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Best Western De Anza Inn – Rooms with a View

Lisa M. Hendey — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 13:30:31 +0000

We chose the Best Western De Anza Inn for our weekend journey to the Monterey Scottish Games and Celtic Festival at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. While Monterey, California is host to some amazing hotels adjacent to the Bay, we wanted a room that would be within walking distance of the event.
A five minute walk away, the De Anza Inn fit the bill perfectly. While we chose it for its proximity to the Fairgrounds, the hotel is a great cost-effective solution for families visiting Monterey who don’t mind driving into “downtown” for the day.

De Anza Inn, Monterey, California

Room with a View Hotel:

Best Western De Anza Inn

Location:

2141 North Fremont Street, Monterey, CA 93940
(800) 858-8775 | (831) 646-8300

Closest Catholic Church:

Nearby Catholic sites:

San Carlos Cathedral – Parish site, Historical Information

Stay here when you…

…are attending an event at the Monterey County Fairgrounds or want to visit Monterey and stay at an affordable family hotel with large rooms.

What’s awesome?

The rooms at the De Anza Inn are quite spacious. We stayed in room 315, a double queen room with a lovely bay window which was perfect for sitting in the sea breeze and reading. There is no air conditioning at the De Anza, but on this July day we slept with our windows open and had a quite comfortable temperature in the room.
Treat yourself to a full breakfast, with eggs, breakfast sausage, toast, a variety of bagels and baked goods, and cereal. Coffee is free and available 24/7 in the lobby.
There’s a bowling alley next door! When was the last time you went bowling? Bowling at the beach? Check out Monterey Lanes for a bit of “old school” family fun.

Learn more at:

Best Western Plus Seacliff Inn – Rooms with a View

Lisa M. Hendey — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 17:56:20 +0000

This week, I took a quick jaunt to Santa Cruz, California for an overnight trip. Since this was truly a working journey, I was thrilled with my accommodations at the Best Western Plus Seacliff Inn. From the gracious staff at the front desk, to the light and airy room with a solid internet connection, to the delicious morning breakfast buffet, the Seacliff Inn made my stay a great experience.

Seacliff Inn, Aptos, CA

Room with a View Hotel:

Best Western Plus Seacliff Inn

Location:

7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos, California 95003
831-688-7300

Closest Catholic Church:

Resurrection Catholic Community (literally next door – 425 ft. NE)
MassTimes.org listings

Nearby Catholic sites:

Mission Santa Cruz – Parish site, Mission site, State Park information

Stay here when you…

…visit the Santa Cruz/Aptos area but don’t care about staying directly at the beach. Located inland .3 miles from Seacliff Beach and 6 miles from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, the Seacliff Inn has a beach feel but isn’t perched right on the ocean.

What’s awesome?

The staff at the Seacliff Inn are quite friendly. My checkin experience was terrific – be sure to join Best Western Rewards for a free drink upon checkin. The restaurant staff were also quite friendly. The hotel has a nice on-site restaurant which is not overly expensive and which offers room service or pick up meals. I recommend the honey mustard chicken strips! Breakfast is full serve and offers a nice selection.
Workspace – I stayed in building three, the farthest from the front desk. The free wifi connection was solid and my room had two desk areas plus an outside patio. I would have loved an accessible plug next to my bed near the nightstand area, but aside from this the room offered a great working environment.
The landscaping at the Seacliff Inn is gorgeous. Be sure to take a stroll around the grounds and visit the koi pond! The pool is ample with an adjacent hot tub that’s open late.

Learn more at:

Hyatt Place Birmingham/Inverness – Rooms with a View

Lisa M. Hendey — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:00:52 +0000

For my recent, very quick trip to Birmingham, Alabama, I was blessed to stay in accommodations provided at the Hyatt Place Birmingham/Inverness. A spacious, comfortable mid-range hotel, Hyatt Place is a great choice for business travelers with their own transportation and families visiting the area who need a bit more space.

Hyatt Place Birmingham/Inverness

Room with a View Hotel:

Hyatt Place Birmingham/Inverness

Location:

4686 Highway 280 East, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 35242

Closest Catholic Church:

St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church (2.4 miles)
MassTimes.org listings

Nearby Catholic sites:

The Cathedral of St. Paul, built in 1862, is situated in Birmingham’s historic downtown area.
The television studios of EWTN — the Eternal Word Television Network — are located in Irondale, Alabama, a short drive from Birmingham. Plan to make a visit to the small EWTN chapel, to enjoy the studio tour, and perhaps to even take in a live taping. The studio grounds also has a lovely gift and book shop. If you have more time, consider a day trip to Our Lady of the Angels Monastery.

Stay here when you…

…come to Birmingham on business, with a car. (Check out my recent Destination report on Birmingham.) The hotel is ten miles from downtown and Birmingham does not seem to have much in the way of public transit. That being said, the hotel is on a lovely site and is terrific for families or those in town on business.

What’s awesome?

