In my last blogpost I gave an overview of a journey through the American southwest that my husband and I took lately, our 9th (!) in the area. Whenever we travel, we try to do this in style. This means staying at luxury hotels and dining at fine dining (Michelin) restaurants. But only if they are worth the expense. This was not any different on our recent trip, at least in the terms of intentions. Unfortunately, we encountered some difficulties, be it price wise or due to lack of suitable establishments. Finally, I managed to make an itinerary that met our requirements more or less. The aim of this post is to provide some details to the individual stops of our American southwest voyage in style.

Before doing so, here my Google Map of the trip, as a reminder.

My Google Map of our American southwest journey in style

You find on my Google Map not only all the hotels and restaurants of our trip through America’s “Wild West” but also cafés and ice-cream shops I was fond of. Furthermore, I listed all the activities we did on our American southwest voyage in style. All the things I mention come with short descriptions plus pictures.

In the following, I would like to give you some info about every place we visited. You will find out about its importance respectively its sights. Then there will be details about where we stayed and dined, plus where we went for quick bites and what we did.

From place to place in the American southwest, in style, whenever possible

After flying into Los Angeles, we proceeded to the nearby beach town of Hermosa Beach to start our American southwest trip in style. Next was one night in Las Vegas before traveling to Page in Arizona’s north. Then we went south in this American state, first to Sedona for a longer stay, afterwards to Scottsdale. From here we continued towards west in direction of the coast, precisely to San Diego. There was one more stop before reaching the Los Angeles International Airport again, and this in Dana Point/Laguna Beach in the Orange County.

1. Hermosa Beach (South Bay, south of Los Angeles)

General/sights

This is a laid-back beachfront town

not far from the Los Angeles International Airport LAX (13 minutes by car) and therefore ideal for a first stop after flying in. My husband and I already cycled along The Strand – a cement pedestrian path along the beach –

on an earlier stay. And we did the same thing again, only the vice versa. This is really a great thing to do, even if not being into biking (as I am)! Otherwise, Hermosa Beach is a pleasant place with a nice pier, a beautiful two-mile stretch of sand beach and gorgeous homes lining the Strand.

Staying & dining in style in Hermosa Beach

In terms of staying in style, there are two options. The (more expensive) one is directly on the beach, Beach House,

the other (opened in October 2021) one, H²O Hermosa,

is a few steps from the beach. My husband and I went for the latter – as we cared for having twin beds – and were satisfied with what we encountered (a breakfast bag was included).

As to dining in style, we had two great meals here. On the one hand, we had lunch at the newly opened Restaurant Ryla

(3 minutes by foot from our hotel), a modern Izakaya style eatery (casual Japanese), and experienced not only superb food but also good hospitality. On the other hand, we dined at Baran’s 2239

(Michelin Bib Gourmand), a lovely little bistro on the Pacific Coast Highway (21 minutes by foot from our hotel), and enjoyed well made contemporary Californian food in a welcoming setting.

2. Las Vegas

General/sights

On our way to the east, we made a “stopover” in Las Vegas.

We had opted for a one-night stay at this resort city in the Mojave Desert not primarily for its sights but for its excellent hospitality offerings. Notwithstanding that, we did not miss the chance to visit three attractions in its surroundings. We went to Seven Magic Mountains,

an art installation by a Swiss artist, the Red Rock Canyon State Park,

colorful rock formations, and the Valley of Fire State Park with similar sights.

Staying & dining in style in Las Vegas

There is truly no shortage of choices for staying and dining in style in the “Sin City”. If you arrive on Monday, all the better. At that day, room rates are often lower than at other times. My husband and I made use of a great offer at Encore Tower Suites

where we got hold of a fantastic, updated hotel room at a reasonable price.

As to dining, we had a memorable Imperial Peking Duck Tasting Menu at the in-house Chinese Restaurant Wing Lei.

It was definitely one of our trip’s culinary highlights. And the dining room (or better hall) is quite impressive too, although it is a bit loud in here. An interesting detail with Wing Lei is that it was the first Chinese restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star (however Michelin does not rate Las Vegas restaurants anymore). Then it is also one of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star winners .

3. Page (north Arizona)

General/sights

After splurging in Las Vegas, we were up to a more frugal experience in Page

– as you find here midscale hotels at best. But first to its sights. This small town at the northernmost edge of the Arizona desert has much to offer in terms of nature wonders. While I long thought this was about the Horseshoe Bend

only, a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River, I was taught otherwise. Apparently, it gained infamous recognition for another site too, the Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon made of sandstone with famously undulating walls. Both have turned into social media darlings in recent years and draw lots of visitors.

