Lodging

For our trip to Paris next spring, we decided, as a group of four women, to rent an apartment. My family has rented apartments in different cities on our last two trips and have enjoyed the experience so much, I thought spending a week in Paris in a rented apartment would be a wonderful opportunity with my friends.

Paris Apartment

In my mind, renting an apartment at your vacation destination allows you three main benefits: Read More »

The Mosser, a hidden gem in downtown San Francisco.

Sometimes those “hidden gems” are right under your nose.

That was the case for me regarding The Mosser.

I’ve poked around and posted about many of the hotels near the San Francisco Chronicle in downtown/SoMa (South of Market) where I work. I’ve had lunch at Annabelle’s Bar and Bistro on the ground floor of The Mosser — delicious seasonally-inspired menu, btw, with a rotisserie, pizza oven, and oyster bar. I’ve even gazed at the elegant brick and cream colored Edwardian building on my way to Old Navy or the Container Store. But somehow I missed this hip yet warm, incredibly affordable, stylish hotel on Fourth Street, one block from work.

Yesterday, I finally entered the 166-room, family-owned hotel that dates back to 1913, when it was called the Keystone and was celebrated as the most luxurious lodgings at the time.

And get this — not only does it have top-notch Annabelle’s restaurant that stays open till 2 a.m. and offers two happy hours, (5 to 7 and 11 to 12:30) — amenities here go way beyond waffle robes and Natura bath products to include a state-of-the-art recording studio on the premises! This place rocks. Literally. Martha Wainwright,

Annabelle's Bar & Bistro in The Mosser.

Bob Mould, and Noisepop bands have recorded in the pristine, professional Studio Paradiso.

Special packages, for both the beginner and professional, are available for guests to take advantage of this unique hotel amenity, the only of its kind in the city. The Holiday Tunes promo offers one hour of recording time with a studio engineer, a deluxe queen room, and a CD of your recording for $165.

The Winter Romance package includes wine, chocolate, a discount at Annabelle’s, and a copy of the Kama Sutra — wink, wink.

Studio Paradiso, a professional recording studio in The Mosser.

Rooms tend to be small, but rates at The Mosser are quite reasonable. A night in one of the “economical rooms” (read: shared bath) can dip well below the stated price of $69, depending on the season/day of the week. Queen rooms have been discounted to $89 to $99 during the off season.

Suites, some with two bathrooms and a refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, are a good option for families and can sleep up to five comfortably.

With a location in retail heaven  (Bloomingdales and the Westfield Shopping Centre are next door) and the city’s burgeoning cultural corridor (SFMOMA and Yerba Buena Gardens are just a few destinations within a block), and the Moscone Convention Center two blocks south, The Mosser is truly a find, especially if you’ve been wanting to play rock star and put down some tracks…

54 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 986-4400
(800) 227-3804

All photos except top right courtesy of The Mosser; top right by Lisa Dion.

The red brick facade of the historic Incentra Village House.

Last weekend, I abandoned my children and husband for a weekend jaunt to my other favorite city.

Yep, Frisco mama became Manhattan mama for three lovely days.

My cousin, who is like a sister to me, and I share birthdays on the same week of November. With the incentive of low off-season fares on Jetblue and an invitation to stay a night at the Incentra Village House, I jetted off across country on the red-eye, while Jules took Amtrak down from Boston.

Scorpios raised on the East Coast know the dismality of November weather. But we were willing to chance it. It turned out we were blessed with an incredibly stellar Indian summer weekend.

The cozy Victorian parlor with windows to Eighth Ave.

We spent the first night on the Upper East Side with friends where we strolled through Central Park that afternoon, dined on Spanish tapas at Quixote in the Chelsea Hotel, and got styled with VIP treatment at Gotham Comedy Club to see Jake Johansen. (My husband is their house photographer and has considerable juice there — thanks D!)

On Sunday we checked into Incentra Village House, two cozy, historic adjacent red brick guesthouses built in 1841. According to Lonely Planet, it is New York’s first gay inn and with a room named for Stonewall, I gather that’s true. It definitely has a gay friendly vibe. Rates for the studio rooms range from $169 to $279, depending on the number of occupants; the Bishop suite goes for $199 to $309. Vincent, our host that night, was charming and helpful, steering us toward some of the neighborhood landmarks.

