Luxe Hotel Brands That Matter
Lest you think that all luxury hotels and resorts are created equal, what follows is a primer of sorts to help tease out the differences among these palaces of pamper. In traveling throughout North America, these top five brand names never disappoint: Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont, and W Hotels.
Its flagships are in Hong Kong and Bangkok, but Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental brings its epitome of grace to the western hemisphere. Mandarin Oriental hotels are consistently ranked at the top of "world's-best" lists of luxury accommodations, and with good reason. Each hotel displays its own personality reflective of its location—from dolphin lagoons in their hideaway Honolulu property, to an urban but tranquil waterfront location in Miami, to digs within the Time Warner Center just steps from Central Park in New York—coupled by classical simplicity, visual elegance, and a demure charm. Expect luscious bedding and exceptional spas (where you book by time rather than the treatment).
Four Seasons, some say, is the gold standard by which other luxury properties measure themselves. From pampering pets and kids to housing four-star dining, these classy high priestesses of hostelry define the art of first-class service. From spacious quarters to contemporary, beautiful décor reflective of the locale (think Maui tropical or Miami sleek), Four Seasons excels in delivering quality for your coinage. Look for exceptional Four Seasons properties in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Palm Beach, the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas.
The Ritz-Carlton, long considered the "luxe of luxe," lives up to its customer-service motto: "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." For the finest in grand, indulgent luxury—the kind that accompanies silver-tiered afternoon tea service—the Ritz fulfills unexpressed wishes with panache. From their signature cobalt-blue glasses in the dining room to their regal lion-and-crown logo, the U.S.-based Ritz excels in fine dining, spas, and golf. Its flagship Boston property is a historic landmark, as are its San Francisco and New Orleans hotels. The Ritz is also well represented in Florida.
Fairmont properties are also often historical attractions in and of themselves. Whether in the city or ensconced in verdant natural surroundings, these Canadian-owned palaces practice environmentally friendly policies that treat their surrounds in the majestic manner they deserve. From the Canadian Rockies' Lake Louise, Jasper, and Banff to Scottsdale and Hawaii to Sonoma and Boston (not to mention Miami and San Francisco), Fairmont hotels lack a snobbishness found in others of their caliber. Offering a decidedly European feel, their loyal patrons appreciate fancy surroundings and warm, personal service. They're hard to beat.
W Hotels are trendy to the max and cater to a younger set. They often house their city's most happening clubs and bars. A whole litany of W-words and phrases can aptly be applied to these glamorous, distinctive digs—from wonderful and wish to unwind and whisk away. They even retail their linens and robes, cufflinks and living-room accessories—further evidence that W Hotels represent a lifestyle as much as a hotel. You'll find five W Hotels in New York , two in New Orleans and Chicago, and properties in Los Angeles, Montreal, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
But what happens when you're in a city without one of these name brands? Consider these other brands. Peninsula hotels are synonymous with sumptuous, rarified, and gracious living; they are opulent, Old-World charmers. This highly select group has outstanding concierge services and properties in New York, Chicago, and Beverly Hills. St. Regis hotels, also incredibly select, easily exceed high expectations. Their 1904 flagship Beaux Arts property, the St. Regis New York, is the stuff of legend; look for other fine hotels in Aspen and San Francisco. No less enthusiastic, look to the French-owned Sofitel to experience the art of vivre that welcomes guests warmly with sophisticated services, a classy demeanor, and contemporary elegant interiors. Sofitels are found in Montreal, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Riversong Lodge, Lake Creek, AK
Run by husband and wife team Carl and Kirsten Dixon, this upscale log-cabin lodge on the banks of the Yentna River offers world-class fly fishing, gourmet cuisine, and the weird thrill of knowing a moose might be right outside your summer-by-the-lake-style cabin.
At $715 per person, minimum, a stay here doesn't come cheap, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck. First, you swoop in by float-plane, and settle into a handsome room. Then seasoned guides boat you to remote fishing holes where you can test your fly rods against the local bears for massive king salmon, feisty arctic grayling, or whatever else is running. After each long day on the water, feast on hearty dishes such as Reindeer Ragout, before snuggling in for the night.
Tu Tu' Tun Lodge, Gold Beach, OR
All 20 of the rusti-swank wood and stone rooms of this bucolic hideaway overlook the Rogue River, and some come with fireplaces and springwater soaking tubs—the perfect ambiance for getting soulful with your soulmate.
If you can tear yourselves away from your room, hike the local trails, paddle one of the lodge's sea kayaks, go fly fishing (guides available), navigate the Rogue's, er, roguish rapids, slip into the heated swimming pool, or play horseshoes in the apple orchard. At night, cuddle up around the massive fireplace in the main lodge, and feast on salmon and other staples of Northwest cuisine.