The rooms at the Hyatt Place are generous in both style and amenities. Along with two double beds, my hotel had an oversized sitting area that could have slept additional children, and a great desk/work area.
Breakfast! Load up on three cooked entrees along with beautiful fresh fruit and some pretty awesome coffee! Grab a complimentary Wall Street Journal and stay a while.
The staff at the Hyatt Place is oozing with Southern charm. This team answered every one of my “needs” cheerfully and expeditiously. I felt thoroughly pampered.
The grounds – on site there is a pool and exercise room, but you might want to head outdoors for your walk. Just a stone’s throw away is a lovely lake with a short walking trail. Benches along the trail, lakeside, offer a perfect view and a great vantage point for morning prayer or a break with a good book.

Learn more at:

The Pines Resort at Bass Lake – Rooms with a View

Lisa M. Hendey — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:03:12 +0000

The Pines Resort

Room with a View Hotel:

The Pines Resort

Location:

54432 Road 432 Bass Lake, CA 93604

Closest Catholic Church:

St. Dominic Savio Church and Retreat Center (1.6 miles)
Our Lady of the Sierra Parish (4 miles)
MassTimes.org listings

Nearby Catholic sites:

While not exactly a “Catholic site”, the undeniable beauty of the natural habitat at Bass Lake is a true reflection of God’s bounty. Get out and experience his amazing creation by taking a hike, swimming in the lake, and taking in the scenery.
Definitely make time to visit both of the parishes above – you’ll want to plan ahead for Mass on Sunday. Both churches are lovely and reflect the splendor of the area.
I wasn’t able to visit it, but Our Lady of the Snows in Yosemite gets terrific reviews on Yelp and outdoor Masses are also offered within Yosemite. Check the Visitor Bulletin for Mass times. While not exactly a “Catholic site”, the undeniable beauty of the natural habitat at Bass Lake is a true reflection of God’s bounty.
While none of them are immediately adjacent to The Pines, this would be a great place to stop if you’re visiting California to see the Missions.

Stay here when you…

The Pines Resort is a perfect family getaway spot for families in California’s Central Valley. Less than an hour from Fresno, you’ll feel like you’re days away from the city. Bass Lake is a nice place to stop along your trip to Yosemite National Park but is seventeen miles from the South Gate (along a windy highway in the mountains) so it’s not incredibly close for repeated trips back and forth to Yosemite. Bass Lake offers boating a skiing, as well as nearby winter sports.

What’s awesome?

We stayed in a “chalet with two queen beds”. The chalet is a small cabin — ours adjoined to another unit, but the walls are thick and we did not hear or see our neighbors. The chalets are rustic enough to feel like you’re in a cabin in the woods, but offer a full kitchen and modern conveniences like wifi and television.
The pool at the Pines is lovely and surrounded by deck chairs that offer a sumptuous view of Bass Lake.
Walk directly out the back door of the Pines’ hotel and you’re standing on the edge of Bass Lake. The hotel has a small sandy beach, boat decks, and a terrific view of the lake.

Learn more at:

Bay Landing Hotel – Rooms with a View

Lisa M. Hendey — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 04:34:12 +0000

Another new feature here on this brand new blog is my “Rooms with a View” hotel review section. I am blessed to be a frequent traveler and I get to stay in all kinds of cool hotels. This is not intended to be a replacement for a site like “Trip Advisor” which does a full blow-by-blow on hotels. Instead, I intend for it to be a personal scrapbook of the lovely places I stay and a way of sharing the good news about great hotels with my friends.

Bay Landing Hotel

Room with a View Hotel:

Bay Landing Hotel

Location:

1550 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, CA 94010

Closest Catholic Church:

Nearby Catholic sites:

Stay here when you:

We stay at Bay Landing when we are flying from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). For only $149 plus tax (at the time of this writing), you get a gorgeous room, a delicious free breakfast, and up to seven nights of parking on their property. The airport is less than five minutes away from the hotel, making this the perfect “park and fly” location.

What’s awesome:

My favorite thing about the Bay Landing is its location right on the San Francisco Bay. In many of the rooms, you can sit at your window overlooking the gorgeous water and watch the planes land and take off. There are all kinds of birds and a running/biking/walking trail that is right out the back door and stretches along the Bay.
There are several great restaurants within walking distance. My personal favorite is El Torito, which combines great food with terrific service. Call ahead for a reservation, as all of these restaurants get busy.
The staff at Bay Landing are amazingly kind, even at 4 am when you’re waiting for an early shuttle to the airport.
The food at Bay Landing itself rocks – you’re met with a warm chocolate chip cookie when you arrive. Breakfast in the morning is included with your room and is a fully cooked selection of many items, including some great coffee. If you get the munchies during the day, the hotel has a small selection of refreshments for purchase.
The hotel has a nice fitness center, but on pretty days just put on your shoes and head outside for a walk.
Free Wifi! And if you’re looking for conference space, they have that too at Bay Landing.