Our room, the Washington, faced bustling Eighth Avenue but due to double-paned windows was surprisingly quiet. It was spacious by New York standards with a queen-sized bed, teeny bathroom, fireplace, kitchen area, and a loft with a full-sized futon. It felt like having our own little Manhattan pied-a-terre. With the exception of the rather dim lighting, I loved it.

The adjacent townhouse where we checked in houses a charming Victorian double parlor with a baby grand piano. Vincent invited us to kick back and watch the season finale of Mad Men in the comfy drawing room.

But it is the location that really shines. In the West Village above Abington Square and just blocks from Chelsea to the north and the Meatpacking district to the West, it is an eating, drinking, shopping, and people watching mecca.

We walked for miles around the Village, popping in to shoe stores, galleries, and shops, and dined on decadent pastas in Little Italy that night, where the waiter plied us with free wine.

The High Line in New York.

When Jules left a few hours before I had to make my way to JFK on Monday, I headed off to discover the High Line, a beautiful urban park created on the tracks of an former elevated freight train line next to the Hudson River. It was totally amazing and worth the blisters.

The weekend flew by but was definitely worth the effort to satisfy my New York jones and spend a long weekend with my sistercuz.

Incentra Village House
32 Eighth Avenue
New York City, NY 10014
(212) 206-0007

Photo credit: Lisa Dion

San Sebastian, in the northern Basque area of Spain, is one of the country’s most beautiful resort towns. Its crescent beach lures Spain’s elite, who stay in glitzy high-rise hotels with ocean views, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and generally live the Spanish high life. For those on a more modest budget,  Pension Bellas Artes, a 10-minute walk from the beach, is a less expensive and more personal option.

The Beach at San Sebastian

Owner Mari Carmen and her English-speaking daughter Leire welcome guests as though they were family, elevating an average hotel into something truly special. Each visit starts with information on the best restaurants and sights in the city, plus tips on getting around and hidden gems to check out. On special occasions, the staff will even go above and beyond with special treats like champagne toasts on New Years Eve.

The rooms are basic, but comfortable. Standard rooms include double beds with spacious bathrooms. The building has wi-fi and Leire will even lend you her laptop if you are traveling without one. She’ll also arrange tours, cabs, and restaurant reservations.

Double rooms start at 59 Euros in low season (October to April), 72 Euros in May and 79 Euros in high season (June to September and the holidays).

Address: C/ Urbieta, 64 1B, San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa
Telephone: 943 474 905
Email: info@pension-bellasartes.com

Photo Credit: Katie Hammel

Like most accommodations in the Cinque Terre, Arpaiuis not a full-service hotel. The Cinque Terre is a collection of five once-sleepy fishing villages that have now been discovered by tourists, but still retain much of their undeveloped charm. With the exception of Monterosso, none of the villages are open to cars, and there are no chain hotels.

Arpaiu is situated high above the sea in the village of Manarola. It’s a long climb up to the hotel but the hike is worth it. The rooms are sparsely decorated in Ikea furniture – you’ll find little more than a comfortable bed, dresser, safe, mini-fridge, and tv in each room – but visitors to the Cinque Terre don’t spend much time in their rooms.

Arpaiu view

With the time that guests do spend in their rooms here though, they’ll be delighted to see that Arpaui has one of the best views in town. Its position on the top of the cliff means guests can look out at the whole town below, and the sparkling blue Ligurian Sea in the distance. The shared balcony invites guests to linger over a bottle of Cinque Terre wine as they take in the sight of the setting sun.

Rates start at 90 Euros per night in high season. For those staying longer, there is also an apartment option, outfitted with a kitchenette.

Address:
Via Belvedere n. 196, Manarola 19010 (SP), Italy

Telephone: +39 340 6879732
Email: info@arpaiu.com

Photo credit: Katie Hammel

OK, we all know one. Or two. Frugal Frannies, Uncle Scrooges. They can’t part with a dime, tip a lame 10 percent, and are surgically attached to the first nickel they ever earned.

Well, The Orchard Hotels in San Francisco, have a deal for the Frannies and Scrooges in our lives — and everyone else who would like to save some dinero.

Known for their eco-friendly “green-from-the-inside-out” policies, the Orchard Hotel and the Orchard Garden Hotel, both located on Bush Street in downtown San Francisco, are currently offering the 50/50 holiday package that begins November 23 (in time for Thanksgiving fetes and shopping excursions) and runs through December 30.

The package offers guests a deluxe room for $50 for one night when the guest spends at least $50 during their stay in either of their signature restaurants.

