This post will document our recent trip to Branson Missouri and 2 days at the amusement park...Silver Dollar City. We went on May 15th and 16th (Thursday and Friday). Make a note of the dates because it was a great time of the year to visit this sometimes very congested area. Branson is one of the main tourist spots in the State of Missouri and gets large bus loads of kids and other tour groups throughout the busier times of the year. We picked these dates because we knew kids would still be in school and the weather would already be fairly warm and pleasant.
Crowds were extremely light. Show lines were short, ride lines seemed even shorter. If you like to ride rides and hate having to stand in 1 to 2 hour lines, consider planning trips to amusement parks during this time of year.
Silver Dollar City is one of the most pristine and scenic amusement parks we have ever visited. Flowers and trees lined every walkway throughout the park. The shops are all themed in the time period of the old time settlers with somewhat of a "Hillbilly" look and feel (I mean that in a good way). It was one of the cleanest parks I have ever been to outside of Walt Disney World.
I cannot stress enough how this park is devoted to promoting a family atmosphere. Foul language of any sort or any obscene gestures will get those who use such escorted from the park. I have never seen such attention to maintaining a certain environment in all my life. It was refreshing. A few years ago you would have never used the phrase "thrill ride" in conjunction with talking about Silver Dollar City. The two now go together. They have recently added several thrill rides including 2 top notch roller coasters; WildFire and Powder Keg. One drops and twists and turns through the Ozark hillside while the other launches you from 0 to 60mph in around 2 seconds and sends you on a blast over bumps and through turns. Other rides of note is the huge swinging ride called "Barn Swing" and another spinning ride call "Electro Spin." Needless to say my thrill quota was met for a while. For more details about this park and its offerings visit: www.silverdollarcity.com
One more mention goes out to Silver Dollar City. I have to tell you about the food. Now there is the standard amusement park food offerings; hamburgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes etc. Then there is the food that really raises the bar for amusement parks elsewhere. I had some of the best barbecue around right there inside the park. It was high quality at even a reasonable price. In fact, the food prices seemed lower and more in line with normal restaurant prices versus what you normally pay for eating inside of an amusement park. And if you have a sweet tooth, they have some of the best candy and chocolate makers and bakers right there inside the park as well. We were highly impressed with the food and snack offerings so go hungry and enjoy!
Now on to where we decided to stay for the one night on this trip. I made arrangements for us to stay at Marriott's Horizon Vacation Club Resort. If you have a large family and want a place to stay where you can bring your own food and even cook if you want, this is the place to stay. Unlike most cabin or condo offerings that are outside the town area, this resort is close to everything while also being off the main street that runs by all of the different show venues. The grounds were beautiful and the rooms well appointed. You can choose to stay in one of the studio style rooms that comes equipped with a kitchenette or you can book one of their 2 bedroom, 2 bath villas that comes with a full size kitchen, living room area and even a washer and dryer. I was very impressed with the accommodations and can recommend this resort without hesitation.
You cannot go to Branson without trying to get in a music show or 2 while you are there. The concierge at the Marriott made mention of a new show that just started this past March. It is a musical walk through time from the 50's all the way through the 90's. These 2 brothers, The Rankin Brothers, do some of the best impressions of certain musicians that I have ever seen. If you were to have closed your eyes while they were singing, you would have bet your life that Buddy Holly, Simon and Garfunkel and even Elvis was on stage singing and performing. The crowd was light due to their "newbie" status in Branson, but well worth the money and I would make it a point to try to hear them again the next time we make it to Branson.
If you are interested in taking a trip to Branson and need help planning any of these activities, don't hesitate in sending me an e-mail and I would be glad to help with any or all of your plans.
This review will cover the cruise that my wife and I took on the Disney Cruise Line. Currently Disney has 2 ships in operation, the Magic and the Wonder. The Magic takes passengers on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean itinerary. We were on the Wonder, which is a 4 night cruise to 2 Bahamian ports of call; Nassau and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.
This cruise was a part of Disney’s Land and Sea package. We stayed 3 nights at one of Walt Disney’s resorts from December 6th through the 8th and then headed for the pier on the morning of 9th. Due to our visit to a local Church congregation, we made private transportation arrangements through Sunray Transportation. I cannot say enough about Sunray and Bob, one of Sunray’s owners. Bob made special arrangements to drive by our Church location a day ahead of time just so he would know where it was that he was to pick us up. If you want fantastic service (transportation in a nice leather seated SUV) at an affordable price, give Sunray a call. They can easily be found on the web.
