President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have escaped from Washington DC and are in Asheville, NC for a romantic weekend getaway at the Grove Park Inn. The Obama girls – Sasha and Malia, have been left behind at home in the White House.

Grove Park Inn & Obamas

The Grove Park Inn has a short statement up on its website that says from April 23-25, security will be heightened at the hotel and everyone entering will be searched.

They have plenty of experience hosting President Obama as well as other former Presidents. Presidential candidate Barack Obama stayed there in Oct 2008.

Before Obama, nine other US Presidents have previously stayed at Grove Park Inn.

In fact, they’re offering a whole bunch of Presidential packages, including the 10 Presidents package, the FDR Historically Low Rates package, and the Presidential Classic R&R package.

As for romantic weekends, there’s a package called The Perfect Weekend Getaway. Includes 2 nights in a Mountain View room, 1 dinner for two at either the Friday Night Seafood Buffet or Saturday Night Prime Rib Buffet in the Blue Ridge Dining Room, and a brunch for two at the resort’s Sunday Brunch.

A couples massage at the resort spa is included in the weekend package. Prices at the Grove Park Inn range from $195 to $1,250 per night, but the Obamas likely have a very different arrangement and a customized schedule, which they’re not about to make public.

What we do know is that the President had expressed regret at not getting to play golf when he was there in 2008, so he will tee off at the resort’s 18-hole golf course. The First Couple will also be checking out the local attractions in Asheville, since the President claims that “Asheville is a spectacular place to visit.”

Obama photo – public domain (source); Grove Park Inn photo - mulmatsherm

Info: 290 Macon Ave Asheville NC 28804; (800) 438-5800; www.groveparkinn.com/  

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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 »

Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

You’ve come to the right place on the web, but are you sure you’ve got the right Venice? In addition to the original Venezia in Italy, there’s at least five other  places named Venice in the United States.

Let’s keep this as simple as can be, so here’s a listing of the most romantic hotels in Venice – all six of them.

Hotel Antico Doge, Venice, Italy – Facing Campo SS.Apostoli, reflected in the waters of a romantic canal, Hotel Antico Doge offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in layers of silk, brocades, damasks and gilt mirrors that bring to life the golden age of Serenissima.

Inn at the Beach, Venice, Florida – In their own words, the Inn at the Beach is “Close to Everything, Away from it all…” This 49 room beachside retreat offers a relaxed, tropical lifestyle, with continental breakfast served in the lobby and a chance to step out of the lobby and onto the beach, where you can enjoy the sunsets and collect sharks teeth.

Venice Beach House, Venice, CA

The Venice Beach House, Venice, Los Angeles, CA – 99 years old and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Venice Beach House is spacious, charming and elegant, and manages to balance privacy with beach-front access and proximity to famed tourist attractions like the Santa Monica Pier.

Lighthouse Lodge, Venice, Louisiana – Completely rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, the family-owned Lighthouse Lodge offers 62 beautiful guest rooms, and a nice smalltown bayou buzz where the party kicks off with fishing tournaments and cook-offs, and plenty of historical sights to visit. 

Venice, Illinois – This Venice lies on the other side of the Mississippi from St. Louis. The best choice for a romantic hotel here is the Millenium Hotel St. Louis, a 10 min. drive across the 100 year old McKinley Bridge into Missouri.

Venice, New York – Small town located in Cayuga County, New York. The nearest and most romantic hotel is the Springside Inn in Auburn. The Springside Inn is a family owned business located on the North end of beautiful Owasco Lake. They even offer ‘weekend fling’ and ‘one night getaway’ packages.

Rialto photo by Zehawk; Venice Beach photo by Warren Wilson Beach House

The recently released Meryl Streep & Alec Baldwin starrer It’s Complicated devoted plenty of footage to the oceanfront Pacific beauty and the red tile roofs of Santa Barbara. 

It's Complicated

To make the most of it while ‘it’ is still complicating viewers, the Santa Barbara Visitors Bureau has a list of hotel packages to give you a taste of Jane’s (Meryl Streep) enviable Santa Barbara lifestyle, and underscore the point that Santa Barbara hotels offer a great refuge for romantic getaways.

Bath Street Inn: Package name - “It’s Complicated Made Simple at the Bath Street Inn.” A glass of good wine and chocolate amid natural beauty can untangle most complications.

In addition to the bubbly and hand-crafted croissants, they’re also offering free tips for experiencing Santa Barbara like a local. Mention the It’s Complicated Special while booking.

Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort: Package name – “It’s Complicated – Room with Benefits.” Includes luxe accommodations in spacious guestrooms and a delicious breakfast buffet for 2 each morning in Café Los Arcos. Use promo code ITS.

Hotel Corque: Package name – “When It’s Complicated…ESCAPE to wine country!!” Includes one night stay, $120 food credit for Root 246, a restaurant by Bradley Ogden, and $50 free play at the Chumash Casino. Sign up for the special offers, or call 800.624.5572.

The Uphan Hotel & Country House, Santa Barbara

The Upham Hotel: Package name – “It’s Complicated, Unwind at the Upham.” A plate of fresh baked cookies along with a bottle of local wine welcome you. Enjoy the sights and wine country trails in Santa Barbara, and come back to a wine and cheese reception. Here’s a list of their specials.

There’s plenty more It’s Complicated specials, including by Hotel Oceana, Hotel Santa Barbara, Inn of the Spanish Garden, Old Yacht Club Inn, and Secret Garden Inn & Cottages. More details from the Santa Barbara CVB.

In case you’re wondering about any hotels featured in the film, you’ll have to go all the way over to the East Coast. The lobby and Jane’s room at the fictional Park Regent Hotel in New York shown in the film were actually filmed in Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park South.

Photo courtesy The Upham Hotel