Stay at The Plaza Hotel for an Immersive Downtown Las Vegas Experience
By J.C. Thomas An intriguing characteristic of Las Vegas is its compulsion for constant reinvention while always keeping a tight grip on nostalgia. The city will blithely demolish its oldest icons (RIP Tropicana, Stardust et. al.) while enticing tens of millions of annual visitors with the promise of vintage glamor. They come in pursuit of […]
Stay at the Cliffs Hotel and Spa for Pismo Beach Perfection
By J.C. Thomas Pismo Beach is the quintessential Central Coast beach town. Getaway perfection is found in Pismo’s setting, just off Highway 101, midway between LA and the Bay Area, with stunning oceanfront scenery and a relaxed, visitor-friendly vibe. These enticing attributes are all amplified when you stay at the Cliffs Hotel and Spa, a […]
Where to Stay in Pacifica, CA: Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites
Book a night in a restful room just a stone’s throw from Pacifica’s Rockaway Beach We’re always eager to sing the praises of Pacifica, a delightful little beach town just a few miles south-west of San Francisco. With its sleepy small-town vibe, rugged natural landscapes, hiking trails and beaches galore, Pacifica is an ideal spot for […]
The Stylish, Luxurious Hotel Cerro (Re-) Opens in San Luis Obispo
A review of the beautiful, brand-new Hotel Cerro in SLO upon its mid-June reopening By J. C. Thomas In January 2020 – a lifetime ago – Hotel Cerro celebrated its much-anticipated grand opening in downtown San Luis Obispo. It is no exaggeration to say the world was different then, before covid-19 and social distancing requirements […]
Hotel Irvine – An Ideal Venue in Orange County’s Urban Hub
By J.C. Thomas Irvine is commonly characterized by the hundreds of corporate headquarters whose high-rise office buildings tower over the city’s neat and sunshiny master-planned landscape. This makes it easy to overlook Irvine as a vacation destination, but look beyond its businesslike veneer and you’ll uncover the vibrant urban epicenter of Orange County. Unlike the […]
Visiting Oakland? There’s No Better Place to Stay Than the Waterfront Hotel
By J.C. Thomas If you have never considered Oakland as a travel destination, may I suggest you think again? National Geographic Traveler recently named Oakland one of the “28 Best Places to Visit in the World for 2019.” The world. It is only one of four locations in the United States and the only one […]
The Hotel with a Heart Turns 55!
By Ariel Johns Since opening its doors on May 25, 1964, the Hilton San Francisco Union Square has welcomed convention goers, families, professionals, tourists and such celebrities as Lucille Ball, John Wayne and the king himself, Elvis Presley. Located in the center of three popular neighborhoods, Union Square, SOMA and the Tenderloin, this landmark hotel […]
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Named One of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels by Forbes Travel Guide
HALF MOON BAY — Forbes Travel Guide has released its first annual Verified Lists, naming The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay as one of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels. The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay will be showcased with all of the other winners on ForbesTravelGuide.com. Set atop a rugged bluff overlooking 50 miles of pristine Northern California […]
A Review of Café La Rue, a European-Inspired Bistro at La Jolla’s Historic La Valencia Hotel and Spa
By J.C. Thomas Upon its grand opening in 1926, the oceanfront La Valencia Hotel and Spa became an instant icon of La Jolla, the upscale neighborhood 12 miles north of downtown San Diego. With its rosy-hued, Mediterranean-inspired architecture, the property known as “The Pink Lady of La Jolla” continues to exude a timeless elegance and […]
A Night at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel
By J. C. Thomas When you’re spending a night in one of Europe’s grand old cities – and London is arguably the grandest of them all – select a hotel that matches the splendor of the whole experience. The Royal Lancaster London, a 411-room icon of midcentury architecture a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, is […]
A versatile weekend itinerary for art, food & fun in San Francisco
By J.C. Thomas San Francisco is such an exceptional destination that crafting a weekend itinerary can pose a real challenge. There are so many iconic things to see, do and eat in the city, and a one-night stay can only be stretched so far. Embrace the challenge, though, and the reward will be two days […]
2025 “Made in California” Holiday Gift Guide
Happy holidays! It’s high time to start gift shopping and crossing those names off your list. In most of California, the season looks a little different from those typical wintry scenes you see on your greetings cards, wrapping paper and Hallmark Channel movies. But it’s no less merry and even more bright thanks to our […]