We arrived at the pier at 12:30PM. Getting through security was a breeze. If we had not stopped for a 10-minute bathroom break once inside the terminal, we could have been on the ship in less than 10 minutes. Since we had stayed at one of Disney’s resorts prior to our sail date, we had the luxury of being able to check in at our hotel earlier that morning. That meant we had our stateroom keys in hand by the time we reached the terminal.
One of the neat things they do on all Disney cruises is announce you by name as you enter the ship. A neat little perk. After we boarded, we were directed to one of the 2 buffets (Beach Blanket Buffet and Parrot Cay). Since it was only 1:00PM, it would be another 30 minutes before we could go check out our stateroom.
We were told that Parrot Cay was full so we had no choice but to go to Beach Blanket Buffet. The first thing we noticed was that the buffet area was much smaller than what we became used to on Royal Caribbean. This made it very tight to get in and around the buffet line and it also meant that the selection of food seemed smaller. The seating area inside was also much smaller and meant that the only choice was to sit outside which had its challenges in the wind. After w quick bite, we were anxious to see our stateroom. We were in a category 5 stateroom that was a deluxe stateroom with a verandah. Our room number was 7036. We were close to mid ship on deck 7. The room was very nice. It had a classical nautical theme with lots of Disney artwork placed throughout. One of the unique things about Disney staterooms is that most come with a bath and a half; one with a vanity and tub/shower combo and another with a vanity and a toilet. This was nice when we were both trying to get ready at the same time. The rooms seemed spacious and the beds were very comfortable. They do need some updating when it comes to the TV’s. Most cruise lines now are going to nice flat screen TV’s and the one we had was your typical 13-inch TV from the 1980’s. Other than that…the room was very nice and our stateroom attendant was superb.
Our dinner rotation schedule had us visiting the dining restaurants in this order; Parrot Cay, Tritons, Tritons, and Animator’s Palate. Parrot Cay was the least favorite of ours. The theme was nice, but the restaurant lacked any special flair. Tritons was actually our favorite out of the 4 due to the ambience and menu choices. Animator’s Palate was kind of a let down. We had heard so much about how the scene changes in the restaurant as your receive each dinner course, but the change was less than dramatic and the music change was almost unnoticeable. The servers all left at the same time and came back clapping with colorful vests on which was really the most dramatic part of the dinner experience and that wasn’t much to talk about.
The food was good, not great in all the restaurants except for Palo’s (which I will get to in a moment). The service however was noticeably sub par. Our two servers had a really hard time at remembering what each person had ordered. While we easily excused it the first night, it became a pattern by the last night. We were accustom to Royal Caribbean’s superior service and how their servers paid attention to the smallest level of detail and that was simply not the case with our experience on this cruise. One morning for breakfast we had decided to try the buffet at Parrot Cay and also found the service to be disappointing. I had asked the server for coffee, which never made it to our table. Now I am aware that each server is unique and we may have been the exception to the rule. So take this criticism for what it is worth.
On the day at sea, we had made arrangements to have brunch in Palo’s, Disney’s alternative dining restaurant. Our experience there was superb. The service was excellent! The food choices for a brunch were incredible and the atmosphere was exquisite. The extra charge was only $10 per person, which was a bargain, compared to other cruise lines. I highly recommend for everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to dine at Palo’s.
The ship itself is what I will call a classical ship with its elegant color scheme. The inside is simply decorated, but quite beautiful. Disney has done a great job by keeping the Disney theme out in the forefront while still keeping things elegant and simple. They used a lot of black and white Disney prints in the common areas and a person really needs to take the time to stop and take some of them in.
I want to make mention of 3 areas of the ship that we found to be above our expectations. First the ship’s Buena Vista movie theatre is second to none. For a ship of its size, it was a large theatre laid out with tiered seating similar to those found in modern theatres. The real plus was that they show first-run movies and even Disney’s movies that are also making their theatre debut back at home. I am not giving it justice in this review, but please do not overlook it once you are onboard. Trust me.
