The Hotel del Coronado is throwing a birthday party for Some Like It Hot, the best American comedy ever. 

(That’s not my opinion on the flick, the American Film Institute says so.)

The movie debuted 50 years ago, forever linking the grand dame San Diego hotel with Hollywood’s blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe.

On Sept. 18-19, movie buffs and Marilyn fans will gather to celebrate the 1959 classic, directed by Billy Wilder and shot on location at The Del, with a spectacular weekend filled with events including a gala dinner guest-starring none other than Tony Curtis. 

Information on reserving these events or booking the Some Like It Hot Weekend Celebration Package (it includes accommodations and tickets to all events) is online. 

The hotel has warned guys, gals and guys dressed as gals to book early as space is limited.

Tags: coronado, film, hotel del

Categorized under: Hotels & Places to Stay, Insider Tips | 6 Comments »

A picture’s worth a 1,000 words, no?

Loews Coronado Bay Resort  just introduced what they call the Voga Voyage, a hotel package that includes a couple’s massage aboard an authentic Venetian gondola.

After departing from the resort’s private marina, guests can enjoy a relaxing 40-minute massage, cool sea breezes and the gentle rocking of the gondola as it cruises the canals and waterways adjacent to the resort.  

Champagne and strawberries are served at the end of the cruise.  Also included in the price is a one-night stay and access to the resort’s exercise and art classes, sauna and steam rooms, fitness center and relaxation lounge.

The package starts at $499 per couple, plus tax, and includes a one-night stay, couple’s massage, gondola cruise, champagne and strawberries.

Tags: coronado, gondola, romance, spa

Categorized under: Hotels & Places to Stay | 1 Comment »

Tower23 Hotel is offering this cool new package that I love and had to share:

 

 

Click on the photo for more information. Sweet deal! Party on.

Tags: pacific beach, packages

Categorized under: Hotels & Places to Stay | 1 Comment »

Shake off the last of the construction dust, it’s time to put out the welcome mat! 

The Hotel Indigo San Diego opens for business today in the East Village neighborhood downtown.  Set just a block east of the Padres’ home at PETCO Park, the hotel is San Diego’s first LEED certified hotel – one of only 19 in the country. 

Among many ecologically-friendly elements, the brand-new 12-story building was designed for green roofs seeded with drought tolerant plants.  Up on the 9th floor, the roof is home to an herb garden with basil, spearmint, rosemary and tarragon for use in the hotel’s Phi Bar and Bistro. 

Local artists, photographers and designers were brought in to help interpret San Diego’s inviting coastal culture with artwork throughout the hotel.  The most striking example is the 40-foot tall glass sculpture on the building’s western facade.  Inside, large-scale photo murals of water and native plants are installed in the guest rooms and public areas.

The hotel features 210 guestrooms(including five suites) with oversized beds, plush bedding, hard wood-style flooring and spa-inspired showers with Aveda products.  Each one boasts a 37-inch high-definition flat screen and guests are have access to free Wi-Fi in their rooms and throughout the entire hotel.

The best place to log on?  Up on the green roof at the Phi Terrace Bar where you can snuggle by the fire pits and enjoy panoramic views of downtown. 

Or, better yet, you’re on vacation!  Stow the laptop, grab a beer and watch a game down in PETCO Park.

Click to view a gallery of more Hotel Indigo photos…

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: downtown, east village, hotel indigo

Categorized under: Hotels & Places to Stay | Post a Comment »

This past weekend was one of the best weather weekends we’ve had in a while!  I really enjoyed my weekly beach volleyball games at Ocean Beach, but decided Sunday afternoon that my dose of beach on Saturday was just not enough for the weekend.

With 70 miles of beaches in San Diego, there are a lot of choices when you “think beach” around here.  When I want a nice view and a fun walk, I usually choose the La Jolla Shores beach.  LJS has a nice, long walkable beach.  All the way from the foot of the Marine Room Restaurant, past the Scripps pier and, depending on the tide levels, further down along the cliffs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: beach, hotels, la jolla, outdoors, photography

Categorized under: Activities & Attractions, Beaches & Outdoors, Hotels & Places to Stay | Post a Comment »

Every smart husband circles two dates on the calendar each year. Not the Super Bowl and your fantasy baseball draft, I’m talking about the smart husbands.

Those two dates would be your wedding anniversary & your wife’s birthday, cavemen!

I am usually pretty good at lining up great getaways and dinners, but this year I outdid myself and you can too.

I surprised my bride with a weekend birthday getaway at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club this year and she could not have been more thrilled.

You can book a room like a regular hotel, but most guests are Club members who pay for some sweet conveniences. Perks like a private beach, tennis courts, & a 9-hole executive golf course. This place is so exclusive that they actually manicure the beach every morning before the sun comes up. The sand is raked, chairs are arranged and staff is at the ready to get you pretty much anything you need.

