Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Italian Restaurant Will Have Rooftop Hotel"

Source           :      kansascity.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :     JOYCE SMITH
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels In San Diego

When Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza opens on Nov. 6, its crowning glory will be a rooftop restaurant overlooking the south Country Club Plaza area on one side and the hotel’s rooftop pool on the other.Rosso (pronounced ROHS-soh), or red in Italian, will be a 4,000-square-foot modern Italian influenced restaurant — with a touch of Mediterranean.Starters such as the foie gras torchon (cherry, cacao, burnt basil brioche, candied fennel and duck fat ice cream), steeped black mussels (garlic, baby tomatoes, goat cheese, Peroni beer and fresh herbs), and Kansas wagyu beef Carpaccio.Antipasti including parma prosciutto, duck breast prosciutto, marinated artichokes, and grilled baby fennel.

Pizza/flatbreads including the Kansas City (barbecue beef brisket, smoked cheddar and spring onions), the salsiccia (house-made wild boar Italian sausage, roasted peppers and pecorino romano) and the funghi e prosciutto (Missouri harvested forest mushrooms, parma prosciutto and parmigiana reggiano).Pasta including gnocchi (grilled wild boar Italian sausage, roasted peppers and garlic, broccoli rabe, eggplant garlic chips and salami powder) and pescatore (spaghetti, clams, mussels, prawns, sea scallops, squid, garlic, red chiles and tomato fresca).Desserts will include house-made Nutella Moon Pie with hazelnut textures and bourbon.

Rosso also will have dry-aged Kansas City strip steak, citrus braised veal short ribs, pan roasted striped bass, cold water lobster cakes, baby chicken wrapped in house pancetta with grappa soaked apricots, and even “pork and beans” — made with pork belly and shoulder and braised butter beans.

Executive chef Brian Archibald studied at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has worked at Daniel restaurant in New York, the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., and most recently at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. Thomas Gagliardi is the hotel’s corporate chef. Gagliardi has worked at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in California. He also has opened two five-star hotels in Dubai. Rosso will be open 6:30 to 10 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch daily, and from 5:30 to 10 p.m. for dinner Sunday through Thursday, and from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The red/black/gray decor has floor-to-ceiling windows, cushy club-style banquettes and a bar area with white chandeliers and mosaic tile. It also has a more private dining area seating about a dozen people by its wine wall. As for the hotel, it has 132 luxury units, including nine suites and a presidential suite with a private terrace. Hotel Sorella Country Club Plaza is part of the Plaza Vista development. The office-hotel-retail project also includes the Polsinelli law firm, which has been moving 450 employees to the complex from its former downtown and Plaza offices this month.

Source : kansascity.com/2013/10/23/4572482/plaza-area-hotel-will-have-rooftop.html

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|" New Hotel In L.A. Celebrates Its Koreatown Surroundings"

Source           :      tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :     MATT TYRNAUER
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels in San Diego

A stately yet unstuffy hotel injects style into the vibrant Los Angeles neighborhood. In L.A.’s golden age, when streetcars clanged past urban orange groves and Carmen Miranda was Hollywood’s nod to ethnicity, the high life thrived on a stretch of Wilshire Boulevard near Vermont Avenue. Today, a generation after gang wars and riots sapped the life out of this district, it has re-emerged as the lively epicenter of the city’s Koreatown, bustling with restaurants, nightclubs and shops. The area has long been off the tourist map, but this is about to change with the opening of the Line in November.

The hotel’s creator, Andrew Zobler, is the man behind the Beaux-Arts-style NoMad Hotel in Manhattan and the cheap-chic Freehand Miami hostel. But the Line, designed by Sean Knibb, is something different for both Zobler and Los Angeles. Korean-American culture — or at least a high-end permutation of it — is the 388-room establishment’s organizing theme. ‘‘There is so much good stuff coming out of Korea today, and nobody has really captured that in a hotel,’’ Zobler says. Setting out to educate himself on Korean culture, he encountered the celebrated chef Roy Choi, who will preside over the hotel’s two restaurants: Pot, which serves a new take on hot-pot cuisine, and Commissary, a vegetarian eatery. The 24-hour thrum of the neighborhood inspired Zobler to make the hotel an all-hours social hub. There will be a late-night bakery, a newsstand that never closes and a nightclub that stays open until the wee hours, called Speek, created by the twin brothers Mark and Jonnie Houston, who grew up just four blocks from the hotel.

Source:tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/21/accommodations-a-new-hotel-in-l-a-celebrates-its-koreatown-surroundings/?_r=0

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Makkah Hotels Not Losing Huge Money"

Source           :     arabnews.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :     JEDDAH
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels in San Diego

An official from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has rejected claims that Makkah hotels are losing money this year because of the reduction in the number of local and foreign pilgrims. Abdullah Alsawwat, executive director of the SCTA in Makkah, said: “Indicators are refuting information being passed around by workers in hotels about the huge financial losses in the sector.” Alsawwat said the Umrah season was good this year. More than 5.3 million Umrah visas were issued, which meant a reduction of only 100,000 visas compared to last year. He said the government was considering demands from hotel owners to reduce the value of their contracts or cancel them completely. He said Makkah remains a promising city for the tourism sector and investors have operational and marketing plans to offset any financial crisis. “The SCTA is always working to develop tourism investment. It has opened 15 investment centers across the Kingdom,” Alsawwat said.