Second, the shops onboard were laid out well and had a great selection for every age group. You felt that you were in a shop back at one of Disney’s theme parks. Once again…trust me and take come extra cash for shopping!
Third, there was the Walt Disney Theatre had some of the best show productions we have seen so far at sea. From the set decorations to the cast members, you felt you were at a Broadway show production. They were highly entertaining and a must-do during your cruise.
I also want to mention one area of the ship that Disney really needs to address. I am not sure what they were thinking when they designed the Vista Spa to be placed on a deck right below the sports deck and basketball courts. The pouncing of a basketball really does detract away from a true spa experience. Also…I was surprised to learn that there was an additional charge to use their rainforest room even if you had scheduled a spa treatment. That is not the case on some of the other cruise lines. I understand charging a daily use fee for those who only want to come and use this amenity, but not for those who are already paying a nice fee for a massage etc.
Now…on to the excursions and ports of call. Since this was only a 4-night cruise, we had 2 ports of call scheduled as I already mentioned; Nassau and Castaway Cay. Nassau is what it is. We probably would not have bothered getting off the ship had we not planned for an excursion. The excursion was the Dolphin Encounter on Blue Lagoon Island. It was awesome! It was worth every penny and something everyone needs to do at least once in their lifetime. The staff on the Island is very professional and does a great job, not only with the interaction, but also with the educating of the guests regarding the dolphins and their environment. It was the highlight of our cruise and one we will cherish for a long time.
The second port of call was Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island. We were docked by 7:30AM and cleared to disembark by 8:00AM. Being docked at the island is a luxury of being with Disney. Most cruise lines tender their guests onto their private islands. Docking is always a added advantage and it made getting off and on the ship a breeze. The Island is divided up into sections for all age groups, teen beaches, family beaches, children play areas, and even an area solely for adults called Serenity Bay. We were excited to be able to get away from the noise and bustle of the children spend the day in an entire “adults only” area. The beach at Serenity Bay was gorgeous. There were plenty of beach chairs. My wife made an appointment at one of their open-air cabanas, which was wonderful. The whole experience on the Island was great. Disney really has mastered the ability to organize and feed and transport large groups of people and this shined through on Castaway Cay.
For the sake of time and space, I will end the cruise review right here. Disney will make your cruise experience very enjoyable, especially if you have children. We prefer a longer cruise so we will probably not be going on this cruise again, but I can recommend it without reservations. You will be spoiled by Disney’s ability to get you on and off the ship at each and every port. The embarkation and disembarkation process was extremely hassle-free. We docked back at our homeport in Port Canaveral on the 13th at 6:00AM and were cleared to disembark by 7:00AM. You do not have to disembark in groups on Disney, which means you can simply walk off once the ship is cleared by the port authorities.
If you have any questions, please leave it on the comments section. If you would like to see pictures of the ship or other videos, you can visit our other blog site at www.xanga.com/oeshpdog2. You can also see other videos at www.youtube.com/oeshpdog2.
This review will cover the parks in general as well as the 2 hotels that we stayed at during our trip which were the Swan Hotel of Disney's Swan and Dolphin Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort.
We arrived December 6, 2007. The trip was arranged as a Land and Sea Package through Disney which includes all of their transportation as well (I will cover the cruise in a separate review). When you book a stay at a Disney resort you get Disney's Magical Express as a free transportation option which means you get the luxury of checking your bags in at your point of departure and never have to touch them again until they arrive in your room at your hotel. In addition, most Disney resorts now offer airline check-in service. We checked our baggage in with Delta Airlines at the Polynesian on the day of our departure and avoided those long lines when we arrived at Orlando's International Airport. Disney offers a lot of perks that do not show up on a budget sheet sometimes but can save you a tremendous amount of time and headache.
Disney is very efficient. We arrived a little earlier than scheduled (around 11:30AM), made our way directly to Disney's Magical Express desk, and waited a few brief moments as they readied us to board the bus. We were on our way to the resort within 30 minutes of our plane landing.
We arrived at the Swan Hotel, checked in, received our park passes (a 7 day park hopper pass is included in your land and sea package), took a brief look at our room and we were off to to Disney's MGM Studios by 1:30PM and were on our first ride by 1:45PM. It could not have gone any smoother. I give Disney high marks for their organization.
