Stay Connected with THE US GRANT
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THE US GRANT celebrated 100 years of Memorable Moments on October 15, 2010. The hotel is a landmark, an icon, a legend and a symbol. Since opening its doors in 1910, travelers and adventurers have found excitement, tranquility, romance and opportunity at THE US GRANT. As we continue this tradition, we invite you to share your experiences - recent and past memories of the hotel. This is "Your Story" and it is part of the many experiences that make THE US GRANT exceptional.
Just as these stories have shaped the hotel for the past 100 years, our future guests will tell the story of the next 100 years. Our guests are the past, present and future of THE US GRANT. We invite new guests to share dreams about how they hope to experience our iconic hotel. Whether it is a romantic weekend getaway or a grand affair, we want to hear from you.
We invite you to please click the "Share Your Story" button. Photos and videos may be incorporated in to your post by attaching them to your submission. The subject of your email will be the title of the submission. Thank you for sharing your story!
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Family & Friends
I like a place with some history to it, but when my husband-to-be and I picked the US Grant as the place to spend our wedding night in the spring of 1993, I had no idea I would be returning to somewhere my great-grandfather had been almost 50 years before. Nobody really knows why he up and moved across the country from Youngstown, Ohio to San Diego in the middle of World War II. He had no family out West, and was already 75 years old, a grandfather and widower when he made the move. My Dad did some genealogy research on the family, and uncovered a letter my great-grandfather wrote addressed, “Dear Family” on US Grant Hotel stationery, dated Oct. 4-44, but it does little to shed light on the mystery. Mostly he talks about previous family history and what happened to different relatives. Dad is led to believe that he had some sort of job at the hotel — labor was scarce during the war years — and may have even lived there as well. But mostly he remains an enigma. He died only two years after arriving, leaving no indication of what prompted him to leave everything familiar for new ground at his age. But I didn’t know any of this 17 years ago when my husband and I were getting married. We only knew we wanted our stay to be somewhere romantic with a sense of history. What are the odds we would pick the one place with a connection to the only other relative of either of ours ever to live in San Diego? Seems it must have been fate, and maybe good luck, too, since we'll be celebrating Anniversary No. 18 this spring. Hmmm... maybe another visit to the Grant is in our future. -Louise Julig
My best memory of being at the US Grant Hotel was after my husband and I had just gotten married in August 1944 during World War 2. My little Jimmy was stationed in San Diego where he was a sailor on the USS New Kent. So while he was still home on leave before he left to be shipped back to the Pacific, we decided to go to the US Grant Hotel for a night of dining and dancing before he left. We both loved to jitterbug, and we knew there was dancing at the Hotel. I had just found out I was 2 months pregnant with our first child, so when the music started, my overly concerned husband decided it wouldn't be such a good idea for me to enter the Jitterbug Contest they were having that night. So he invited the rather nice looking wife of a friend of his who went along with us to dance with him, to my chagrin. It made me a bit miffed, so I invited her husband to dance with me, without my Jimmy knowing. So one by one the dancer's were being asked to leave the dance floor as they were eliminated. Eventually there were only 2 couples left on the dance floor. My husband and his partner received first place, and me and my partner got second. He let his partner take the trophy home with her, and I took my second place trophy home with us. I wouldn't let him dacne with any one else the rest or our 62 years together. He has been gone 5 years, but I will always remember the wonderful memories we had at the US Grant Hotel.
Wilma Jo (Coffman) Boren
Here is our story…My sisters and I found 184 letters written to our mother from our father during World War II. He was in the Navy, and he courted her with his letters. Through these letters, over about a year period, we learned about our Dad and the quite a bit about what life was like for a sailor during WWII. He talked in detail about each port, how long they were there, etc. Near the end of the war, their ship sailed into San Diego and my dad and his buddy stayed at the US Grant Hotel for several days. Our Dad will be celebrating his 85th birthday in September. We are planning a Fall trip by train to San Diego (from Los Angeles) where we plan to rent a car, visit the Maritime Museum and stay, this time all of us, at the US Grant Hotel. We still have the post card from the hotel he sent to her in 1945…the hotel looks the same.
In case you are curious, our parents married in June of 1946 and were married for 56 years. Our mother had always told us to be sure to read every single letter…she saved every single one…and the US Grant stood out at the end of his time in service.
Judy Hamilton-Cantu
I spent my wedding night with my bride in a beautiful room overlooking the city. It was such a luxurious stay and the staff was available to wait on our every wish. We are going to be returning for our 25th wedding anniversary soon and I am going to be sure and book the same room. The hotel and staff made a perfect stay for us and we know they will repeat it for our 25th.
