Luxury in Mammoth

Posted by Staff in California, Luxury Monday

On December 15th of last year, Mammoth Lakes went from a 5-hour drive from LA to a 65-minute commercial flight (via Horizon Air)…ushering in a new era for this once sleepy ski town. 

If room service and luxury hotels are your thing, then Mammoth used to be a resort to skip over…but now with the new Westin Monache (pronounced “moh-ah-she”), luxe-lovers will feel right at home.

The Resort, which opened at the end of 2007, is located in The Village at Mammoth complex, adjacent to the express village gondola…providing a short ride to the ski resort’s Canyon Lodge.

This four-star condo hotel brings a sense of chic sophistication to this area that was previously unheard of. With a bellman, modern architecture and a breathtaking display of pillar candles…you will think you have entered a Manhattan hotel.  But with a quick glance around at all the guests in ski gear and the relaxed vibe of the staff, the charm of Mammoth is not lost.

Although the hotel is made up of individually owned condos, they are all uniformly decorated and maintained…so that when you book you know what you are getting no matter which unit you stay in.  The modern décor extends into the units that consist of studios, one bedroom and two bedrooms. 

While there I stayed in a studio, which was the perfect combination of a hotel room and condo. It was nice to have hotel amenities like valet parking, room service and turn down service, but at the same time feel at home with a full kitchen and enough room to spread out. Other amenities found in the hotel include a full service restaurant, Whitebark, a shuttle service and the usual pool, Jacuzzi and workout facilities.  

My one qualm with this hotel is that although it is located next to the Gondola, it is up the hill from the loading station and involves walking up/down tons of steps…which in ski boots is quite a challenge.  The hotel does offer a shuttle from the lobby to the gondola loading station, but at times it is frustrating being so close to your hotel and having to wait for the shuttle up the hill.  That said…it was nice coming back after a hard day on the mountain and having the choice to be lazy and order room service…hotel amenities like these and the gorgeous hill top view made up for the monster hike.

Rooms start at $300 and more information can be found at www.westin.com/mammoth

Faux france in Hollywood

Posted by Staff in Budget Thursdays, California

First I must warn you that my budget find this week is not technically a budget hotel, but if you don’t have the means to fly your loved one to the South of France for romantic getaway, this little secret will get you as close as possible without dropping a large chunk of change on airfare (at least for westcoasters)…

Also on a hill, but not in France, is a gorgeous chateau…the Chateau Marmont. Located in the land of make believe, Hollywood, this hotel was built in 1927 and modeled after the Chateau d’Amboise in France’s Loire Valley. The hotel is a testament to Hollywood’s ability to make you feel that you are in another land, when in reality you are in your own backyard.  

As with La Colombe d’Or, this hotel and restaurant has had its many encounters with the artistic world…from Jim Morrison swinging from a drainpipe…to Jean Harlow and Clark Gable making it their secret affair rendezvous point…Hollywood legends have soaked their way into it’s walls.

The hotel’s rooms are decorated with period antiques and the lobby looks more like the grand salon of a chateau than a standard hotel. The most romantic part of this chateau is the garden restaurant; filled with imported French wicker chairs and lit at night by torches and candlelight…this is THE place for the ultimate non-passport romantic getaway.

As I warned earlier, the prices are not cheap (a standard room is $300), but considering you could pretend you went to France and did not need a ticket or jetlag…it is a great place for an extravagant getaway on budget. www.chateaumarmont.com

The sacred mountain spa

Posted by Staff in New Mexico, Sundays Spa Report

For those that want to ski but also be pampered, I would suggest making your way to El Monte Sagrado in Taos. This luxury resort boasts one of the top rated spas in New Mexico, while only being a short 30-minute shuttle ride from Taos Ski Valley.

Taos Mountain has a reputation of being one of the most challenging ski areas in the US and when you arrive at the mountain you will be met by the most vertical lift you’ll ever see…but don’t be afraid.  Upon riding that first lift you are dropped into one of the most beautiful ski valleys in the world, surrounded by peaks providing almost 12,000 feet of vertical skiing.  The valley offers skiing for all levels, even beginners, while the hike accessible peaks are best kept for extreme experts. As I am a snowboarder, riding this mountain was extremely exciting as my kind was only allowed on this mountain for the first time last year.

After a day of being whipped by the mountain, there is nothing more relaxing to come home to than the Spa at El Monte.  A stunning spa drenched with natural light and filled with tropical flora and soothing waterfalls…it is impossible not to relax here.  Although the spa offers all the traditional treatments you could think of, the spa menu is perfectly in line with the mystical vibe of Taos…with non-traditional treatments like: Vibrational Therapy, Egyptian Anointing and Spiritual Cleansing with Native American healer, Grandmother Jean.  I chose to go with the Muscle and Joint Massage, which was the perfect cure for my poor battered body, which had endured a week of hard riding.

Rooms at the resort start at $229, which is not high considering this hotel received the four-diamond AAA rating.  www.elmontesagrado.com

Ski Santa Fe

Posted by Staff in Luxury Monday, New Mexico

When starting my New Mexico ski odyssey I decided to start in Santa Fe.  Known for its artist colonies and classic New Mexican cuisine, most people don’t think of it as a ski town. Just 16 miles from the heart of the city lies a local ski haven tucked away in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Ski Santa Fe. 

The mountain has a decent mix of terrain, with enough to keep any level of skier busy for the day. Since it is not a well known mountain, the crowds are small and lift tickets are reasonably priced at $58 per day for adults.

While in Santa Fe I stayed at the golden adobe treasure known as the Inn on the Alameda, a lovely affordable luxury find. This Inn offers the ambiance of a bed-and-breakfast while providing the amenities of a full-service hotel. Their deluxe rooms ($180 – $305 per night) come with a private balcony or patio along with a traditional Native American style Kiva fireplace. For about $80 more you can splurge on one of their casita style rooms with a living room and private entrance. This hotel loves to brag about how peaceful it is…and I have to say they really have earned their bragging rights…while there I never heard another living soul, and the hotel did have guests. The hotel provides a bountiful and complimentary breakfast buffet, along with an afternoon wine and cheese tasting.

The Inn is centrally located within walking distance to the town center, or the Plaza as the locals call it.  While in Santa Fe, make sure to check out Maria’s New Mexican Kitchen…offering up great New Mexican cuisine, and best of all a Margarita menu with over 100 different varieties of this classic drink.