Officials at these centers guide investors to major tourism opportunities and discuss ways to make them successful. They also provide logistical and financial support. “The SCTA encouraged a number of investors after the last market crisis involving (swine flu) to move gradually from leasing to owning property, or sign new deals to share ownership,” he said. Alsawwat said there are 649 hotels with more than 135,000 rooms in Makkah. However, there are no accurate statistics about the location of many of these hotels. He said plans to develop the sector in Makkah are based on the directives of Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the SCTA. These steps include encouraging international companies to invest and employ Saudis. A hotel owner said earlier that Makkah hotels were forced to accept the 20 percent reduction in contracts this year. According to sources in the hotel sector in Makkah, around 90 percent of the hotels are leased. Many investors have not been able to keep up payments to hotel owners and are seeking a mediated solution, especially those with long-term leases.

Source : arabnews.com/news/466979

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Our Rooms Should Be Taxed Like Hotels"

Source           :     wired.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :     MARCUS WOHLSEN
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels in San Diego

Airbnb — the company that lets you pay to stay wherever a stranger offers a room — is vowing to make nice with the tax collector, agreeing that its rooms in New York City should be taxed much like hotel rooms. It’s yet another step in the rocky evolution of the so-called sharing economy, where companies such as Airbnb attempt to facilitate a more fluid exchange of goods and services via the internet. Most of the clashes over what’s also being called “collaborative consumption” have taken place in the heavily regulated arenas of rooms and rides. Airbnb chalked up a victory in one of the most recent disputes. Instead of gloating, however, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky extended a self-interested olive branch. Following New Yorker Nigel Warren’s successful appeal of his $2,400 fine for renting out a room through Airbnb, Chesky said the company wants to work with New York City to create a clear legal framework for people to rent out their rooms and homes. “Our hosts are not hotels, but we believe that it makes sense for our community to pay occupancy tax, with limited exemptions for those who earn under certain thresholds,” he wrote. “We would like to assist New York City in streamlining this process so that it is not onerous.”

Chesky’s phrasing — “our hosts are not hotels” — is interesting because it frames the willingness to collect taxes as a concession. Sharing-economy businesses such as Airbnb tend to portray themselves as platforms for facilitating connections between private individuals. Airbnb isn’t running a hotel chain, the logic goes: it’s helping people extract value from an unused asset — in this case, an apartment that would otherwise sit empty while the tenant is away for the weekend. As such, Airbnb’s willingness to allow the collection of the city’s hotel occupancy tax is a way of making nice, versus an alternative approach such as, say, battling the city in court over the definition of “hotel.” If such a tax plan goes into effect, the money involved would probably be rather large. Airbnb says 15,000 people rent out their spaces through the company — 87 percent of them the homes in which they live, according to Chesky. In New York City, hotel rooms renting for $40 per night or more are taxed at a rate of $2 per day per room plus 5.875 percent of the rate. So, a one-bedroom apartment near Times Square listed for $139 with a minimum three-night stay would involve an occupancy tax of more than $36 total.

While that kind of extra charge might seem to cramp the sharing economy’s style, it’s the kind of compromise that seems inevitable. In California last month, the state’s public utilities commission passed the country’s first uniform regulations for ride-sharing, creating a legal framework for companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar. In effect, the rules require ride-sharing companies to follow the same safety and insurance standards as traditional taxi companies — standards the ride-sharing companies say they already exceed. Without such legal sanctions, however, the only other place sharing-economy disputes are likely to end up is in court. When it comes to who gets to share what with whom and who gets paid, conflict is inevitable. The only question is whether those conflicts get resolved through legislation or litigation.

Source : wired.com/business/2013/10/airbnb-taxes/

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Méribel: Hotels & Chalets"

Source           :     telegraph.co.uk
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :      Sophie Butler
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels in San Diego

Méribel tends to be better known for its luxurious, catered chalets than for its hotel accommodation. There are more chalets offered here than in any other Alpine resort, and operators often offer in-house nannies and creches and free transfer services in and out of resorts – as few are within easy walking distance of the shops, bars and restaurants. However, Méribel and Mottaret offer a wide range of top-notch hotels, many with excellent spas and restaurants – the first five-star hotel, Le Kaila, in the centre of the resort, was added last season. Although not quite on a par with neighbouring Courchevel where huge Russian interest has caused rates to spiral, deep pockets are required here as prices are generally high.Unless otherwise stated, prices are per person per night, based on two sharing, half board. Hôtel Le Kaïla (lekaila.com) is Méribel’s first five-star hotel. It opened last season with 42 rooms, two suites and a ‘Nuxe’ spa with large pool, six treatment rooms, sauna, hamman and spectacular ice fountain. £180. Hotel Le Grand Coeur & Spa (legrandcoeur.com) had longstanding reputation as the resort’s top hotel, though recently usurped by new-comer Le Kaila. However its 34 rooms and five suites offer comfort by the bucketload and have superb slope or mountain views. £176.

Altiport Hotel (altiporthotel.fr) is situated above the resort at 1730m, at the foot of the Altiport lifts. It has a spa, brasserie and gourmet restaurant as well as 40 pine-panelled rooms. Its eight “chalet rooms” are good options for families with up to three children (under 12 years). £175 Hotel Mont Vallon (hotel-montvallon.com) has 92 rooms in an Austrian-influenced decor (wooden, carved furniture; pine-panelled walls; bold patterned fabrics), some with mezzanines, plus two suites and a four-bedroom penthouse. It also has two restaurants, a fitness room and indoor pool. £160 Hotel Les Arolles (arolles.com), although more modestly presented than its swishier counterparts in Meribel, lacks for nothing in terms of warmth and welcome. Staff are friendly and this 52-room hotel is found on the piste at the top of Mottaret. Food is good too and there’s a pool and sauna. £129 Hotel Allodis (hotelallodis.com) is a little off the beaten track, at Belvedere, but offers mountain views, a large terrace and an excellent restaurant. Also smartly presented rooms, good service and Spa des Neiges by Clarins. £125 Adray Télébar Hotel (telebar-hotel.com) is conveniently located by the Adret chair lifts at 1650m. This hotel has 27 rustic-style rooms and three lodges (exposed beams, rattan furniture, stone walls and large fireplaces) suitable for four people. Access by snowmobile, free to guests. £122