James and Kathryn Bassler San Diego, CA
Almost 100 Years My father drives a silver 2004 Corvette. He recently passed his driving test and was certified by the State of California to drive for another five years. He just celebrated his 90th birthday at the Grant Hotel. Over the last one hundred years a lot has happened to everyone and everything and both have changed . My father is not a hotel but let me try to show you the connections between the life of my father and the best hotel in San Diego. At the start they were separated, one in San Diego and one in Chicago but both were obviously well constructed and are still with us today. Both have received periodic maintenance, upgrades, and improvements which have kept them in front of the crowd and they both show the benefits of experience. Despite their separation early in life, I'm sure the Grant and my father have converged in their opinion that the US Grant Hotel is the finest hotel in San Diego and no one is going to convince them otherwise. Some things it turns out do not change. Consequently Dad chose the Grant for his birthday celebration. In his words " You should see this place, they spent millions, it's just fantastic." I think that impression is common and the whole family shared it when we arrived at the hotel. Dad reserved the private dinning room for his birthday dinner. When we gathered in the Grant Grill lounge for drinks our waiter spent a few moments with my oldest brother discussing the wines. This guy knew everything. We all enjoyed our wine then glided from the lounge to the dinning room. In the process our waiter asked us to leave our drinks, he would move them to the table. Each glass appeared perfectly at each seat, no mistakes, party of ten. Wow I thought, this guy is the best waiter I've ever had. This theme of perfection did not stop. Dinner was excellent. We passed through the evening in a balance of privacy and service. Happy Birthday and other songs were sung, some in chorus, some solo, mostly on key. The party was completed and the parking valet brought the Corvette to my father. As he was getting into the car we explained to the valets about his age. They all applauded, Dad revved the engine and drove away. The story doesn't end here for Dad or the Grant Hotel, after almost 100 years.
Dear US Grant Hotel,
I am a friend of Ulysses Grant Dietz, the Grand-Nephew of Fannie and Ulysses S. Grant, Jr. and the Great-Great Grandson of President Ulysses S. Grant, the namesake of your hotel.
According to your website, Great-Aunt Fannie purchased the hotel in 1895, as a gift for her husband, Great-Uncle Ulysses, Jr. The luxury hotel was subsequently renovated and unveiled on October 15, 1910, 100 years ago. The Hotel was dedicated to the memory of Great-Uncle Ulysses, Jr.'s father, President Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States.
Ulysses Grant Dietz is the Senior Curator, Curator of Decorative Arts for the Newark Museum, which is also celebrating it's Centennial Jubilee. Newark, New Jersey is historically an important jewelry manufacturing center, of the United States.Ulysses Grant Dietz is a renowned Jewelry and Decorative Arts Historian, as well as a Gifted Author and Speaker.
On May 14, 2010, The San Diego Natural History Museum unveiled it's two year exhibition"All That Glitters: The Splendor and Science of Gems and Minerals", curated by Elise Misiorowski. We are co-hosting a VIP Museum Tour of the exhibition for "The Fashionable Women of Chapman" a charitable support group that benefits Chapman University, located in Orange, California. The VIP "Fashionable" group tour of the "All That Glitters" exhibition is scheduled for Wednesday, September 22, 2010.
Now that I have serendipitously become acquainted with The US Grant Hotel, I have scheduled for Ulysses, and friends, to stay the night before our "All That Glitters" festivities, at The US Grant Hotel. This will be Ulysses first visit to the hotel.
Bejeweled treasures, on loan, from The Newark Museum are featured throughout the San Diego Natural History Museum exhibition "All That Glitters". Ulysses Grant Dietz has graciously agreed to be our "Celebrity" Museum Curator Docent for our VIP Tour of the collection.
The tour finale will be a memorable and delicious lunch with Ulysses, as our guest of honor. A few lucky guests, will win an autographed copy of Ulysses Grant Dietz's book, "Dream House: The White House As an American Home". I am "Wishing" that we can host our Grand Finale luncheon at your hotel.
It must be Serendipity, Synchronicity, Divine Providence, Celestial Inspiration, Great-Aunt Fannie and Great-Uncle Ulysses, Jr., and Great-Great Grandfather President Ulysses S. Grant's "Bejeweled Wish" that we host "The All That Glitters" Fashionable Women of Chapman's luncheon, at The US Grant Hotel.
We look forward to celebrating, with Ulysses Grant Dietz, the heritage and history of the The US Grant Hotel, during its Centennial Jubilee.
