the next generation sea life experience

photos from a promotion piece for Sea World San Diego

The next generation sea life experience will be unveiled over Memorial Weekend, May 2017.

A very expensive marketing campaign is underway. Over the past three days (Friday, Saturday, and today), I have received three elaborate marketing pieces. A large four-color poster, printed on heavy paper, folded and inserted into a die-cut card stock holder, was shipped in a clear plastic mailing envelope.  Short on detail, long on intrigue, Friday's piece was a pure tease with no mention of any product. Saturday's piece added the mention of a place, San Diego. Today's piece added a name (Sea World San Diego) and a date (Memorial Weekend, 2017), as well as some intriguing pictures.

Pictures of what? Something they call a "next generation sea life experience." A weblink leads to a YouTube video with extremely high production value.

Interested? For luxury travelers visiting Sea World, I recommend staying at La Valencia, an oceanside boutique resort with just 114 room. Located in exclusive La Jolla, less than 8 miles to the north, the drive to Sea World takes you along the ocean, never venturing onto the I-5 freeway. And Virtuoso guests enjoy exclusive amenities:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Full Breakfast daily, served in Restaurant for up to 2 in-room guests
• First night valet parking
• La Valencia commemorative gift
• Welcome presentation of chocolate truffles
• Premium Bottle of Wine
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Contact your Virtuoso travel advisor for more information.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

del Coronado | San Diego beach resort

Hotel del Coronado (known in San Diego simply as The Del) is an historic hotel just minutes south of downtown San Diego and over the causeway on Coronado Island. Built in 1888 and now a National Historic Landmark, Hotel del Coronado provides the ideal setting for a beach vacation in sunny Southern California. Coronado Beach is quite simply one of the best beaches in the world.

Its unique Victorian architecture reminds visitors of the casual elegance of an earlier era. The Del has hosted eleven U.S. Presidents, and its spiraling turrets were the inspiration for the Emerald City in Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. The Del also provided the setting for Some Like it Hot, starring Mariyn Monroe, filmed on the property in 1958.

I saw a variety of room types during my site inspection. If you want to stay in the Main Resort, I highly recommend a Deluxe Junior Suite — a large suite with a stunning view of the beach and the blue Pacific Ocean beyond. But for the ultimate in a family beach vacation, book connecting suites at the Beach Village to form up to a three bedroom apartment with a full gourmet kitchen. These stunning rooms are available with full views of the beach and ocean.

For the very best luxury value, book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant (click here to book). Virtuoso guests pay the Best Available Rate and receive exclusive additional amenities including daily buffet breakfasts for two and room upgrades if available upon check-in. Additionally, Beach Village guests receive a daily $100 spa credit.

Hotel del Coronado (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 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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San Diego weekend getaway

San Diego is a great destination for a weekend getaway. Quick and easy to reach from the San Francisco Bay area (my flight time was under 70 minutes), San Diego is also convenient to any number of destinations in the west.

What to do? Go to the beach. Visit the world-famous San Diego Zoo and the affiliated Wild Animal Park. Take the kids to Sea World or Lego Land. Watch a baseball game at Petco Park. Enjoy the nightlife in the Gaslamp Quarter. Or spend a day at Balboa Park (which features more museums than any other park in the world). Every Sunday afternoon, enjoy a free Organ Concert in Balboa Park. From the picture above, you can guess what I did this past Sunday!

Where to stay? There are a number of great San Diego luxury hotels, but here are two suggestions.

The Grand Del Mar is a brand new resort located about 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego. Finished a couple of years ago, it was built around an existing 18 hole golf course that has been redesigned by Tom Fazio. The resort resembles an elaborate Tuscan estate with marble floors, limestone pillars, beautiful painted ceilings, and lushly decorated guest rooms. Besides golf, the Grand Del Mar offers several swimming pools — including an adults-only pool, tennis courts, and a spa. Free transportation is provided for all guests within a 14 mile radius, a chance to enjoy a day at the beach or enjoy other San Diego area attractions. Pricing is extremely attractive this summer, and there's even an Unlimited Golf package. Virtuoso guests enjoy an upgrade at time of booking, daily full breakfast for two, and a generous resort credit — all at the Best Available Rate.

The US Grant is a historic hotel in downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp District and all its exciting nightlife. When you stay, be sure to ask for the brief historic tour of the building offered by Clifford; he will describe some architectural features of the hotel, explain some historic photographs, and point out the immense hand-woven silk rug in the lobby, features you might otherwise fail to notice. Built by the son of President Grant, the US Grant originally opened in 1910. The rooms are comfortable, and the Grant Grille is an excellent fine dining restaurant. Virtuoso guests receive an upgrade on arrival if available, a complimentary Full Breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests, and a $75 credit towards incidental expenses during your stay.

To take advantage of the complimentary amenities at the Grand Del Mar, the US Grant, and over 800 luxury hotels worldwide, simply book through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant.

San Diego luxury hotels (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 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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