Just steps away from historical Fisherman’s Wharf, Portola Hotel & Spa welcomed students from non-profit group Rancho Cielo on Friday to skate at Ice Skating by the Bay’s seasonal ice skating rink, located in Custom House Plaza behind the Portola Hotel & Spa. The students, ranging in age from 18 to 24, had the opportunity to spend some time in a Winter Wonderland and skate by the bay from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To wrap up the afternoon, they indulged in complimentary hot chocolate in Jack’s Lounge at the Portola Hotel & Spa. Portola Hotel is actively working with non-profits and participating in community outreach, therefore, the partnership with Ranch Cielo was a natural fit.
Portola Hotel’s General Manager, Janine Chicourrat, said, “Community is so important to Monterey and to Portola Hotel.We are excited to host Rancho Cielo students for a day of ice-skating and fun. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Rancho Cielo and other local organizations.” “Our kids are extremely thankful that Portola has offered them this opportunity. Along with being a nice getaway from the classroom, opportunities like this foster our youths social and emotional development- skills that will take them a long way in becoming productive members of society,” said Susie Brusa, Executive Director of Rancho Cielo. About Rancho Cielo: Rancho Cielo is non-profit learning and social services center for undeserved youth in Monterey County. Starting as a dream by a handful of individuals, Rancho Cielo has come to life as a youth campus focused on enriching the lives of young people and delivering programs and services that inspire at risk youth to learn new skills, gain self-esteem and confidence.
Founder former Superior Court Judge John M. Phillips witnessed the tragic cycle of offending and incarceration that many young people found themselves in. He wanted to create an effective alternative that would help keep first offenders from becoming repeat offenders. Rancho Cielo is located in what was once home to the Natividad Boys’ Ranch, a juvenile incarceration facility that lay dormant for almost twenty years before it was taken over by Rancho Cielo in 2000. With help from the construction industry, redevelopment of the site began in earnest in 2003 with the demolition of dilapidated buildings and large-scale clearance of rubbish and debris. The construction of administration and educational buildings was completed in 2004. What was once a dormitory became a classroom complex; a kennel, a series of offices; and a crumbling maintenance building, a four hundred square-foot wood shop and ceramics room.
About Portola Hotel & Spa: Portola Hotel & Spa is Monterey’s first and only Silver LEED® EB certified hotel and recently earned AAA Four Diamond Rating. The full-service hotel offers guests a rich, historical ambiance, with residential style and a dedicated staff to ensure an unparalleled guest experience. The hotel features 379 newly renovated guest rooms, including 10 suites, ranging from 400 to 1,000 square feet. Inspired by the Monterey Peninsula’s surrounding landscape and nautical heritage, all guest rooms feature elegant wood furnishings, large bathrooms with separate vanity areas, white shuttered windows. Many guest rooms offer private balconies with ocean, garden terrace or pool views. In compliance with LEED requirements, all guest rooms are non-smoking.
Portola Hotel & Spa is home to Jacks Restaurant and Lounge and Peter B’s BrewPub, the Monterey Peninsula’s only craft brewery. In addition, overnight guests have access to the hotel’s spa and fitness facilities, complete with steam room, sauna, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. The newly renovated 6,000-square-foot Spa on the Plaza offers 10 treatment rooms and an extensive spa menu of signature treatments. Portola Hotel & Spa offers 25 separate conference/banquet rooms, full-service event technology, catering and outdoor function space. With 50,000 square feet of flexible indoor and 60,000 square feet of outside meeting space, the Monterey Conference Center is the largest conference center on the central coast of California. For more information, please visit: http://www.portolahotel.com/