Patricia Moore

The most amazing gardens I've ever toured. The docent tour is well worth the cost. I was glad we had someone knowledgeable to lead us around and tell us the stories about the various rare plants and gardens on the property. Since you are limited on your time there you certainly want to make the most of it and I am not sure we would have been able to on our first visit without a docent. The gift shop is small but has lots of lovely jewelry, fragrances, and other items. Worth stopping in before you leave. I bought our tickets months in advance of our trip and I'm so glad I did because this really was the highlight of our long weekend in Santa Barbara.

A 5-star dining experience. A full 3 hours of culinary delight. The staff is so friendly and attentive. Each dish of the tasting menu was explained well and the flavors are combinations you likely won't get anywhere else. The cocktails are also quite nice. I was surprised that the lighting in here was not dimmer but appreciated that I could really see each dish since there were such thorough explanations. While this meal was more expensive than I anticipated (over $200 per person before beverages), I did find the experience and food to be worth it. Special occasion only for sure but nonetheless no regrets.

I love Japanese food and this is one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Their tasting menu was so delightful. Every course had great flavors of fresh ingredients and the waitress always gave a full explanation of each dish. My husband did the sake pairing and really enjoyed the way each glass truly complimented each dish. I had a highball with the Japanese whiskey of the day which was light and refreshing the way they prepared it. The wagyu short rib with truffle sauce was one of the best bites I've ever eaten. I would come back just for that. So glad I put us on the wait-list for this Friday night reservation and a spot became available. I saw couples turned away for dinner because they were full. This place is really small and maybe seats 10 people so there are probably very few opportunities to just walk in and sit down. I would highly recommend making a reservation well in advance. Also do not come here to dine unless you have time to really sit and enjoy your meal. The courses come out slowly. We had a 6pm reservation and didn't get up to leave til around 8:30pm. The meal is well worth the time and money.

Came for dinner and got the prefix. It's a good deal for $45 but I wasn't a huge fan of my choices. I got the shaved duck salad to start and the rabbit entree (super tender just a lot of peas came with it and I'm not a huge fan of peas). The butterscotch custard for dessert was my favorite part. Tasted kind of like creme brulee custard which is my favorite dessert. My fiance got the steak entree which was delicious. Those fingerling potatoes were fantastic. He also really enjoyed his semifreddo dessert. The staff was really fun and friendly. Cute neighborhood spot.

The location alone warrants 5 stars. I visited Stuttgart with family on the way from Paris to Munich. We were traveling by train and this hotel is conveniently situated right across the street from the main train station. Just about any metro line you need to go sightseeing comes through this station so it was perfect for our adventures to the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums. Lots of dining and shopping just outside the front doors. There is a beautiful park just on the other side of the hotel that backs up to the main plaza of the city. The hotel staff were very friendly. I enjoyed a beverage at the bar one evening and both bartenders were so lovely. The best part of staying in this hotel are the little hazelnut candies they leave on the nightstand when they come to turn down the beds. I have never had anything like these before and apparently they are made just for this hotel. If you don't want yours, please mail them to me. It's like a chocolate but better.