13th to 25th July 2016,

based at the Grand Hotel, Tijuana.

 

Up.

  

Travel on 13th July.

 

     We were driven by Cliff Rider from Hill House to Heathrow on Wednesday 13th July to catch the 15.35 BA flight to San Diego. We booked the hold luggage in and Assistance had been booked at the airport, which worked quite well this time. We had front seats in the World Traveller Plus section and had a reasonably good journey. It certainly makes travel much more pleasant having the slightly better seating. The flight was about 11 hours. The service by the cabin crew was excellent and the food was acceptable.

 

    San Diego Airport was rather smaller than the airports we have used recently. However, it took us a surprisingly long time to get through! A wheelchair was waiting as we left the plane and Marilyn was whisked right through passport control to baggage reclaim and out onto the main concourse, where we met up with Jonathan who had organised everything. He left us in the very good hands of one of the lady staff members (actually the ex wife of the lead doctor) and we were transported across the border into Mexico.

 

    Getting through the border control was somewhat more difficult than anticipated, but with the right payments, was achieved in about 30 minutes. It was very hot, despite being by now late afternoon (the car didn't have aircon!). We arrived at the Grand Hotel, Tijuana and again experienced a few teething problems. However, the Hotel staff on arrival were very friendly and helpful and our room was excellent. It was on the 11th floor and had a fantastic view.

 

    The Hotel was a 5 star (probably 4 by our standards) and was part of a complex of two 32 storey towers linked by the lower 3 floors. One tower was the hotel, with breakfast facilities on the top and medical floors on 10 and 11.  The second tower was offices, with the lower floors (which spread way beyond the tower footprints) full of medical clinics catering for every conceivable procedure imaginable! There were also eating places, etc,. The hotel restaurant was on the ground floor of this very extensive complex. The food was excellent and the breakfasts to die for. The range of choices available was astonishing.

 

  The Hotel/Clinic Complex. Hotel tower on the left.