Le Merilys (merilys.info) is well situated at Rond Point. A b&b hotel with a selection of apartments alongside, the rooms are on the plain side but clean, comfortable and comparatively good value. Staff are friendly and expect a hearty breakfast. Doubles, with breakfast, from £70 per person.The French company, Pierre & Vacances (pv-holidays.com) offers two holiday apartment residences in the valley. These are Les Ferme de Méribel in Méribel Village and Les Crêts at Mottaret. For more options, the Uk self catering specialist Erna Low (ernalow.co.uk) can arrange accommodation in a wide range of privately-owned apartments and chalets in Méribel and surrounding villages.Meriski (meriski.co.uk) offers eight upmarket chalets that sleep six to 16 and caters particularly well for families with young children, providing nannies, creches and early teas. New this season is Chalet Tremblant, with five bedrooms, outdoor swimming pool and cinema room. Other good operators for families include Esprit Ski (espritski.com), which offers the large Chalet Hotel Alba (sleeping up to 66) next to the slopes at Rond Point, and Mark Warner (markwarner.co.uk), which has a choice of the six-bedroom Chalet Loden, 50m from the piste and ten minutes' walk to Chaudanne, and the larger Chalet-hotel Tarentaise, found by the green Perdrix piste at Mottaret.

Source:telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/france/meribel/6763516/Meribel-hotels-and-chalets.html

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"The Big Bang Theory"

Source           :     au.ibtimes.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :      Anshu Shrivastava
Posted By   :     Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels In San Diego

It is a rainy, stormy night at the North Sea and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) calls-up Leonard (Jonny Galecki). Leonard tells Sheldon that it is not the right time to call. "Hell to you, too," Sheldon says to him. Hello to the new season of "The Big Bang Theory" and the first episode of the seventh season, "The Hofstadter Insuffiency."Sheldon has called Leonard to complain about something important: "Back to the Future 2 was in the Back to the Future 3 case" and vice versa. Sheldon asks Leonard if he did that or if there is an intruder in the house who did that. Leonard gets knocked-down on the dock and tells Sheldon that he is going inside, while Sheldon thinks Leonard is dodging the question.  A dragon pops-out of the sea and pulls Leonard back into the sea and Sheldon gets-up with a scream. The conversation was Sheldon's dream and he bolts out of the bed and lands right in front of Penny's (Kelly Cuoco) door. "Penny (knock-knock) ... Penny (knock-knock) ... Penny (knock-knock)," Sheldon knocks at her door in his signature style."I was worried that you might be missing Leonard, Sheldon tells Penny when she opens the door with a big question mark look. "And that may be causing you to have bad dreams." Penny figures out that Sheldon had a bad dream. "Sweetie, did you have a bad dream." Sheldon confesses that he did have a bad dream and talk about "Back to Future 2" being in "Back to Future 3" case and Leonard doing that. He tells Penny, "Perhaps I should sleep here, so you don't miss Leonard this much. Cause you've been kind of baby about it." Penny says that it would make her feel better and Sheldon walks rights into her bedroom and closes it, saying "goodnight."

Raj (Kunal Nayyar) is missing his ex-girlfriend Lucy (Kate Micucci) and keeps talking about her, and that he sees her face everywhere and in everything. Sheldon tells him to get his mind back on the stars. Since Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) are at a neuroscience conference, Howard (Simon Helberg) offers to go with Raj to an event. Howard wants Raj to be happy, and Sheldon says that he also wants the same but not enough to do anything about it. Amy and Bernadette get calls from Sheldon and Howard, respectively. While Bernadette is having a romantic conversation, Amy is talking about bed-bugs and assuring Sheldon that she won't be bringing them (bed bugs) back. At Penny's place, Sheldon is arranging a 3D Chess set and Penny tells him that, "You always play with Leonard and you miss him." Sheldon replies: "You over-estimate his significance in my life" and goes on to talk about the things Leonard did for him. Penny agrees to play the game with Sheldon, but is eager to lose it as then the game will be over, while Sheldon wants to continue playing as he thinks it is too much fun. Penny is missing Leonard and wonders what he must be doing. Sheldon suggests that they should call him, but soon corrects himself and says that he is "an Island." Penny calls Leonard and keeps the speaker-phone on so Sheldon could also hear the conversation. Leonard is having a great time at the North-Sea. It is not at all a stormy night but he could be seen happily dancing with a group of girls when Penny calls him-up. Leonard tells Penny that he is having the best time of his life.

 "I can't believe we were missing that jerk," Penny says. Sheldon: "You were." Sheldon tries to comfort Penny in his Sheldon way. He asks Penny if she is worried that Leonard is having "drunken coitus with another woman" and reveals to her that Leonard asked him to take care of her. Penny puts forward the idea of sharing personal details that they don't know about each other. Sheldon talks about his nine pairs of pants and nine pairs of under-pants, and says that Penny must be having a thousand under-pants. Penny shares that she did a top-less scene in a low budget horror movie about a killer gorilla, and that she was ashamed about that. But, all was good as nothing ever came out. To her horror, Sheldon tells her that he has seen that movie as Howard found it out when they first met. Sheldon tells her about something that he would take to the grave. "A while back, you tube changed its user-interface from a star-base rating system to a thumbs-up rating system. I tell people I'm okay with it. But, I'm really not." Penny is disappointed to hear his big revelation. Sheldon tells her that "you just hurt my feelings" by treating the revelation as if it was nothing. Penny does not see why he must be hurt as it is no big deal. Sheldon tells her that it is a big deal to him and that is the point and Penny sees the point and hugs him.

