Archive for January, 2009
Friday, January 30th, 2009
The elegant Victorian buildings that make up Inn 1890 in San Francisco.
They don’t advertise. There isn’t even a sign.
I must have walked by the elegant Queen Anne Victorian on the corner of Page and Shrader streets hundreds of times on my way to the Haight.
It stood out to me only because of the gynormous geranium bush, easily the largest I’ve ever seen, that completely enveloped the steps to the side entrance.
It wasn’t until a friend who lives in the ‘hood told me that his family stays at Inn 1890 when they visit from Ireland.
Turns out the stately white building is an unassuming Bed & Breakfast inn that blends seamlessly into the residential Panhandle neighborhood of Edwardian and Victorian homes, just a block from Golden Gate Park.
Innkeeper Steve gave me a tour of some of the 17 rooms, the 24-hour kitchen and the peaceful garden. Many of the guests are short-term lodgers, relatives of patients at nearby UCSF. Others have heard of the Inn from locals and through word-of-mouth.
Inn 1890 has a homey vibe, with cheerful yellow walls and lots of windows. All but two of the unique rooms have private baths, two are suites, and almost all have refrigerators and microwaves. Many have kitchenettes. Period details abound, and some rooms have working fireplaces.
I was a little put off by a old, musty smell in a couple of the rooms, but I guess that goes with the territory in a house that was built in 1890…
A relaxing garden.
Classical music played in the sunny, well-stocked kitchen where guests are invited to make meals or tea any time of day.
The owners live in an adjacent property on Shrader St. that houses a few more rooms including the “cottage” as well as a one-bedroom apartment that rents out by the month.
Prices are exceptionally reasonable — $99 to $179 per night. Parking is an additonal $10 (and worth it).
Amenities include, free Wi-Fi, computer and printer, free in-room phone service, robes and slippers, queen-sized beds and down comforters.
Steve and the staff put out a large spread of breakfast items and goodies — fresh fruit, quiche, assorted cheeses, breads, muffins, cakes, and “always pie” — throughout the day.
It really feels like coming home. If your idea of home is a beautiful Victorian in San Francisco.
Posted in B&B, Bed & Breakfasts, CA, Panhandle, San Francisco, UCSF, USA, Victorian, affordable, bed & breakfast, centrally-located, garden, golden gate park, haight-ashbury, kitchenettes, patio | Comments Off
Monday, January 26th, 2009
The Old Monterey Inn in Monterey, CA.
We’re smack in the middle of the slow season for many hotels — winter — which means now is a good time to shop around for deals on getaway packages. Sorry, none to be had in ski country, but coastal California is slashing prices.
If you’ve been jonsing for a trip to Big Sur, Carmel or the Monterey peninsula, the Old Monterey Inn, a B&B with adjoining spa, is a sweet spot to base yourself and take advantage of the winter doldrums pricing.
Elegant and charming, the historic Tudor-style inn was built in 1929 and was the residence of Monterey’s first mayor. Luxury and romance abounds. With fireplaces and featherbeds in the rooms, you won’t want to leave except to sip sherry in the acre of lush gardens that envelop the grounds.
Full disclosure — I visited the OMI with my husband a few years ago BC (before children) and I have some words of advice — leave the kids at home.
This is a place for both young romantics and more mature travelers looking to enjoy each others’ company in a plush, restful ambiance. Think honeymoons and anniversaries.
While I didn’t indulge in the spa during my visit, the menu offers the usual suspects — Swedish, deep tissue, sports and aromatherapy as well as stone massage and exfoliating wraps.
Right now you can take advantage of OMI’s mid-week winter promotions offering their lowest rates ever. They also guarantee a room upgrade when available. Check the website for detailed descriptions and to read their charming blog.
Winter Promos include:
- Winter Pampering — $640 - $1,100 (save $200)
- Romantic Sunset Bonfire at Carmel Beach — $250 (this is truly fabulous!)
- Basque in Romance Dining Package — $250-$440
- Romance on the Menu — $260-$440
- It Happened…In Monterey — $269-$440
- The Ultimate Luxury Getaway Package — $2,356-$2,531
Photo by AlliRose
Posted in B&B, Bed & Breakfasts, Bed and Breakfast, CA, USA, anniversary, big sur, breakfast, carmel, garden, honeymoon, monterey, old monterey inn, pebble beach, promotions, romantic, spa, special | Comments Off
Saturday, January 24th, 2009
The La Playa Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Recession getting you down? If you feel the urge to splurge, give yourself a real treat and book a room, suite, or guest cottage at La Playa Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
This landmark hotel in a Mediterranean villa built in 1905 is surrounded by lavish gardens and sits two blocks from the ocean in the lovely coastal village of Carmel.