The group next to us put their whole setup, chairs, tables, reading material, snacks etc a little to close to shore & when the tide swept in the staff raced to the rescue and pulled all the iPods and Louis Vuitton bags to safety. We saw the staff bring out bocce ball sets, umbrellas & beach toys to anyone who simply asked for them.

The coolest thing you can do is have them bring you a BBQ ready for grillmaster wanna-be’s to make dinner for the family. Charcoal, and even all the ingredients for dinner are right there for you.

The great thing is that you don’t have to be a high roller to stay there. There are more specials than ever right now, and if you book off peak season (winter, spring and fall) you can get great deals too.

The Beach Club is a fabulous way to enjoy the beach a little more exclusively than most. Right next door is the La Jolla Shores Hotel which is where we stayed for our anniversary last year and had a great time.

The only drawback now is setting the bar too high, what am I going to do next year?

Categorized under: Beaches & Outdoors, Family Vacations, Hotels & Places to Stay | Post a Comment »

Ben Stiller is hilarious but, I’m not sure I’d be up for spending a night at the museum when he’s on duty.  For families looking to make amazing memories without risking ancient Egyptian curses, San Diego has cool sleepovers in unusual places like:

• Ahoy, matey!  The San Diego Maritime Museum on San Diego Bay has family sleepovers aboard the world’s oldest active tall ship, the Star of India.  Sailors for the day can help set sail, haul cargo and stand watch at night.
• Grrrr…get wild with family sleepovers at The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and “Roar & Snore” camping at the Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido.  Both include behind the scenes access and animal encounters.
• Breakfast with the dolphins?  Over on Mission Bay at SeaWorld, the family sleepovers are just the beginning.  You can spend the whole following day exploring park’s rides, shows and exhibits - admission is included.   
  

  Good morning Mr. Dolphin!

Tags: balboa park, escondido, family, maritime museum, mission bay, san diego bay, seaworld, sleepover, wild animal park, zoo

Categorized under: Activities & Attractions, Hotels & Places to Stay | Post a Comment »

I love reading the in-flight magazines produced by the airlines.  Face it, they’re experts on travel.  Even better, those magazines know they better be fun to read or the natives (in-flight) will get mighty restless. 

So, it’s really exciting to see the editors at Hemispheres, the in-flight magazine for United Airlines, are featuring San Diego for their “3 Perfect Days” story in the June 2009 issue (the article is on page 86).   And, we made the cover! 

(Well, to be precise, that’s a King Kong-sized panda playing in San Diego Bay.  We can’t promise you’ll actually see that when you’re here.)

But, when you visit, you can see the awesome things they covered in the article.  It includes insider suggestions from San Diegans like pro-surfer Rob Machado plus loads of tips on fun things to do and great places to stay.  They even dish on the best fish tacos around town. 

Pick up a copy on your next flight with United or read it online today!

Tags: in the news

Categorized under: Activities & Attractions, Beaches & Outdoors, Dining & Restaurants, Family Vacations, Hotels & Places to Stay, Insider Tips | 1 Comment »

Did you know San Diego Bay has 34 miles of scenic coastline dotted with restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions, parks and marinas?  That’s a whole lotta waterfront fun, right downtown. 

What’s even more amazing?  This urban playground is serving up the savings this summer!

These “This is a Good Day” deals include:

• up to 30% off room rates (based upon availability and restrictions) at the 15 San Diego Bay hotels
• more than 100 entrees under $18 at participating San Diego Bay restaurants
• free admission for kids under age 12 with paid adult admission for San Diego Bay attractions like the USS Midway Museum, Hornblower Cruises and Events, San Diego Harbor Excursion and the Maritime Museum of San Diego
• other special offers like a VIP Shopping Pass at Seaport Village and a two-for-one night stay for boaters at Sun Harbor Marina in America’s Cup Harbor.

So, this summer, get out there and make it a great day on San Diego Bay!

Tags: deals, dining, downtown, free, hotels, san diego bay, Shopping, summer

Categorized under: Activities & Attractions, Dining & Restaurants, Family Vacations, Hotels & Places to Stay, Insider Tips, Shopping, Tours & Sightseeing | Post a Comment »

They’re calling it a “playcation.”  From Memorial Day through Labor Day, downtown’s Hotel Solamar will be offering lots of fun freebies and silly summer cocktails.  My faves:

• Try your luck at check-in by hula-hooping for 20 seconds or playing rock, paper, scissors with the desk clerk to win a free room upgrade (based on availability).  (How cool is this?)
• On Sunday afternoons, hit up the hotel’s rooftop pool deck and bar and challenge friends (or, even better, random strangers) to play Wii, Foosball or Ping Pong.
• Four-legged friends are welcome and cocktails (like the “Pincher Colada” and “Chihuahua-rita”) are on special during weekday happy hours at the poolside bar.

You can also use rate code “SUMMER” to book a Summer Playground package (prices start at $169/night, based on availability) that includes a $25 food and beverage credit, free in-room movie and popcorn.

Tags: Hotel Solamar, hotels, packages, summer

Categorized under: Hotels & Places to Stay | Post a Comment »