Greer's OC

Travel

Willows Historic Inn for Desert Romance!

01.24.11

By Sue Facter

Every day is romantic at The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn. Built in 1927, this Mediterranean villa makes guests feel like they are visiting a friend’s antique-filled home. It’s no wonder legendary lovers Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned in this private haven.

Located at the end of Tahquitz Canyon Way, The Willows feels secluded (there is a gate and you need a remote key to get in and out), yet this historic inn is only a few blocks from downtown Palm Springs main drag with hip shopping, innovative dining, casual bars and live entertainment.

Eight Rooms with Romantic Character
Each room at The Willows (there’s only eight!) has its own character such as the “library” and “rock” rooms. Although actress (and William Hearst’s lover) Marion Davies only resided in the inn’s largest room once, the largest room at the inn is named after this temptress.

The king-sized feather bed in the Marion Davies room is outfitted with silky smooth Egyptian cotton sheets and down pillows along with a view of the fireplace. The suite’s living room has a couch, two chairs and two luxurious resting pods. The bathroom was extra large with a deep-claw soaking tub, marble-floor shower and a decadent chaise lounge. The balcony on our suite also overlooked both the tropical pool area and the inspirational San Jacinto Mountains.

Cocktail Hour in the Living Room
At The Willows, there is no lobby for checking in. Innkeepers Diana and Gordon meet you at the gate and take care of paperwork in your room. Ready for cocktail hour? Just call a few minutes before you’re ready for lounging with drink in hand and all is freshly prepped just for you.

Whether you choose to sip your wine in the living room (with piano), dining area or various gardens, you can seek a remote nook and cranny to enjoy appetizers such brie with apricot sauce, homemade empanadas, artichoke dip, filo triangles, spinach and or mushroom quiche.

Breakfast at The Willows
In the morning, get dressed and find a table next to the 25-foot waterfall in the inn’s verdant garden. There, Chef Joan Johnson cooks and personally delivers a three-course breakfast made from gourmand ingredients like fresh-squeezed orange juice, homemade granola, freshly-baked orange and rosemary muffins, peppered bacon, applewoood-smoked sausage, baked eggs with black truffle sauce and Parmesan cheese and German-style pancakes with berries.

Romance at Le Vallauris
Directly across the street from The Willows is a French restaurant that’s considered one of the best in California. Le Vallaurius is Willow’s go-to room service. But if you want real romance, then step inside the main dining room with its Flemish tapestries, Louis XV furniture and lovely white rose centerpieces at each table. Outside in the tree-canopied garden, which is cool even on hot days, couples are even more wowed by the relaxing al fresco scene (just a few days earlier Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruze dined here).

Proprietor Paul Bruggemans greets each guest and helps them choose from the classic French, Provencal and California dishes such as duck ravioli with orange sauce, Prosciutto and baby endive baby salad and roasted veal filet with Portobello mushrooms, mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.

For Valentine’s Day, Chef Jean Paul Lair is offering a $79 prix fixe menu that features such sumptuous dishes as foie gras crème brulee, roast duck, Maine lobster ravioli, a rack of Australian lamb and decadent desserts.

Sue Facter is a luxury travel aficionado whose work has appeared in USA Today and other publications worldwide. Follow her on Twitter @TheFacter.

HALF MOON BAY FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!

01.20.11

By Sheryll Alexander

Did you know Half Moon Bay in northern California is a very romantic spot to spend the love holiday?

This coastal wonderland is located about 40 minutes south of San Francisco and is resplendent with wild Pacific Ocean scenery, lots of outdoor and water-related activities, marine life watching, charming communities and vibrant seafood, farm and artisan producer economy. Also located near the Santa Cruz Mountains, Half Moon Bay is a place for foodies and those who love wine, beer and cheese.

Even in the dead of a February winter, Half Moon Bay is a lovely place for couples, families and even girlfriends as luxury, spa-minded retreats abound in what is one of California’s most dramatically beautiful locales. This Valentine’s Week, Half Moon Bay hotels are offering sumptuous and rather affordable packages for couples, families and girlfriends who are celebrating singlehood in style.