Right now they are making it easier to splurge by offering a few different packages to entice guest including:
- Winter Weekend Package - One night in an ocean-view room and dinner at the Terrace Grill for $298
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Package - Ocean or garden-view room (Sun-Thurs), two tickets to the world-famous aquarium, self-guided history tour of Monterey and full breakfast for two for $315
- Relaxation Package - Ocean or garden-view room (Sun-Thurs), champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries upon arrival and full breakfast for two for $295
- Romantic Wine Escape Package - Two nights in an ocean or garden-view room, champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries, dinner for two at the Terrace Grill and a four-hour wine tasting tour in a private limo for $1,100
Photo by Dan Dion
Posted in CA, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Hotels, La Playa Hotel, Terrace Grill, gardens, landmark, limo, monterey bay aquarium, ocean view, pacific ocean, romantic, special packages, wine | Comments Off
Monday, January 19th, 2009
Giraffes are among the exotic animals at Safari West.
Scimitar-horned oryx cavorting with antelopes, a dromedary camel lumbering lazily behind a herd of giraffes, and East African cranes bobbing around as if they were in the African wetlands.
Probably not the scenario that comes to mind when thinking of a B&B in the Sonoma Wine Country.
Safari West may not be a typical Wine Country experience. But it’s as close to Africa as you’re likely to get without a passport.
You won’t get a flight of old vine Zin or a seaweed wrap here, but you can get up-close-and-personal with ring-tailed lemurs, ostriches, and zebras.
Neither drive-through park nor zoo, Safari West Wildlife Preserve is home to some 500 exotic mammals and birds, living in their natural habitat. The mission is wildlife preservation and education, but SW is also an adventuresome alternative to the typical weekend getaway.
Guinea hens roam free at Safari West.
Guests are transported via golf carts to their lodgings — canvas African tent cabins on stilts with hardwood floors, decks, ceiling fans, and electric blankets. Private decks allow for observing the wildlife.
On my visit, I had what was perhaps the most memorable breakfast of my life. As my fellow visitors and I were tucking into our morning meal, a young animal handler asked us to stand up and move aside.
“We’re bringing the cats through,” he said calmly. Moments later two magnificent female cheetahs — yes cheetahs — slinked by the buffet tables on leads, and out the back door. Then everyone returned to their cereal and yogurt.
Lodging is in African tent cabins.
Naturalists at Safari West conduct two- to three-hour safari tours in modified jeeps with seats on top. Specialty and private tours are offered as well as special events, birthdays, wedding, corporate retreats and youth clubs.
Tent accommodations range from $170 to $295, depending on day of the week. Tours and dinners are additional.
Bed and breakfast? More like tents and cheetahs…
Photos by Thomas Pix.
Posted in Africa, B&B, CA, California, Lodging, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, USA, animals, birds, cheetahs, endangered species, exotic mammals, safari, safari tours, tent cabins, wildlife preserve, wine country | Comments Off
Saturday, January 17th, 2009
Affordable lodging near the Haight.
Alcatraz and Pier 39 aren’t for everyone.
If you’re a budget traveler who prefers to blend in and immerse yourself into the character of a city, check out the Metro Hotel for great value and a glimpse into “real” San Francisco.
This is affordable, no-frills lodging in NoPa (North Panhandle), a hip, emerging neighborhood with a paucity of tourists in white tennis shoes and matching sweatshirts.
Unlike Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf, there are relatively few hotels in this centrally-located area, but instead you’ll find San Franciscans of all stripes hanging out in cool bars and hipster cafes, pushing strollers or riding bikes along streets lined with picturesque Victorians.
East of Golden Gate Park, the location is close to the Panhandle (a narrow expanse of green that flows into GGPark popular with runners, nannies and dog walkers), the Haight, Hayes Valley, and the Castro.
The famed “painted ladies,” a row of picture-perfect Victorians across from Alamo Square, are close by, as well as some of San Francisco’s acclaimed restaurants including Nopa, Bar Jules, Absinthe and Suppenkuche.
Within a block or two from the Metro, you’ll find cheap eats in a huge diversity of cuisines, a comic book store, yoga studio and specialty food stores.
The Independent, a nightclub down the street is one of the best places in the city to see alternative music.
A secluded garden behind the Metro Hotel.
The downside? Well, you get what you pay for. Rooms are small (the front ones are also noisy), amenities are barebones, and the floors slope in spots.
