Archive for the ‘Mini-Moons’ Category

We love Napa…even in the chilly winter months. Spark some romance cuddled in a comfy robe with a nice glass of red wine overlooking the Napa River. A great place to get started is the River Terrace Inn, located in the heart of downtown Napa.

Recommended Resort:  River Terrace Inn. This tranquil retreat nestled along the River Trail and the Oxbow Park Preserve of the Napa Valley Wine Country is walking distance from downtown Napa’s charming wine tasting salons, restaurants, art galleries, nightlife and attractions such as Oxbow Public Market, Napa Valley Opera House and Napa Valley Wine Train.

Featuring a pristine riverfront setting, the River Terrace Inn is a refreshing blend of upscale elegance and cool California charm. Stretch out in their 106 luxurious guestrooms and suites where warm wood tones are accented by rich, vibrantly colored fabrics and rugs.

Check In:  1600 Soscol Avenue in Napa. 866-NAPA-FUN riverterraceinn.com

Check Out:  Restaurant Cuvée. Located in the center of downtown Napa adjacent to River Terrace Inn, this fun eatery offers a low country feel and living room ambiance complemented by distinctive cuisine with a high country flavor and polished edge.

Cuvée’s community-focused menu is solely dictated by regional availability and ripeness, producing rich comfort food flavors reengineered to a level of “high cuisine.” While offering an extensive local wine list, the bar also features a robust beer list focused on Northern California micro brews as well as fresh garden-inspired drinks.

Chef Mackey’s enhancements to Cuvée include an on-site garden to harvest organic herbs and vegetables for farm-to-table ingredients as well as new weekly themed guest receptions such as “Cupcake Happy Hour” on Tasting Tuesday and “Bubbles and Buckets” on Fried-day.

Don’t Miss:  Napa Valley Wine Country Honeymoon Package. Experience two nights of romantic bliss in a River Front Deluxe Jacuzzi Room with a private balcony overlooking the Napa River.

A lovely bouquet of roses, box of chocolates and chilled champagne await you upon arrival. Enjoy an intimate dinner at one of Napa’s most popular restaurants. Awaken to breakfast in bed or on your private balcony before enjoying an exclusive private wine tasting tour of three boutique wineries in a chauffeured limousine.

Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Contributor Darren Elms.

Photos courtesy of River Terrace Inn.

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Yellowstone National Park may have a reputation as a summer destination for nature loving campers and adventurers, but avid skiers will tell you it’s the winter months that draw them to the snowy slopes of southern Wyoming. At the southern entry point of the park, Jackson Hole has gone from sleepy old West town to bona fide world-class ski haven. One of our favorites is the “green” scene at Hotel Terra. This LEED-certified property is a must for romantic snow bunnies looking for ambiance and altitude.

Recommended Resort: Hotel Terra. Open, expansive windows bring Wyoming’s stunning outdoor natural beauty indoors at Hotel Terra. Eco-friendly by design, the property offers superior interior air quality, efficient temperature management, well insulated rooms, smoke-free environment, chemical-free cleaning products and state-of-the-art ventilation, collectively creating a healthier, restorative environment. Modern, yet cozy, the stylish interiors include inlaid gas fireplaces, contemporary western design features and rich material tones and textures throughout.

Check In: 3335 West Village Drive in Teton Village, Wyoming. 800-631-6281, hotelterrajacksonhole.com

Check Out: Free Ride (Air Credit Promotion)

Hotel Terra offers a rare opportunity for big savings on your flight to Jackson Hole. Get room credit to mitigate the cost of flight when you book five nights or more. Credit ranges from $300 to $850 per stay. The bigger the room type, the more you get back in your one-time credit at checkout.

Room type and savings breakdown are as follows:

• Terra Guest Room: One-time $300 credit

• One Bedroom Suite: One-time $600 credit

• Two Bedroom Suite: One-time $900 credit

Don’t Miss: The skiing. It doesn’t get much better than Jackson Hole, Wyoming, skiing and snowboarding. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is widely considered to offer the nation’s best and most exciting ski terrain. With more than 2,500 acres of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain set in the center of the famed Teton Mountain Range, Jackson Hole is the alpine experience of a lifetime.

