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 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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InterContinental The Clement Monterey

When you vacation in Monterey, Calif., you want to get as close to the water as possible. Why waste any time away from that magnificent view? For a front-row seat right on the edge of Monterey Bay, get a room at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey.

The hotel is in the heart of Cannery Row, right next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Even during busy times, the nature of this hotel is so calm that it’s like taking a deep breath of salty ocean air.

The 208 guest rooms and suites include natural wood, marble and glass. All include bathrooms with soaking tub and separate shower, 37-inch plasma TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi (for an additional fee), coffee maker and enough desk space to get work done if you really have to work (come on, just tell the boss you’re going to Monterey). My favorite thing in the rooms, however, is a plush otter in place of a teddy bear on your bed. Winter weekday rates start at $159 per night, and weekend rates start at $209 per night.

Of course, you’ll want to spend plenty of time watching the water, and you can do it in a few ways. First, get a room with an ocean view. Second, spend time out on the Pacific View Courtyard (lounging around two fire pits) or hang out along the railing and watch for marine life.

Warm up on the Pacifc View Courtyard

The third way to get an eyeful of ocean views at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey is to eat a meal at the C Restaurant. Sticking to the standards of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, the dishes here include sustainable fresh seafood, premium meats and organically grown local produce.

Don’t leave without some down time in the hotel’s spa, where a long massage is the perfect thing to get you ready for the rest of 2012.

InterContinental The Clement Monterey, 831-375-4500
750 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940

Photos courtesy of InterContinental The Clement Monterey

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Enjoy San Francisco views from your room at the Four Seasons

The holiday season can get out of control, and before you know it, you’re rushing everywhere. Why not slow down and enjoy a retreat in San Francisco this winter at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

The luxury hotel is right on Market Street, in the heart of San Francisco’s downtown shopping district—Union Square. The hotel’s 277 guest rooms include 46 luxury suites, and all are roomy. My room, a Deluxe King, had a long window seat where I could perch and watch all the Market Street action while I had slippers on.

Sure, those cozy slippers (and robes) are in all the rooms, but so are a flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, CD player and an iHome alarm clock. The spacious marble bathrooms have a large vanity, deep bathtub (where you can relax after the shopping) and separate glass-enclosed shower. Rates start at $395 for a standard room, and $495 for the room I had.

When you’re not lounging in your room, head to Seasons Bar and Lounge for small-plate selections (or the burger lounge, offered on Sunday and Monday), cocktails (including specialty martinis) and live music. If you’re looking for something a little more leisurely, take your meals in Seasons restaurant. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant focuses on California-style cuisine.

Treat your taste buds at Seasons restaurant

And even if you’ve spent all day shopping, you can still people watch from the bar, restaurant, or your room—if you’ve gotten one on the Market Street side.

Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, 415-633-3000
757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Photos courtesy of the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco

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