The rooftop terrace at the Orchard Garden Hotel.

Breakfast, dinner, and cocktails are served at Roots Restaurant at the Orchard Garden or Daffodil Restaurant in the Orchard Hotel, two blocks from each other.

Roots specializes in contemporary American cuisine with Mediterranean touches and uses mostly local and sustainable ingredients, it also features a cozy bar for cocktails.

Daffodil is known for hearty, homestyle comfort foods and decadent desserts, as well as great people watching from the street level bar.

Amenities include large-screen televisions, a DVD library, free wi-fi, and the knowledge that you are contributing to the solution when you stay at a LEED certified hotel, the first of its kind in San Francisco.

The location is a big asset — steps from Chinatown, Cable Cars, and Union Square and walking distance to the Ferry Building and the SoMa museums.

The Orchard Hotel
665 Bush Street, San Francisco
415-362-8878

The Orchard Garden Hotel
466 Bush Street, San Francisco
415-399-9807

Photo credit: The Orchard Hotels, San Francisco

During our trip out West, I had the fortune of being given the opportunity to try out a couple of the hotels in the Country Inn and Suites family. I will say, I had never stayed in one before, and wasn’t really sure what to expect. 

Our first experience with them was in the Country Inn and Suites in Billings, MT.

Billings, MT is about a 4 hour drive out of Missoula, MT where we had stayed at the night before.  We were tired and eager to get to our room when we arrived.  The hotel is located across the street from a very busy thruway and it is surrounded by eateries, such as Papa John’s and Subway, as well as some shops.

Once we entered the site it smelled like apples and was very homey, clean, and quiet.  I thought it was wonderful.  I love that feeling of complete serenity when I enter a hotel.  Most of the best hotels in NYC are full of the WOW effect in that they are grandious and extravagant, but they are also loud…at least in the lobby and public areas, and it’s hard to find that serenity until you are in your room.  So, I appreciated this right away.  My kids loved the pool and the free cookies on the reception counter.

Country Inn & Suites, Billings, MT

Our room was wonderful.  It was about as big as our NYC apartment, with a huge bathroom, and whirlpool, a dining area, living room area, work area, and separate bedroom with a king size bed.  One of the two televisions helped to get the kids acclimated, while I enjoyed resting and relaxing with my husband.

Our next experience was in Madison, WI.  As far as locations, I like the Country Inn and Suites in Middleton, WI the best. Granted, I have a special affinity for the Madison area, but also the shops and eateries were of a higher scale, and places I would enjoy going into.  Inside, I felt the same serene welcome as in Billings. I also liked the free cookies, and amazing pool area.

Country Inn & Suites, Middleton, WI

Our room was gorgeous here as well.  It was spacious and comfortable, clean and fresh, all the same amenities as the room in Billings, MT except that it didn’t have the whirlpool bathtub. 

We enjoyed our stay with the Country Inn & Suites family.  The staff is friendly and helpful, and the environment, as well as those visiting were very welcoming of our children. I would recommend this chain to traveling families, who are on a budget, but still want to have a comfortable, positive family hotel experience.

All Country Inn and Suites locations offer complimentary breakfasts and Internet service. The rooms we stayed at were the one bedroom, king size suites, and at the time of our stay, the rates for these room were between $110 and $116 a night for Billings, MT and Madison, WI respectively.

Photo credit: Carol Cain

The Powell Hotel in the middle of the action.

It doesn’t get any closer to the pulse of San Francisco than the Powell Hotel.

The one-hundred thirty-seven rooms sit right above the Powell and Market cable car turnaround smack in the middle of downtown, which depending on what kind of person you are, may or may not be a good thing.

If you like being in the thick of the action, this hotel, built in 1908 and recently renovated, puts you in the heart of it. The street below is heavily trafficked with commuters, tourists, shoppers, vendors, street performers, lunatics, and vagrants offering a real slice of the city’s character. Light sleepers beware — “view” rooms are noisy with the cacophony down below

Standard rooms are  small but affordable starting at $119. Deluxe rooms, suites, and the “Presidential” suite offer more room and work well for families.

The location is particularly good for those taking public transportation to and from the airport, a BART station is yards away from the front door. The Powell is three blocks south of Union Square and right across from Westfield Shopping Centre, which though I’m not a fan of malls, I must say, this one which houses Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s is quite impressive. Take the vintage escalator all the way up and check out the dome on top. There is also a United Artists move theater there.

The cable car turnaround is below the Powell.

