Congratulations to Paradise Point and staff on their 50th anniversary this year! We found your special hotel as the perfect spot to be our home away from home in 1969 to celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary. Due to family situations and life happenings, we were unable to return until recently when we celebrated our 40th anniversary. And, unbeknownst to us at the time, it turned out to be our last anniversary as my husband, Bob, journeyed from Paradise to Paradise. How blessed we were to be able to visit our home away from home one last time together! Thank you for your welcoming ways that led to unbelievable and outstanding memories. They are helping the healing process now.

An ode to Paradise:

P rovided
A ccommodations and an atmosphere that
R eached out to
A ll ages in our multi-generational family. It was a
D estination spa that
I ncluded an incredibly awesome
S taff ready to serve and help
E ach and every one of us.

P lus, it was a perfect place for
O ptimal fun, relaxation, inspiration, quality play time
I nviting snack, meals, and dining, along with a
N uturing, natural environment
T hese times are truly treasured!

As a kid growing up in Los Angeles in the 1970s, my family regularly took short weekend vacations and San Diego was the favorite destination.  As my older brothers moved away to college, my parents and I took more and more trips to Vacation Village as my mother loved the beach.  I remember making my dad climb to the top of the tower every morning and my mom would meet as at the bottom with bread to feed the ducks.  The hot chocolate in the coffee shop (then located where the front desk is today) was a treat every morning with breakfast.   Exploring the beautiful property and swimming in all five of the pools was always the highlight of the getaway, as was renting sail boats or peddle boats for several hours of fun on the water.  Bonfires along the shore capped my memories of the warm nights by the bay.

In the 1980s, when I was a student at San Diego State University, I worked as a front desk clerk at the hotel (which was then named San Diego Princess Resort).  Some of my favorite memories of my time in college were mingled with my time working there.  Being a front desk clerk meant serving the guests who were bringing their families to create similar memories to those that were joyous in my own childhood.  Some of my best friends were those who worked at the front desk, concierge, gift shop and bell stand.  We worked hard and had lots of fun afterhours.

Now, as a parent of two daughters, we have had the pleasure of staying at Paradise Point several times.  While many things have changed, much still remains the same.  We climb the tower each day (and as the dad, I find it much harder than it was as the kid), and we have stood on the deck feeding ducks, who are many generations descended from the ducks to whom I tossed bread.  My kids love making me take them to every pool, and peddle the boat around the island (how did my dad have the strength to do that every day?).

Last year I had the chance to be the keynote speaker at a conference held in the convention center.  While I often speak at business events, there was something magical about being on the agenda at Paradise Point.  I live in Texas, and my days in San Diego are limited, but for me there is something just right about driving over the bridge and into the resort, as there is no other hotel in the world to which I have a special connection.

My daughter calls Paradise Point "the greatest hotel in the world".  While my mom passed away many years ago, I know that she also felt that way about this place.  Decades and generations later, it is still part of our family.