and whistles let alone much energy-saving additions so I was eager to try this car out!

Immediately I was impressed with the trunk function that allows you to air kick beneath the back of the car and the trunk lifts open. This allows moms holding babies or groceries or luggage to do this hands free which can be a lifesaver. The key fob can be in your hand, pocket, or purse to enable the function, which is generally the case. Emily and I began our trip and I was first driver. With the car on (keyless allows for a push button start), you see an icon that tells you the car is ready to drive. This is basically necessary to check because there is no sound when the car is on. It’s different and something you need to get used to, I generally don’t know what silence is but when in battery mode the C-MAX is oddly quiet. C-MAX offers 5 passenger seating with a lot of headroom, yet in the above photo you see the leg room is tight. The drivers seat is about as far back as my husband would need it and when Emily climbed in it was snug for an adult. Small children in car seats would be fine, my guess 2 would be comfortable in the back.

The C-MAX drives incredibly smoothly, controls are at your fingertips for all the efficiency modes in the dash as well as the battery/fuel gauges. The C-MAX Hybrid delivers class-leading 43 mpg (41 hwy) combined and can travel up to 85 miles per hour in all all-electric mode. It’s interesting to learn that braking is really good for the car and it recharges the battery with each brake as to why it does better in the city (45 mpg) than on the highway! This is such a smart choice for a commuter vehicle, my husband’s workday consists of 60 miles round trip and we’d be saving so much money!

The dual-LCD next- gen SmartGauge with EcoGuide Efficiency Coach screens interact but don’t distract you as you road trip. Watch the display grow leaves when you drive efficiently. Or watch them fade when you don’t. When Emily drove she was happy with a full set of leaves, it makes you feel good as you’re using the car at it’s potential!

So as we drove we hit a bit of traffic, again the constant braking was good for the car so we relaxed, hit Half Moon Bay and cruised down and reached a beautiful spot, Pompanio State Beach, to check out the ocean!

Arriving in Capitola for lunch near the Esplanade, parking is tight and there are people walking everywhere but the compactness of the C-MAX had no problems getting around.

In addition to the drive, our stop in Monterey had us behind the scenes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Having visited this popular area attraction with over 40,000 species of plants and animals on site since my kids were little, it was fun to be a VIP!

We arrived at our destination for the evening, Casa Palmero in iconic Pebble Beach. The weather was an amazing 86 degrees with a warm wind and basically October is there best time of year! I live nearby so I took in the warmth as a great sign and we enjoyed the classy accommodations. Rainfall shower heads, private patio jacuzzis…need I say more?Cocktails, appetizers, then dinner with the Ford team and the fabulous group of bloggers led us to The Bench where champagne was flowing and food was plentiful and wonderfully flavored! Driving home the next day, I partnered with Deanna from Mommy Gaga and we took a slightly different route but we did explore more of 17-Mile Drive and some local produce from the biggest salad bowl of the world!The C-MAX Hybrid was a fun car to drive. The Hybrid SEL sells for about $28,365. The C-MAX Energi is like a “hybrid-plus” with its plug-in capability. Using the external charge port, you can charge it in just 2.5 hours, and it starts at $32,950. Thank you to Ford and Clever Girls for the great opportunity!

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 171,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln.

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

June Lake, CA: Double Eagle Resort and Spa

August 14, 2013 by The Mom Jen 16 Comments

Surrounded by the Eastern Sierra mountains and among beautiful alpine lakes, the Double Eagle Resort and Spa in June Lake is a wonderful retreat for a tranquil summer getaway! Our first trip to the Mono County area, it really had the Lake Tahoe feel that we are used to but with a slower, quieter pace. In every direction, the views are phenomenal. Our stay was far too short.

Walking around the property you look up and down to see the beauty of nature’s work. Grey peaks reach up 11,000 feet contrasting the green pines with waterfalls in view, while streams dot the property and make for fantastic photo opportunities. Lodge rooms on site overlook Ron’s Pond and reflect in perfectly still waters.

