HotelChatter - Solvang

Inside The Wine Valley Inn in Solvang

juliana — 2010-10-05T16:55:30-05:00

<![CDATA[<object id="flashObj" width="486" height="412" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="@videoPlayer=626113300001&playerID=4862856001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAAAE7CVnI%2E,RUihgoZlRJi9tuTl58qaAut8tr6OMl2M&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="@videoPlayer=626113300001&playerID=4862856001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAAAE7CVnI%2E,RUihgoZlRJi9tuTl58qaAut8tr6OMl2M&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> The other weekend we made a trip up from Los Angeles to Solvang, Calif, a town most-known for its cameo in the movie <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/2/2/05657/82644/hotels/Now_You_Can_Pretend_You_re_The_Dudes_From_Sideways">"Sideways"</a> and for its Danish settlement. For those with a Danish fetish, there is no better place to be--except Denmark of course. We were lucky enough to visit Solvang during their Danish Days festival weekend which closed down the streets to celebrate the traditional ways of the Danish. This included <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bleskiver">aebleskiver</a>-eating contests,

There's Plenty of Room to Pop the Cork Inside Hotel Corque

EricRosen — 2010-04-19T13:17:49-05:00

<![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/18481/Corque.JPG" class="top"> Sorry, we couldn't resist a punny headline! The other week we told you about the sumptuous meal we scarfed, er, politely nibbled, at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/4/6/124926/0287/hotels/Digging_Root_246_Bradley_Ogden_s_Resto_At_Solvang_s_Hotel_Corque">Root 246</a>, Bradley Ogdens new restaurant at the Hotel Corque in <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Solvang%20Hotels">Solvang</a>. Today, well show you a quick walk-through video and some snapshots we took of our spacious room at the hotel.The Corque used to be the Scandinavian Inn, but after it was purchased in 2007 by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians (who also own the nearby <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Chumash+Casino+Resort/local/632">Chumash Casino Resort</a>), the Chumash initiated a complete renovation overseen by the architectural firm of David Bury. The hotel was then reopened in the spring of 2009. You know how we

Digging Root 246: Bradley Ogden's Resto At Solvang's Hotel Corque

EricRosen — 2010-04-07T13:57:21-05:00

<![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/18481/R246_Door.JPG" class="top"> Bradley Ogdens family of restaurants includes the storied Lark Creek Inn in Marin, and Bradley Ogden at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Caesars+Palace+Las+Vegas/local/107">Caesars Palace</a> in Las Vegas. Last year, he opened Root 246 at the new <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hotel+Corque/local/1709">Hotel Corque</a> in Solvang, the Danish-themed town in Santa Barbaras wine country, where Ogden now spends much of his time. During a recent overnight stay at the Corque, we got the chance to sample Ogdens menu, which reads like a love letter to California produce. Standing out from the other dining options in town (Danish pancake breakfast, anyone?), Root 246 is comprised of several distinct spaces. Guests can have a drink or nosh on small plates in the expansive, casual front patio

Saddle Up at The Alisal Guest Ranch

EricRosen — 2010-04-01T10:30:15-05:00

<![CDATA[<embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1321361467" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=75355751001&playerId=1321361467&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>Welcome to our regular feature, Pitch Your Hotel, where we let hoteliers, general managers and other hotel execs tell us on-camera what makes their hotels so different from all the rest. And believe us, the competition is fierce these days. So sit back, relax and listen to them explain why their hotels are worthy of your hard-earned dollars or rewards points. We love the idea of vacationing at a dude ranch, riding the horses, rustling cattle, singing around a campfirewere not really about the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Glamping">roughing it</a>, though, which is why we were glad of the luxury amenities provided at <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Alisal+Guest+Ranch+And+Resort/ian/134050">Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort</a>. Those include

Alisal Ranch Goes Outback With Curtis Stone

EricRosen — 2009-06-12T15:04:56-05:00

The tony Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang’s wine country has promoted a few interesting theme weekends before, like the "Cowboy Ethics Bootcamp" coming up this fall, but they are going all out for September’s "Outback at Alisal Weekend," and bringing in chef, cookbook author, kitchen line creator and TV celebrity, Curtis Stone, to treat guests to some Australian specialties.

Co-sponsored by the Ranch and the South Australian Tourism Commission, the Outback Weekend will run from September 17-20, and is a “cowboy adventure bringing the Australian Outback to the California Central Coast.”