After reading not so favorable reviews about Antelope Canyon (overcrowded), I decided to go to the Waterhole Canyon

instead. It was a good experience, although our guide was somewhat grumpy. And imagine, my husband and I had the canyon to ourselves, and this despite being on a guided group tour (the only possibility to visit this and the Antelope Canyon). Of course, we also had a look at the Horseshoe Bend, which is a short thing (you need one hour maximum for it, and you can go on your own).

Staying & dining in Page (not so much in style)

In spite of all this hype, Page has retained its small town character. It remained an unassuming place, however with lots of new chain hotels that all look alike. We had opted for the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

because of its solid reviews and relatively newness (opened in April 2018). And it was okay but nothing more (spacious room but tiny bathroom, breakfast buffet included – but we skipped it). In case you are a big spender, why not pay around 4,000$ a day for a room at Amangiri, an ultra-luxurious hotel about 23 minutes by car from Page? It is up to you, I personally think that is absurdly overpriced. No hotel room in the world is worth that sum, or am I wrong here?

With regard to dining, we checked out all the restaurants in Page but could only warm to one, Sunset 89.

It is a simple eatery on the edge of the canyon off Highway 89. On offer here is nicely made Island Pacific Rim cuisine in a casual setting. You cannot make reservations here, just show up and take on the wait. But the views of Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam behind the building make it more pleasant. Staff is friendly yet a bit on the stressed side. If you look for a breakfast place in Page, LP Espresso

is a pleasant spot for grabbing hot drinks and quick bites.

4. Sedona (central Arizona)

General/sights

When my family traveled the American southwest back in 2012, we had a short stay in Sedona after visiting the Grand Canyon. I absolutely fell in love with Red Rock Country,

as it was also called. And I wanted to return. But I think we have waited too long. In the meantime, it became a “world class destination with 4 million visitors per year” (visitsedona.com). Anyway, it is known for its colorful, surreal red rock formations that are ideal for hiking and biking. Furthermore, it seems to be a great hotspot for psychic energy. In addition, it has also become an art community.

My husband and I came primarily here for hiking. And it is really great for that with more than 200 trails and over 400 miles in the area (visitsedona.com). However, go better in spring or fall if you wish to do so. We were here in early summer – when it is a bit too hot for exercising outdoors – , but at least the trails were not so crowded at that time.

Staying & dining in style in Sedona

Sedona turned out being a hard patch as to staying in style. We already knew the “star establishment”

in town from our earlier stay but did not want to return (see my hotel review). The other one “in this league” is far away from the town center and does not really get great reviews. So, we settled for one that was a bit more “low key”, the newly opened (October 2021) The Wilde Resort & Spa

(the former Sedona Rouge Resort & Spa). While we liked our spacious room (Grove Signature) with a generous bathroom and the beautifully landscaped garden, we found the ambiance a bit “staid” (staff at reception and restaurant).

When it comes to dining in style in Sedona, you have quite a choice. You have to know that there is no Michelin Guide for Arizona (in contrast to California), so I had to depend on recommendations from Eater Travel (eater.com). We experienced a good mix of more casual dining-spots (Elote Café,

modern Mexican cuisine [Book well in advance!]; The Hudson,

modern American cuisine) and more formal ones (Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano,

Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill).

In terms of food, setting and views, I liked Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill best (but it has its price). As to coolness and views, I was fond of The Hudson.

As we had a longer stay in Sedona, I have also suggestions for cafés and ice-cream shops. If you are into healthy food, Local Juicery

is a must. In case you have a sweet tooth, then do not miss Layla’s Bakery.

And if you love ice-cream, I adored the one at PussyCat Gelato.

5. Scottsdale/Phoenix

General/sights

Before returning to the Californian Coast my husband and I wanted to one more stop in Arizona. After long wavering between Tucson and Scottsdale, we chose the latter, particularly due to its better offerings for staying and dining in style.

We have been here already, end of the 80s, and we knew that we were in for the hottest time of the year. So, we wanted to take it slow here. That meant one activity rather early in the day – Taliesin West,

Frank Lloyd’s winter home -, then spending the afternoon around the pool in the shade. A short look around Scottsdale’s old town

was on our agenda before dinner. A great thing to do here is also the Desert Botanical Garden, what we did on our previous stay.

Staying & dining in style in Scottsdale

For our two-day stay in Scottsdale, we had decided on a four-star property, Mountain Shadows.

This because we could not entirely warm to any of the fancier hotels in town – which are plentiful. We liked the cool and relaxed vibe of this newly rebuilt accommodation (in 2017). Above all, the spacious pool area was a great spot to hang out and to have a drink.

