A tiny Highway 120 town on the way to Yosemite National Park is planning to construct two large hotels with 400 rooms and a conference center.

Yosemite Nat'l Park sign at Big Oak Flat entrance

The Groveland-Big Oak Flat project, currently in the environmental study stage, also includes an indoor water park, an IMAX theater, bowling alley, retail space and other attractions.

Big Oak Flat is about 25 miles west of the Park entrance, and the project’s developer Morgan Burkett says work on the $60 million project will begin in mid-2011 and possibly be completed by late 2012.

Burkett’s plan is not just to provide an alternative to Yosemite hotels, but also to try and attract conventions by offering a cheaper alternative to conference hotels in Monterey, San Francisco, Napa and Lake Tahoe.

Meanwhile, inside Yosemite, the parks superintendent is seeking input on what’s to be done with the 233 historic cabins in Curry Village that were abandoned after a rock-slide rained down on students staying in the cabins in Oct 2008.

The family campground beneath Glacier Point has been fenced off since then, and the park is planning to dismantle whatever needs to be saved and move it to a location near the Wawona Hotel on the park’s south end.

Park officials are asking the public for suggestions and doing an environmental assessment. A public open house on this subject will take place on March 31, 2010 from 1 pm to 4 pm in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium. Park admission fees will be waived for those attending the open house.

 If you want to send in your comments online, you can do so here. Last date for sending in your suggestions is April 7.

Photo by Alaskan Dude

My brother-in-law and his wife are expecting their first child at the end of May. It’s the first grandchild on both sides, so the whole family is pretty “over the moon” about it.

The happy couple have been talking about a different kind of moon — a babymoon, which is an often romantic trip that expectant parents take near the due date (although not too near!) You could call it a last hurrah before the baby arrives and distracts them from everything else, including each other, for the next 18 years.

Of course they asked me for hotel recommendations, and of course I had some! Here are my top 5 ideas for a fabulous Northern California (no flying so close to the due date) pre-baby weekend getaway, moving from South to North: Read More »

Walking distance from the fashion district is The Standard Hotel

Leonardo is part-owner of The Standard

The Standard Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles
550 South Flower at Sixth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone (213) 892-8080

CELEBS SPOTTED: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Benicio del Toro

Smack dab in the middle of downtown Los Angeles – a stone’s throw from the fashion and jewelry districts – is The Standard Hotel. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is close by, as is the Museum of Contemporary Art and Dodgers Stadium.

Celebs galore hang at The Standard. Leonardo Dicaprio loves the Rooftop Bar, complete with incredible views of L.A., heated pool, outdoor fireplaces, the bar and restaurant.

You think this is cool? Wait till you see it at night.

Cameron Diaz enjoys the 24/7 Restaurant, literally open 24/7, with it’s cheery yellow decor and outside patio area. The Standard sets a…well, standard for casual chic.

The 24/7 is all bright and cheery-like

There's Something About Cameron

Yes, Leonardo and Cameron are part of the investors in the hotel, but they have reason to love the place, anyway. It’s cool, baby, cool. The indoor lobby area has pool tables, the outdoor lobby has a flaming fountain (yes! Flames and fountains together!) – there’s even a photo booth. And my favorite thing in any hotel, of course: free wifi throughout. That’s class.

Platform beds and great lighting

The Medium room, at 300 square feet, comes with queen-sized platform bed and glass-enclosed shower. A great desk, along with iPod stereos, too. It starts at $245/night. A few notches up, you have the Gigantic room, which measures in at 480 square feet. Sports  a king-sized bed, five great windows (corner rooms), double closets, and a bathtub, along with the other amenities. The Gigantic runs $350/night and up.

Some rooms have separate living rooms

But let’s look at how Benicio del Toro likes his room. The Bigger Penthouse (yes, that’s what it’s called) is the cream of the crop. Starting at $1,300/night, it’s 1,000 square feet, and has a separate living room (with dining table). Huge shower, bathtub, TWO toilets, and a big vanity area. Plus, amazing views of the arts and financial districts.

The outside dining area is divine

Add in a gym, 24-hour room service, and live music every Tuesday in the lobby…the stars love The Standard, and you will, too. You know, if you’ve got the scratch.

Nearby Restaurants: Restaurant at Standard, Chaya Downtown, Water Grill, Cafe Pinot

Photo Attribution:

Exterior Hotel Shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/experiencela/ / CC BY 2.0

Rooftop Shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/akhir/ / CC BY 2.0

Celebrity photos: Celebutopia

All other hotel shots from The Standard web site.

The iconic crescent shaped Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles has been saved from the wrecking ball, after a deal was struck between the hotel owner Next Century Associates and the Los Angeles Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who have been fighting to keep the building from being torn down.

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles

In June 2008, real estate investor Michael Rosenfeld’s Next Century Associates bought the Century Plaza Hotel for $366.5 million from Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

The 19 story hotel with 726 rooms Century Plaza was designed in 1966 by Minoru Yamasaki, whose design portfolio includes the World Trade Center’s twin towers.

Historic events such as Ronald Reagan’s victory party and the welcome home party for the Apollo 11 astronauts have been hosted by the Century Plaza.

Next Century Associates bought the property with the intention of tearing down the entire structure and building a $2 billion complex instead, with two 50-story towers offering retail space for shops, restaurants, condos and a new hotel.

The Los Angeles Conservancy has been fighting the plan from the very beginning. The battle picked up speed when actress Diane Keaton, a trustee for the National Trust, became the public face of the campaign to save the Century Plaza building. In April 2009, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the Century Plaza Hotel to its 2009 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Under the new agreement, the hotel will not be torn down and the LA Conservancy will not oppose new construction on the grounds surrounding the hotel. New Century Associates will redo the interior to reduce the number of rooms to 400, along with 45 condos.

Photo credit – Lizy Moromisato (courtesy NTHP)

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza - 2025 Ave of the Stars Los Angeles CA 90067;  (310) 277- 2000; More info…

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America’s Most Endangered Hotels
Los Angeles Century City Luxury Hotel