WHERE TO STAY: HOTELS AND INNS

Hotels in Sausalito

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

Hotel Inn Above Tide
30 El Portal
www.innabovetide.com

Every room has a breathtaking look at the bay. It is noted for being the only hotel in the Bay Area located on the water! The rooms are extremely comfortable with a private deck for your leisurely breakfast or for evening wine tasting. Sit back and watch the boats glide past your window as you look out at Angel Island or across the bay at the San Francisco skyline.

Hotel Sausalito
16 El Portal
/www.hotelsausalito.com

This hotel has style, charisma and a colorful history. They have been serving guests since 1915. The hotel is like staying at a cozy art gallery with a past. It has a history of artists, writers, gangsters, and movie settings. This is a comfortable place to come home to after a busy day of touring.

Hotels in San Francisco
at Fisherman’s Wharf

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Reviews

Radisson Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf
250 Beach Street
www.radisson.com/sanfranciscoca_wharf

The hotel location is right on Fisherman’s Wharf. It is an easy walk for shopping at Pier 39 and exploring all the other shops in the area. The hotel has comfortable large rooms - some facing the bay with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Argonaut Hotel
495 Jefferson Street at Hyde
www.argonauthotel.com/index.html

This luxurious boutique hotel is well located within easy walking distance to the historic Cannery for dining and shopping. When you first walk into the lobby you will feel like you walked into a luxurious ship from the past. This attention to rich nautical design continues throughout the hotel including the well appointed rooms and suites. The views from the suites are very impressive looking at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Hotels in Coronado

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

The Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave
www.hoteldel.com

The Grand Lady of the west dressed in a Victorian style is located on Coronado Island most scenic beachfront. The outstanding service goes well with this elegant hotel.  It starts the moment you drive up to the entrance. The hotel was opened in 1888 and in 1977, it became a National Historic Landmark. It covers over thirty acres of grandeur with its tall cupolas, red turrets, and gingerbread trim.  The junior suites have large windows and balconies with vistas of the beach and ocean.  With no two rooms alike, each room has its own charm of the period. They have five restaurants, two outdoor pools, bike rentals, and one of the most beautiful beaches in California, all for your enjoyment.

Gorietta Bay Inn
1630 Gorietta Blvd.
www.gloriettabayinn.com

The inn is one of Southern California’s best.  This boutique hotel is located just a short walk to the beach and has views of the San Diego bay.  As soon as you walk into the lobby of the mansion, you are surrounded by the personal touches of this restored timekeeper.  From the leather padded handrails on the staircase to the antique furniture throughout, this decor continues into your room.  The rooms are comfortable with all the modern amenities of a larger hotel.  Along with fresh flowers in your room and a turn down service, there are milk and cookies waiting for you at bedtime! Their hospitality is over the top in this well-run, high quality inn.

Hotels in San Diego

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

Hotel Solamar
San Diego California
http://www.hotelsolamar.com

On this trip we chose to stay at the Solamar.  It is a boutique hotel centrally located in the downtown area and within easy walking distance of the shopping and dining.  We were greeted by a very friendly staff that treated us well.  Anything we needed from directions to dinning information, they provided for us. We enjoyed our accommodations; the rooms are spacious, very comfortable and beautifully decorated.  The amenities are that of a larger hotel and more. The pool and the J6 Bar are located on the fourth floor in an outdoor oasis with a relaxing ambiance.  The lighting in the evening is superb.  If you are looking for a quaint place for a before dinner drink with a cozy fire under the stars, you won’t be disappointed. If you feel the need to be pampered and after you check out feel a bit spoiled, we recommend you stay at the Solamar.

Paradise Point Resort and Spa
San Diego Californa
http://www.paradisepoint.com

A short drive from downtown San Diego to Mission Bay’s Vacation Island on Vacation Road, you will arrive at Paradise Point Resort and Spa. You will be staying in single level bungalows each with a private patio surrounded by lush gardens with views of the lagoon or the bay. The bayside room views are stunning.  The rooms are cozy, charming, and clean. The island is a great location: you are close to Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Old Town, and Downtown San Diego.  We found the staff to be very helpful with directions and dining suggestions. We enjoyed our stay in this boutique resort and hope you will too.