When it comes to dining in style, we had the most fabulous dinner of our USA southwest trip here in Scottsdale. And this was at ShinBay

in the old town. The chef, Shinji Kurita, together with his sous-chef Suzuki, offered a true epicurean experience. We were simply blown away by his creations, which were traditional Japanese yet with a twist. While it certainly was no bargain (225$ per person without beverages), it was one of the best Japanese meals we ever had, and we have had our share on our three-week Japan journey!

In addition, we had dinner at our hotel, at Hearth ’61,

which showed a sound performance. And there is also a branch of PussyCat Gelato

in old town Scottsdale, the ice-cream shop that I had discovered in Sedona.

6. San Diego

General/sights

As I have already written a post about this city in the past, there will be no more info about it. One exception: my husband and I were aghast to be confronted with San Diego’s homeless problem in downtown, where we resided (see below). I will not go into details (if you should be interested, google it; there is much to find about it). But if the city does not find a solution for this problem, the tourist industry will suffer.

In terms of activities, we walked to Little Italy

(from the Gaslamp Quarter), which has a vibrant restaurant and bar scene and back along San Diego’s bayfront. En route we made a stop at the USS Midway Museum,

the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century, which was an interesting thing to do. The same is true as to our short trip to Cabrillo National Monument.

Staying & dining in style in San Diego

As mentioned, we stayed this time in downtown San Diego in the heart of the historic Gaslamp Quarter. While this area has its charm, it unfortunately is affected by a big homeless problem (see above). We stayed at the luxurious Pendry San Diego

and liked our stay here (nice enough room, friendly and helpful staff, good breakfast). It is a fairly new hotel (opened in 2017) that masterfully blends modernity with tradition. Rooms are all the same size (suites are different) but vary as to view and floor. Go for one on a higher floor (street noise). What irritated me a bit on the room, was the disproportioned wet area (tiny sink – oversized shower). But otherwise, it was fine!

As to dining, we went to two Michelin listed restaurants. My favorite was Callie,

a cool, laid-back eatery with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. My recommendation is to order the tasting menu (70$) plus wine pairing (40$), which allows you to sample a bit from everything. We also dined at Animae,

which did not meet all our (high) expectations. Whereas it convinced with its looks and its food quality, the ambiance was not sophisticated and the service spotty.

If you are an ice-cream lover, here is a great place to go: Gelato Love

(RoVino The Foodery in East Village). You get here delicious, lower-calorie ice-cream. We were so fond of it that we even visited their home base in Carlsbad (Village Faire Shopping Center) on our way north!

7. Dana Point/Laguna Beach (Orange County, south of Los Angeles)

General/sights

We have been to Dana Point respective Laguna Beach

many times in the past, but we have never experienced it that crowded. More than once we got stuck in the traffic, something that has never happened to us here before. It seems that this lovely seaside town, located south of Los Angeles, has found lots of other fans! And this does not come as a surprise, in view of its beautiful coast with sandy beaches, tide pools, ocean bluffs and sea caves. For more information on Laguna Beach and the Greater Los Angeles area, check out my earlier post.

On our recent stay, my husband and I spent our time here walking/hiking Dana Point

(info about parks and trails). This was not only rewarding but allowed us to get away from the crowds in many cases too!

Staying & dining in style in Dana Point/Laguna Beach

I already let you know in my previous post that we decided against staying at a resort in Dana Point

where we had been twice in the past. And this because we considered its pricing as excessive. So, we had to find an alternative, which turned out to be no easy thing. Finally, without being totally convinced, we chose the signature room, the Luxury Tower Guestroom,

at Blue Lantern Inn

in Dana Point. While the room was great – with exception of the bed, which was way too bouncy for us – , we felt like being in the wrong place. Do not get me wrong, the hotel’s setting – overlooking the Pacific –  is stunning. Also the breakfast was surprisingly good, in view of not being served. But overall, the hotel was too “midscale” for us.

With regard of dining-spots, we went to a long time favorite of us, 230 Forest Avenue

in Laguna Beach. This casual, vibrant eatery still knows to persuade with well-made Californian cuisine with a twist, and this after having been continuously operated since 1995!

Furthermore, we dined at two Michelin listed restaurants which were new to us. On the one hand, we had an excellent meal at Marché Moderne

in Newport Beach, a contemporary French venue in a mall. Not only was the food divine, but it is also an elegant, tastefully furnished place. On the other hand, we had a fine dinner at an Italian restaurant, Oliver’s Osteria.

While we liked the authentic cuisine and the pleasant service, it was a bit hectic on our visit (there was a big tent in front of the eatery where they also hosted guests – as all the other nearby spots).

And once again, a recommendation for tasty ice-cream! And this is a shop where we have been several times already, Gelato Paradiso.

It was founded back in 1999!

Date of stay: July 2022

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