After a fun day at the park, we headed back to the Swan Hotel. The Swan and Dolphin are in close proximity to EPCOT and MGM Studios. You can access either park by Disney's boat service or by a short 15-20 minute walk. We did both. Walking to MGM from the Swan takes a little longer than the boat ride since there are not stops that the boat has to make between the 2. It is actually a little quicker to walk to EPCOT from the Swan since the boats make 2 additional stops along the way at Disney's Boardwalk Resort and Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort.
The Swan's location is ideal for taking advantage of the 2 parks as well as the Magic Kingdom since you can catch a ride at EPCOT on Disney's Monorail service. It is also adjacent to Disney's Boardwalk area which includes several restaurants and other night life venues.
We also found the Swan to be a quieter place to stay compared to the Polynesian. It seemed to be more popular with the business crowd which tended to be less noisier than the resorts that cater to families. Some may find that to be a negative and find the Swan to be less "magical" than the other Disney resorts (The Swan is actually run by the Westin Hotel group). However, it will probably appeal more to the younger couples or those who travel without children. The Swan still has a breakfast on the weekends in which several Disney characters make an appearance.
Overall, it is a beautiful hotel inside even though the outside seems to be a bit over the top you might say. The rooms were comfortable, but nothing special when you consider the price paid. The restaurant choices were abundant though and we never waited in any line for any of our meals. For a quick, but good breakfast, we recommend trying Picabu over in the Dolphin side of the resort. I do give the staff high marks for their friendliness and smiling faces. They may have not been "cast members," but they were still great and provided great service.
We left the Swan on Sunday the 9th for our 4 night cruise. We returned back to WDW on Thursday the 13th and checked into the Polynesian. This was a totally different experience. The staff is very friendly and more oriented around spreading the Disney magic. Aloha's were heard everywhere as cast members greeted guests. Check in went smooth even though our rooms was not yet available, but it was only 9:00AM so we didn't expect our room to be ready quite that soon. We checked our baggage in with the bell captain and made our way upstairs to the Monorail. That's right...Disney's Monorail picks you up right outside the main door upstairs in a covered area. How convenient is that?! :)
By 9:30AM we were once again in a Disney park, this time we went to the Magic Kingdom for the day. We spent most of the day in the park and headed back around 6:30PM, after the Wishes firework display, and checked out our room. Our room was in the Tahiti building which was quite a walk from the main "Ceremonial House." The positives were that it was away from the main pools and made it a quieter spot and it also had larger rooms than the other buildings. Our room was big considering it was not a suite. It had 2 queen beds, a bathroom with double vanities and a large sitting area with 2 chairs and a couch. The rooms have been upgraded to also include LG flat panel TV's. The negatives were once again the walking distance from the main buildings and restaurants and the building had an old musty smell inside. Our room also a leak underneath the bathroom sink that went unfixed during our stay.
We ate at both Ohana's and the Kona Cafe. Ohana's is very popular for several reasons, one of which is the view of the Magic Kingdom were you can actually sit, eat and watch the nightly fireworks show. It is family style dining and the food just keeps on coming. We found it to be way too much considering we were a table of 2. We had to tell them to quit bringing food. The dessert was awesome however.
For the same price, 2 adults can eat at the Kona Cafe and actually have a better dining experience. We found the food there to be of better quality and the service was at par with Ohana's.
The crowds are where we saw a huge difference between the 2 hotels. The Polynesian drew numerous visitors who were there to see the resort as well as visit Ohana's. That coupled with the numerous families that were there made it feel much more crowded with noise levels quite high in the general areas. We did like the shops in the hotel which carried a wide variety of Disney apparel and gifts. I have to say that the real positive to me for this resort is that it is situated on the Monorail line. It makes it very convenient to get to the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT.
I am not sure however that the close proximity to the Magic Kingdom will cause us to want to stay there again. We prefer the other deluxe choices closer to EPCOT and Disney's MGM Studios.
We visited every park (minus the water parks) on this visit. We really enjoyed them all, but found ourselves wanting to go back and visit the rides in Disney's MGM Studios and EPCOT. The thrill rides in those 2 parks are worth the visit which includes Tower of Terror, Soarin, Rockin Roller Coaster, Mission Space and Test Track. We rode these rides multiple times and could not get enough of them. The newest thrill ride in Disney's Animal Kingdom is the ride called Expedition Everest. It is also a must do, but the walking within that park got the best of us by the 3rd day.