Fire and Wine Butler at The Ritz Carlton
The dramatic Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay recently introduced its new Fire & Wine Butler service for those who like to take casual beach romance to its most sophisticated limits. Yes, a private butler drives to up to your room’s terrace in a specially outfitted golf cart for stocking a private fire pit and bringing the ingredients for a bottle of wine and roasting s’mores under the stars. This sprawling world-class resort is known for its dozens of private fire pit guest terraces, patios and cottage lanais, as well as larger shared fire pits. Set atop a rugged bluff overlooking 50 miles of pristine California coastline, The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay is the only oceanfront resort in the San Francisco Bay area. The 261-room hotel features an award-winning 16,000-square-foot spa, golf on two adjoining courses and acclaimed NAVIO restaurant and year-round wine tasting and wine education in ENO Wine Room. You can also experience water sports, coastal walking and hiking, tennis, whale watching, bike riding, bird-watching, horseback riding and the renowned Signature Drive – a self-guided half-day driving tour through the five distinctly different tourism and scenic regions surrounding picturesque Half Moon Bay (see [url=http://www.experiencehalfmoonbay.com]http://www.experiencehalfmoonbay.com[/url]).

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road, 650-712-7000, [url=http://www.ritzcarlton.com/hmb]http://www.ritzcarlton.com/hmb[/url].

Tub Time at Seal Cove Inn
Take time to relax at Sea Cove Inn as this serene hideaway set amongst a meadow of wildflowers and bordered by cypress trees. Stylish rooms are outfitted with fine linens, fireplaces, sitting areas with desks, private patios or decks (some with whirlpool baths). A gourmet-style breakfast buffet and wine and appetizers are complimentary. For Valentine’s Daym guests can add to their relaxation with The Perfect Bath where upon arrival, they’ll be greeted with a charming metal bathtub gift tin, which brims with everything needed to create a luxurious soak including organic aromatherapy oils, salts, bath tea, loofah sponge and instructions for creating a pampering experience (costs just $45 extra).

Seal Cove Inn, 221 Cypress Avenue, Moss Beach, 800-995-9987, [url=http://www.sealcoveinn.com]http://www.sealcoveinn.com[/url].

Spanish Revival Romance at Half Moon Bay Inn
Located on Main Street in a gorgeous 1932 Spanish Revival building, Half Moon Bay Inn features 15 guest rooms complete with European furnishings, plush pillow top mattresses, Italian linens, marble baths, complimentary wireless and 27–inch flat screen TVs. The J’Adore L’Amour Package includes overnight accommodations for one night, a glass of champagne to sip during a 20-minute deep-soaking aromatherapy bath for two and a 60-minute couples Swedish massage at the Oceano Coastal Spa. Rates start at $380 (excluding tax). Valid February 11-14.

Half Moon Bay Inn, 400 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, 650-560-9758, [url=http://www.halfmoonbayinn.com]http://www.halfmoonbayinn.com[/url].

Seaside Luxury at Oceano Hotel & Spa
Oceana Hotel and Spa is a luxurious seaside escape that boasts 84 suites with fireplaces, wet bars and private balconies with panoramic views of the harbor, ocean and coastal mountain range. This season the hotel is offering a selection of packages from whale watching adventures to a romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day. The Oceano Romantic Valentine’s Day Retreat includes accommodations in a deluxe suite, a bottle of sparkling wine, a red rose, chocolate-dipped strawberries and breakfast for two in bed. Package prices start at $349 (excluding tax). Valid February 11-14. Add an additional night for $169 plus tax.

Oceano Hotel & Spa, 280 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay, 888-OCEANO-1, [url=http://www.oceanohalfmoonbay.com]http://www.oceanohalfmoonbay.com[/url].

For more information on Half Moon Bay, visit [url=http://www.visithalfmoonbay.org]http://www.visithalfmoonbay.org[/url]

Sheryll Alexander is a freelance car, travel and dining writer and editor based in Costa Mesa, Calif.

‹ First < 73 74 75 76 77 > Last ›

More Travel

Follow Greer on Pinterest

Advertise Here