Element Hotel Detroit / Monarch Club

My first trip by plane since Covid 19, was to Detroit for a wedding :) It was a city I had never visited before and it was fun to explore the downtown area from my home base at the Element Hotel. The renovation of this beautiful structure that was abandoned for 40 years, is documented here.

The extended stay focus of this hotel makes it an especially good choice if you are staying more than a night or two. Having a full refrigerator with freezer, 2 burners, microwave, dishwasher, dishes and silverware for 4, as well as utensils and pans for cooking, was very convenient for reheating and eating leftovers. 

I missed the usual hotel extras of bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer, and a full length mirror, but the full kitchen was a great trade off. They offer a complimentary breakfast on the Mezzanine level (only one of the elevators goes to that floor, so ask at the front desk which one if you don't want to take the stairs), and it offers the standard American eggs, sausage, toast, but also yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.

The citywide people mover stops literally a block away, so for $0.75 a ride, you can tour the city from the rail.

Having the rooftop Monarch Club with panoramic city views was a nice in house option, but it is only open at the end of the week and closes at 11pm. I went there one night for a drink and snack, and noticed they had charged me 30% MORE for my VSOP cognac than the price listed on the menu. Once I told the waitress, they corrected it, but make sure you double check you bill before paying for your drinks.

The lamb meatballs were a bit dry and dense, but nicely seasoned, and definitely a large enough portion to share. It's a hearty enough appetizer to make a meal if you did not get a chance to eat dinner elsewhere.

El Pueblo Inn Sonoma

Going to a wedding in Sonoma was a good reason to revisit Northern California wine country and try out some new places. The wedding party suggested El Pueblo Inn as one of their suggested hotels, so after reading some reviews and looking at the location (midway between the wedding venue and downtown Sonoma) it was my chosen hotel. Rates were in the $200 range with free parking and breakfast, but that doubles on Saturday night! Very friendly staff, beautiful grounds, and easy access to both the downtown area of Sonoma and the road to other places since it sits at the intersection of the two main roads. 

Thankfully they had ADA rooms and the parking is literally next to the room, which featured a comfortable bed, fridge (that worked VERY well), safe, some biscotti, and a coffee maker. They offer a free breakfast in the morning until 10am, but I didn't wake up early enough to even try it once during my stay!

They had a beautiful fountain, small gym, jacuzzi, and pool, so if you are looking for a nice environment for your wine tasting trip, this place fits the bill. This is a nonsmoking place, with a designated smoking area in the parking lot. Lots of foreign travelers, so it felt very international, and I appreciated the water and coffee offered in the lobby.

 

Grand Hyatt SFO

The Grand Hyatt at SFO (NOT Grand Hyatt San Francisco) was such a pleasurable hotel stay that I may fly into or out of SFO overnight just to stay there again! A long road trip to Sonoma for a wedding required an overnight stay for me to recuperate enough to arrive at the celebration with a smile on my face :) 

After my usual stopover at Harris Ranch to refuel the car and my body, it was a relief to arrive to a beautiful, clean, comfortable, and new LEED hotel. The most challenging part of my arrival was figuring out how to drive into the hotel! Several employees said they also had trouble for a week or two when they started working there because it is very tricky if you are driving into the hotel. Most guests take the skytrain which comes in directly to the hotel from SFO, so there were flight crews mixed in with people with luggage checking in and out as they perused the very handy flight board behind the check in counter. Rooms during my 2 stays were about $350 including all taxes, fees, and valet parking (which I paid for in advance using the Hyatt app as a member, and it was a reasonable $36 a night with in and out privileges, as opposed to double price for hotel parking in SF proper).

Not much action at the airport, but one waiter said every 2 months or so there is actually an event that calls for the emergency crews to scramble to this area.

The 2 story lobby atrium sculpture looks great both day and night, and from both above and below.

I asked for an ADA room without feathers and they delivered a wonderfully comfy bed, with 2 sets of robes, slippers, and a note from housekeeping saying that it was checked for feathers before my arrival!

The removable shower/tub seat was handy for getting in and out, and the handle bars were thoughtfully placed at different levels. The door also had a wheelchair level peep hole! All the bath products were natural and smelled fabulous! I loved the specifically marked makeup towel next the sink!

The room itself had a space for either a laptop or food tray, along with a safe, refrigerator, Nespresso machine, and tea kettle, along with coffee capsules, tea bags, and alkaline water bottles in metal containers!