But the staff is super friendly, rooms are clean and all have private baths, and the hotel embraces their “green” philosophy tenaciously. The hotel is undergoing renovations and an update. There is also a lovely enclosed back garden, (smokers needn’t feel like criminals), and the stylish Metro Kathmandu next door serving Nepalese cuisine.
Rooms range from $76 to $130; with the largest room sleeping six in two separate sleeping areas.
Photos by Lisa Dion
Posted in California, Castro, Hayes Valley, Lodging, Nepalese cuisine, NoPa, Panhandle, San Francisco, USA, Victorians, afforable, authenic experience, cheap, golden gate park, haight-ashbury, hip, no frills, painted ladies, restaurant | Comments Off
Monday, January 12th, 2009
Seal Cove Inn in Moss Beach, Central Coast, CA.
I was six months pregnant and felt the need for a weekend getaway with the family before the arrival of my son. I wanted to go someplace not too far from our home in San Francisco, yet far enough to feel transported.
We drove south along the coast and checked into the cozy, inviting Seal Cove Inn in Moss Beach, CA, a thirty minute drive from the city and just north of Half Moon Bay.
The Seal Cove is unequivocally romantic, but with a two-year-old on a rollaway next to your bed — not so much.
Still, our room was sumptuous and comfortable with a gas fireplace and a door to the impeccably landscaped gardens.
Kicking back here on a weathered Adirondack chair with a juicy book as the ocean foams and roils beyond, is the essence of relaxation.
Behind the inn, a tree-lined path leads through the meadow to secluded beaches, tide pools and ocean bluffs.
A 10-minute walk from the inn, the Moss Beach Distillery is steeped in legend and mystery. A Prohibition-era hideaway for politicians, socialites, silent movie stars and pleasure seekers, its best known for the “Blue Lady,” a former guest who is said to haunt the building and grounds.
According to lore, the young woman ventured out to meet her lover during a violent storm some 70 years ago and was killed in an automobile crash.
Since then, sightings of a woman dressed in blue, and other unexplained disturbances have been reported at the building, particularly at night.
We decided to stop in for warm drinks on the back deck that overlooks the ocean. It’s often chilly and windy here, so we helped ourselves to the heaps of wool blankets provided for snuggling. Food is mediocre and overpriced, but the view of the rugged, wind-swept coast is staggering.
Back at Seal Cove, we had afternoon tea and homemade cookies in front of the massive hearth in the main sitting room.
In the morning, a generous breakfast buffet of freshly-baked muffins, quiche, fruit and Irish oatmeal awaited.
My daughter played in the garden and I wrapped myself in a shawl and gazed out at the fog-shrouded Pacific. My mind wandered to the Blue Lady. There’s a beautiful loneliness to this part of the coast. I did feel far away from my life in the city.
Mission accomplished.
Photo by Dan Dion
Posted in B&B, Bed & Breakfasts, Bed and Breakfast, Blue Lady, CA, Moss Beach, Moss Beach Distillery, USA, central CA coast, coastal, coastal Bay Area, cozy, family-friendly, fireplaces, gardens, ghosts, half moon bay, haunting, pacific ocean, romantic | Comments Off
Saturday, January 10th, 2009
OK, anyone can party like a rock star. But how many can say they partied with one?
Guests of San Francisco’s Phoenix Hotel have significantly better odds.
Among the celebrated guests to grace the sheets at this groovy ’50s motor lodge-turned-hipster-hotel are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Keanu Reeves (yup, he’s a rocker, remember Dogstar?), The Killers, Bloc Party, David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Vincent Gallo, Interpol, the Psychedelic Furs, Little Richard, and Moby.
The Phoenix is located in one of San Francisco’s dodgiest neighborhoods — smack in the middle of the Tenderloin at Larkin and Eddy Streets — a location better known for crack deals and streetwalkers than Hollywood celebs. But the folks at Joie de Vivre have created an artsy, tropical vibe with a pastel palette, palm trees, a sculpture garden and a heated pool painted by artist Francis Forlenza.
- Rounding out the hipster quotient is the groovy Bambuddha Restaruant and Lounge, serving cocktails and dinner — but mostly cocktails — Tuesday through Saturday.
All rooms face the pool and are decorated in tropical bungalow, with soothing paint palettes and ceiling fans. The “headliner” room is a comfortably spacious suite with a canopied bed and a balcony, but something tells me you either need to be someone or know someone…
The pool area sculpture garden
Continental breakfast is served poolside by the restaurant. Other perks are free parking and WiFi, and in-room massage. Rates are an affordable $149-$169 double; $219-$399 for suites.
