Travel Channel

your thirteen and you know Rod Stewart? You are one cool thirteen year old. My nephew Corey just turned thirteen this year. I didn't buy him anything because I always like to wait until I go home. Then we spend the day together, have lunch and go to Toys R Us. He always choses something very expensive. When I tell him so he'll say-"but you're on TV, you're rich!" I guess compared to a teenager I am pretty wealthy.

I WILL BURY YOU!

I laughed out loud when I read your post. Actually, I'm surprised there hasn't been a "reaction" show to Great Hotels. Maybe it's just not mainstream enough. But I would definately watch a show that you just described provided the host was a hoot and the people she/he-oh I'm sorry, YOU stayed with were a riot. In a natural, uncontrived way. Well good luck to this idea of yours. I will begin Season three with the cool satisfaction that you seethe with jealousy.

What! my gosh you're right. I think we left it out because it had TOO MANY choices. The Ritz, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental...how could we decide?

You really know your stuff. I was so interested in your Napa picks. I've wanted to go there for years and there is so much to do and see there that it's nice to have personal recommendations. Yeah, French Laundry may be a pipe dream but I'll definately try.

In response to your question as to "how far Disneyland is from San Diego?" Well, Disneyland is in the heart of Orange County which is probably about an hour and a half from the City of San Deigo. I live about five minutes from Disneyland, and the last time I drove to San Diego it took me about an hour and 15 minutes, but that's because I drive pretty fast. As for Madrona Manor, please look into it. One of the other really charming aspects of that place I forgot to mention is that there are no TV's in the rooms and I thought this was so interesting because they said that they encourage you to read and to talk with others for your stay there. They do however give you all sorts of magazines and things. And they also have very fine live music. If you visit during the Christmas season they have it looks incredible. Plus, they have a top notch caroling group that sings every night during the Christmas season. This place truly brings you back to Victorian times, and would really be worth an episode. Totally try to push this one, it'll be worth it.
Sincerly,
Billy O'Neill

We haven't officially announced it but the people at the Travel Channel Love the idea. It was given by Xashleykristenx who told me that while on vacation with her family her Dad video taped her describe the room like I would. I thought it was hysterical. So next time you stay at hotel, motor inn, Lodge. Bring a video camera and we'll probable have a contest.

Thanks for your dislikes on Calistoga. Auberge is top on the list but we never know if they have rooms or even want us there so I'm crossing my fingers. You are going to have such a fabulous time at Hill Country Resort. I just loved it. Does your brother work there? Because I thought all the extra's were employees. Tell Kelly I said hello and am so sorry the purple cow gave her a tummy ache. I'm going to be doing this forum once a month. So I'll never be gone forever.

I'm so curious, what Great Hotel do you work for? We are going to do one more hotel in NYC this next season. It's because we are doing a one hour special on 5 star hotels. Now we've been to The Waldorf and Plaza but they are not a full five so we thought we couldn't possibly do a show on 5 star hotel without showing one from NYC.

Dear Samantha,
There was one more place in Wine COuntry I wanted to tell you about which I just thought. It's called the "SOnoma Mission Inn and Spa". Recently this very famous hotel was bought out by the Fairmont hotel chain, which due to my previous stay at a Fairmont in NEw Orleans, I'm not happy about this. HOwever, I went by the hotel last time I was up there and it looked basically the same. HOpefully they haven't changed too much. Downtown Sonoma is a really great place to visit for a day and is extremely charming and historical. There may even be somewhere else in SOnoma that you might like as well. I think that I'd be really nervous about recommending all these hotels to you incase you didn't like them, but I feel like you and I have very simalar tastes. If you come to Disneyland then let me know because I can tell you all the best things to do in Disneyland.
Thank you for reading,
Billy

Why were you bullied in 6th grade? I'm sorry to hear that

The hotel I would most like to visit just happens to be the first ever of your shows I saw - Enchantment, AZ.
I love the red rocks and spiritual vortex.
I also love nature & seclusion.
Could you please tell me what you thought of Enchantment?
Also, Boulders looked really nice and almost set up the same among the rocks.
Could you give me a comparison of the two and which you'd recommend more to me?
Do you recall the pools being heated? (I might want to go in the winter)
The red rocks seemed a deeper color at Enchantment; also there appeared to be some sort of goats/deer(?)
Thanks for your expert opinion!
Kathy

