This past February, I was lucky enough to spend a weekend hotel hopping in Carlsbad and San Diego. Sad to say, since I have moved to Los Angeles, I had never spent any time in Carlsbad, but it quickly captured my heart.
We checked into the West Inn & Suites, which is a quaint, friendly, contemporay hotel with an upscale beachy vibe, and headed out to explore the area. We found The Compass during it’s happy hour and claimed a spot at the bar. Not only were the drinks (I got my fave, an Old Fashion), on point, but so was the company. The bartender was super knowledgable about places for Tyler and I to visit and the people at the bar were friendly and joined in the conversation.
That night we had dinner at Bistro West and it exceeded all of our expectations. The manager wine paired every course and had the chef test out some dishes at our table. (I truly hope they put the crudo on their menu, because it was the best I have had). We also had the West Farm Roasted Beet salad that was made with local red and golden beets, baby greens, apples, walnuts, orange tarragon vinaigrette, and goat cheese. It was a refreshingly start to the meal. For entrees we had the fresh catch of the day, which was sea bass accompanied by a stuffed tomato and fried rice and the Roasted C.A.B. Filet Mignon with a brandied peppercorn sauce, whipped potatoes, and West Farm vegetables. Both were delicious, perfectly cooked, and we made our own lil surf n’ turf. We were stuffed, but luckily rolling ourselves next door to our hotel room, so when dessert came out…we made room. In addition to a dessert sampler, we dug into the Bistro West Mud Pie. It was so beautiful, the table next to us even asked us what it was. It’s made with an Oreo cookie crumb crust with peanut butter, with a caramel, coconut, white chocolate chip brownie, topped with homemade coffee stout gelato. Could you even ask for anything more?! By far, one of the best meals I have ever had.
I highly recommend both, West Inn & Suites and Bistro West. Whether you are having a couples getaway, a family vacation, or a quick trip, the West Inn & Suites is beautiful, comforting, and homey and Bistro West guarantees food that satisfies.
The next day we had a quick, complimentary breakfast, worked out at the gym and headed downtown to walk around before heading to the next hotel. We had lunch at Vigilucci’s, where Tyler said he had the best gnocci of his life. On top of that, service was excellent and the wine was slow drinking, just how I like it. From there, we headed to Paradise Point Resort & Spa for not only another night away but for a little kayaking excursion.
Paradise Point sits on a private 44-acre island on Mission Bay. What makes this hotel unique is that each room is a beach bungalow-style with a lanai patio, living room, large bathroom, and ours opened up right onto the bay.
Paradise Point has numerous activities. From paddle boarding, to kayaking, to the large pool area, and spa, this resort has it all. It’s literally your one stop for all things you need to relax and get away. We had an appointment to go kayaking and even though it was very windy, we gave it a try. I had a blast! Once I got over the fact that I was going to get wet, we had a lot of fun paddling around the bay. From there, we went to the Barefoot Bar & Grill for some cocktails and waited for our room to be ready. The bartender at the bar amazed me. Having worked as a cocktail waitress, I know firsthand, it’s overwhelming. He was serving a ton of people at his bar quickly with a smile on his face, in addition to creating custom cocktails to your liking.
We relaxed for a bit in our room and sitting on the patio before heading to Tidal, their beautiful restaurant that sits right on Mission Bay’s shoreline. I ordered up the Pirate’s Cove made with flor de caña, clement coconut liqueur, lime juice, hazelnut orgeat, and angostura bitters. It was tangy and creamy. Their craft cocktail list is unique and enticing. As for food, we started off with the Bay Scallop & Shrimp Cocktail that was mixed with seasonal fruit, jicama, cucumber, Thai basil, mint, and Taro. If ceviche met shrimp cocktail, this is the dish that would develop. I loved how it had the flavors of an elevated shrimp cocktail, but was presented like a ceviche. Tyler order a cheese board with breads, honey, jams, and nuts, along with a savory crab cake. For entrees we dove into the Whole Fish that came with collard greens, roasted garlic, and citrus-herb butter, along with the Confit Pheasant & Lamb Ragu. The whole fish is where it is at. It barely fit on the table and easily feeds two. It was juicy, savory, and easy to pick apart.
We headed back to our room to change into warmer clothes because it was bonfire and s’mores time. Along with some red wine, the s’mores package was the perfect dessert and a great way to wrap up our weekend of hotel hopping. Paradise Point is the resort to make every personality in your group happy. Whether you want to be adventurous and out on the bay, lay in the sand, grab some drinks, or just relax on your patio, this place will have you revived and relaxed.