This is not the place to come for a restful night’s sleep in fine Italian high-thread-count linens. This is fun lodging for the see-and-be-scene crowd.
Photos by Lisa Dion
Posted in CA, Hotels, San Francisco, USA, Wi-Fi, affordable, art, bambuddha restaurant and lounge, celebrities, cocktails, francis forlenza, free parking, hipster, hotel phoenix, pool, rock starts, scupture garden, southeast asian food | Comments Off
Monday, January 5th, 2009
The Blackthorne Inn is perched high in the trees above Inverness, Ca.
The wedding was two weeks away. Lots of details still needed attending to, not the least of which were shoes.
So, on a Friday afternoon I was in Union Square in San Francisco, shoe shopping with my friend Katie. We found a pair that matched the dress and and would work for my choreographed swing dance.
Then it happened.
Running for the bus, my foot caught on broken pavement and I went down. Hard. I broke my kneecap.
Strapped in a leg brace for the next six weeks, I could cross my honeymoon — hiking through Roman ruins on the Amalfi Coast, off the list.
The Blackthorne Inn is a romantic indulgence.
Wait — there’s a silver lining. Though we didn’t end up roaming Pompei or the cobblestone streets of Ravello, we spent the days after the wedding in a glass tree house perched in the Rapunzelian tower of the Blackthorne Inn in Inverness, Calif.
The Eagle’s Nest aerie, the stand-out of the four rooms that make up this one-of-a-kind B&B near the Point Reyes National Seashore, is simply the most romantic place I’d ever been. It’s a private, rustic-chic chamber floating above the treetops. The ultimate love nest — it has a secluded roof deck and sky bridge that leads to the hot tub.
The inn serves a hearty breakfast in the morning. Guests can dine alone, on the 3,500-square-foot sundeck, or in the glass solarium. Much of the construction of this architectural stunner is from salvaged items — doors of the old San Francisco railroad depot are now solarium walls.
Prices range from $195 to $325, depending on the room, season and special promotions. Check the website for specials.
Informed of our honeymooning status, owner/innkeeper Susan gave us a sweet discount on additional nights, making the decision to stay longer a no-brainer.
Last year, when looking for a place to propose to his girlfriend, I told my brother about the Eagle’s Nest. He booked it. And, within the walls of a tree house in Inverness, so another romantic story goes. Fortunately one without a broken patella.
Photos by Dan Dion.
Posted in B&B, Blackthorne Inn, CA, Eagle's Nest, Hotels, Inverness, Point Reyes, USA, bed & breakfast, hot tub, romantic, treetop lodging | Comments Off
Friday, January 2nd, 2009
Pistante's Coyote Den, South Lake Tahoe
My friend Joe mentioned a motel he’d returned to several times in South Lake Tahoe when skiing at Heavenly. So, last weekend, while spending the holidays in a rented cabin nearby, I decided to stop and get the skinny on the ominously named Pistante’s Coyote Den.
“We get a lot of returning guests,” Lorraine Pistante, the affable, motherly innkeeper told me. “Right now, half of the rooms are booked by people who come back every year.”
Lorraine and husband Earl Pistante acquired a tired, 16-room motel called the Sundowner on Emerald Bay Road in 2002, and set about updating it. They incorporated outdoorsy themes that reflect Tahoe’s nature and wildlife — coyotes, bald eagles, sunflowers — into the dated, generic motel rooms. Many of the beds have rustic headboards hand-crafted from logs.
Prices range from $50 to $235 depending on the size, season and weekday versus weekend. Non-themed rooms cost slightly less.
The Suite is a good option for families and groups of up to six. It has two rooms, three queen-sized beds, a microwave and a refrigerator.
Pistante’s is next door to legendary S. Lake Tahoe breakfast joint, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, which was packed with locals and out-of-town skiers both mornings we stopped in for generous platters of pancakes and scrambles.
Amenities include free WiFi, complimentary Continental breakfast, baked cookies and coffee or tea in the evening, a year-round hot tub and a picnic area with barbecue.
There are tons of activities in the area — skiing, sledding, casinos, hiking, biking hot air balloon rides and any lake-related sport imaginable.
Oh, and you don’t have to leave Rover at home, Pistante’s is a dog-friendly establishment.
Photo by Lisa Dion
Posted in CA, Ernie's Coffee Shop, Heavenly Ski Resort, Hostels, Hotels, Motels, USA, activities, affordable, dog friendly, family-friendly, free breakfast, hot tub, motel, pistante's coyote den, south lake tahoe | Comments Off
