Sunset Beach at Treasure Island, Florida - Part 2
Posted August 7, 2009 , add a commentWhile the main beach parks in the center of Treasure Island, Florida may be the ideal family environment (read part one of my Treasure Island Beach review here), residents are complaining that the island’s smaller Sunset Beach is quickly gaining the community a reputation as “Trash Island” rather than Treasure Island.
Located on the far southern tip of the small Gulf Coast community, Sunset Beach has always been a popular party destination, but lately the partying seems to have gotten out of hand; some community members are describing the situation as an unending Spring Break. During a recent meeting of city commissioners, residents bellyached about piles of beer cans left on the sand, overflowing trash bins, public drunkenness, illegally parked cars, and disrespectful tourists who trespass on private property to get to the beach rather than using the public accesses. One woman even claimed that she must keep her children indoors during the weekend, when the crowds are the largest, because visitors constantly urinate in her front yard, right out in the open.
A rare deserted day on Sunset Beach - the way it used to be before being discovered by hordes of partiers
Commissioners are considering a list of suggested remedies provided by residents, among them a ban on alcohol during certain hours of the day. Other ideas include residential parking permits, banning kegs and even breathalyzers in parking lots. But the local police are not waiting for a final plan to be put into place; there are now five officers patrolling Sunset Beach on a regular basis, ticketing people for indecent behavior and towing illegally parked cars.
Beach-goers who want to experience the eye candy of the party scene may still want to head for Sunset Beach, but families would be well advised to stick to the main Treasure Island Beach Parks at 104th and 112th Avenues on Gulf Boulevard.
Article and photos by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels
Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino in Lakeside, California
Posted , add a commentIt felt like we’d been driving for hours to find the turn-off road. Of course my traveling companion had to take an alternate route from the directions on the website, but still, how far out was this place? Quite far as it turns out. But we eventually ended up at our destination, the Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino near San Diego.
Barona Valley Ranch Resort - Front View
The resort is very upscale, and seems themed after a Texas oil baron ranch. We had a two-bed queen room and it was spacious with a equally large-sized bathroom. It also came with in-room Wi-Fi and small touches like slippers for use during the stay. Each room also had a small standing-room balcony. Ours looked out towards the back of the resort, where the desert gave way to a lush designed golf course.
My companion had a spa treatment scheduled shortly after we arrived, so we headed up to the AmBience Day Spa on the 7th floor. I opted to sit out on spa’s larger balcony and watch the sun set over the hills, sipping some tea before supper. Very relaxing.
We ate at the Oaks Steakhouse, which is actually located in the casino building next door. Service there was impeccable - quite possibly the best we received the entire trip, aside from the spa personnel. After every dish, crumbs were instantly whisked off the table, and after my friend’s napkin fell to the floor, the server immediately gave her a new one without her even saying a word. That kind of attention to detail was wonderful to experience. The food was excellent, too, with everything cooked to order. Expect average entree prices in the $20-$30 range, and they do have a dress code.
Barona Valley Ranch Resort - Two Queen-Bed Room
Neither of us were huge gamblers, which is probably why we didn’t thoroughly enjoy our stay. The resort, which is operated by the Barona band of Mission Indians, is located on reservation land, and as such, it is so far away from the heart of San Diego (the nearest major city) that if you’re not here for the casino action, there’s really not much else to do.
It was also a bit inconvenient to have to go to a totally separate building for our dining options, even with the walkway. I was also a bit mystified that they made the resort building so nice looking, but the casino was housed in a barn-themed building.
Basically, as nice as the resort was, there’s no reason to stay here if you don’t want to gamble or play golf or just enjoy being in a luxury hotel in the middle of nowhere. But if you’re in Southern California - more specifically the San Diego/Temecula area - and want to get away for some peace and quiet with some gambling mixed in, this would be the perfect place to do it.
Weekday room rates start at $129, with weekends starting at $219.
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Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino
1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd
Lakeside, CA 92040
619-443-2300 or 888-722-7662
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[photos courtesy Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino]
Hyatt Regency Dearborn, MI - Real Life Review
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The Hyatt Regency Dearborn, Michigan
One of the perks of being a hotel review writer is that hotels offer you deals — or free rooms — all the time. This is usually accompanied by pretty good service because everyone wants a good review.
I try to balance out the inherent bias of this setup by totally spying on hotel staff, peering around corners and taking notes like my hero, Harriet the Spy. I also strike up conversations the strangers at ice machines and the hallway or lobby.
Yes, I’m that lady, and I keep trying to talk to you because I want to find out if “regular” guests get the same treatment as I do. Usually the answer is yes, as far as I can discern. But recently I was a “regular” guest at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn, MI, and my stay kinda sucked.
