SeeCalifornia.com

Happy Birthday to all of you, wherever you are and whenever the big day comes along. I am celebrating mine and I don’t need a huge party for my birthday– I just want diamonds–five of them to be exact! For less money than a diamond solitaire, you and I can enjoy luxury accommodations in some of California’s AAA Five Diamond hotels. This year I plan to “put on the Ritz” for my birthday bash by booking a room at  Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. Located right on the magnificent bay (seen in photo), you can park your car or take a shuttle from LAX and once in the lap of luxury,  walk to everything–beaches, restaurants, shops, and even a fantastic Hornblower Brunch or Dinner Cruise that goes right past the Five Diamond resort. Save money (approx. $25 savings) by taking the Champagne Brunch cruise instead of the Dinner Cruise.

Search and you’ll usually find rooms at some of the 5 Diamond resorts at a fraction of the normal price.  I found the best rates were at Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe and Ritz-Carlton San Francisco while looking just now–Tahoe actually had rooms under $200! However, I really want to soak up the sunshine and beaches, choosing Marina del Rey because of its central location to Venice Beach, Playa del Rey and all the great SoCal attractions such as Hollywood and Universal Studios.