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA
This is the splurge to go for after you've memorized the Kama Sutra and perfected your tantrist vocabulary—if your mojo ain't workin' during a stay at this stunning celebration of organic architecture perched over the wave-spanked coastline of Big Sur, then it may be time to move on.
All 30 rooms have king-size beds, fireplaces, indoor spa tubs, and ocean or mountain views. You can hike through the redwood and oak forest on the 98-acre ranch, limber up in a yoga class, take a dip in one of the inn's two pools, or indulge in a spa treatment or two. In the award-winning restaurant, you'll find decadent dishes like Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chestnuts and Big Sur Chanterelle Mushrooms, and Roast Venison Loin with Sweet Potato Risotto and Huckleberry Jam.
Little Palm Island, Little Torch Key, FL
This chi-chi gem in the Florida Keys is only accessible by boat or seaplane—a sure bet for the ultra-private tryst. Once you're on the island, make your way to one of 30 thatch-roofed luxury bungalows, handsomely appointed with British colonial furnishings, a gossamer-draped king-size bed, and a whirlpool tub made for two (some bungalows also have outdoor jacuzzis). The rooms have no TVs, telephones, or buzzing alarm clocks to interrupt the blissful hours you spend lounging on your ocean-view veranda or lathering up in your private outdoor shower.
Outside the sanctuary of your bungalow, pamper yourselves with a massage at the world-class spa, enjoy snorkeling or diving among pristine coral reefs, or go deep-sea fishing, sailing, or sea kayaking. Once you've worked up an appetite, dine on dishes like jumbo lump crab cakes with melted leeks, truffled asparagus, tomato salad, and saffron-chive buerre blanc.
Aurora Ice Hotel, Chena Hot Springs Resort, AK
A (literally) freezing hotel room may not sound like the perfect environment for a sexy escapade, but think of it this way: what better excuse to cuddle close all night long?
This unique structure, constructed entirely of ice and snow, features six themed bedrooms (also made of the frozen stuff). One looks like a miniature igloo, and another contains a bed shaped like a giant polar bear lying on his back (you sleep on his belly). Yes, even the beds here are ice sculptures, packed with a "mattress" of snow, and then lined with reindeer hides and 20-degree sleeping bags for added comfort. Many of the chilly furnishings, which are illuminated from within, cast an ethereal, wintery glow. For the price of your stay in the ice edifice, you're also given a complementary room in the Chena Hot Springs Resort's "normal" hotel—just in case you chicken out in the middle of the night.
During the day, take a dip in the 104-degree springs, go cross-country skiing, hiking, or snowmobiling, or—on the winter days when there isn't much sunlight to speak of—check out nature's most spectacular light show: the Aurora Borealis. One warning: The ice hotel just opened December 31, 2003, and it remains to be seen how it will weather next summer's days of 24-hour sunshine. But with 14,000 feet of tubing pumping hockey-rink coolant through the structure, resort representatives are hopeful that the hotel has a long life ahead of it.
Château du Sureau, Oakhurst, CA
She'll play out all her princess fantasies at this posh estate hotel located 45 minutes from the south gate of Yosemite National Park. Surrounded by verdant landscaped gardens and breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada, the Château is the ultimate in romantic indulgence. Stay in one of the hotel's ten rooms (with names like Lavender, Rosehip, Elderberry and Thyme), each furnished in elegant provincial French style, with fireplaces and views of the surrounding mountains and forests. The hotel also boasts a five-star restaurant, Erna's Elderberry House, presided-over by renowned chef James Overbaugh.
To satisfy your adventure jones, let the Château's concierge set up an active outing like horseback riding, mountain biking, or Merced River rafting. Or take an adrenaline-filled day-trip from the fairy-tale estate for legendary climbs like the breathtaking 5.7 Via Aqua route from lower Yosemite Falls (the tallest waterfall in America). If you really want to burn off the previous night's decadent dinner, try a hike up the demanding Cables Route on Yosemite's Half Dome.
Papoose Creek Lodge, Cameron, MT
Nestled in Montana's Lee Metcalf Wilderness, Papoose Creek Lodge pampers romantic adventurers with rustic luxury. Stay in one of the five lodge rooms or three reclaimed-lumber cabins surrounded by aspens, with shaded paths leading to the meandering creek and adjacent outdoor hot tub. Sunken whirlpool tubs and stone fireplaces grace many of the smartly appointed rooms, and most are wrapped by private decks.
Get your fly-fishing fix on the Madison River, then try a guided horseback ride or set out to paddle on nearby Quake Lake. Hikers can get their adventure fix on the eight-mile Papoose Creek Trail, which starts behind the stables and runs through canyons and meadows to the azure Crater Lakes. After the day's excursions, enjoy a cocktail at the main lodge before tucking into a candlelight dinner of smoked-trout chowder, carmelized goat cheese salad, and gnocchetti with lemon-scented shrimp—served (if you like) on your room's balcony.