Hotels in La Jolla

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

The Grand Colonial
910 Prospect Street
www.thegrandecolonial.com

This charming hotel is in the heart of La Jolla with easy access to the beach as well as shops, galleries, and restaurants. The decor throughout the hotel is that of a European-style with service that magnifies this gracious environment. The rooms provide you with extraordinary comfort.  The suites have grand views of the ocean.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines
11480 North Torrey Pines Road
www.lodgetorreypines.com

The Lodge is overlooking the 18th green of the Torrey Pines golf course. The host of the 2008 US Open. Just ten minutes North of La Jolla, this lodge was built with comfort in mind.  As soon as you arrive in the lobby, you are surrounded by wood accents and Stickley furniture along with Tiffany-style lamps. This decor continues throughout the hotel and into the warmly furnished guest rooms.  The suites have panoramic views of the golf course and the Pacific Ocean. The service is outstanding from the moment you arrive, and remains in your memory well after you leave.

Hotels in Carmel-By-The-Sea

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

L’ Auberge
813-624-8578
www.laubergecarmel.com

This is a charming European-style hotel located within easy walking distance of shops galleries, parks, and Carmel Beach.  It has 20 guest rooms decorated with old world ambiance.  This is a place to unwind, relax, and get to know each other all over again.  The hotel has all the amenities to make your stay a memorable one.  They even have package stays, such as the “lovers’ Carmel Escape”—or, if you prefer, the “Culinary Package.”  Even the restaurant is an intimate experience, as you enjoy everything fresh from the local farmers’ market served to you in the small but over the top dinning room.

If you have a passion for private, personable, Chateaux-style hotels located in one of nature’s beautiful settings.  L’ Auberge in the village of Carmel by-the-Sea is waiting for you.

Tickle Pink Inn
831-624-1244
www.ticklepinkinn.com

The Inn is surround by the beauty of the Carmel highlands snuggled into the pines and flowers high up on the rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  If you are looking for care and attention or just cozy quiet comfort with magnificent views, this inn has it all.

They have ocean-view rooms and cove-view rooms, each with a balcony to enjoy the coastline.  After watching a breathtaking sunset, you can fall asleep with the waves crashing on the rocks below.  If you are traveling with another couple, they have the “Senator’s Cottage”—a two-bedroom cottage with ocean views in a private and beautiful setting.

Many rooms have wood-burning fireplaces to cozy up to as you enjoy a fine glass of California wine while deciding where to have dinner on this perfect evening.
If you are planning a picnic for the next day at one of the nearby state parks, the hotel will fix you a picnic basket.

The Inn is located a few miles South of Carmel.  You take Highway 1 to Carmel Highlands, and the sign for the Inn will be on your left. 
Enjoy!

Hotels in Hawaii - The Big Island

Senior Moments Travel Online Guide Review

Mauna Lani Resort
Kohala Coast
www.maunalani.com

If you are looking for that perfect place in paradise with gracious hospitality and gorgeous surroundings located on a pristine beach with two world renowned golf courses and ten tennis courts, it is all here at Mauna Lani Resort. We have stayed in this wonderful Hawaiian Resort throughout the years and their hospitality is always over the top!

The rooms all have lanais with ocean views or plush garden and pool views.  They are done with natural tones with teak accents. The Hotel has an interior atrium with a garden and pools where endangered baby sea turtles are raised. The beach is just outside your door with plenty of room to explore.  When you get tired of being a beachcomber, you can sit by a large swimming pool.  Sip your favorite Hawaiian drink while trying to remember what it was like shoveling snow! For more exploring, the Hotel grounds have a shoreline trail to walk and it is well marked to give you a glimpse into the ancient Hawaiian past.

Mauna Lani has a lot to offer and would be well worth your time to look them over when planning your next vacation on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii Rentals
All of the Hawaiian Islands
www.vrbo.com

If you are looking for home-like atmosphere at one of the Hawaiian resorts, you should consider, Vacation Rental by Owner.  The rentals are located on all the Hawaiian Islands. On our last extend stay we rented at the Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Big Island. The owners provided us with everything we needed.  The rental included two bedrooms with a king bed in the master and two twin singles in the second bedroom with all the furnished linens.  We had Cable/Satellite with a flat screen television in both the living room and master bedroom.  There were also two full baths with a tub and shower in each.  The kitchen had granite counters and new stainless appliances and was fully equipped.  If you wanted to BBQ, the lanai had a built in BBQ and sink with granite counters. The lanai had a fabulous view!

The complex has two private pools with hot tubs and a fitness room.  The beach was a short walk, or you could pack up your rental car in the furnished garage with supplied beach chairs and coolers and drive to the beach of your choice.

Vacation rental by owner is something to consider if you have an extend stay in the Islands or have a large family with grandkids to accommodate.  However, if you are just looking for more room and only staying for a few days, most owners will rent for three days or a week depending on their rental calendar.

Enjoy!