Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 - (Page 44)

DESTINATIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43 San Diego Padres’ stadium, Petco Park, and sits directly across the street from the San Diego Convention Center. McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant, adjacent to the hotel lobby, serves fresh seafood in a casually elegant atmosphere. The Omni’s ultimate rooms are the Tony Gwynn Suite and President Jimmy Carter Suite. These feature a full kitchenette, wet bar, separate dining area, sitting room and private balcony that affords sweeping views of the San Diego bay and skyline. The most requested accommodations are the premium rooms, thanks to their views of the bay. Direct your inquiries to Sandy Ruff, executive assistant to the general manager (619-6456511, sruff@omnihotels.com). The hotel’s spa has one treatment room. Travel agents can book treatments ahead of time by calling Hopper Spas (619-918-0075). The Eden bar atop Ivy has become one of San Diego’s hottest nightlife scenes Hotel del Coronado There’s a bit of magic to approaching Coronado island. Driving over the long causeway, you’re treated to a magnificent view of the San Diego skyline and sailboats on the bay. Tooling through town, you’ll discover a strange blend of SoCal hip and Mayberry RFD. The island is dominated by the red-roofed Hotel del Coronado (www.hoteldel.com). In 1958, the hotel was used as the backdrop for the comedy classic Some Like It Hot, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The familyfriendly hotel recently unveiled enhancements that include a new spa, fitness center and luxury beachfront cottages and villas. Beach Village Cottages and Villas, considered the best accommodations to book, include 78 oceanview guest rooms and suites, a private enclave with pools and hot tubs, front desk and concierge service and access to all of the resort’s amenities. The two- and three-bedroom suites contain a great room featuring a kitchen and dining and living spaces with a fireplace. Many have balconies and patios. The most popular premium accommodations are the hotel’s beachfront Cottage Three-Bedroom Suites. These feature a kitchen, dining room and living room. Cottages and Full Ocean View Villas in Beach Village offer a view of Coronado Beach and the Pacific Ocean. To ensure clients get their first choice of rooms, book at least eight weeks ahead. 1500 Ocean, the Del’s signature restaurant, serves up Southland coastal cuisine—with 44 | TravelAgent January 7, 2008 selections from Santa Barbara down to the tip of the Baja peninsula. Sunday brunch in the hotel’s Crown Room was voted best in San Diego by the California Restaurant Association. The hotel can assist agents with making restaurant reservations, which are recommended. The new Spa at the Del has 21 treatment rooms and a Yamaguchi Salon. The most popular masseur and masseuse, respectively, are Robert Mullen and Tammy Galvin. Anne Roetzer, spa sales manager (619-522-8015, aroetzer@hoteldel.com), can handle advance spa bookings. For hotel information and reservations, agents can reach out to Christina Deroche, director of travel industry sales (619-522-8220, cderoche@hoteldel.com). Getting There Fly into Lindbergh International Airport. Expect to pay $8 to $10 for a taxi to downtown San Diego. JetBlue Airways (www.jetblue. com) has started a daily nonstop flight between San Diego and Boston. Major carriers including American, United, Delta and Southwest also serve San Diego. La Jolla’s Grande Colonial La Jolla, a community in the northwest part of the city of San Diego, is a decidedly upscale destination that has the added virtue of a magnificent coastal setting. Its designer shopping, top-flight restaurants and hotels are all within walking distance of each other. The cliffside beach walk is not to be missed. In addition to the dramatic views from there, visitors can observe harbor seals lounging on rock formations and slipping into the sea. The Grande Colonial (www.thegrande colonial.com) recently completed a $4 millionplus restoration. The 93-room hotel sees a lot of fly-in business travel during the week, while the weekend is predominantly leisure. Recent celeb guests include Robin Wright Penn, Ray Romano and Jenna Bush. The hotel last July added 18 suites, each with a full kitchen or kitchenette. “These are top-to-bottom renovations of two small hotels (the Little Hotel by the Sea and the Garden Terraces), originally built in the mid ’20s,” says Terry Underwood, general manager of The Grande Colonial. “These function more as a separate extension of the hotel and will retain their original names.” Rates for the new suites range from $375 to $1,500 per night. Underwood says #235, the Ambassador Suite, has the best view, as well as a fireplace and two-person Jacuzzi. “You can watch the sunset from the Jacuzzi,” he says. In the hotel’s main building, he designates #510 as having the best views; it’s on the top floor and looks out toward the sea and the sunset. As far as booking ahead, Underwood says it depends on a guest’s needs. “If they want a two-bedroom, two-bath suite they should give themselves a couple of months’ lead time,” he says. “Two weeks’ lead time is sufficient for an oceanview room.” Nine-Ten Restaurant serves evolving California cuisine and was chosen Best of the Best in San Diego Magazine. “I prefer table 31—you can see the whole room, and the placement of mirrors allows you to see all of the art in the room,” says Underwood. For those desiring more privacy, Underwood suggests table 1. Travel agent contact is the hotel’s concierge, Lydia Anying (858-729-5399, concierge@ thegrandecolonial.com). She can also make appointments at nearby spas, including Gaia Day, La Jolla Spa MD and SK Sanctuary. I CONNECTING YOU To read about The Oaks at Ojai up the coast, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/california http://www.jetblue.com http://www.jetblue.com http://www.hoteldel.com http://www.thegrandecolonial.com http://www.thegrandecolonial.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/california

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Top Hotels in the Czech Capital, Prague Europe News & Notes Pacific/Asia: India's Tourism Boom Hawaii Spas: Send Your Spa-Loving Client to these Havens of Relaxation in the Islands Hawaii Briefs Las Vegas: Restaurants are Taking Center Stage as Vegas Becomes a Destination for Foodies California: San Diego, La Jolla and Coronado Offer a World of Options Close Together Ski/Snowboard: Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada New Orleans: Hotels for All Types of Travelers and Can’t-Miss Events to Consider Central & South America: Selling Santiago, Chile Caribbean & Bahamas: The Reef Atlantis, Cape Eleuthera Debut in the Bahamas in Time for the New Year Caribbean News & Notes Cruises: Onboard Enrichment Programs Grow as Cruisers Seek to Work on More than their Tans Cruise Lines Expand the Variety in their Shore Excursions with Special Activities and Adventures Cover Story: A New Era for Classic Luxury Travel Expo & Home Based Travel Agent Expo: Photos and a Recap of the Events Rail: Company Books Private Train Trips Agent Profile: Dave and Christa Krick, Advantage Cruise & Travel in Northern California Technology: XML Enhances Sabre and Amadeus Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite Reports from Queen Victoria Christening and Marriott Headquarters Funjet Vacations NCL’s New Ship, Norwegian Gem The African Country of Djibouti In the Spotlight Editorial Index Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

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