Amy and Bernadette have their on and off moments, together. At the hotel's restaurant, two men send drinks to them and they are giddy about that as guys are hitting on them and not just Penny. Amy tells Bernadette she can have some fun with one of the men and no one would blame her. Amy is offended by that and asks whether she means that she "could do better than Sheldon.  "You're not married and your boy-friend is kind of Sheldon," Bernadette says. "And, your husband is extremely Howard," Amy replies. "What is your point?"

Later in the room, they share that it was flattering to see strangers send them some drinks and talk about the one they would pick out of the two men. They discover that Amy wants someone like the sex-crazy Howard, while Bernadette is picking the brainy-Sheldon kind. They switch-off the light and sleep-off.   

Raj is not making much head-way with the girls at the event despite his new-found ability to talk to them without the assistance of alcohol. Ms Davis (Regina King) from human resource is at the event, too.  Howard tells Raj that Ms Davis' husband left her for someone hotter and young. Raj tells Ms Davis about the infidelity among penguins and that they also get cheated on, but they are still adorable. Howard shakes his head and says, "It was better when you were not able to talk woman." Later, Raj approaches Ms Davis again and talks about his broken-heart and Lucy; and after a lengthy conversation, he tells her that it was good to connect with her at a human level. Ms Davis asks him, "Are you hitting on me." Back at the North Sea, Leonard is produdly showing the top-less scene of Penny to his ship-mates: "that is my girl-friend, I swear to god."

Source:au.ibtimes.com/articles/509469/20130927/big-bang-theory-season-7-premiere-episode.htm#.UkU3BtJi3-U

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Universal Wants To Add Thousands Of Hotel Rooms"

Source           :     orlandosentinel.com
Category      :     Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By                :     Jason Garcia
Posted By   :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels In San Diego

Universal Orlando is likely to add thousands more hotel rooms in coming years as Central Florida's No. 2 theme-park resort continues an aggressive expansion, a top executive said Wednesday. "We've done a study that says we could have 10,000 or 15,000 hotel rooms and still have occupancy that makes those rooms profitable," NBCUniversal President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Burke told investment analysts at a conference in Beverly Hills, Calif. "And all of those people staying in those hotel rooms would be more likely to go to our theme parks," Burke added. "So I think, strategically, we need to get those hotel rooms open and build out the resort."Such an expansion would at least quadruple the 2,400 hotel rooms that Universal Orlando currently has, though that figure will jump to about 4,200 early next year with the opening of Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort. All of Universal's on-property hotels are owned and operated through joint ventures with Loews Hotels.

A large infusion of hotel rooms at Universal could pose a direct threat to Walt Disney World, which has roughly 26,000 hotel rooms and time-share suites. One of Disney's central business strategies for the past decade has been to lure more visitors into its hotels and encourage them to spend much or all of their vacations on Disney World property.Burke told analysts that NBCUniversal wants to position the Universal theme parks as "a family destination in and of itself, and not an add-on destination for somebody that spends three or four days somewhere else." Universal could also pull business away from surrounding hotels in the International Drive corridor, much as Disney World has pulled guests onto its property from hotels and motels along U.S. Highway 192 in Osceola County. Disney would not discuss Burke's comments. Analysts said Universal has demonstrated during the past three years — since the opening of its $265 million Wizarding World of Harry Potter — that it can attract travelers directly to its property rather than merely peeling off business stimulated by Disney.

"Being a weak No. 2 player in the market has not been very profitable for the resort [Universal] in the past," said Bob Boyd, a leisure-industry analyst with the investment company Pacific Asset Management. "They have shown in recent years that they can meet or beat Disney in attraction quality at fraction of the price; now they need to add the room product to capture a greater share of tourists' time and wallet. To do that, they need the ability to offer many more full-vacation packages." Universal has implemented other strategies designed to steer visitors into spending more time in its theme parks. Just before Wizarding World opened in 2010, Universal introduced a new price scale — modeled after Disney World's — that offers three- and four-day passes with cheaper per-day prices than one-day tickets.

But one of the resort's obvious weaknesses is its hotel inventory. All three of Universal's existing hotels are priced as top-end, "deluxe" hotels, beyond the reach of most theme-park visitors. By contrast, three-quarters of Disney World's hotels are in the low-end "value" or midtier "moderate" categories. Cabana Bay, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2014, should help. Universal says its fourth hotel will be priced as a cheaper alternative, though it will also include fewer amenities. Half of the rooms will also be "family suites," with room for as many as six people, further expanding Universal's inventory. "Universal Orlando has attractive high-end room product," Boyd said. "What they lack is diversity of room offerings."

Although Universal has far less land than Disney does, it has some vacant and underused parcels near Interstate 4 and its Wet 'n Wild water park. NBCUniversal, now 100 percent owned by cable-television giant Comcast Corp., isn't building just hotel rooms. The company has dramatically accelerated construction of new rides and attractions as well. Universal Orlando alone added a Despicable Me simulator ride, character parade and evening light show last year and a Transformers thrill ride and a Simpsons retail area this year. And it is adding a second Harry Potter-themed land, which will open by next summer.

The investments are paying off: Burke said attendance at Universal Studios Florida, one of the two theme parks at Universal Orlando, has been up about 20 percent "most weeks" since Transformers opened in June.

Burke said NBCUniversal has elevated the capital spending in its theme parks to about $500 million this year — an amount likely to become an annual baseline. The company's goal is to open one new attraction every year both at Universal Orlando and at Universal Studios Hollywood in Southern California, he said. "Our theory is, if we open the right kind of attraction — they have to be well-executed; they have to be things that are easy and clear to market — that we can really grow this business," Burke said.

