Stay at the top of Nob Hill at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins

San Francisco is classy and quirky, so how do you decide which side to experience on your San Francisco vacation? With the packages offered by the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, you can cover it all.

The Experience the City by the Bay package includes two cable car passes per day, breakfast for two at the hotel’s famous Top of the Mark (except for Sunday, when breakfast will be served in the Nob Hill Restaurant), parking for one vehicle and late checkout at 2:00 p.m.

The Top of the Mark package includes a deluxe room upgrade, two world-famous martinis and preferred seating at the Top of the Mark, where you can enjoy amazing views of San Francisco.

The City Escape package includes a hand-selected room with a view and 2:00 p.m. late checkout (regular checkout time is 12:00 p.m.), breakfast for two at the hotel’s famous Top of the Mark (except for Sunday, when breakfast will be served in the Nob Hill Restaurant), valet parking for one automobile, and consultation with concierge staff for best sites and experiences in San Francisco.

The hotel recently celebrated its 85th anniversary in December 2011, and has completed upgrades to all 380 guestrooms and suites, adding new Pro:Idiom LCD televisions; iHome docking stations for iPads, iPods and iPhones; Keurig coffee brewers; and UNO phones by Bittel, featured exclusively as a part of a luxury vacation package in the InterContinental Mark Hopkins suites.

To reserve any of the above packages, call the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco at 888-424-6835. Room rates vary depending on type of room preferred and time of year. If you’re interested in learning more about luxury vacation packages, visit Zicasso’s luxury tour operators for more information.

InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, 415-392-3434

One Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA 94108

Photo courtesy of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco

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The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston

Boston is full of rich history, and historical attractions, and any visit here should include a walk on the popular Freedom Trail.  Featuring sixteen historical sites, this 2.5 mile trail is connected by a red brick line that makes it easy to follow.  Celebrate Boston’s and America’s history, and the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Trail with the Freedom Trail Discovery Package at the Fairmont Copley Plaza.

The Freedom Trail Discovery Package includes the following:

• One night in an elegant guestroom at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
• Two passes to the Walk Into History tour with an 18th-century costumed guide
• Two tickets to the three Freedom Trail historic museums (Old South Meeting House, Old State House and Paul Revere House)
• A copy of The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View

The Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, MA is located directly across the street from Copley Place, and is a short walk from Newbury Street.  This historical hotel offers 383 guestrooms and suites, all with modern amenities including high-speed internet access, flat-screen televisions, and pillow-top mattresses.  I stayed at the resort several years ago, and was so impressed by the size of the hotel rooms, as well as the modern amenities.

The Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston
138 St. James Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts
(866) 540-4417

Photo credit: The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel

Southern California may be best known for red carpets and movie stars, but there’s more to see than celebrities, especially if you’re traveling with kids who aren’t unlikely to dazzled by the sight of fame in over-sized sunglasses and a trucker hat. Take advantage of a spring special from a beach-side hotel in Redondo Beach and take in larger-than-life sights of the sea.

Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel is a business class hotel in the small beach town of Redondo Beach west of Los Angeles. You’re unlikely to run into anyone famous in the lobby, but the clown fish in the aquarium by registration bears a striking resemblance to Nemo.

The Crowne Plaza doesn’t quite live up to its advertised “resort” title, but it is a comfortable hotel with spacious rooms and balconies overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Better still, access to that ocean requires just a short walk across the street and down the pier, making the hotel a perfect home base for a Pacific vacation.

Activities within walking distance include:

• Whale watching tours
• Paddle boat rentals
• Surfing
• Shopping on the pier
• Eating fresh caught seafood
• Swimming in a unique sea lagoon

Guests at Crowne Plaza can receive a discount on whale watching tours, as well as bike rentals and day passes to the Gold’s Gym next door. On site, enjoy a heated pool and Jacuzzi tub, perfect for cool spring nights.

Rooms at the Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach start at $99 a night.

The Fairmont Empress, Victoria, British Columbia

Add a little celebration to your Victoria, British Columbia, vacation with a stay at the Fairmont Empress. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the city, and you can join the festivities and save money at the same time.

The Fairmont Empress, perched in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, is offering plenty of opportunities for you to give your wallet a break while enjoying the resort. The Victoria 150 offer includes a limited-time room rate special of $150 CAD. From May to September, rates start at $150 CAD for room only. From January to April and October to December, rates start at $150 CAD and include express breakfast and parking.

The Fairmont Empress features 477 luxuriously appointed non-smoking guest rooms and suites, with jaw-dropping views of the city, courtyard or Inner Harbour. Make a long detour to the hotel’s Willow Stream Spa to say goodbye to all your worries, and choose from a handful of tasty dining options at The Veranda, The Bengal Lounge, or The Empress Room.

Don’t forget to wish the city a very happy 150. She doesn’t look a day over 100, does she?

Fairmont Empress, 866-540-4429
721 Government Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W1W5

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Empress

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