The Room - Tiny, Dark and oh my God, is that Pizza on the Carpet?
This is exactly what my room looked like. Plus pizza under the desk.
I have a pretty broad tolerance for hotel rooms, but this one at the Dearborn Hyatt was small. It was cramped and crowded with two beds, two chairs, a desk, the tv/bureau thing, and the luggage stand. Lose a chair, let us breath a little!
The bathroom was tiny, and the handle on the sink was wonky, accidentally turning on the hot water way higher, hotter and faster than was safe. I did appreciate the extra sink and mirror outside of the bathroom, which made it easier to get ready. That’s also where they keep the single cup coffee maker, which was nice to have, but they only provided two tea bags — one caffeinated, one decaf.
I sort of feel lucky that we didn’t die in an electrical fire during the night. All of the outlets were strangely too loose for my computer, phone, and ipod chargers. As in, the plugs kept falling out of the outlets. Then the bedside light was broken. And then my traveling partner and I both had to pay $9.95 for wifi, which isn’t an electrical issue, but is surprising and annoying considering this is a business hotel. You’d think most of the guests would be traveling with laptops.
When I found chunks of dried up pizza on the floor, I was done. The room was terrible, and we didn’t have time wait around for a manager/housekeeping/fairy hotel godmother to come make it better, so we left to go meet friends at the lobby bar.
The Service - Mixed but Mostly Good
They were nice to us in the bar. It helped.
A room can be cleaned — or upgraded — if you’re staying long enough to bother complaining to management. The kind of service you get is a better indication of how good the property is. At this Hyatt, the service was mostly good. Our bellman was very friendly and helpful. The valet guys (who were in love with the Taurus SHO lent to us by Ford) were attentive and fast. The waitress in the bar was terrific.
On the other hand, the clerk at the front desk was vacant and unhelpful — checked out if you will.
Three out of four ain’t bad. But it’s not stellar, either.
No Mini-bar = No Cashews
My favorite Real Life Review hotel measurement was not available at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. No mini-bar in the room, so no cashews. We can deduce from the pizza on the carpet that room service is available. Also, because the website says they have it.
The Verdict
Next time I’m in the Dearborn area, I’m going back to the Ritz, where I stayed earlier in the week. For about the same price, in the same area, I get amazing service, a nicer room, and that Hospitality Suite with the bottomless bowl of Reeses and Rolos. The only upside to the Hyatt is the big, modern lobby with a more happening bar. Which is nice, but not why I’m staying at a hotel. Sorry Hyatt!
Photos: Hyatt Regency Dearborn Hotel
Sheraton Suites in Key West, Florida
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Sheraton Suites Key West
I was super impressed by my stay at the Sheraton Suites in Key West, Florida this past weekend. First of all, the hotel is being completely remodeled, and they’ve done a really nice job. As soon as you walk in, it feels more like a W hotel than a Sheraton. You’re greeted by refreshing greens and blues, a waterfall wall and orchids placed throughout the lobby. The furniture is dark with clean lines, and the lobby is open and sunny.
The pool area was fine - the pool was a decent size, but there were lots of kids in it. It’s summer, and since the entire property is an all-suite hotel, the rooms are very popular with families.
Now, the best part: the rooms. I couldn’t believe how nice they were! I stayed in a room that had a King bed in one part and an L-shaped couch that pulled out into a Queen bed in the living room. Count them - there were TWO flat screen tv’s, a fridge, a microwave, Starbucks coffee in the room, a laundry basket in the bathroom, what appeared to be granite counter tops in the bathroom and a very large and comfortable common area.
I got a great deal and only paid $139/night, but you can snag rooms here year-round for $169 usually. Some of the rooms have two Queen beds in them, and with the pull-out couch in the living room, you could easily fit six people in there.
There’s a bar by the pool, where mixed drinks are $6-$8. Food by the pool (chicken tenders, salads and such) are a bit pricey, but that’s to be expected. There’s often live entertainment by the pool, too.
Mallory Square in Key West
One of the best parts about this hotel is that it’s right across the street from Smather’s Beach. There’s a free shuttle, too, that leaves every hour for downtown. It drops you off not far from Mallory Square.
I’d definitely stay here again. I’m having a hard time coming up with things to complain about. The only thing is perhaps the pool - I wish there were more than one and that there weren’t so many kids. But, what can you do.
**Please know that for some reason, the pictures on the Sheraton Suites Key West website have not yet been updated to reflect the new renovations. The hotel is now a very modern-looking, fresh hotel with none of those “Key Westy” colors. ***
Photo Credits: Sheraton Suites Key West Website and SwiatekJ
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Posted , add a comment) Netflights invites you to beat the British summertime blues with an exclusive offer of up to £150 off hotel prices with every flight booked online.
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