SAN JOSE, CA (January 23, 2009) – Hotel Valencia Santana Row is excited to welcome the largest road cycling event in America, the AMGEN Tour, by offering a special incentive for sports enthusiasts!  AMGEN spectators and participants will enjoy the “Stay and Play” package on Monday, February 16. “Stay and Play” includes a discounted room for two and a deluxe carbo-load breakfast buffet the next morning. Rates are from $249, per night, exclusive of tax.

“Hotel Valencia is proud to offer an exclusive package for this year’s spectacular AMGEN Tour,” said Bonnie Best, General Manager of Hotel Valencia Santana Row.  “Stay and Play” is a unique offering among San Jose Hotels and we’re thrilled to support the racers, their families and fans.”

The morning of the race, guests can partake in the deluxe carbo-load breakfast buffet. With plenty of fresh pastries, delicious berry blintzes, oatmeal, a variety of cereals and granola, fresh and dried fruit, as well as eggs, sausages and more, sports enthusiasts and racers can have an energy packed meal before heading over to the starting line of the third leg of this legendary race. For those that prefer an even wider variety of breakfast goodies, Hotel Valencia provides a separate breakfast menu with additional morning treats to begin the day.

For those who want to explore, they can stroll along more than 70 shops, spas and restaurants at Santana Row. Whichever post-race activities guests choose to enjoy on Santana Row, Hotel Valencia is the perfect “finish line” for the AMGEN Tour.  Across the street from Santana Row is the world-famous Winchester Mystery House, once home to rifle empire heiress Sarah Winchester, whom many believe built many oddities to the mansion to confuse the spirits of rifle victims.

The 2009 AMGEN Tour is a nine-day, Tour-de-France style race that begins its third leg in downtown San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley. Presented by AEG, the race challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding, recently expanded, 800-mile course from Sacramento to Escondido, between February 14 - 22, 2009. Stage 3 begins in San Jose on Monday, February 16 and ends in Modesto.

Coinciding with the Amgen Tour, the San Jose Office of Economic Development-produced San Jose Cycling Classic takes place Feb. 14-21 in Downtown San Jose. With a myriad of events for cyclists of all levels as well as some for those thinking about dusting off their bikes, or simply wanting to enjoy the competitive spectacle, there is something for everyone.  Registration is now open and more information is available on the official event site www.sanjosecyclingclassic.com.

The San Jose Cycling Classic presents the King of the Mountain Time Trail Race and Ride (KOM) sponsored by Mattson Technology and the CEO Challenge sponsored by SunPower, 8 a.m., Saturday, February 14, beginning at San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street. The kick-off event for the San Jose Cycling Classic, the KOM and CEO Challenge include the demanding hill that was featured in several Amgen Tour of California races and proved to be one of its most decisive portions. Both the KOM and the CEO Challenge begin at San Jose City Hall and reach the base of Sierra Road for a mass start time trial race.   From there, the climb is 3.7 miles long with an average gradient of 10 percent; however, some pitches reach 17-18 percent. It will include police motorcycles leading a rolling closure north and east of Downtown San Jose to the base of the Sierra Road climb.

After summiting Sierra Road, riders may complete the Sierra/Calaveras/Piedmont loop and ride west to City Hall.   The KOM will also feature a 30-mile recreational Ride, open to riders of any skill level, which will start along the same route but will not include the challenging Sierra Road climb.  All riders are invited to return back to City Hall for a post ride celebration, complete with lunch and awards presentation, hosted by NBC Bay Area’s and cycling enthusiast, Craig Herrera.  City Hall, located in downtown San Jose, is close to great museums such as the Tech Museum of Innovation, the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Egyptian Rosicrucian Museum and the San Jose Art Museum.  It’s also close to dozens of great restaurants, galleries and performing arts activities.

Funds raised from the San Jose Cycling Classic will support health, fitness and cycling.  Beneficiaries include the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and Fit for Learning, a initiative—provided by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) in cooperation with Healthy Silicon Valley—that will increase physical activity and encourage healthy nutrition among elementary school students in Santa Clara County.

About Valencia Group:
Valencia Group, a Houston-based company, develops and operates full-service luxury hotels - most notably Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, California, and Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. Set in the cultural heart of each city, Valencia Group hotels fuse globally-inspired modern design with Mediterranean influences, becoming popular destinations for both guests and visitors.  Other properties within the Valencia Group include Hotel Sorella (Houston, Dallas, TX); The Lancaster Hotel (Houston, TX); Hotel Georgia (Vancouver, Canada) and lumière (Telluride, CO).  Valencia Group continues to forge its position as a mixed-use anchor with projects under development in Vancouver, Houston and Austin, where the right balance of residential, retail and office are creating irreplaceable assets in great urban settings.  For more information, please visit www.valenciagroup.com.      

About The San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau (SJCVB):
The San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau (SJCVB) mission is to enhance the image and economic well being of San Jose by marketing San Jose as a globally recognized destination. The SJCVB offers meeting planners, tour operators, and individual visitors a wide range of services to ensure a successful event and fun visit to San Jose. To receive a copy of the Bureau's Meeting Planning Guide or Official Visitors Guide, please contact the SJCVB at 1.800.SAN.JOSE (1.800.726.5673) or visit www.sanjose.org.