Directions, Guaranteed

GETTING LOST could become a thing of the past for guests at La Jolla Shores Hotel. In October, the seaside property began offering a unique complimentary service: the use of global positioning systems (GPS) units. The devices offer voice and screen directional service.

Concierge Amanda Watkins has three Garmin nüvi 260 GPS units at her disposal. If a guest asks her for directions——be it to the zoo, Torrey Pines Golf Course or someplace exotic——she offers the option of taking along one of the devices. The units are preprogrammed for the major tourist destinations but can also be set up to guide you anywhere in town.

“If you’re like me——I get lost going around the block,” says La Jolla Shores Hotel general manager Greg Rizzi. “These things are bullet-proof. We think they help provide a more memorable experience. And some guests have liked these so much, they’ve said they were going to buy one for themselves.”

Rizzi says his hotel is one of just a few that were part of a beta test by Kansas-based Garmin. The handheld devices offer turn-by-turn directions and announce the street names as you navigate the route. Besides finding tourist attractions, the units, which retail for about $159, can also locate the nearest ATM or gas station.

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