This post brought to you by Marriott Resorts. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Baby to Boomer Lifestyle. #CelebrateSummer
The news has been reporting that airlines ticket prices are dropping, so when I got an email telling me about one of my favorite carrier’s 8-hour sale, I got a little giddy. We’re taking a family trip to Hawaii in October, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t stop everything I was doing to check them out. Prices were as low as $69 one-way from Seattle to destinations like New York City and Florida, but they were higher to San Diego. Crazy, huh.
The Perfect Summer Vacation – Rediscovering Old Locations with Fresh Eyes
Still, with an itch to travel and the 20+ year promise to return to San Diego, I wanted to see if maybe now is the time since it was possible to do it for less. The excitement carried over into planning what’d we do there. The last time we visited we had very young children, so we saw San Diego from their eyes. Plenty of animal parks and learning opportunities. But now we’re traveling as a couple, and we’re more interested in luxury travel, the kind where you’re more relaxed when you leave than when you got there. I’m not interested in the trips where we’re up at dawn and gone all day anymore. I’d much rather enjoy the hotel I’m staying at and all of the amenities it offers. I can’t tell you how many amazing hotels I’ve stayed at that I never got to explore.
I’m no longer in the “we’re only going to sleep there” crowd who don’t care about the room aesthetics or comfort. I like a place that says “welcome” and makes me feel at home and staff that treats me like a valued guest. I want to be able to say at the end of my time that I got to experience everything the hotel has to offer.
Does that sound boring? No way! You may be surprised to find out that there are US Marriott resorts (Marriott.com) across the continental US and Hawaii. Each offers local touches – they’re not generic, cookie-cutter locations – and they have a personality that matches their locale. All of their resorts have pools, spas, dining, and signature cocktails. Some even have lazy rivers, water slides, dive-in movies, PGA-level golf courses, and more. And many of them are withing a 1-3 hour driving distance for most people – how’s that for a perfect summer vacation!
The Perfect Summer Vacation – Discover Wildlife and Fauna, Swim, and Explore
The Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa in San Diego, CA, offers relaxation with amazing views of the bay, the City of San Diego, or the Bay Bridge. The three resort pools have spectacular views of the water, and they’re surrounded by towering palm trees. There are villas with kitchens that look out onto the resort lagoon with a water feature I could enjoy from the private patio and executive suites that offer comfort and a working space. Even the standard king and queen rooms have views of the bay or of the hotel with the lush greenery, flowers, and water features.
The Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa has a dock for strolling, an outdoor fire pit with comfy chairs, and a hammock for two. I’d take the boardwalk through the tropical plantings and out onto the edge of the water to watch the boats, birds, and people. There are flamingos about, Surrey Bikes to rent, a lap pool, and so much outdoor space to walk, reflect, read a book, throw a ball, and more.
The Perfect Summer Vacation – Let’s Eat!
When I get hungry, I can dine at the Current Restaurant with its sophisticated design and color palette and California cuisine and spectacular views of the San Diego skyline. The outdoor dining tables, each with a firepit in the center, is a fabulous place to share a meal with friends! The Tides will tide you over (see what I did there) with Starbucks coffee by day and cocktails, snacks, and light appetizers at night. Room service offers fantastic menu choices including champagne and tuxedo chocolates and dining on the balcony or patio overlooking the water would be terribly romantic! In the morning, I can start my day off at Current’s Buffet Breakfast served in a bright and cheerful dining room.
The Perfect Summer Vacation – Spa Treatments and Fitness
But most of my time would be spent at the Spa Coronado. There I’ll choose from treatments including a manicure and pedicure, massage, facial, wraps and scrubs, and even waxing. They use natural ingredients in many of their treatments and all done in their eight treatment rooms. They also have dry saunas, a relaxation lounge, a fitness center with the latest in cardio and weight training equipment. They even offer fitness classes, and in-room fitness options like the Marriot’s Great Health – Fit for You program that they offer at no charge.