Cabins are perfect for a family trip with 2 bedrooms, one for the parents, and one my two girls shared, plus a sofa sleeper for my son! To the children’s delight, wifi and a television was offered in the cabin, while we enjoyed our own bedroom TV. Don’t get me wrong, electronics don’t make or break a trip for us, especially when you have the beautiful surroundings like the resort offers. It’s just a nice added perk for early mornings or late evenings.

The living room is comfortable and cozy with a fireplace and opens up to the full kitchen. Kitchen and BBQ are nice to have available to save money on meals. The large front deck is great for reading, playing, or napping! The dining table is set for four and there’s also patio table and chairs for bigger groups.

Along with a full-service Creekside Spa and Fitness Center, the 60 ft indoor pool shows off near-panoramic views from the windows. Though the hot tub was out of order, our kids swam to their hearts content during the “family hours” and even attempted to race in the lap portion of the pool. Plenty of lounge chairs indoors and on the sundeck provide parents a place to relax and watch the kids. Eagle’s Landing Restaurant on property offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with delicious food. Their rustic pine lodge ambiance with high windows for spectacular views just adds to the mountain feel. Along with the amazing nachos, the creamy macaroni and cheese and burgers, the family appreciated the large comfortable booths and friendly waiters!

We were lucky to have planned our stay the same night as the annual Double Eagle Jazz Fest featuring the cool tunes of Jelly Bread! The outdoor concert, where we threw our thick blanket on the lawn and enjoyed some adult beverages, was family friendly and had a fun vibe to it. A full BBQ was offered along with beer from a local brewery and sweets sold by the women’s club. With Yosemite National Park’s eastern entrance just 12 miles away, Mammoth Mountain 20 miles south, and the unique Mono Lake just down the road, June Lake Loop should be on your radar for your next California family adventure. The Double Eagle Resort and Spa is definitely a place the family can enjoy on a summer vacation and would be just as lovely for a winter romantic escape with your honey.

Our stay was hosted as part as a press trip, all opinions are our own.

San Francisco: Amazing Views from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel

July 25, 2013 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

The city and the bay can be viewed and admired from the gorgeous rooms at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in the Financial District in San Francisco. From taking in a baseball game at AT&T Park, heading to the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, or shopping in Union Square, you’re in walking distance for great exploration.

Increasingly recognized for creating some of the world’s most sought-after properties, the Group provides 21st century luxury with oriental charm. Above all, Mandarin Oriental is renowned for creating unique hotels through distinctive design and a strong sense of place, luxury hotels right for their time and place.

From check-in to check-out, the staff is helpful and courteous. Once we valet parked our car, our room wasn’t quite ready, so we were given cold water bottles and we were off to Little Italy (a 15 minute walk) for our food tour. At the tail end of our tour, we heard the devastating news of a plane crash at the SFO airport. I had a flight out the next morning, and I anticipated delays and as we watched in horror and shock. We headed back to the hotel and were anxious to check-in and relax in our room!

Walking into the 400 sq ft Deluxe Bay View King, we loved the soft tans, blues, and whites in the decor. The room was just right at about 70 degrees.The sitting area included a sofa, chair, table, and there began our awe of the spectacular views and understand the in room use of the binoculars on the desk! To our right, the Bay Bridge.To our left, the Transamerica Building, Coit Tower, Alcatraz Island, and more!

Stunning from any angle.

The goose down comforter on the bed looked like a puffy cloud and the area went from this…

…to this in no time. After slipping into the provided robe and slippers, I joined my husband shortly after I shot the photo. I immediately turned on the television, though I didn’t want to watch the news about the plane crash, I needed to keep abreast of my flight (or possibly cancelled flight) early the next morning. Jasmine tea service came to our room and was a pleasant treat. Cookies and pastries joined me bedside just before we fell into an afternoon slumber.

Walking past the windowed breezeway continuing the spectacular views, heading toward the elevators, we caught a glimpse of a wedding party taking photos just below us. We imagined their memories captured in film would be so amazing with the city backdrop!

