Friday, March 22, 2019

 Southern California enjoys one of the world's most scenic coastlines.  Nestled along this coast are beach communities and cities, some devoted to serving visitors with classic beach pursuits, while others using the seashore as the backdrop for a stable urban community  Two in this grouping are La Jolla and Del Mar.
 The fame of La Jolla extends far past the borders of California, and indeed of the USA.  Its charm and ambiance have remained  through the decades and its location by the nearby fantastic seascape still gives the visitor the feeling that all is well in the world. 
 Downtown La Jolla invites one to a pleasant stroll while leaving your car idle.
On our recent visit we found the perfect place to act as our base.  It is the Empress Hotel situated in the heart of La Jolla  within a few blocks of the seashore so popular with locals and visitors alike.
From the moment we checked into the hotel we knew that this would be a special experience.  Immediately there was someone to remove our luggage from the car and then  whisk the car  away for safe parking.  At the desk was front office supervisor Seamus Jordan who took charge of the luggage while we went to the top floor where our two room suite was located.  One room was a parlor with a large table complete with a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon.  Also a full sofa, two lounge chairs, one wall with large picture windows where a very blue ocean awaited.  Also a desk for my computer as well as a large TV screen.
The other room equally as large included more picture windows, a king size bed, an inviting sauna bath,  his and hers wash basins and  a step in full shower
After settling in we decided we wanted to know more about this mid size boutique hotel so we sought out General Manager Joel Majors and he suggested we meet the following morning in their picturesque dining and relaxing lounge room.  This we did and also met Trisha Sammons, director of sales.
Empress Hotel is one of twelve owned and managed by Greystone Hotels based in San Francisco. The boutique hotels and inns  are all located in California and Oregon and focused on providing an exceptional guest experience for business and leisure travelers.  Each of the properties offers a unique decor and program that matches its location.
In our chat both Joel and Trisha emphasized that the goal is always customer service and satisfaction.  The Empress Hotel has 75 rooms and suites and offers a complimentary Continental Breakfast  which we thought was exceptional as well.  
Adjacent to the Empress Hotel is the Manhattan Restaurant which is separate in ownership and management.  It shows a complete Italian cuisine and serves dinner seven days a week starting at 4:30 p.m.  Evenings there is a piano bar for entertainment.  Hosts are Brian and Nancy O’Donald.
Empress Hotel is located at 7766 Fay Avenue,  La Jolla, Ca. 92037, Tele.858 454-3001, web www.empress-hotel.com.

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