Hey *Sammy* (hehe.. heard you like to be called that). Just wondering if you checked out the hotel near Muir woods I suggested and if you have seen the Cancun pics as well as Muir wood pics. Its no big rush I have a question of something irrelevant to hotels though.. I remember you saying a while back you took voice lessons. I am beginning to grow an interest towards character voices in animated films such as Disney. Do you have any thing to say about your voice lessons? Thank you!
*Ashley*

Hey, Sam~
Thanks for responding (and sending the pic!)

Hmmm..Pac Man...I used to love that game! hee~ I wanted a name that had to do with traveling-going "amok"...my daughter came up with that one (from the movie "Hocus Pocus,") *sighs* Ah, youth!
I cracked up at your story about the worst place you've ever stayed; it sounds SOOO familiar! My husband and I were traveling to Clear Lake,CA. (to catch a concert & stay at the Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa)...well, halfway between Redding, Ca (were we live) and there, there's a town called Williams (which is a very nice place, quaint-with a great restaurant & an equally nice hotel), but my husband (who is very sweet, but needs to pay attention to his wife when it comes to places to stay), spotted some "cute bungalows" off the beaten path. True, they looked cute from the outside, but inside was a whole different scene: he had to fix the air-conditioner 'cause it was broken (and it was 100 degrees!), there were enough bugs to carry us away and, a couple doors down, there had to be some sort of drug operation going. We got a call at 3:00 a.m., some man shouting at us, asking us if we "thought it was funny, and who did we think we were messing with?!" We told him he had the wrong room (not that we were asleep or anything-in fact, we had the only chair in the closet-sized room shoved up against the door). Oh, yeah, and I decided to pass on the refreshing rusty-water mineral shower. We lasted until 5:00 a.m., then we'd had enough. The manager wouldn't give us a refund either. What a charming man! I won't tell you how I thanked him, as it was rather rude.
Hey, what do you think about this: A show called Worst Hotels: Places NOT To Stay?! Kind of warn the world. ~hehheh~
Ok...I've taken up enough of your time. I'll shut up now.
Oh! One more question, Sam: those open-toed sandal-type shoes you always wear? Where did you get those! They are so cute & look so comfy (comfort is a big importance in shoe-wear, to me).
Ok.
Leaving now.
For real.
Look forward to chatting with you again.
Ms Amok

Hi

dear samantha- i am sucha huge fan. i am 15 years old, and ever since i saw your show, my future has come into place. I absolutely love great hotels, and you just make it so much fun. Because of your show, i have started planning for my college major in communications. I want to be just like you. My future plans are: get my associates degree by the time i graduate high school, while working on my schools radio, to get some communications startings. This will all begin to happen my junior year, in one year i will attend community college. then after high school i am going to go on to washington state where i would like to major in communications. I really admire you and want to be just like you. I love your show. I hope some day i can work my way onto the travel channel. Anyway, my question is, what can i do to get where you are? what can i start planning to do now? please reply!! i know you probally don't do personal e-mails, but my e-mail is missspotlightsinger@yahoo.com, i don't check this website often, but i would love a reply- love your fan- lindsay -the wannabe travel channel lady

two years ago, my grandparents took me on a trip to south dakota for my 13th birthday. You would not believe how beautiful it is! There is so much to see and do nature wise! The black hills are gorgeous and mt. rushmroe is a definite must, along with crazy horse- a structure that has been in progress since the 1920's and will be an entire carved mountain! its huge!- the sites are amazing, and it is just a thought, but it is really a beautiful place to visit. If you don't like south dakota you could always do one in utah. (i lived there for 11 years) its pretty too. I just think you should do an episode is a smaller more nature type state, not that i don't LOVE the florida episodes, especially the disney world ones- i just went there last week!!

Hi again,

I'm tickled that you like being called Sammy. I had a darling roommate in college named Samantha who was so sweet, and ladylike, and beautiful (we're in Texas - she was a real Southern belle). But she had this one irreverent friend from high school who always called her SAMMY! It always cracked us up because we knew she had the skinny on Samantha's wilder days. Say, aren't you originally from Texas, too?! There may be a parallel here...