In the lobby, you can find Brasserie S&P, the hotel restaurant and bar. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can dine in or have room service treat you in a more private atmosphere.

As you can imagine, the views at night were just as stunning. There is a light show that appears on the Bay Bridge but from our angle we couldn’t tell.Coit Tower was lit up post Fourth of July and looked very neat with a cruise ship in the distance and at a closer glance we captured a US flag in the photo.

Again, waking up in the fog is still stunning from over 30 floors up!The marble bathroom was so relaxing in the morning with an amazing rainfall shower head and the aromatic Molton Brown bath amenities.

Though somewhat dampened by the plane crash, my delayed flight, and anxiety, our stay was really comfortable at the Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco. I did miss making a cup of coffee in the morning as the room does not include this mandatory necessity (in my eyes) and we were disappointed that wi-fi was only available for a $15 fee. Otherwise it’s a wonderful location and the views cannot be beat.

Our stay was hosted, parking, room tax, and gratuities our own. Our opinions are 100% our own.

Kauai, Hawaii: Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach

July 24, 2013 by The Mom Jen 16 Comments

At one point in our Kauai family adventure, I asked my 7 year old what she thought family-friendly meant, she responded, “cool pools at the hotel!” That is indeed true at the Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach! If you take a look at one of the state’s largest pool from 25 stories up, you see this, what does it look like to you?My daughter told me without hesitation as we walked out onto our balcony, “it’s a hibiscus mom!” In my head I could have added the DUH she was probably thinking but didn’t verbalize. She has a point, the long pistil could be seen in the stream of waters coming from the fountains, and the shape was similar. Along with enjoying the beauty of the renovated resort, it was my goal to find out what everyone else thought about the pool.

I know, being just beside Kalapaki Bay it’s hard to understand how we spent so much time at the pool. With a child my daughter’s age, I don’t feel that alone it was safe to sit beach side in a chair watching her in the ocean. The waves were a bit active during our stay, so we took it upon ourselves to enjoy the heck out of the 26000 square foot heated pool with less worries.

4 feet all the way around, my daughter and I splashed our hearts out and her tippy toes could touch the bottom, so it was a blast. The fountains made for good massages on mom and a great place to swim under. We moved about the pool sitting near the whirlpools (5 beneath each covered column) and on the center “island” we called it. Plenty of lounge chairs were available, poolside Cocoons and Cabanas are available to rent by the day. Cocktails and snacks are available for order and there’s always plenty of room to swim around. There is also a children’s pool with slide, we stopped by for a bit, but my daughter wanted to be a big girl this time around.Something neat we found on site is an interactive map. With a touch screen you can work your way around the property, as I needed to do a few times when we got lost! I’ve never seen this before and with a large resort it really came in handy.There are 345 guest rooms and 11 suites on site, 500 square feet with gorgeous views. Our room was great with the orange and tan color scheme, there was a sofa sleeper, but we enjoyed the large comfortable bed. The bathroom was spacious and I loved the Bath and Body Works shower amenities and Kauai coffee! The views from the balcony were lovely!Early mornings (due to the time change adjustment I never got used to) you’d see surfers out ready for their next set!Often you can catch a cruise ship in port which will bring a lot more people to the area for a few days!Within walking distance of restaurants and shopping, we took a stroll and found this great spot that needed a photo moment!We enjoyed some meals at Kukui’s that serves great breakfast buffet and dinner as well as Aupaka that has a great continental breakfast that you can grab and go like we did for our excursions.

The hotel staff is so generous and helpful, answers any questions with a smile and a Aloha, and it’s truly a lovely place to sit and take in the beauty of the island.

Onsite you can enjoy the Alexander Day Spa& Spa, Monday nights offer a Polynesian Dance Review, there are daily Hawaiian cultural and beach activities for the whole family, and there’s a complimentary sunset Hula and Torch light ceremony Monday-Thursday. The latter were witnessed just before a downpour moved our dining location to a covered area! Never a dull moment. Close to the airport in Lihue, the Kauai Marriott on Kalapaki Beach is a memorable place to bring your family. Remember the hibiscus pool thought my daughter had, well no one on property including the sales manager and the Kauai Visitor’s Bureau had heard it before and thought that it was brilliant! That’s my girl!

