Hopefully, sometime in the next month or so, you and yours are off on a no doubt well-deserved vacation. Lots of great places to go and see with all of the things to do. And lots of great places to stay as well.
So… let me share some of my favorite lodgings with you!
Disney’s Grand Californian is my hotel of choice at the Disneyland Resort. AAA awarded it four diamonds and it’s easy to see why. One can easily spend hours enjoying the Craftsman style architecture and design touches throughout this place. Suffice to say, you haven’t heard the last about this place from me.
The Claremont Resort and Spa is one of the hidden treasures of the San Francisco Bay Area. Just outside Berkeley, nestled in the Oakland hills, the classic structure was finished in 1915, just in time for the Panama Pacific Exposition. Served by the electric trains of real estate magnate Francis Marion (or Borax — as in Twenty Mule Team Borax) Smith, visitors came from around the world. Spectacular views of the City and the bay along with the 22-acre garden setting continue to make this a special place. With the addition of European-style spa facilities, it has become a favorite destination for the weekend getaway.
Some properties of similar vintage have had their moments of glory in the cinema. San Diego’s Hotel Coronado was one of the star’s of “Some Like It Hot”. Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis spent weeks here in 1958 for this classic Billy Wilder comedy.
And although author Richard Matheson stayed at the Coronado while writing his novel, “Bid Time Return”, it just wasn’t possible to use the hotel for the location of filming when it became the movie, “Somewhere In Time”. Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve (and the rest of the cast and crew) enjoyed their stay at the Grand Hotel on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. The classic structure and grounds were well used as locations for filming of both modern day and period settings. (I heartily recommend the DVD of the film for some great stories from cast and crew, and the director’s commentary!)
Another Hollywood connected hotel is the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd. It was the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony on May 19, 1929. The page from the above link tells many of the tales you want to know. I had the pleasure of enjoying an afternoon there on February 29, 1992 when Dean Stockwell was recognized with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (as Dean himself proudly announced, “…I’m very lucky to be between two very beautiful women – Liza Minelli and Donna Summers…”). The hotel is undergoing a restoration as part of the revitalization of the entire area of Hollywood Blvd, but is still well worth a visit.
A friend of mine once described a weekend at Yosemite’s Awahnee Lodge as her idea of camping. This isn’t tents and sleeping bags, not by any dream of the imagination. “The Ahwahnee is a National Historical Landmark and one of the most distinctive resort hotels in North America. It’s well known for its great granite façade, striking beamed ceilings, massive stone hearths, richly colored Native American appointments, and finely appointed rooms. Named for the original Native word for Yosemite Valley, The Ahwahnee offers a perfect balance of refinement, grandness and hospitality. It’s no wonder that for generations this grand hotel has been the destination of queens and presidents alike.”
What you get is one of the most beautiful places on the planet on the floor of the Yosemite Valley, and that’s true all year round. Christmas time is one of the most popular with the Bracebridge Dinner, “… a unique Ahwahnee Christmas tradition of grand proportion. Held annually since 1927, the event transforms the Ahwahnee Hotel into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.” This extremely popular event is usually booked well in advance, but it never hurts to check for that last minute cancellation. Other special events throughout the year also include the Vintner’s Holiday dinners, Chef’s Holiday dinners and a New Years Eve dinner dance.
California’s North Coast has some places worth the visit as well. In the small town of Gualala, the Old Milano Hotel was once a stop for stagecoaches travelling to and from San Francisco. Today, it’s a restful place to escape. Another favorite is in the Pacific Lumber Company town of Scotia. With the mill right here, it is no surprise that redwood was used for so many of the town’s structures. One in particular is the Scotia Inn. This hotel features a great art deco bar and a fine dining room with some of the most magnificent redwood you will ever see. If you love the Grand Californian, then this structure will find you right at home with it’s own Arts and Crafts touches.
When we do our private car excursions to Reno, Nevada, we often stay at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel and Casino. It has grown from humble beginnings as a coffee shop to now being one of the area’s favorite places. The Nugget has all kinds of events throughout the year, but my favorite is their Rib Cook-off, held over Labor Day weekend. Last year, I was chef on a private car trip to Reno while this was going on. Stepping off the car in Sparks, all you could smell was great barbecue. Yumola!
Now Nevada also has Las Vegas and all of its unique hotel properties. I’ve been to stay at a few, but found that rooms in the Luxor may have been among the most interesting, but not for the reasons one might suspect. It is said that the light from the beacon atop the pyramid is one of the few things you can see from orbit with the naked eye. What I found most interesting were the elevators to go to and from the hotel rooms. Not really elevators, more of inclinators as they travel on an incline up and down the levels of the pyramid, a very unusual sensation…
The Lake Tahoe area straddles the border between the California and Nevada, and one hotel took that point to the inevitable conclusion. The Cal-Neva Resort in Crystal Bay, Nevada, is built right atop the stateline running through the Indian Room — separating a large stone fireplace. The hotel has lots of history including a period of ownership by Frank Sinatra with lots of visits by the Rat Pack and company including Marilyn Monroe. And there is the usual Nevada style gaming just across that line as well…
Ever wonder where those Imagineers get inspirations? How about the Grand Floridian in Orlando? Can you say “Coronado?” Or take a look at the new Tokyo Disney Sea. The S.S. Columbia was most definitely inspired by Long Beach’s Hotel Queen Mary. Once the pride of the Cunard Fleet (which will soon see the Queen Mary II!), this proud ship has served as a floating hotel halfway around the world from her home in the British Isles since 1972. Michele and I have stayed aboard her several times including during Disney’s years of operation (1988 to 1992). We enjoyed a First Class room overlooking Long Beach, as well as some great meals (Sir Winston’s and Chelsea) during our honeymoon in April of 1986. I’ve also been aboard for several New Years Eve parties as well as a killer Sunday brunch (in the Grand Salon — the ship’s original First Class Dining Room) or two that made me wish I did have a room aboard to sleep it off! There are a number of special events held during the year, so check it out before you go.
