By Debbie Stock
Marina del Rey, Calif.—It seemed as if the world was celebrating my birthday when I
arrived in Marina del Rey with friend, Barbara Steinberg,
who flew from Sacramento to join me at Debbie's Birthday
Bash. The date coincided with a popular California
festival, Cinco de Mayo, and all along the marina there were
Margarita parties at restaurants with capacity crowds.
I was determined to keep my celebration low key.
I didn't need a huge party─
I only wanted a few diamonds. And that's exactly what I got
at The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey—five
of them! The AAA Five Diamond hotel on the water at Marina
del Rey Harbor was this girl’s best friend, and it made me
feel like a princess. Hardly noticing the Mercedes-Benz SL-
Class car that pulled into the driveway in front of me,
Barbara and I stepped out of my reliable Toyota, greeted by
valet staff who welcomed us and offered to take our bags.
What separates the Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton from other
properties is not what guests wear or the car they drive.
It's the
attitude of employees trained to treat each and every
customer with respect. And that's what impressed me most
throughout my stay.
"Is there anything you'd like, Ms. Stock?" the attentive
valet and bell staff asked when I left my car keys behind
and proceeded to check into the hotel. Like Eliza Doolittle
in My Fair Lady, I wanted a room somewhere, far away
from the cold night air―with
one enormous chair; Oh wouldn't it be loverly?
With a partial view of the marina, Eliza would have loved
our hotel room featuring brocade fabrics, marble bathroom
treatments, luxury sheets and fine bedding that exuded
classic elegance. Barbara and I later learned that the décor
we enjoyed was in the process of being replaced in a major
hotel renovation in this beautiful, 304-room hotel. Blue, gold & yellow comforters, tasteful
draperies, wall treatments and carpets would soon greet
guests with livelier themes to reflect the local marine
environment. We took a tour of a suite that included the new
color scheme and loved it.
Our elegant room would make Eliza quite happy, however. It
included two queen beds, two bottles of water on a night
stand, two gold-wrapped chocolate squares and one enormous
chair. It was absolutely loverly!
Receiving dinner recommendations at the front desk, Barbara
and I left the hotel on foot, hoping to see the surrounding
buildings and shops outside the insulated, comfortable Ritz.
As we strolled along Mother's Beach, a 12-acre, surf-free
lagoon that looked so inviting, I knew I'd have to return for some solo
sunning or socializing with family and friends, the intoxicating smell of
food at the Cheesecake Factory beckoned us to come in. It didn't take long
to be seated on a lovely second story patio deck overlooking Mother's Beach
where children road bikes and families dined in more casual fashion at the
picnic tables and concessions. We agreed to share our meals, Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes and Luau Salad with sliced,
grilled chicken breast drizzled with sweet vinaigrette─both
were fabulous. But it was getting late, so we settled our
bill and strolled back to the hotel in the cool night air.
"Didn't you eat a piece of chocolate before we left?,"
Barbara asked back in our cozy room. I had eaten one
serving of chocolate and in its place was another
gold-covered wafer. “How lucky can one girl be?” I thought
to myself.
We called it a night and slumbered into peaceful sleep while
watching School of Rock, the perfect, mindless movie
for a Friday night slumber party.
Over leisurely breakfast in the trendy, Ritz-Carlton
restaurant, Jer-ne, on Saturday morning, I sampled Barbara’s
Brioche French Toast with berries, maple syrup and vanilla
cream.
“Don't eat too much,” I warned her. We are going on a
Hornblower luncheon cruise around the marina in just a few
hours.
Hornblower Cruises
& Events includes a buffet meal served with
complimentary champagne and a pleasant boat ride around the
bay at Marina del Rey. Dinner cruises often feature live
music, as well, but during the day, you can soak up the sunshine and harbor
views. Our spectacular luncheon cruise took us near the channel to the
Pacific Ocean and around the nation’s largest manmade harbor past the
Ritz-Carlton, where we'd already said goodbye to my Five Diamonds. Barbara
had to get back to Sacramento that afternoon and I needed to return
to Orange County where I would be greeted with laundry,
bills to pay and no time to play.
"You really
should relax and not work so hard," Barbara
told me as we enjoyed the fleeting moments of this brief,
but cherished escape. My birthday was over and Diamonds were
gone, as I drove a few miles to drop off my girlfriend at
LAX and send her home.
For less money than a diamond solitaire, I stepped out of my
ordinary existence to enjoy fabulous accommodations, great
food, friendship and a birthday I won't forget. My upscale
cruise and snooze birthday was not only affordable, it was
delightful.
Was it worth giving up a day for this Birthday Bash? You
better believe it. Would I recommend this upscale getaway?
Not only would I recommend it, I'd give up a day of work and
go again! Putting on the Ritz is easier than I had imagined.
The luxury accommodations and scenic location near Los
Angeles is ideal for a short getaway or longer vacation
stay. On the next trip I will check out the great shopping
district I saw as Barbara and I drove out of town. And maybe
I'll take a stroll along the beach to Venice.
Planning your
visit:
Marina del Rey Convention
& Visitors Bureau,
4701 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Call: 310-305-9545. www.visitthemarina.com
Where to stay:
The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey can be reached at 4375
Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, California. Call:
310-574-4333. www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/marina_del_rey
Special Occasion Package January 1 to December 31, 2006 (all
package offers subject to change)
For anniversaries, birthdays, honeymoons or just to get away from it all and
pamper yourself, the Special Occasion package offers guests a simple way to
celebrate a special event or just relax. This package includes Deluxe room
accommodations, American breakfast for two, Champagne and tuxedo (chocolate
dipped) strawberries and Complimentary overnight parking.
Weekend Bed and Breakfast
January 1 to December 31, 2006 Rate: Starting at $319 USD
Travelers looking for a weekend getaway find a tranquil waterfront retreat
just 10 minutes away from the Los Angeles International Airport. The package
includes Deluxe guestroom with marina or city view
American breakfast for two via In-Room Dining or Jer-ne Restaurant + Bar and
Overnight valet parking.
What to see & do:
Hornblower Cruises
& Events, 13755 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, Call:
1-888-HORNBLOWER - (1-888-467-6256) www.hornblower.com
Mother's Beach is a 12-acre, surf-free
lagoon that invites solo sunning or a day spent with the your best
friend or family. Picnic tables, restaurants and bicycle rentals are located
nearby.
Special events at Marina del Rey include
Marina del Rey Annual Fourth of July Fireworks extravaganza, Marina del Rey
Summer Concerts and Holiday Boat Parade, to name a few. For an extensive
list of events, see www.visitthemarina.com
