As I promised yesterday, today's post is a report on my visit to two of Southern California's most famed resorts, the Hotel del Coronado and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar.
As I noted yesterday, our flights via United Airlines from Chicago O'Hare IAP to San Diego IAP were comfortable, clean, and efficient (www.elantravel.net/blog/california-or-bust). In the aftermath of all the concern about COVID, and the resultant lockdowns, nothing about that experience was anything less than completely reassuring.
I met up with my long-time friend, Wendy Burk, the CEO of Cadence Travel, to explore how well our travel partners in the hotel/business were doing. It's been a tough road for many, and the impact of prolonged closures and restrictions has been considerable. Our visit suggests that things are returning to normal.
First, as you'd expect, there are still impacts on what's visible to a visitor: facemasks are routine (and expected in public places) and in dining venues tables are more distanced from one another than they were a few months ago. But, the experience is--for those who want it--very much what it always has been: comfortable surroundings, great dining, and outstanding service.
We understand that some of our clients very much want to escape from the restrictions they've experienced over the past few months, but also are presently placing a high premium on privacy once they arrive at a location. To explore this, Wendy and I made our reservation in the del Coronado's Beach Village, which offers one to three-bedroom villas that each feature private entrances, gourmet kitchens, gated access, and exclusive dining and pool venues. All set on a glorious beach. The del Coronado is the iconic SoCal beach resort, dating from 1888, and now thoroughly updated, with some accommodations, like Beach Village, having opened only a couple of years ago.
From the del Coronado, we ventured to the Fairmont Grand del Mar. This beautiful resort, which presents itself as a grand Italian Villa, offers the ultimate in luxury and, should you desire, privacy. The public spaces are beautiful, and accommodations range from luxurious rooms to sumptuous villas that offer three master bedrooms and four and a half baths. The largest of the villas is 4,900 square feet, and includes a gourmet kitchen, fireplace, private elevator, an exercise room, and a media room.
What follows is a sampling of photos from my time with Wendy at these two beautiful properties. What I hope you'll take away from this is that fantastic options abound within our borders. Traveling to destinations such as these is once again possible, and the experience is one of normalcy, facemasks notwithstanding. Comfortable, clean and safe accommodations abound; excellent dining experiences are fully available; and the hospitality industry is eager to greet you.
For those who may still prefer a bit of privacy, that's also well within grasp. Villas range from the fun and airy experience of the del Coronado's Beach Village to the sumptuous luxury of the del Mar's large, luxuriously appointed villas.
Accommodations of this caliber are awaiting, from Maine to California, and everywhere in between.
Follow us here and on social media for our next Elán adventure, which will take us to one of the more exquisite areas of our land, Park City, Utah, where we will be experiencing and sharing some incredible experiences. That part of the story starts this coming Saturday, September 6.
As I noted yesterday, our flights via United Airlines from Chicago O'Hare IAP to San Diego IAP were comfortable, clean, and efficient (www.elantravel.net/blog/california-or-bust). In the aftermath of all the concern about COVID, and the resultant lockdowns, nothing about that experience was anything less than completely reassuring.
I met up with my long-time friend, Wendy Burk, the CEO of Cadence Travel, to explore how well our travel partners in the hotel/business were doing. It's been a tough road for many, and the impact of prolonged closures and restrictions has been considerable. Our visit suggests that things are returning to normal.
First, as you'd expect, there are still impacts on what's visible to a visitor: facemasks are routine (and expected in public places) and in dining venues tables are more distanced from one another than they were a few months ago. But, the experience is--for those who want it--very much what it always has been: comfortable surroundings, great dining, and outstanding service.
We understand that some of our clients very much want to escape from the restrictions they've experienced over the past few months, but also are presently placing a high premium on privacy once they arrive at a location. To explore this, Wendy and I made our reservation in the del Coronado's Beach Village, which offers one to three-bedroom villas that each feature private entrances, gourmet kitchens, gated access, and exclusive dining and pool venues. All set on a glorious beach. The del Coronado is the iconic SoCal beach resort, dating from 1888, and now thoroughly updated, with some accommodations, like Beach Village, having opened only a couple of years ago.
From the del Coronado, we ventured to the Fairmont Grand del Mar. This beautiful resort, which presents itself as a grand Italian Villa, offers the ultimate in luxury and, should you desire, privacy. The public spaces are beautiful, and accommodations range from luxurious rooms to sumptuous villas that offer three master bedrooms and four and a half baths. The largest of the villas is 4,900 square feet, and includes a gourmet kitchen, fireplace, private elevator, an exercise room, and a media room.
What follows is a sampling of photos from my time with Wendy at these two beautiful properties. What I hope you'll take away from this is that fantastic options abound within our borders. Traveling to destinations such as these is once again possible, and the experience is one of normalcy, facemasks notwithstanding. Comfortable, clean and safe accommodations abound; excellent dining experiences are fully available; and the hospitality industry is eager to greet you.
For those who may still prefer a bit of privacy, that's also well within grasp. Villas range from the fun and airy experience of the del Coronado's Beach Village to the sumptuous luxury of the del Mar's large, luxuriously appointed villas.
Accommodations of this caliber are awaiting, from Maine to California, and everywhere in between.
Follow us here and on social media for our next Elán adventure, which will take us to one of the more exquisite areas of our land, Park City, Utah, where we will be experiencing and sharing some incredible experiences. That part of the story starts this coming Saturday, September 6.