Their in house restaurant was just one of the options for guests, including a lobby bar and self service 24 hour snack area (that was VERY expensive-$15 for 3 bags of snacks). But overall the restaurant prices were very reasonable from drinks to food, offering mostly Asian fusion cuisine and a full bar. Their menus are all on tablets, and their staff was universally professional, kind, and efficient.

Since I wasn't driving until the next day, I ordered a Grey Goose Dirty Martini and it was the perfect antidote after 6 hours on the road :)

Their tomato soup was a welcoming light comfort start to a meal.

I ordered the Bloomsdale spinach salad, which used crisp pork belly instead of bacon, for a hearty savory crunch, and this meal was very hearty and HUGE so it would have made for a great meal by itself.

Not knowing the portion sizes until I ordered, I also had the fried rice which was easily enough to feed 3 people!

On my return trip, I learned to order less, but again the gem salad was probably enough for a full meal, but I was hungry, so I ordered the fried chicken, which ended up being two meals with the gai lan and coconut rice on the side. The marketplace snack bar next to the lobby has a microwave, which the waiter recommended for heating up leftovers :)

Hotel Paseo

Spending a few days in Palm Desert at Hotel Paseo was a chance to see how things have changed in the 30 years since I lived in Palm Springs and a great reason to visit friends I have not seen in over 2 years. 

Santa was driving the "welcome wagon" at the Hotel Paseo :)

The bed and linens were very comfortable and I appreciated having a USB outlet on both sides of the bed.

There is a mini fridge on the lefty side, a Keurig coffee maker in the center, an internet friendly smart TV and an area to set up a laptop.

Huge shower with great water pressure, bathrobe, and nice toiletries included in the bathroom. It took me a day to figure out how to turn on the lighting around the large mirror though ;)

The hallways were decorated with unique pieces from different artists, and this particular one was my favorite.

I got a ground level room in front of the pool ,and even though access to the pool could not be had directly from the patio, it was nice to have the view.

No one was ever in the pool but a few people did use the large jacuzzi and the seating around the fire pits.

It was hard to capture the infinity water cascade with the fire, but I can say that it was beautiful both in the daylight and at night.

I would definitely stay here again for it's location steps away from El Paseo, across from a very nice small mall, great places to eat within a block, and staff that personified customer service (the woman who checked me in, saw me try to get ice at the cafe 5 minutes after they closed, and she got it for me!). Rates were in the $300 range per night once you added up all the taxes, fees, and charges (parking, wifi, shuttle). If you download the Marriott app, you can navigate your stay a bit more easily with check in / out and requests for services.

Surf and Sand / Splashes

I used to drive to the Surf and Sand from Palm Springs just to get a breath of ocean air and a taste of the coastal vibe when the dessert heat became oppressive. I stayed in the hotel for a few nights back in the 1990's, but aside from a meal or two at their beachside restaurant Splashes, I have not frequented the places in decades. It was wonderful to revisit and find that the service, food, and seaside jewel are still in prime condition.

I booked a discounted package deal room a few weeks in advance and about 1 week before I was due to check in, I got an email offering an upgrade for $21 per night to the King Tower Ocean view room. Considering what I paid and the upgrade offered, this deal was 30 % less than the regular rate, so I was very happy to accept their offer :)    

Very nice linens, towels, and robes, along with 2 USB outlets near the bed, a mini fridge, Keurig with regular and decaf pods, water bottles, and wifi included in the resort fee of $25, and unlimited in and out for the nightly valet parking fee of $40. The television was an older LG unable to cast to from your phone and the toilets throughout the resort are VERY low, so ask for an ADA room if you need a more accessible toilet (like me). I found the bed and pillows very soft since I prefer extra firm, but I was able to sleep, and the chaise and outdoor furniture were all very comfortable.

I had a glass of crowded house sauvignon blanc for $16 and shared the mushroom flatbread appetizer with friends who live nearby the night of my arrival at the bar,

but my meal the last night of my stay was as wonderful as all the meals I've eaten here in the past. The Caesar salad for $17, used anchovy as it should and I was so happy to taste a dressing I liked.

Crispy octopus for $19 was perfectly prepared

The seared scallops for $45 were nicely seared with tender centers,

and I couldn't resist the sorbets offered at the end of my meal, with strawberry basil and mango, how could you say no?

Since I can always watch the video of the view from the King Tower room, I can revisit anytime :)