Source:orlandosentinel.com/business/os-universal-to-add-thousands-of-hotel-rooms-20130911,0,7922928.story

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Cool Events to Attend this Fall in San Diego at the Convention Center"

Source         :    http://hmghotelsblog.com/
Category     :    Affordable Hotels in San Diego

By               :    hmgmanagement

Posted By   :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Affordable Hotels in San Diego

It is easy to get in on the fun this fall in San Diego when you attend some of the cool events scheduled to be held in and around the San Diego Convention Center. Located right along the waterfront, the San Diego Convention Center, hosts trade shows, conventions and many special events that are open to the public. The Convention Center and Convention Center area’s fall 2013 calendar includes the following fun events that everyone will enjoy.

Quilting has become quite the rage in recent years. Quilting clubs and quilting classes are spread across the country. More than 4,000 attendees are expected for this year’s non-juried quilt show. Over 300 handmade quilts, all of them made with love, will be on display. You can find everything you need to make a quilt, or select your favorite, already completed quilt, from the more than 50 vendors who will have booths at the show. Take a class and learn how to quilt from some of the best teachers in the country. When you attend the show, you will see some of the most beautiful quilts you ever saw, meet fellow quilters and get inspired to make a quilt of your own.

If you like going to those big box home improvement stores, than you will absolutely love the spectacular San Diego Fall Home Show. With hundreds of vendors displaying and demonstrating their new products, there is always something new and exciting to see. Get ideas for weekend projects around the house, see the latest products and newest technology, and ask the experts all of the questions you may have. Every year, this is one of the most attended public shows because everyone is interested in improving their home and fixing up their yard.

TriRock is an event where individuals of all ages and abilities get a chance to challenge themselves in a test of physical strength and endurance. TriRock is the largest triathlon event in San Diego. This year’s event has two distinct races. The Sprint race requires participants to swim 500 meters, bike 8.5 miles and run 3 miles. The Intermediate race is more challenging and requires each entrant to swim 1,500 meters, bike 21 miles and finish with a 6 mile run.

Participants are separated into different divisions based on age. A separate Military/Public Servant Division is reserved for members of the active military and public service workers like policemen, firemen and paramedics. To qualify for the Clydesdale/Athena Division, men must weigh at least 220 pounds and women must tip the scale at 165 pounds or more.TriRock takes place along the beautiful downtown San Diego coastline. It starts and finishes across from the San Diego Convention Center. Bleachers are set up by the finish line and fans can also root on all of the athletes at viewing points all along the route.The race helps benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. After the triathlon concludes, everyone is invited to celebrate with a fabulous concert in Embarcadero Park.

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"Affordable San Diego Wedding Venues – Wedding Packages at the Mission Valley Resort"

Source:http://hmghotelsblog.com
Category : Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By: Dena Roche
Posted By:Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

affordable hotel

Anyone who has been engaged knows the thrill of making the commitment. No matter how the question is popped, when the answer is yes, everyone is excited. At first, all the happy couple can think about is spreading the news. They call up friends and loved ones, flashing the sparkling engagement ring for strangers and acquaintances alike. However, after the initial giddiness passes, couples are faced with the daunting task of planning a wedding.Little girls may dream about their big day but the reality is often much more complicated. There are countless details to work out and millions of tasks to complete. Then the costs start to build. Everything comes with a price tag. Iridescent ink costs extra on the invitation, and wedding dresses need to be altered by a professional seamstress. As more couples struggle to stay under budget for their nuptials, the joy of the engagement quickly turns into ongoing anxiety.

This anxiety can skyrocket for couples who are hoping to get married in tourist hotspots. For couples trying to plan a San Diego event, finding the right venue at the right price can turn the idea of wedded bliss into a nuptial nightmare.Still, there is no reason to fret. Since more couples are looking to save, more hotel managers have started to create customized packages. These options are affordable and often include a wide range of professional supports to help make the planning process as stress free as possible.For this kind of service, be sure to consider the Mission Valley Resort. The Mission Valley Resort is an impressive hotel located in the heart of San Diego. Its prime location is matched with a number of relaxing amenities, including a fitness center, two heated pools, an in-house restaurant and bar and more. In addition to this, the Mission Valley Resort has a magnificent event space that is perfectly suited for weddings of all sizes and styles. Additionally, the Mission Valley Resort is proud to offer affordable event packages, ensuring that almost any couple can turn to the Mission Valley Resort for a reception hall on their big day.

At the Mission Valley Resort, the event staff is fully committed to easing the stress of planning. Every couple gets to work with a professional event planner, who can help couples through the process and answer any questions that may arise. The event planner will organize details and ensure that everything is taken care of at the reception hall, giving couples far fewer things to concern themselves with as they prepare for their marriage.Event options are detailed on the hotel’s website. This makes it easy to access any given package before even meeting with the event planner. For couples who live outside of San Diego and cannot come in person for an initial consultation, the event staff at the Mission Valley Resort is more than happy to work with couples online to complete most of the planning. In fact, there is even a convenient link on the website that gives couples direct access to the Mission Valley Resort’s Wedding Coordinator.

With all this talk of savings and convenience, it may be easy to think that the Mission Valley Resort has fewer perks. To the contrary, the Mission Valley Resort is well equipped to host events of all flavors. Couples can arrange the ample event space however they choose, using the reception halls and breakout rooms as needed. The decor is elegant and neutral, making it the perfect backdrop for any theme. The space can be transformed for formal or informal events, and couples can utilize the well maintained grounds. The landscaping is exquisite in the gardens, and with a romantic gazebos available, many couples fulfill their dream of getting married outside on the grounds before moving to a full-scale celebration in the reception hall.

