I recently spoke at the Travel and Adventure Show in Santa Clara, California. Santa Clara sits in the heart of Silicon Valley and is home to many companies such as Intel, NVIDIA and Agilent Technologies. Bustling during the week with business people, Santa Clara hotels and restaurants are humming with activity. On the weekend, however, I found it as the perfect family retreat offering gorgeous hotels at attractive rates, restaurants that don’t require reservations weeks in advance and, best of all, a serene atmosphere.
Santa Clara Marriott Lobby
Santa Clara offers a fun opportunities for families including a Great America located nearby just off the 101 and many family-friendly restaurants without the lines! The San Francisco 49ers are building a new stadium in Santa Clara so fans will get the chance to check out a game. For history lovers, families can visit the Mission Santa Clara de Assis, one of the first missions in California. Santa Clara Marriott on Mission College Boulevard was my home base while I was in the area. From the moment I drove up to the hotel, the service was impeccable. My team and I were greeted by a welcoming staff who pointed out all of the amenities of the hotel including a heated pool, a 24/7 accessible fitness center and an award-winning restaurant, Parcel 104. Santa Clara Marriott Room
Our rooms were luxurious and we had a beautiful view of the pool and the mountains. I noted that there are rooms available on the first floor with access to the pool area. As is the case with most hotel pools, there is not a lifeguard on duty, so it is required that an adult supervise children in the pool. Even though it was a little chilly, the large heated pool kept kids happy and the sun-deck kept parents relaxed. Bike rentals and tennis are also available.
Santa Clara Marriott Pool
The Family Travel team is made up of foodies so we were absolutely blown away by the meal we enjoyed with the chefs at Parcel 104. They gave us the opportunity to enjoy our meal at a table in the kitchen and watch them while they created masterpieces for the guests in the busy dining room.
Executive Chef Jonathan Hall surprised us with small plates highlighting different items on his menu. Local seafood and fresh local vegetables were some of our favorite items though the duck and filet courses were equally exceptional.
Our friendly and knowledgeable server was able to help pair a variety of wine samples to accompany each course, including dessert which was a sweet medley of homemade sweets dreamed up by Executive Pastry Chef, Carlos Sanchez.
If you can’t make it for dinner, definitely consider the morning brunch. There was a lot offered at the brunch buffet including an omelet and waffle station. I overheard some guests at a nearby table say that they were staying at a nearby hotel, but came for the brunch at Parcel 104 because it was so good! I would definitely agree with them!
Santa Clara Marriott Parcel 104 Brunch
I highly recommend the Santa Clara Marriott for its service, amenities and location. Consider it for your home base in Northern California, being centrally located between San Francisco to the north as well as Santa Cruz and Monterey to the south. I know the next time I’m in the area with my family, I will be sure to stay here.