I thought of one more hotel in Boston to suggest, the Boston Swissotel. I only stayed there once, years ago, but it had two EXCELLENT features. First of all, it had a button on the phone that I've never seen before or since in a hotel - a bedtime story!! No kidding! When you pressed it, you could hear a recording of some nice lady reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It was terrific! I'm sure it was intended for kids, but you KNOW that every lonely business traveler was calling to hear a bedtime story every night before they went to bed!

The other excellent point about this hotel is that they had ENORMOUS bowls of SWISS CHOCOLATES everywhere in the hotel!! They were sensational. Every night I would walk by and, cupping both hands, grab a huge handful before I went to my room. And I ate them as I listened to Goldilocks.

I think the hotel is in a bad part of town, but bla bla bla, they have Goldilocks and free Swiss chocolates!!

Take care,
Travel_Mommy

Hey Sam, just saw your bikini-clad promo for the upcoming Beach Week and I have to say...

...you look marvelous!

Before I get started, I wanted to thank you for turning me on to the Royal Palms in Scottsdale, AZ. It's absolutely gorgeous. I'm definitely going back.

[QUOTE] (Note: Somebody has turned off HTML on this forum, so these directives don't work. Boo.) Originally posted by samantha_brown:
Thanks for the heads up on the Hyatt. When I went to Santa Fe, I stayed at the Inn at Alameda which was quite nice but I thought La Posada resort and the Inn at Anasazi were nicer.[/QUOTE]

La Posada is very nice. Fuego (their restaurant) is one of my Santa Fe favorites. I'll also put a plug in for the Blue Corn Cafe for casual dining.

[QUOTE]I was looking for a third [hotel] that offered a change of scenery and maybe a little different than the adobe Santa Fe thing and this one sounds great.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm... Tamaya: Also adobe (http://tamaya.hyatt.com/property/hotelinfo/slideshow/index.jhtml). Everything is brown here; you do eventually get used to it. You will get your desired change of scenery though; Tamaya is in the Rio Grande valley town of Bernalillo, about 20 miles from Albuquerque and 40 miles from Santa Fe.

[QUOTE]What have you heard about Ojo Caliente or Rancho Encantado? Could you ask around for me?[/QUOTE]

http://ojocalientespa.com will save you a trip to your favorite search engine for pics and details.

Ojo Caliente (literally, "Hot Eye") was the name given to the nearby hot springs by a Spanish Conquistador in the 1500's. I can't help but think of the hotel in the movie L.A. Story, the "El Pollo del Mar (Chicken of the sea)." Give a hotel a Spanish name and it's gonna be a hit. It's been a spa in various forms since 1880.

I did get a partial review of OC, but I don't know if it will be helpful. A friend of mine, Eleanor, said the spa is very good (water from the natural hot springs is used in the spa), but her group stayed at a nearby cabin instead of the hotel because they had heard that the hotel was "too noisy." I don't know what that means. Volume knob superglued to maximum setting on all televisions by hard-of-hearing cleaning staff? Home of a weekly fireworks convention? Harley Davidsons driving up and down the hallways of even numbered floors from Midnight to 3AM? Who can say?

My friend Ireena (also a big GH fan) went absolutely nuts when I told her that you were going to be filming in Santa Fe. Her short list of things to do/see:

- Shidoni (Actually, *I* took her there first) is a huge outdoor sculpture gallery. There are many small metallic sculptures to view/buy and a few large metallic sculptures whose sole purpose appears to be diverting lightning strikes away from the many small sculptures. They have a foundry on site and you can take a metalworking class there, which I've always wanted to do. Liquid metal is cool (figuratively).

- 10,000 Waves Spa for soaking after a day's hike, is located at the Santa Fe ski area.

- A non-hotel-related restaurant, "Gabriel's," conveniently located on the way from Santa Fe to Shidoni. She says that they make Guacamole right at your table, which doesn't seem that exciting to me, but I haven't been there.

- The Santa Fe opera (outdoor, open-air), convieniently located on the way from Santa Fe to Gabriel's.