Speaking of crossing the pond… When we visited Germany and Austria in September of 2001, we enjoyed some interesting hotels. Our first surprise was where we stayed on our first few nights. Having flown into Frankfurt, we were off to explore the area where my parents had lived and worked way back in 1958 and 1959. Our destinations would be only a short trip across the Rhine as we traveled back and forth between Wiesbaden and Mainz. Things changed a whole bunch right before we left (9/11) and the hotels all were very willing to change reservations for us. We ended up staying in Mainz — Finthen at the Atrium Hotel Mainz only a short drive from either city. The hotel offered a great breakfast each morning (included in the room rate), that spoiled us for the rest of the trip! The rooms were all very modern and comfortable. The hotel has a great little bar/café that had all we needed after our first night and the long airline flight from San Francisco.
On the other end of our trip was the Hotel Elefant in Salzburg, Austria. It’s name goes back to a local story (from their web page): “Once upon a time when King Max was riding through Salzburg he had an elephant with him. Passing this building the elephant looked into one of its windows. Since then the people call it the “Elephant-inn”.”
The 700 year-old building is located in the heart of the old city. It is right around the corner from Mozart’s birthplace (a fact we discovered by accident wondering why all these people were taking pictures of this place!). It was very convenient to all of the sights and opportunities we could imagine including great shopping along the Getriedegasse. It also has a great dining room with wonderful meals. We never went away hungry from a meal on that trip.
Look for another tale from that trip coming in the next few weeks as part of that series on things you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t think you could!
One place I’ve always wanted to visit is the famed Greenbrier Resort in White Suplhur Springs, West Virginia. In years gone by, it was not uncommon for the private railroad cars of the rich and famous to travel here for a fine vacation away from all the responsibilities of the world. It was once owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and was a much promoted travel destination. Today Amtrak does stop directly across from The Greenbrier’s Main Entrance, and special trains have called here occasionally in the last few years.
But what really fascinated me is that this was to be the location of a secret government relocation center. The hotel offers tours of what was of “Project Greek Island” — a bunker to protect the members of Congress in the event of a nuclear strike on Washington, DC, that thankfully was never activated.
A bit less threatening, but none the less interesting is the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Way before Disney discovered the state, Henry Flagler created this Italian Renaissance structure and the surroundings. Flagler pushed his Florida East Coast Railway on down to Key West with the railroad that went to sea, only to meet it’s fate during one of the strongest hurricanes yet seen during Labor Day of 1935. The Breakers continues today as a landmark to those days and the vision that Flagler had for the state.
You might recall that in another column I mentioned the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. It’s still there and greeting guests for all kinds of events as well as for room nights. Brunch in the famed Garden Court or even a smart cocktail in the Pied Piper Lounge with it’s famed Maxfield Parish “Pied Piper of Hamlin” mural are must do’s on any visit.
How about a Victorian bed and breakfast with a difference? Try the East Brothers Light Station! Located on an island in the middle of the straits between the San Francisco and San Pablo bays, it is a step (okay, how about a boat ride instead?) back to an less complicated time. If you don’t have time to spend the night, they do offer an outstanding dinner or brunch, right around the corner from Point Richmond (now home to the Lucas CGI animation unit in the former Pixar location). Point Richmond is also home to the Hotel Mac (Sorry, no web page link, but a Yahoo Yellow Pages search offers both information for the hotel and the restaurant/bar. A fine place and outstanding meals and or beverages. Oh for earlier, less informed days…
California can lay claim to having the world’s first motel in San Luis Obispo (another hotbed of Colton family history, but that is another column entirely!) and it opened at 2223 Monterey Street in 1925. Originally called the “Milestone Motel”, the Spanish revival structure was later renamed the “Motel Inn” but went out of business long ago and now stands, forlorn but not forgotten, next to US-101 on the grounds of the Apple Farm restaurant and motel. But best the known accommodation in town is the Madonna Inn. Affectionately known as the “Pink Palace”, it features 109 differently themed rooms. Everything from the American Beauty room to the Yosemite Rock room can be yours! Some include a fireplace or even a rock waterfall for your shower. Whoever says Disney has a monopoly on themes in lodging hasn’t been here yet!
Lest you think I would pass up an opportunity to mention trains or cats, you are correct! I have a bit of both. First is the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Here’s a place where you can stay in one of the twenty-five railroad cabooses, in the same neighborhood as two of the nations finest railroad destinations — the Strasburg Railroad — recognized as the nation’s oldest continually operating steam shortline railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The museum tells the history of railroading in the state and the nation, with manufacturers of locomotives and equipment that went throughout the world from the Keystone State.
And Cruiser has his favorite place to stay when we take off and abandon him for a Disneyland visit. The Feline Medical Center of Pleasanton lets him bring along his favorite blanket, toys (oh, those catnip mice!) and his Iams food — dry and wet — to make him feel all the better. And if he needs it, they also do grooming along with other tasks like nail clipping. Better them than us, you bet!
So there you have it. A sample of some interesting places to spend a few nights. I’m sure there are plenty more waiting for you to discover, so warm up those search engines and take off for that long weekend to recover from it all!
Coming up next in the series of things you’ve always wanted to do? Roger has us all set for a ride at the speedway! So, NASCAR fans, buckle up and get ready for all those left turns!
And if you are among the kind folks who have contributed to the Amazon Honor System Pay Box, Roger thanks you! If not, why not drop a buck or two and show your support? Honest! It doesn’t hurt a bit!