National Media Highlights
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TRAVEL INTEL HOTELS
Where You Should Stay in 2015 – Best New Hotels of the Past Year Written by David Jefferys Debbie Strong January 01, 2015
BEGIN SLIDESHOW Of the hundreds and hundreds of new hotel openings around the world in 2014, we've chosen our 101 most interesting––from the truly grand Peninsula in Paris to the understatedly chic Abode in Mumbai. 92/ 111
The Goodland, Santa Barbara, CA What? This 158-room hotel has a purposefully laid-back vibe, with rooms decorated kitted out with warm woods, desertinspired décor, and surfer-cool touches. With two on-site restaurants (including Outpost, which focuses on Californiastyle cuisine) and a spa offering a variety of relaxing treatments, you’ll barely need to leave the property. Get me there now! The hotel is seven minutes from Santa Barbara Airport, or a two-hour drive from Los Angeles International Airport. Courtesy Kimpton Hotels
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World's Most Unique Concierge Services Posted: 03/25/2015 4:09 pm EDT
RECORD CONCIERGE AT THE GOODLAND
Photo Credit: Silas Fallstich Photography Where: Santa Barbara, California Adding to the California ease, vibe, and retro surf culture of The Goodland are the vintage Crosley vinyl players in each of its SoCal-styled rooms. Lea Sindija, the in-house record concierge, has an impressive collection of rare records in the library. On request, she’ll create personalized playlists for your stay. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor’s Santa Barbara and the Central Coast Travel Guide!
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Top 15 Hotel Welcome Drinks from Around the Country
Some say it takes a week to transition into vacation mode. That time lessens to, say, four or five minutes when you’re handed a welcome drink at the check-in desk. Caribbean resorts have been serving rum punch in the lobby for decades, but more hotels are following suit, pouring signature cocktails, bubbly or beer as a welcome amenity. It signals to guests that vacation is here—and it’s going to be a good one. —Gina Hamadey
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! The Goodland, Goleta, CA
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The Welcome Drink: Coronitas This cool Kimpton hotel near the University of California at Santa Barbara is full of Mexican-inspired touches. At check-in there are Coronitas—7-ounce Coronas— as well as small bottles of Mexican Coca-Cola (which uses sugar rather than highfructose corn syrup). In the late afternoon, a social hour in the lobby offers generous pours of spiked agua frescas (past flavors include plum and lemon Thai basil). And every Tuesday evening, there’s a fiesta in “Rita,” the hotel’s Airstream, which is stocked with margaritas, sangria, chips and salsa.!