Pelican Hill | escape winter in Southern California

While much of the nation was suffering below-freezing temperatures, we spent last weekend enjoying the warmth and sunshine of Southern California. Pelican Hill is a luxurious Tuscan-styled resort perched on the hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Newport Beach. We spent two nights in a 4BR Villa, along with colleagues from Brownell. Our villa was spacious, over 3500 square feet in area, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with marble counters, Wolf range, and Sub Zero refrigerator. The living room featured a gas fireplace and 60" flatscreen television, but the views were the real highlight with sights of the golf course and the ocean beyond.

The villas at Pelican Hill are an ideal home away from home for snowbirds from the Upper Midwest looking to escape winter. This Mercedes from Minnesota, parked in the garage of a villa just down the street from ours, belonged to a family doing just that. The villas at Pelican Hill provide their lucky guests the comforts and privacy of a small and exquisitely maintained gated suburban community.

What to do at Pelican Hill? Here are some ideas:

1. Play golf on one of the two 18-hole Tom Fazio courses on the resort.
2. Swim in one of two large infinity pools.
3. Take a walk down the beach.
4. Pamper yourself in the spa.
5. Enjoy fine dining at Pelican Hill's "Top 50" Italian restaurant, Andrea.
6. Cruise Newport Beach Harbour in a Duffy Boat.
7. Shop at Fashion Island.
8. Visit Disneyland, just a 20 minute drive away.

Virtuoso guests enjoy complimentary breakfast each day of their stay as well as a $100 credit towards golf or spa services. Special rates are available for long-term stays. Email me to enquire about availability and to manage your arrangements.

Pelican Hill (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Hong Kong anyone?

Looking for a travel destination a bit out of the ordinary -- but still comfortable for tourists with western tastes? Consider Hong Kong, an easily accessible entrée into Chinese culture. Stroll through the food markets where you can taste and smell authentic Chinese cuisine. Visit the night markets. Take the escalator up in the old part of town, and explore the tiny shops on the small side streets. Even be measured for a custom suit and have it delivered to your hotel room, a souvenir you'll wear with fond memories for many years.

And when you're ready for some western culture, take your kids to Disneyland, explore one of the seemingly endless shopping malls, have High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel, or gather on the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour for the dramatic nightly light show ... touristy, but well worth it!

Where to stay? For the best view of the harbour, get a harbourview room at the InterContinental Hong Kong. Enjoy Virtuoso rates that include a complimentary buffet breakfast for two every day ... from one of the largest buffets you will ever see! (Virtuoso rates and amenities are only available from a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant).

Hong Kong (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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