Here are some of the amazing snow specs:

• Summit elevation of 10,450 feet

• Uphill capacity of 15,423 skiers per hour

• Open backcountry gate system allows expert skiers and snowboarders access to 3,000+ acres of additional, untouched terrain and snow

Runs:

• 50% Expert

• 40% Intermediate

• 10% Beginner

• 116 Named Trails on Map

Lifts:

• One New 100 Passenger Aerial Tram

• One Eight Px High-Speed Gondola

• Two Detachable Quad Chairlifts

• Four Fixed Grip Quad Chairlifts

• Two Triple Chirlifts

• One Double Chairlift

Snow:

Average of 459″/year (38.25 feet; 1166 cm; 11.6 meters) over the past 10 years

Instruction:

Jackson Hole’s Adult Mountain Sports School and Kids Ranch, offers instruction to every level, including guides to show your around Jackson’s legendary backcounty!

Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Contributor Darren Elms.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Terra.

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Were you dreaming of a white Christmas yesterday? And didn’t quite get it?  Well, do the white beaches of Maui count? That’s what was on our wish list this holiday … and something you and your love one should put on yours for 2012. Check out these amazing private vacation homes on one of Hawaii’s most enchanting islands.

Recommended Resort: Wailea Beach Villas. An exclusive residential enclave in lovely Wailea, the beach villas give you all the amenities you’d expect of a five-star resort with the added value of total privacy. Beautiful beaches, the pristine blue Pacific in full view, lush gardens and plenty of room to stretch out and relax, you won’t find a nicer, more luxurious escape on the island then this property. Each home is furnished with two, three or four bedrooms and up to three and ½ baths depending on the unit. Central air and ceiling fans keep things cool inside, while garden and ocean views make for beautiful vista outside. The deluxe gourmet kitchen with Subzero refrigerators makes for great entertaining, and the cupboards and bar will be stocked with supplies upon arrival if requested. There’s also an outdoor Viking grill for taking the party outdoors, complimentary Internet access and daily housekeeping and turndown service.

Check In:  3800 Wailea Alanui,
Wailea in Maui. 808-891-6290, drhmaui.com

Check Out:  The Resort amenities. So many, we’ll just list them:

Resort Services:

• 24-hour front-desk service

• Bell and valet service

• Daily housekeeping and dishwashing services

• Dry cleaning service

• Grocery and liquor delivery

• On-site maintenance service

• 24-hour security kiosk/gate

• 20 elevators offering individual unit privacy and accessibility

• Additional daily security throughout the property

• Business center

• Conference room

• Owner’s lounge

• Three semi-private barbeque areas

• Airport and in-town shuttle service

• Complimentary self-parking

• Rentals available: cars, vans, jeeps, tennis racquets, beach equipment and snorkeling gear

Arrival Amenities:

• Lei greeting at the lobby entrance

• Hawaiian refreshments and cold plumeria-scented towels at reception

• Welcome basket and fresh, Hawaiian flowers in your villa

Don’t Miss: Resort Access. Booking here has its perks! The Wailea Resort offers many wonderful day and evening activities to keep you busy. Highlights include five champion, 18-hole golf courses nearby, as well as 11 world-class tennis courts. There are two pools (one for adults only), two whirlpools and a fitness center. The nearby natural treasures offer hiking, biking, diving, swimming, sailing, snorkeling and much more. Or, did we mention beaches? Yeah, so what are you waiting for? Mele Kalikimaka!

Photos courtesy of Wailea Beach Villas.

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I’m falling in love with Palm Springs. So much so I may even buy a second home there someday. Can I put that on my wedding registry? Hmmm.

Until then, one of my favorite places to stay is the Movie Colony Hotel. In the heart of downtown, this small, but nicely appointed boutique is a hop, skip and a jump from all the Palm Springs action, from the trendy design districts on the north end of Palm Canyon Drive, to the shops and commercial area due south.

Recommended Resort:  Movie Colony Hotel. Appropriately named for the neighborhood where it resides, this posh strip of Palm Springs once welcomed many of Hollywood’s glitterati, at the Colony Palms next door to the Riviera just down the street. The building was one of architect Albert Fray’s first projects, originally conceived as apartments, hosting the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Jim Morrison.

