Hotel Company Honors Valley Quality Inn
No need to travel further than the Spokane Valley to stay at an award-winning hotel/motel. The Quality Inn Valley Suites was named Inn of the Year in November by Choice Hotels International, the parent company of the motel chain.
The Quality Inn Valley Suites boasts 16 jet-tub suites, 36 two-room suites and themed honeymoon suites. For more info or reservations: (800) 777-7355.
Gardens on tour
Area gardeners can tour selected gardens across the world, all in one afternoon. “A World of Gardens!” will be presented 2-4 p.m. Jan. 12 at the WSU Cooperative Extension Auditorium, 222 N. Havana, sponsored by the Friends of Manito.
The slide lecture will be given by William Hottell, who has visited gardens in Italy, Spain, Ireland, Austria, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka and Kenya. An educator, Hottell has done maritime archeology work in the Persian Gulf and Oman, has lived in Italy and Greece and traveled to 142 countries. He now lives on a cattle ranch near Twisp, Wash.
Tickets to the slide lecture are $5, free to members of Friends of Manito, and pre-registration is recommended by Jan. 6. For advance tickets, contact the Friends of Manito, 4 W. 21st, Spokane, WA 99203.
Looking ahead
It’s none to early to reserve seats for a Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner at Sleeping Lady near Leavenworth, Wash.
The mountain resort is located beside Icicle Creek and accommodates 180 guests.
The Christmas Eve dinner is at 6:30, followed by a nondenominational service at 9 p.m., caroling and music. Dinner is $24; a two-night package at the resort is $384 double occupancy.
The New Year’s Eve celebration includes dinner, a concert, contra dancing and a champagne toast, for $40 per person; the same two-night package is available.
The need for speed
The annual Mazama Ski Rodeo will take place Dec. 29 with 2.5km, 5km and 10km cross-country ski races open to skiers of all ages. Registration is at 9:30 a.m.; racing begins at 11 a.m. Register at the Mazama Community Center. For information, call (509) 996-3287. More serious skiers can also plan to race in the Big One in Winthrop, a two-day cross-country race of 30km. Call the above number for info about that event.
Bent on self-improvement?
A new book of vacation spots isn’t exactly thick with Washington destinations, but there are a few places listed. The book, “Vacations That Can Change Your Life,” includes retreats and workshops for the mind, body and spirit and the Washington entries are in Seattle, Bellingham and Vashon Island.
The book is $16.95 and is published by Sourcebooks; ISBN: 1-57071-124-0.
, DataTimes