She also graciously offers her Santa Fe shopping expertise. It's good to have a guide. Bring your credit cards; things can get pricy. Better yet, bring someone else's credit cards!

Commenting on a separate thread on this forum, Ireena's seven-year-old daughter, Iliana, can also do a passable Samantha Brown impression.

I struck out on Rancho Encantado, sorry. My guess is that it's out of the price range of most of my cheap friends. If I make any new, freely-spending friends and get some information then I will let you know.

Do we get notice when GH will be fiming in our area? I'd like to stand in the gallery cheering with one of those giant foam hands in the "#1" pose:

Samantha's number one!
Samantha's number one!
Samantha's number one!

Of course, after that visual, I will totally understand if you tell me the wrong weekend.

[This message was edited by marrymesamantha on 04-24-03 at 11:40 PM.]

More snow got me down yesterday, but the return of this forum has cheered me right up. Speaking as an aging Mom on behalf of Moms everywhere, I have some ideas for season 3, since you asked...
Remember how cool everyone thought it was when David Letterman started featuring his Mom on the show? Well, I think you could do it too. Really, she deserves to see you once in a while, and a perk for you should be to let family members tag along. And for God's sake, let them dine with you, let ANYBODY dine with you!
Here are some suggestions related to your destinations:
One of my best family memories is of having high tea with my sister and nieces at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C. I agree that Victoria might be good to combine with Vancouver. A fine pseudo British experience with terrific gardens nearby. Good for Mom's debut. In San Diego, I recall eating outstanding huevos rancheros in Old Town. All I remember about the hotel Omni is that my son got his shoelace stuck in an escalator. Scary! Then we took the train up for a Disneyland day where he got his head stuck in a turnstile. Go to a Disney hotel and kidnap your nephew if you have to. I mean it. I want to see you driving the remote control boats if they still have them. An interesting side trip might also be to the Mission San Juan Capistrano (www.missionsjc.com)
where you could encounter some rather cool looking Living History voluteers. Although you are a very funny person, especially when you try to hit golf balls, it would be nice for you to interact with some wacky characters like in the old Vacation Homes days. In Boston, the Living History actors on the Tea Party ship are real hams. I'd like to see you eat at Durgin Park and then go to the Harvard Admissions Office to get on a tour. It is fairly intriguing and totally free. Your Harvard Law fans could stand in as prospective students. Then, zip up to Portsmouth to check out the new Wentworth by the Sea. (My sister worked at the marina near there for many years) Haul a lobster trap and eat a 3 pounder with your mother! You already know the good places to go.
This is getting a tad long but I have to ask one thing. Listen Sammy, I have this great son who works in the TV business in NYC. In January. he quit a steady job to work on the production team of the ABC reality show, Extreme Makeover. Now, he has learned more than he needs to know about cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery, but production ends in 10 days and how will he pay the rent? If you know of anyone looking for a hardworking, experienced, creative, funny, quirky, travel-savvy, Newhouse educated production assistant who is a genius with lights and DV camera, please send along an address where he could send a resume! He is potentially a good source of those Varsity wings. On our last trip to New Orleans, my husband froze 3 dozen in a styrofoam box and put them in the checked luggage! So you see we are skilled at moving them around.
Will this lengthy post get me out of Junior Member status?
Will it get my firstborn a new job?
Will Samantha's Mom ever see her again?
Stay tuned.......Mother Orange

Hello Samantha-

I am a recent addicted convert to your "Great Hotels" series. I am amazed at what a stress-reliever that show is...have others told you that? I can come home from work, and if I choose, completely unravel from a goofy day taking in a stunning hotel and landscape with a warm and funny and beautiful friend! How rare a gift is that?

I have read that I can leave my e-mail address here and will be contacted to send my address for a picture...I would love that! I can be reached at doug@marsbonfire.com.

Sam, I will say what so many others have said...you are a radiant presence! Your warmth, wit, and charm shine through in every episode. An Emmy well-deserved, and I look forward to Season 3 and many more after that!

Take care,
Doug Farrar
Bellevue, Washington

Hey Sam,
I primarily had to write as a result of that message you got from that Hah-vad Law guy earlier in this thread. I too am a fan, but I actually graduated from a *real* school: M.I.T....So, if you ever need anything designed, theorized, or calculated, I can help.