In the recent decade, the structure was restored to its original glory and reopened as a boutique hotel, offering 17 themed rooms for guests. All feature king sized beds and free wireless Internet, and some have the added bonus of a patio or terrace area. Happy hour is a happy time at the hotel, where the staff serves wine and snacks for guests before they head out to dinner or wherever their desert evening takes them.

Check In:  Movie Colony Hotel. 726 N. Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. 888-953-5700, moviecolonyhotel.com.

Check Out:  The pool area. With such and intimate assortment of rooms, you can count on a low occupancy at the hotel. This means more room for you and your loved one to mingle. I suggested grabbing a cocktail and lounging by the pool or taking a dip in the heated Jacuzzi on a chilly winter night. The starry skies make each moment magical.

Don’t Miss:  The Neighborhood. The design district just across the way on Palm Canyon Drive offers a mix of vintage finds, contemporary furniture and great restaurants. One of my favorites is Trio, a bustling bistro of great food and excellent service. For brunch, you can’t beat Cheeky’s. I recently enjoyed delicious waffle with sea salted butter accompanied by a flight of bacon…yep, a flight of bacon. Come hungry, leave happy.

Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.

Photos courtesy of Movie Colony Hotel.

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When the Hotel Bel-Air closed two years ago for a major renovation, there was a moment of silence among many an Angeleno. Not only one of the finest hotels in Los Angeles, this 12-acre property also enjoys a legion of fans who frequent the lush gardens, spa and restaurants on a regular basis. Luckily those two years flew by and the Bel-Air is back and open for business…and perhaps better than ever.

Recommended Resort:  Hotel Bel-Air. All the rooms and suites feature a completely new aesthetic that reflects the golden eras of the hotels illustrious past, from the glamorous ’30s to the nifty ’50s. The result is California design at its best…airy, fresh, classic and elegant.

Despite the large grounds, there are only 58 guest rooms and 45 suites, and seven one-of-a-kind specialty suites. Many feature wood-burning fireplaces, elaborate bathrooms, private gardens and more amazing amenities.

Check In:  701 Stone Canyon Road in Los Angeles. 800-648-4097, hotelbelair.com

Check Out:  Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel-Air. Meticulously re-designed by the acclaimed architect and design firm Rockwell Group, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air features modern California with European and Mediterranean influences. All of the menus reflect the healthy California lifestyle and showcase the best of California’s wonderful, fresh ingredients such as produce from Chino Farms and local farmers’ markets, all natural poultry and sustainable seafood.

For a more relaxed environment the beautiful terrace has the feel of a Spanish courtyard where guests can lounge in comfy booths, at the bar or in the ultra private terrace alcoves overlooking Swan Lake. Each terrace alcove features curtains between them as well as an incredible seeded glass pendant light, a popular material used during the 1700s for lanterns and other types of glassware. Heated floors and a retractable screen covers the entire terrace for year round enjoyment.

Don’t Miss:  Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie. The luxury Swiss beauty company revered for its collection of powerful, anti-aging products, welcomes you to the namesake spa at Hotel Bel-Air. Experience a world of privilege and pleasure with the finest face and body treatments that state-of-the-art science can provide. From the moment you walk into Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie, your every need will be tended to, allowing you to truly unwind, unplug and enjoy your time of indulgence.

La Prairie’s comprehensive menu of services includes customized de-aging facials for men and women, unique body treatments, pampering nail services and European, Asian and therapeutic massages. All are executed by a highly professional and proficient staff, there to help you de-stress and rejuvenate. Spend an hour—or an afternoon—and allow your mind, body and psyche to enjoy well-deserved luxurious downtime.

With seven treatment rooms, including a spacious suite with outdoor space to accommodate groups of two and more, and a private nail salon, Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie addresses every relaxation and beauty need, from travel therapy treatments to a four-handed massage, gentleman’s facial to a perfect manicure.

Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist Darren Elms.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Bel-Air.

Do you have the new Real Weddings Magazine iPhone and iPad App?

Download it from the Apple App Store Today: REAL WEDDINGS MAGAZINE!

Check out the Real Weddings Contest Page! Great bridal loot for real Sacramento-area brides!

Visit Real Weddings Magazine * Visit Style Media Group * Contact Real Weddings Sacramento Magazine * Visit 2ClicksToSave

Looking for local Sacramento wedding vendors?

Build your dream team at Real Weddings Sacramento Magazine!

Subscribe to the Real Weddings Magazine Blog!