The things you cannot miss if you go to these 3 parks are (knowing not everyone likes thrill rides):
1) It is Tough to be a Bug 2) Festival of the Lion King 3) Soarin' 4) Illuminations (EPCOT's Fireworks show). Start looking for a spot at least 45 minutes before the show begins.
Magic Kingdom is in its own category. Because of the time of year that we were there, the crowds were fairly light which meant we had rode all of the rides that were on our must do list by 3:00PM that same day. It is really geared towards the younger crowds and large families who want to go have a "magical experience" together and aren't as interested in today's version of thrill rides. The fireworks show Wishes is a must see though. Start looking for a good viewing spot about 30 minutes before show time.
One word of advice for all of the parks...get there when they open. The crowds were noticeably lower for at least the first 2 hours that the parks were open and we had rode most of the rides at least once within those first 2 hours. Also try to plan your meals during off peak eating times such as 11:00AM or 1:30PM. That will allow you the ability to ride some of the most popular rides while others are eating their lunch. We also noticed much smaller lines during the scheduled parades that Disney puts on during the day in each park. Find out when those times are when you first enter the park and plan your day accordingly.
If you have specific questions regarding any aspects of Walt Disney World please send me an e-mail or post your question here on this site.
My wife and I leave in one week for a 10-day trip to Walt Disney World and 4 nights on the Disney Wonder. This trip is a part of Disney's Land and Sea package. We will be staying 3 nights in the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Hotel. During the 3 days we plan on visiting 3 of the 4 Walt Disney parks. Then we leave the afternoon of the 9th on Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wonder for 4 nights to the Bahamas with stops at Nassau and Disney's private island called Castaway Cay.
We arrive back in Orlando then on the morning of the 13th and will be staying an extra day at Walt Disney's Polynesian Resort Hotel and then coming back home on the 15th of December.
So stay tuned for a detailed trip review in the days to follow.
This review will cover 3 of the luxury spas that we have had the chance to visit. Since I have been trained as a luxury spa destination specialist, I rate each spa on the overall experience which includes so much more than just the spa treatment itself. A spa experience should truly begin the moment you enter the spa and are greeted by the spa front desk staff. The entire facility should have an environment of peace and tranquility. That to me is what separates a true spa from the store front hair salons that just happen to have a massage therapist on hand. The latter cannot claim to be a spa nor should it.
I am going to give reviews for the spas that are considered to be resort spas which are those either situated within a hotel or somewhere on the grounds of a hotel resort. I hope you find these reviews helpful and feel free to send any questions you have about any spa or the overall spa experience.
1. The Spa at Torrey Pines This spa is at the top of my list for a variety of reasons. The spa truly engages you as soon as you enter the door. It is situated within the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California.
The entire staff are an extension of the therapists themselves. As soon as you check-in, a locker room attendant escorts you to the appropriate areas to change into your robes while they also point out the different areas to relax while waiting for your actual treatment. The men's and women's areas are decorated similarly with rich whites and dark browns and soft leather chairs to sink into in the sitting rooms. I can speak in more detail of the men's side, but my wife assures me that the women's equals the men's. As a male, you have the option of changing and waiting in the men's only lounge which comes with those leather chairs I mentioned along with a large plasma television for watching sports, news or whatever you desire as you sip tea, juice or water and partake of a variety of fresh fruit. If you are with your spouse, you can also join her in the community lounge area. All of these areas have the appropriate spa music playing softly in the background.
After a short, relaxing wait, your therapist will retrieve you from the lounging areas and show you to the most tranquil massage rooms that I have experienced. The rooms are mostly interior rooms that are only given light by the soft overhead recessed lighting and the flicker of candles. My therapist also did not disappoint and gave a wonderful deep tissue massage.
I give this spa my highest rating because once again it delivered the whole spa package and took me away to a place of peace and I felt relaxed and rejuvenated at the end.
2. The Spa at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa Once again, this is near the top because of the overall spa environment. While it falls short of the ambiance created at my #1 spa, it still provides an overall great spa experience. The common lounge area was nice and relaxing, but somewhat small feeling when 2 or more are waiting at one time. The mood created by the staff and the environment was exceptional and what you come to expect from a Ritz Carlton.