A cute cafe occupies part of the lobby selling good quality pastries, excellent coffee, and a choice of soups. I sometimes stop there on my way to work and can recommend the tortilla soup.

There is just about any type of cuisine you can dream up within a few blocks and one of the city’s best dives, the Gold Dust Saloon is right up the block.

Currently the Powell is offering an SF Giants Baseball Package that includes viewbox tickets over third base, and one- or two-room suites.

Don’t forget to stop in between 5 and 8 p.m. and partake of the Hospitality social and throw back a complimentary cocktail, beer, or glass of wine.

A double room at the Hotel Powell.

The Powell Hotel
28 Cyril Magnin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 398-3200

Top photo by Lisa Dion; middle and lower courtesy of the Powell Hotel.

When my husband first suggested that we go camping near Yellowstone Park I have to admit I cringed…a lot.  I couldn’t help it, I’m a city girl, I like my hotels to come with all the amenities, including a king size bed.  I love room service, and free Internet and cable. 

Camping is a hard sell.  But, as I looked at my little boys I realized that in this instance I was (again) out numbered, because camping, if we want to stick with generalizations, is a “guy thing”, and mine is a “guy dominated” home.  So I caved in to the idea.  But not without packing up extra sheets and pillows and insisting that we sleep on queen size air mattresses as opposed to flat, confining sleeping bags.

My husband did his research trying to find a compromise and what we found was KOA Kampgrounds, about 10 minutes outside of Yellowstone Park on the Montana border. And I guess they have several throughout the U.S.

The campsite has all the amenities for sure.  It has a 24 hour laundry room, which provides all the supplies you would need, including a change machine.  It has a store for those last minute purchases, such as milk, or toothpaste, or paper towels.  They have a coffee shop, though on the first morning, my city slicker husband asked for an Espresso and was quickly offered a no frills cup of coffee instead. They also offer hot breakfast in the morning, made to order, consisting of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon.  The eggs were a little strange tasting, but otherwise the food was ok and not expensive. They also have free wireless service which you can access every where on the  grounds (including from your campsite), a pool, a playground, bike rentals, and a game room. The bathrooms are clean and have private showers and toilet stalls, ample room to hook up hair dryers and spread out make up.

Then there were the campsites.  They have cottages as well as what they call “tent villages”.  I convinced my husband that since we were going to go “camping” we should go for the full camping experience.  So we settled on the tent village.  I am not exactly sure what size the section they provide for your tent is.  I guesstimate it is about 30×20.  It comes with a picnic table, a fire pit (bring your own wood), and ample space for a large tent, which we had, and your car, or RV.

And it was, for all intents and purposes, a perfect site for a city girl like me.  It had all the conveniences one could need, especially with little kids, and activities galore.

It was close to the West entrance of Yellowstone Park, and we had tons of fun there, so that was really great for us. But in the end, except for the part where we slept in a tent, it didn’t much feel like “camping” at all.  I had envisioned my camping experience to be a bit more rural, more isolate.  I psyched myself up to “rough it” and in the end, it wasn’t that at all.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park

It is not KOA’s fault, they have set themselves up for providing traveling families with everything they could need and want.  But personally, I felt like I cheated my kids out of a true camping experience.  Maybe, for now, this option is the best.  The two youngest are pretty small still (2.5 and 4).  And though we enjoyed our stay, I felt at times I was in a trailer park and not really camping…and I think next time, when the boys are a little older, I will aim to really appreciate more of nature and without so many of the conveniences.

Photo credit: Carol Cain

For those looking for discount travel to the Caribbean, look no further than the tropical island of St. Croix with white sand beaches, tropical reefs, a golf course, tennis courts and more. The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has just made an island escape more affordable by offering a special “St. Croix Fantastic Flight” promotion, which includes:

• $150 per-person airfare credit
• A fourth night free at select resorts and hotels

Carambola Resort

Must book by October 5, 2009.

Travel deadline is November 15, 2009.

Choose from resorts on every side of the island, including The Buccaneer Hotel, Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Chenay Bay Beach Resort, Club St. Croix Beach & Tennis Resort, Colony Cove Beach Resort, Company House Hotel, Divi Carina Bay Resort, Hibiscus Beach Resort, Hotel Caravelle, King Christian Hotel, the Palms at Pelican Cove and Sand Castle on the Beach.

Special thanks to Ken_Mayer for the gorgeous shot of Carambola Resort on St. Croix.