With all this, the Mission Valley Resort may sound perfect. However, the packages also include a range of services that make the details easier to manage. For example, with the Mission Valley Resort, couples can also arrange floral service with the event planner. Additionally, the event planner can discuss numerous ways to arrange the venue and can coordinate decoration. Small details like changing centerpieces between the rehearsal dinner and the reception can easily be accommodated. The event coordinator can help couples select food, desserts, drinks, decor and more, all with consideration of the budget and personal tastes. In particular, the Mission Valley Resort is the perfect venue for succulent catering. The menu options are expansive and include a full range of culinary tastes. Couples can opt for a formal lunch or dinner, or they can arrange for a buffet-style meal. More than that, the food options vary greatly, including a number of cultural specialties such as Mexican, Italian and Hawaiian in addition to standard American fare. This makes it easy to tailor the menu to any style, preference or budget constraint.

Packages also include access to other affordable amenities in the event space. A dance floor is available and can be set up and taken down by the event staff. The Mission Valley Resort can also provide a full bar with a bartender during the reception. On top of all this, couples who choose the Mission Valley Resort receive one night in the deluxe wedding suite while guests can stay at the venue with discounted rates.For couples who are trying to plan their perfect day on a budget, be sure to consider the Mission Valley Resort. With affordable packages and picture-perfect event space, the Mission Valley Resort is well equipped to help any couple achieve their matrimonial goals. The event staff on hand is fully committed to helping with every aspect of the planning, taking care of the numerous details to let couples simply enjoy the experience. Couples have enough to worry about when contemplating a lifetime together. Let the experts at the Mission Valley Resort help start it off right by planning the perfect wedding day in San Diego.

Affordable Hotels in San Diego|"San Diego destination wedding hotels to match your style"

Source:http://destinationw.com
Category : Affordable Hotels in San Diego
By: Dena Roche
Posted By: Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

san deigo

Nearly perfect temperatures year round, the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, and a relaxed Southern California vibe makes it hard to argue with San Diego as a good choice for a destination wedding. Of course every bride has her own style, so here are five of our favorite San Diego area hotels that will let you express yours

La Dolce Vita
You may be in San Diego, but you’ll swear you’re in Italy at the five-diamond Grand Del Mar. It looks like a large Italian villa, with the formal manicured gardens and grounds you’d expect of an estate home. Tucked into the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, it offers a dramatic setting for an outdoor ceremony on the 8,000 sq. ft. Aria Lawn and its open-air pavilion. Or if you are more tradition minded, there are the stained glass windows, beamed ceilings, and hand-crafted-in-Italy wooden pews in the Elizabeth Capella, the only private chapel in a San Diego hotel. Reception options seem endless, from intimate gatherings in the wine room or Manchester Suite, to large, lavish affairs in the 10,000 sq. ft Elizabeth Ballroom. Prepare for the ceremony with some primping and pampering in the Renaissance inspired spa, just voted among the top five spas in the country by Travel & Leisure.

Picture Perfect
It was created as a movie set fifty years ago, and it’s been the site of many A-list weddings through the years, but today the Paradise Point Resort & Spa lets you star in your own Hollywood fairytale when you exchange vows on its 44-acre, private island. The lush landscape will make you feel you’re in Hawaii or Bali, depending on whether you choose to have your ceremony on the intimate Island Point Lawn overlooking the water, or at Pine Hill Lawn ensconced in the tropical jungle landscape. Weddings can also take place on the Sunset or Paradise Terraces, which both back to the Bay.


Beach Chic
The Travel Channel called it the best place in the U.S. to get married, and that’s hard to argue with. The historic Hotel Del Coronado sits on 28 acres along the beach named the best in the U.S. in 2012. While a beach wedding or reception on Coronado Beach is the obvious choice, the Del also has many other special places to begin your life together, including the Windsor Lawn, which overlooks the Pacific, or the Vista Walk with the resort’s iconic turret in the background. One of the best reception venues is the Crown Room, which features chandeliers designed by Wizard of Oz author, Frank Baum, and has traditionally been the favorite spot for celebrity and presidential events.
 
“I do’s” for the active set
La Costa Resort & Spa was originally created as a playground for athletes and celebrities, but today it’s an ideal location for active couples to tie the knot. The resort is Southern California’s top golf destination and golfers will love walking down the aisle at the new Valley Promenade, overlooking the greenery of the world-class golf course, or the Orchid Terrace featuring freshly cut fairways and rolling hill vistas. The 400-acre property also features a Wedding Courtyard and many lush, garden nooks to exchange your vows. Brides will enjoy some pre-wedding relaxation at the spa, which was the first U.S. resort spa, and was rated the number one wellness spa by Spa Magazine. Couples can have a romantic experience in the VIP couples suite, where you’ll be treated to side-by-side massages with champagne and strawberries to follow. To calm pre-wedding jitters, the Chopra Center for Wellbeing is the perfect place to take a yoga or meditation class.

Runaway Bride
Don’t want all the fuss of a traditional wedding? Then the boutique West Inn & Suites elopement package is for you. Elevate your elopement by working with their Romance Maestro to plan an intimate wedding for just the two of you, or parties up to eight guests. Couples can get married in the traditional library done in rich woods and featuring a fireplace, on the beach, or in the hotel’s own park. Executive Chef Eugenio Martignago will use the produce grown on West’s farm to craft a memorable reception meal.

Virginia Oceanfront Hotels|"Comfortable & Affordable Hotels In Virginia Beach"

Source : http://vacationinvirginiabeach.blogspot.com
Category : Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
By : hungluanvnstar
Posted By : Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Everyone’s heard an over-the-top “fish tale” in their time, but at the annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, observers will find the tales to hold plenty of truth. Now in its 54th year, the iconic big-game fishing tournament returns to Hawaii’s Big Island and will once again call the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel home.