The Perfect Summer Vacation – Worry Less About the Budget
But how can I afford all of this luxury? Easy! By taking advantage of the Marriott Celebrate Summer Event through 9/7/15. All I have to do is book my stay before September 7th to reap the rewards. For every day of my stay, I’ll get up to $100 in resort credit that I can use to pay for my meals, spa treatments, or surrey rental. Pretty awesome, huh! That’s up to $700 for a week’s stay. I could have a massage and get my nails done along with drinks and dinner for two. But what I you’re not the spa vacation type? Check out one of the other 34 resorts participating and find the one for you. Make S’mores around the campfire at the JW in San Antonio, enjoy sushi at the Marco Island Marriott, golf at the Marco Island or Naples locations. Families are welcome at all Marriott Resort locations and the style is casual so you’ll be relaxed and comfy from the moment you arrive.
Did I book our trip to San Diego? Sadly not this time. There isn’t another time that my husband and I have the same days off until our trip in October. but now I know where we want to go, I just need my husband to schedule some time off so we can get there!
I completely understand wanting to go back to see a city with fresh eyes. It really gives you a whole different perspective on things and I feel at times, it’s made me appreciate a city even more.
All these pools look so amazing! I wish I had an in-ground pool to enjoy in the summer.
This looks like a beautiful place to go on a vacation. I would love to spend a day at the spa. The rooms look amazing.
Wow I’d say perfect vacation indeed. It looks wonderful. Would love to relax there!
What a great looking resort. Lots to do and the room looked amazing and comfortable.
Your room looks fantastic. I will have to keep this in mind when we visit my cousins in San Diego.
Things don’t always seem as great to me the second time around. I’d love to discover a new place for my eyes to see 🙂
Spa treatments and nice hotels? You’re speaking my language!
Sounds like great ideas for vacation. I like the idea of affordable!
Sounds great places to stay. The rooms and amenities are beautiful! I would not want to leave!
This looks like the perfect place to vacation with the family. I love the views and the delicious cuisine.
I love visiting this part of California! Having a getaway at a place like this would be amazing!
The resort looks beautifully relaxing. I would treat my family to this resort and visit my hometown California. I always wanted to visit San Diego so we’d stay at the Coronado Island Marriot Resort. I’m dreaming of the amazing scenery and room service, attractions. So exciting!
I love San Diego, CA! It is so beautiful in so many ways. I am sure this place would allow for so much relaxation.
You have totally sent me off into a day dream – oh to be jetting off soon somewhere nice. x
I like Marriot. We have never had a bad experience there.
I could really use a vacation right now!
I tend to stay in Marriott hotels when I travel for work. I was talking to my 3-year-old last night about an upcoming trip and he’s VERY excited to be staying in a hotel!
great photos and this places looks super amazing. wow. thanks for sharing.
Vacation sounds so amazing right now! All of those locations look great!
Marriott has such amazing hotels. They make traveling so much easier and relaxing as well.
It look so amazing here. I would love to spend a day at the Spa Coronado. A Villa would be so nice instead of a hotel room.
We had a wonderful family trip to San Diego earlier this year. I hope we can go back again soon. Great tips on the hotel.
I have had the most stressful year! This looks like an affordable and relaxing place to recharge my batteries.
That looks like an awesome place to stay! The fact that it’s affordable makes it that much better!
I would give ANY of these to myself! After the last year of craziness, I deserve it!
I love the idea of revisiting a vacation spot with fresh eyes. It’s amazing how experiences can be different depending on who you’re traveling with and what time of year you’re traveling.
I would give a resort vacation at Coronado Isle to my mom. She’s all about that tropical feel.
This place looks awesome! Next summer San Diego might be on the list of places to see! Thank you for the review it gives me a great idea of what the hotel is like! I would LOVE the room you got!
Whenever we go to San Diego, we stay on Coronado at the Naval Base. It’s a lovely place to stay!
This place looks really nice. I would love to go there!