As far as excellent hotels in Boston, I've got to recommend the Ritz...if anything, for its great location and an AWESOME Sunday brunch.

Also...My wife and I are getting ready to make our first trip to Hawaii. We're staying at the Four Seasons Hualalai, per your resommendation. Can't wait!

Keep having fun on GH!

-Sonny Quintanilla
Austin, TX

... (nor is any response from you) and I'm obviously no captain, nautical or military, anyway (nor am I quite sure that your remembering me is a particularly promising sign). Ah, Sam, I honestly meant to stay away and let people in the proper age/demographic groups who know about and actually frequent hotels fill up the bandwidth, as well as occupy your (much appreciated) time and efforts here, but it's just SO tempting - simply click log-in and there's this blank screen and flashing cursor positively begging to be used - I had to slip back JUST THIS once . You bond with the camera so well on the shows that viewers (obviously by the evidence here) feel you're truly talking to them individually, and it's so easy to respond in kind provided with a forum such as this even if we have no business doing so. You know, you could take the opportunity in a featured hotel room that offers internet ports to look slyly at the camera and say "and now to check the e-mail from my discerning fans on the Travel Channel website", but that would only double the time you'd need to peck out all the increased replies you'd have to make.

Indeed, Sam, the Outer Banks likely doesn't (don't?) have any hotels that stand out as tv-worthy; most of the area even closes down in wintertime except for crazed windsurfers or demented fishermen, and they ain't staying in any place you'd want to feature. Perhaps you can change the show's title to "Interesting Thirty Minute Hotels"... no, on second thought, may...be not. But I do hope you'll visit the Outer Banks on your own (Sept. is nice, barring hurricanes of course). Any area that loves its famed lighthouse so much that they bring in the Army Corps of Engineers to move it to safety from encroaching erosion is certainly worth a look some day. And it sounds like the Napa Valley alone can fill up season three anyway.

That PBS series on Nat. Park hotels has very nice acoustical guitar music, by the way (if I remember correctly). Yosemite Valley in May or June will knock your socks off anyway (and I guess isn't so far from that irresistable magnet of the Napa Valley). The main hotel at Glacier really has entire tree trunks as the pillars of the multi-story lobby (I think one of your Disney faux-hotels copied that in plastic (mmmm...plastic...).

Anyway, back to lurking mode now as I'm beyond offering any comments of relevance (and I've now failed twice to worm out of you any response to the Paris/Charade hotel). I also have to confess that lunchtime/noon tv now has Bravo showing the savagely funny Canadian show The Industry that lampoons tv mogols so wonderfully, that I'm slipping away to another channel much of the time, but not without a little guilt (but then how many times can somewhat intelligent people watch you massacre a golf ball?). The very best of luck with season three, Sam. Central Virginia has never looked lovelier this spring, and it's time you get out of NYC anyway to see these places.

Samantha,
I can't believe you've eaten there! It's just around the corner from the crew hotel we used to stay at in Honolulu. And yes, it's tiny, and has the best italian cooking this side of Manhattan.

Yeah, I do love the view coming into the islands. It's a dream job despite the current woes of the industry. I guess you and I share that good luck of doing what we love.

P.S. Any suggestions on Maui? I seem to work most of my trips there lately.

Take care, and good luck on the new season!

TropicalD

Yeah, Mom's a tough old bird...I told her if she could survive raising 7 kids, she could survive anything!

Have you though about visiting Atlantic City? Not as family oriented as Vegas, but with about 12 hotel/casinos, there should be a couple you could visit, especially Trump's Taj Mahal. They're also opening a new one this summer, The Borgata, that's supposed to be a 4 star Vegas-style hotel. They would probably love to have you as they open for publicity's sake.

In the National Park category, the Great Smokey Mountains is an undescribable area. I've visited the area and a coworker stayed at the Berry Springs lodge in Gatlinburg, TN at the top of one of the mountains http://www.berrysprings.com/ (We only stayed at smaller motels).It's close to the national park and, hold your breath, Dollywood! (Dollywood is not as campy as one would think...an excellent amusement park and they also exhibit craftspeople who create and demonstr