From August 3rd through the 10th, teams will fish waters off the Kona coast to compete for world records, based on strict rules set by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). Setting out on fine sport-fishing vessels and under the guidance of expert captains, each team will catch or tag/release powerful Pacific blue marlin. Given the water’s residents, it’s possible that a grander, or fish weighing in at more than 1,000 pounds, will be among those caught.

Teams from Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Vanuatu and across the US are expected to compete, and each day spectators can head out to Kailua Pier, right next to this Kona beach hotel, to check the scoreboard. Teams weigh in at the end of each day after they return at 4:30pm, but the day starts 7:30am, which is a great time to stop by the pier.

This year’s competition will once again be anchored at this hotel near Kealakekua Bay, making it a great choice for sport-fishing fans or families who want a front-row seat to the day’s biggest catches. For more information on the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, visit www.hibtfishing.com/.

About the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
At the oceanfront Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, guests can experience the beauty of Hawaii’s natural surroundings without sacrificing on the modern amenities they rely on. With white-sand beaches just outside its door, this Kona International Airport hotel welcomes visitors with a state-of-the-art lobby experience. Here, guests can relax, work, mingle or meet with flexible seating areas and complimentary Wi-Fi. Plus, GoBoard technology offers the latest news, weather and airport information guests need to stay in the know. Minutes from cruise terminals, this Kona hotel is a great place to stop pre- or post-cruise, and offers deals that can help get the most out of a short visit. Choose to take it easy at the hotel’s outdoor pool and Billfish Poolside Bar Grille, or head out to explore the area including Kailua Village, Hulihe’e Palace, Kailua Kona Pier, Honokohau Marina and Kaloko-Honokohau National Park. The fitness center is a great place to stretch after a long flight or cruise. Accommodations are comfortable, spacious and stylish, and feature a flat-screen cable TV, high-speed Internet access, luxurious bed linens, a large desk, refrigerator and coffeemaker with delicious Kona coffee. There’s no better destination for a wedding or event than Hawaii, and here planners can choose from 20,000 square feet of event space. For a true taste of the island, don’t miss the authentic Polynesian cuisine and live performances at the Island Breeze Luau.

Affordable Hotels in San Diego | "The world’s most haunted hotels"

Source        : http://www.globalgrasshopper.com
Category    : Hotels Near Safari Park San Diego
By              : Global Grasshopper
Posted By   : San Diego Rancho Bernardo CA Hotels

Not everyone likes a beach holiday, if you prefer your relaxation time with a side of the supernatural then shiver away at these spine-chilling spots instead, each come with their own selection of spooky stories…

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Los Angeles

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

If you’re a fan of old Hollywood, this is probably the place for you. If you’re a fan of ghost Hollywood, this is definitely the place for you! The hotel’s range of great bars, illustrious clientele, and location in the swanky heart of LA are already reason enough to visit, but beneath all that glitz is supposedly the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. Yes, the Marilyn Monroe. Guests and staff alike have reportedly caught glimpses of a ghostly blonde woman in Marilyn’s former suite. It’s probably the most glamorous haunting ever!

Dalhousie Castle Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh

Dalhousie Castle Hotel

Avid Harry Potter fans will no doubt recognise the moniker of the most famous ghost of this 13th-century fortress-turned-hotel – Lady Catherine, or the Grey Lady, who supposedly died of a broken heart and has made spectral visits ever since. If you’re keen to see her, why not dine in the dungeon restaurant?

Jamaica Inn, Cornwall

Jamaica Inn

The setting of the Daphne du Maurier novel of the same name, this old inn is a hotbed of creepy occurrences. An already fascinating history as a popular smugglers’ hiding place has been added to over the years by stories of mysterious noises (footsteps, voices, horses, carriages) and strange visitors (who disappear through the walls).

Hotel del Coronado, San Diego

Hotel del Coronado

The mystery of Kate Morgan fuels the ghostly activity here – in 1892, she checked into the hotel to meet her estranged husband. The meeting never took place, but six days later, Morgan’s body was found on the hotel steps leading down to the beach. Room 302, the room she stayed in, has never been the same…

Langham Hotel, London

The most haunted hotel in London, the ethereal visitors spotted by Langham guests include a man in Victorian garb, a former German prince, and Napoleon III. Perfect for those who like their spooky encounters with a political twist.

Ballygally Castle Hotel, Northern Ireland

The ghost of Lady Shaw is believed to have been wandering the castle ever since falling to her death from her bedroom window, where her husband locked her away after the birth of their son. So beware of bringing children here…

Grand Hyatt Hotel, Taipei

This luxurious spot in the centre of Taipei looks like the last place you’d ever encounter anything creepy. But the sacred scrolls in the lobby hint otherwise – built over a wartime political prison, the hotel has entertained ghostly goings-on ever since it opened.

Hotel Chelsea, New York

Another great spot for spotting famous visitors – particularly of the otherworldly sort! The Chelsea’s ghostly guests include poet Dylan Thomas, novelist Thomas Wolfe, and Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious. Drop in if you feel like some highbrow haunting!

Hotel Burchianti, Florence

Despite being frequented by artists, musicians, and politicians in the early half of the 20th century, the Hotel Burchianti features a more mundane array of spooks – popular sightings include a woman knitting in a chair, a maid doing her cleaning rounds, and children skipping down the halls.

Decebal Hotel, Bacau

Treasure Island meets The Woman in Black: visitors to the Baile Herculane spa in Romania’s Decebal Hotel have reported sightings of a woman in a long white gown, who supposedly guards an ancient treasure hidden somewhere in the area.

Affordable Hotels In San Diego | "New Ideas On Interest Rates"

Source        : http://hotelsinsandiegodowntown.blogspot.com
Category    : Affordable Hotels In San Diego
By              : San Diego Vacations Hotels
Posted By   : San Diego Rancho Bernardo CA Hotels

With just over seven weeks remaining until the interest rates on some federal student loans are set to double, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to avert the increase and change how student loan interest rates are determined.