Bejeweled Wishes,
Mona Lee Nesseth
We just spent 2 lovely nights at the US Grant in San Diego and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the hotel and staff. The hotel is gorgeous, completely stunning and a lovely piece of living history. The staff could not have been any nicer or any more accommodating. We travel monthly for business and have stayed in hotels for much of the last 10 years. I kept commenting to my husband that the staff here seems to actually ENJOY their jobs. The concierge (we talked with 3) was so helpful and so kind in their advice. Concierges so often talk down to you and make you feel like you're bothering them with your inane questions about the city (ironic, I know). The concierges at the Grant were impeccable, kind and completely useful. The bed was SO comfortable, the carpet plush, the marble gorgeous, the lighting LED (yes!) and lovely art work and sculptures throughout. We felt truly blessed. Here is a picture of our 16 month daughter Sophie, enjoying the view from the lobby. Best, The Parkers
Starting in 1958, at age 8, I would sometimes go to work with my dad on the weekends. He owned a photography studio just two blocks from the hotel, and we would often have lunch at the hotel restaurant - I assume the Grant Grill. From 1967-1969 I worked at a photography studio located inside the US Grant, and there I met the woman who would later be my wife. We worked together for more than 2 years before I finally got the nerve to ask her out. Our first date was also at the Grant Grill, and for a terrified teenager, I thought the evening went surprising well. Seeing as how we were married 6 months later, I'm sure she thought so too. All the best for another 100 years. Mark Harris San Diego, CA
It was 4th of July weekend 2009 and my new family enjoyed our first vacation together at The US Grant. My husband, Derick, and I were married Feb 14th, 2009 and chose San Diego for our first family vacation together as a real family. We each have a little boy, Tyler and Jared, who are now both seven and we spent the weekend visiting the USS Midway, Balboa Park, and Sea World. The US Grant was the idle resting place for recouping from our long days with small children, yet the hotel and staff made our stay much more than just a place to sleep. Most might say this isn’t a place kids would enjoy but I have to say my boys couldn’t have been happier anywhere else. We arrived to a wonderful upgraded room in a Signature Suite with welcome goodies of chocolate covered bananas as well! The suite was delightful, plenty of room for the entire family and beds I wish every hotel would have. We had planned to leave and watch the fireworks outside the evening of the 4th of July, but the room was just so comfortable we snuggled up and watch the show on the large flat screen TVs. We opened the windows slightly and could hear the fireworks being set off. The spacious room also allowed my new husband and I to have a little romance, after tucking the boys into bed, we ordered room service and made a late night picnic of cheese and wine on the living room floor. Every time we departed and returned the staff were all so warm and welcoming. This has to be the most helpful staff I have ever encountered. They truly go out of their way to make guests happy. The luxury property left a lasting impression on our entire family & we all hope to return soon. My boys still often talk about the hotel, our great room with the huge bathroom shower, and oh so comfortable beds and we’ll never forget our family time together snuggling up in bed and watching the fireworks. I never got a chance to thank everyone involved for helping make this first family trip together an incredibly memorable experience, especially Mark and Demi. It’s not always easy traveling with small children & making sure everyone is happy & comfortable. The US Grant far exceeded our expectations in every way and we will always remember our first stay at the property.
Kind Regards,
Heather, Derick, Tyler, & Jared
PS: I'm including a few photo's from our stay to show just how happy everyone was during our great stay.
We pulled up at the US Grant, anticipating a relaxing girls weekend. The nine of us are sisters and first cousins, and we love to spend time together. There is no better way to recharge than to be able to kiss the husbands and the kids goodbye and gab with the girls for the weekend. We had no idea what a spectacular stay we were in for. This girl's trip was unlike any other, though. We were there to celebrate the love and kindness that exists between family. My sister, Jaclyn, is serving as a surrogate mother for our cousin, Sapna, and her husband, Sonny. Jaclyn is 7 months pregnant with twin boys, and Sapna is going to have her hands full taking care of two little bundles of joy! We're able to enjoy these girls' weekend a few times a year but this is the last one we will be enjoying before the birth of the twins, and therefore, we wanted to make the most of it so we decided to commemorate such a momentous occasion by staying in the Presidential Suite at the US Grant. The room is unforgettable. The appointments are elegant and the service was tremendous. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner all together in the dining room, and we convened in the living room to start the festivities. We did the typical baby shower fare- games, and great food. Sapna was so excited to hear advice from her family: seasoned Mommy-pros. But there was another layer to this baby celebration- as we all honored Jaclyn in our own ways. She received meaningful poems, jewelry and sentiments from all of us, who stand in awe of the tremendous gift she's giving to someone she, and we, love so much. We spent the remainder of the evening laughing and talking until the wee hours of the morning. All of us love San Diego for a weekend trip- it's close by, but still feels like a getaway. The Gaslamp quarter exposes you to Old World San Diego history, and the US Grant is the gem of the city. The view from the balcony in the Presidential Suite says it all. What an unforgettable trip for us!
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