Our stay was hosted as part of our press trip, all opinions are our own.

Sonoma Valley: Romance is Evident at Kenwood Inn and Spa, Resort Review

July 9, 2013 by The Mom Jen 13 Comments

From the outside of the property, off highway 12 in gorgeous Sonoma Valley you think, Kenwood Inn and Spa is a lovely resort. But, step beyond the lobby and you’ll find yourself transported into the Mediterranean and lovely just isn’t strong enough word to describe the atmosphere. Though I’ve never been to Italy, the old world charm I felt definitely explains why they are consistently recognized by Conde Nast Traveler, offering luxurious accommodations, exqusite cuisine, and allowing your body and soul a pure relaxing experience.

I was delighted to learn that the resort is adults-only, as my husband I were looking forward to a romantic getaway (we recently celebrated 17 wedded years). Our tour of Kenwood Inn and Spa excited us both and we were in awe of such beauty, hopefully the photos of our stay will excite you to book a stay.

With 25 guestrooms and 4 suites, the courtyards are full of flowers and vines, with special touches like the bucket chains that collects and trickles rain water gave us inspiration. The gardens that are planted exclusively for the guests-only restaurant are lovely and you appreciate the resorts’ farm-t0-table approach.

Restaurant
Chef Steven Snook offers an Italian inspired menu at Kenwood Inn and Spa, bringing his expertise from London and New York. Enjoy a meal with fare from the best local farms indoors near the fireplace or in the courtyard, even poolside meal service is available. We enjoyed a appetizer together of Pizza e Focaccia, I ordered Bruschetta that included arugula from the garden, and my husband ordered the Pappardelle. The flavors lingered, the spice in the sausage just right, the food was fresh, each bite better than the rest. Breakfast is served in the same indoor/outdoor courtyard as dinner with juices, mimosas, house made granola, yogurt, baked pastries, and artisan coffee. Many savory entrees are also available, you will savor each bite!

Pools
The absence of extra noise is a gift to parents, also appreciated when we enjoyed the pools and hot tub, open 24 hours a day. The lovely waters were saline which makes your skin feel so silky, look at this gorgeous pool.

The heat and power of the waterfalls provide a massage on weary shoulders along with the soothing sounds. Sensation and sounds put you in the right mood, after a day of amazing food and wine, I can’t see a better way to wind down. We pool hopped during the evening and then spent some time in the hot tub, bathing suits optional for some guests late in the evening.

Rooms
Though the property is so lush and beautiful, the 29 villa-style rooms will entice you to never leave, they exude romance! Ever so soft feather beds, fireplaces, soft music playing upon arrival, large tubs and marble showers complete with candles. Our Bellissime Stanze, or Beautiful Room had special unique touches that you’ll love, mostly the views of sunrise from the windows or the sweeping hillside with vineyards as far as the eye can see.Open House
Kenwood Inn and Spa hosts an annual Open House that offers the best of the property along with tempting your palate with Chef Snook’s hors d’oeuvres, Patisserie Angelica provided delectable desserts, meats and breads, and lovely red and white wines from HKG Estate Wines andVineyards. Mini spa treatments and a 3-piece band treated your soul, all poolside and amid beautiful landscape.

Though my next trip will include a spa treatment, you must take a look at their wellness menu, http://www.kenwoodinn.com/spa_treatments.php and vinotherapy..it is like it sounds!

Kenwood Inn and Spa is memorable and beautiful and will leave you yearning for more time in wine country. Look into additional summer activities on property like their Garden to Glass events which are fun as well as educational. It’s a spot I want to come back to to celebrate a special occasion as we did for our anniversary, you’ll find yourself falling in love all over again!

Our stay was part of a media event, our stay was hosted, opinions and gratuities were our own.