Affordable Hotels In San Diego

The legislation, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 1911), would tie the interest rate for federal student loans to the interest rates on 10-year Treasury notes, meaning the rate would vary with the market. Rates would also vary over the life of the loan: borrowers’ interest rates, and monthly payments, would change from year as they repay the loan.

Right now, interest rates on federal student loans are set by Congress as part of legislation passed in 2007. If Congress doesn’t act by July 1, the interest rate for subsidized Stafford loans -- which don’t accumulate interest while students are enrolled in college -- will increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. The 2007 legislation had gradually lowered the rate from 6.8 percent that year to 3.4 percent in 2011 -- and timed it to shoot up again last year to 6.8 percent once more. But students lobbied hard against the change, President Obama’s re-election campaign seized on the issue, and Congress extended the 3.4 percent rate for an additional year, until July 1 of this year.

This year, both the Obama administration and House Republicans are pushing for a long-term solution based on interest rates in the broader economy. Senate Democrats are more skeptical -- meaning that the fate of the measure could rest on whether the House legislation introduced Thursday could pass with broad bipartisan support and overcome opposition within the president’s own party.

Several other interest rate proposals are already on the table. President Obama’s, included in his budget request for fiscal year 2014, would also tie interest rates to 10-year Treasury bonds. Senate Republicans have introduced a bill similar to the president’s plan. And two Senate Democrats introduced their own plan Thursday, which would create a variable interest rate tied to the 91-day rate on Treasury bonds.

The House Republican plan would set interest rates for all Stafford undergraduate loans at the 10-year Treasury yield plus 2.5 percentage points; for PLUS loans, the 10-year Treasury yield plus 4.5 percentage points. Stafford loans issued today under the plan would have an interest rate of 4.3 percent, lower than the current interest rate for unsubsidized student loans (and higher than the 3.4 percent interest rate for subsidized loans).

The interest rate formula varies slightly from the administration and Senate Republican proposals (see chart below). But the House Republican plan has two bigger differences. It would create a truly variable interest rate -- one that resets each year over the life of the loan -- for the first time since 1992. And interest rates would be capped so they couldn’t rise indefinitely with the market. For Stafford loans, the highest possible interest rate would be 8.5 percent; for PLUS loans, 10.5 percent.

Neither Obama’s plan nor the Senate Republican proposal included an interest rate cap. Since those proposals were first put forward, student advocates have argued strongly in favor of capping interest rates, and some House Democrats seemed sympathetic to their arguments. They’ve warned that if interest rates increase to the historic highs of the 1980s, students could be forced to take out loans with interest rates above 15 percent. But the Obama administration sees its expanded income-based repayment program, which ties borrowers' repayment to their discretionary income and forgives the debt after 20 years, as the best way to ensure that borrowers can afford their loan payments.

An Unusual Alliance

While the White House and Congressional Republicans have said they want a long-term fix for the interest rate problem now, many Senate Democrats are said to prefer a short-term extension of the 3.4 percent rate on subsidized Stafford loans.

The Higher Education Act is up for renewal next year, and members of the Democratic leadership in the Senate view that legislation as the natural place for an interest rate fix. Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, is said to be working on a bill -- with the support of the majority leader Harry Reid -- that would extend the 3.4 percent rate for another two years on subsidized Stafford loans.

Affordable Hotels In San Diego | "Affordable Hotels Can Rock Your Holiday!"

Source        : mycheaphotelblog
Category    : Luxury Hotels In San Diego
By              : Hotels In San Diego
Posted By   : San Diego Rancho Bernardo CA Hotels


If you are planning to go for a holiday, give time to look for an ideal hotel accommodation. Before your arrival, be sure that you have booked a hotel accommodation to avoid hassles. You will never like to carry your bags all the time while searching for the perfect hotel to rest. It may also result to cramming and paying higher fees because of desperation.

Affordable Hotels In San Diego

A traveler who has not booked a hotel room earlier will really suffer at the last minute. Remember that cheap hotels are not advertised in the streets. Hence, ideal planning and early booking will help you to save a lot of money when setting out for vacation.

When you find a cheap hotel, be sure that the facilities are complete and fine. Basic amenities should be provided to bring you comfort and convenience in the absence of luxury. You will never find it difficult to stay in cheap hotel room if you have all the needed amenities like comfortable bed, television set, toilet and shower, and others. You might like to find a cheap hotel that could bring bar facilities when you feel bored staying in your room.

Cheap hotels also bring room services. Choose the room with a phone where you can easily call an agent for an assistance or need. If you need an iron or hairdryer, you can easily get the item or if you want housekeeping services, then, you can ask for it at one call.

There are cheap hotels that provide wake up calls for their guests especially if they need to wake up early in the morning to catch the flight. If you have local tours, you can also ask for concierge service. Check out the hotels close to san diego zoo.

One thing that you will surely love about availing cheap hotel is its strategic location. Hence, if you want to go to nearby restaurants and shopping centers, you can easily do it. If you want to sip a cup of coffee after a long cold travel, then, you could do it.

Since your budget is limited, you can count a lot for cheap hotels. You do not mind less luxury as long as you are comfortable staying in a room with basic amenities.

If you are a neophyte, take time to ask the people close to you about cheap hotels. Your relatives and friends must have known great cheap hotels in the place you want to visit. You can also browse relevant sites that offer cheap accommodation online. Cheap hotels can bring you some discount rates that would be beneficial to your entire tour. Be sure to have a complete list of prospect cheap hotels and find time to check their costs in the internet. Read More about the hotels in San Diego here.

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