Succulents and More™

When I was researching places to stay for my December 2016 Arizona trip , I was trying to find a sensible balance between comfort and price. I didn't want to stay in a fleabag motel just to save a buck (been there, done that, even had fun doing it back in the day), but I didn't want to overspend either. Fortunately, Arizona is still a bargain compared to California, and finding a reasonably priced but nice hotel is not difficult in Phoenix and Tucson. For my December 2015 trip  I'd found a great  Groupon deal for the Lodge on the Desert in Tucson. I loved my room—far more spacious and luxurious than what I'm used to—but what I loved even more were the beautifully landscaped grounds. Last year  many of the cactus at the Lodge on the Desert were adorned with Styrofoam cups to protect their growing tips from the cold. While this looked comical, it did impair the overall appearance. Eager to find out what the landscaping looks like without Styrofoam cups, I dec...

I’ve stayed in a lot of motels and hotels over the years. If somebody else picks up the tab, I don’t say no to $$$ places, but in general I opt for a reasonable balance between comfort and price. Typically I know what to do expect and am rarely surprised. But today I was. We’re en route to San Diego and are spending our first night in the Santa Barbara area. Last time we were in Santa Barbara, in April 2013, we stayed at the Ramada Limited, which had a beautiful garden . This year rates at the Ramada Limited were more than I was willing to pay, so I picked the Best Western Carpinteria Inn in the town of Carpinteria, about 15 minutes south of Santa Barbara. Typically, Best Westerns are mid-priced, mid-level motels: clean, comfortable, but rarely exciting. That’s what we were expecting from the Capinteria Inn. Imagine our surprise when we found a lush oasis! Even the architecture is far beyond what you find at most Best Westerns. Plants make all the difference, don’t they? I think an...

When we booked our hotel accommodations in Santa Barbara, we mostly went by price and reviews on sites like Travel Advisor. We ended up choosing the Ramada Limited because they had suites a very decent price, especially for Santa Barbara. We really needed the extra space because in addition to the four of us my mother was traveling with us. Our expectation were far exceeded. While the hotel has been around for a while, the rooms are large (ours even had two balconies!) and everything was ultra clean. However, what really blew me away was the landscaping. There are two lagoons surrounded by plantings so lush, you might think you’re in Hawaii. Lagoon at Ramada Limited in Santa Barbara