The spa is located down a short walk-way from the main hotel which is located in Pasadena California.
3. The Spa at the Hilton Sandestin I am going to give a review of this spa to show how a spa can have great amenities and not create that overall spa experience as the 2 spas above deliver. This spa located on the bottom floor of the hotel had more in the way of spa facilities than most that I have visited here in the U.S. The men's and women's sides have a dry sauna, 2 different steam rooms and a large whirlpool to relax in prior to your treatment. The private lounge areas are comfortable, but lacking the tranquility you expect at a spa. The T.V. was on in the men's lounge and the volume exceeded that of the soft music playing overhead which detracted from a setting of peace and quiet.
The front desk is also located right outside the exercise area which can be noisy. The staff was great and attentive and they get an A+ from me including my therapist. My only wish is that they would monitor the "quiet areas" better to deliver that true spa experience.
The spa and hotel are located in beautiful Destin, Florida.
We took a trip to Florida's emerald coast this past August. We had heard so many great things about Destin Florida and the surrounding area. We were not disappointed once we got there. The gulf in that area is absolutely beautiful and the sand is like white powder, AMAZING! The hotel of choice for this trip was the Hilton Sandestin. It is a very large hotel and one of the first resort hotels built in the Destin area. That being said, the outside of the hotel is showing its age a bit. But the inside is undergoing a major upgrade.
We were upgraded upon arrival to the Ambassador's Suite in the 7th floor of the Spa Tower. It was a fantastic room. It had a nice living and eating area with balcony access, terrazzo tiled floors and 2 large window seating areas overlooking the blue waters of the gulf. You then went through the French doors to the bedroom and bath area. The bed had been upgraded to the Hilton's new bedding which included a super soft pillow top and an abundance of large cozy pillows. There as ample closet and storage space along with a comfortable chaise lounge chair for reading or napping. The bathroom was as large as those found in most upscale homes with a whirlpool tub, double vanities, a separate toilet room, and a stand up shower.
The hotel had several restaurants and eating areas. Our room package included breakfast for 2 each morning in their casual restaurant called Sandcastles. We often visited their sandwich and coffee shop for a quick snack or lunch. Barefoot's is their outdoor restaurant overlooking the gulf and it too was very good and the service was great.
The only negative about the hotel was that it is a large hotel which caters to the largest of conventions during the off season which runs from about the end of August until the first of March so plan accordingly for there being lots of people during those times. But we never felt too overcrowded during our stay and there were always chairs by the pool or you could rent chairs and umbrellas down on their private beach for about $30 per day.
This hotel gets an A- from me and I would recommend it without hesitation to anyone looking for a nice get away vacation including families with children. They have an entire program set up during the summer for children.
My wife and I spent 5 nights in La Jolla California at the Hilton Torrey Pines. The Hotel is situated next to the Torrey Pine State Park as well as the Torrey Pines Championship Golf Course which has hosted such notable tournaments as the U.S. Amateur Championship and the PGA and US Open Championships. The course is open to the public and guests of the Hilton Torrey Pines receive priority tee times if made in advance.
The hotel is large and should be considered a resort/conference hotel. It has several large meeting and dining rooms which makes it a convention and business conference destination. Due to the proximity to the Golf Course and beautiful grounds, it is also a wedding destination. There was at least one convention and one wedding taking place there during our stay which made it a bit crowded. So I would recommend to have a travel specialist like myself call ahead to find out if nay major events are planned during the times that you are thinking of traveling to the Hotel.
The rooms were very nice and roomy considering we were in a standard room. Our room was on the top floor which afforded us views of the golf course and even a distant view of the Pacific Ocean. The rooms were also very clean and well kept during our stay. The hotel staff left a bit to be desired and we witnessed several front desk screw ups where the solution seemed to always be a coupon for free drinks in their lounge.
The pool area was nice but extremely crowded and chairs were hard to come by. They had a pool side grill that was hardly open at the times advertised.
The restaurant was good, but very overpriced for what you get which seemed to be on par for the whole hotel. It was pricey considering the level of service received. The bright spot was that it was next door to the Torrey Pines Lodge and Spa and guests of the Hilton were able to use the spa and even charge the services to their room and was a short walk from the room to the spa.
We enjoyed La Jolla tremendously and will go back, but probably try one of the other 4 or 5 star hotels instead.
