Four Seasons Chicago

My two favorite hotels in the world are The Ritz Carlton in Orlando and The Four Seasons in Chicago.

Of course, I’ve never once spent the night at either of those places.

My experience with hotels is usually focused on “let’s see how little I can spend without getting bug bites.”  It’s rare, to put it mildly, for me to even consider forking over $400 or more to sleep in a bed – even if it’s a great bed with high thread count sheets.

But oh, how I love a little taste of luxury.

So I cheat.

It’s not actually cheating, per say, but I have found that luxury hotels offer more in the way of luxury than just an overnight stay.  Specifically, I like to indulge in the spas and restaurants of these fine hotels.

The best meal I’ve ever had was at Seasons Restaurant, the restaurant located on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Chicago Hotel.  Your typical bread basket came in the form of a bread display, and my perfect white table cloth was removed of all crumbs by a small golden contraption resembling a straight edge razor.  The food was beyond divine, and the service was extraordinary.

One of my dining partners asked what beverages were available and our waiter responded with “what would you like?  If we don’t have it, we’ll get it.”

I am not a hard core foodie, but I could become one after eating at Seasons Restaurant.  And I would use words like “caramelized” with reverence and love.

The bill came up to about $125 per person.  That bought us a four hour dining experience, four gourmet courses and a dessert coated with actual gold flecks.

We left the Four Seasons and retired to our $69 per night hotel room with full bellies and angelic smiles.

I’ve never dined (or spent the night) at The Ritz Carlton in Orlando, but I have spent more than one day there soaking in the lap of luxury.  I go to The Ritz for their spa.

Spa NAPS at The Ritz Orlando

The Ritz offers a full spa menu – everything from pedicures to massages – including the massages that involve someone walking on your back.  Of course, there are dozens of places to get pedicures and massages for less money in the Orlando area.

What makes The Ritz unique is that one spa treatment (even if it’s just a pedicure), gives you access to their entire spa and facilities for the day.  I lounge on a comfy couch in one of their relaxation rooms before my “treatments”, and then enjoy a leisurely sit in the steam room afterward.  I might also take a dip in the pool or relax in the sauna before heading off to the showers – which are private and well stocked with amenities.

I might pay just over $100 for an hour long massage, but I typically spend several hours unwinding in an environment of luxury and opulence.

When I’m done, I head home to my own bed where I sleep for free – and boy, do I sleep well.

The great thing about luxury hotels is that they excel at service.  That means that you will never be treated like an interloper while enjoying their non-guestroom amenities.  For a few hours, you’ll be treated like a star, without having to pay a star quality room rate.

Photos courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel and Ritz Carlton Orlando Resort Grande Lakes

Grand Hotel, Mackinau Island, Michigan

There is a reason the producers of Somewhere in Time chose Grand Hotel, on Mackinac Island in Michigan, located on Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, as the setting for the romantic time travel film.

In some ways, time has actually stopped at Grand Hotel, a place where you are still required to dress for dinner, there are no cars allowed on the island, and the primary method of transportation is horse drawn carriage.

"World's Largest Porch"

Not to mention it boasts the world’s longest front porch. It’s the social center of the island, and you can relax in a rocking chair and watch the animated buzz around the hotel or contemplate the lake views.

But don’t get the idea that this family friendly resort has a lack of amenities or activities! The variety and quality is definitely 21st century, from the 18 holes of golf on The Jewel, to tennis, swimming and a daily children’s programs for kids five and older.

Built in 1887, the hotel offers a choice of 385 rooms decorated by famed New York designer Carleton Varney. Each one is different, with a series of deluxe rooms decorated and named after famous people or places, like the Teddy Roosevelt Lodge Suite and the Esther Williams Suite. There are six “First Ladies” rooms that were actually decorated with input from Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush.

Every guest room, from the smaller (and less expensive) “Category I” rooms with interior views, to the the “Category III” deluxe lake-view rooms with balconies, comes with individually controlled AC, mini bar, in-room safe, cable TV, iron, and coffee maker.

The season at Grand Hotel runs from April through October, with room rates ranging from $395 night for a single person in a room, to $780/night for double occupancy in one of the luxury Named Suites.

One of the reasons that the rates are so high is that daily breakfast and dinner are included. There are several dining options on the property, including the main dining room, where you must be dressed for dinner, four additional restaurants with varying degrees of formality, four bars that serve light snacks and lunches, as well as three options for afternoon tea – the Fort Mackinau Tea Room, Carleton’s Tea Store and in the hotel palor.

There are several romantic packages at the hotel, worth checking if you’re planning a wedding, honeymoon, or anniversary trip. They also offer several “theme” packages, like a Labor Day Jazz Weekend, Murder Mystery Weekend and the Grand Hotel Lilac Festival.

As a fan of the Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour classic, my vote for the best package is the Somewhere in Time weekend!

The Claremont Hotel on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Summering on the waterfront in Maine is a dream for most of us, but for a weekend — or a few weeks if you are rich or lucky — you can live the dream at the Claremont hotel in Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island.

On the opposite side of the island from Bar Harbor, the Claremont is a classic hotel built in 1884. The quietly stunning setting on the Somes Sound, where you can see the only fjord in North America, is a dramatic backdrop for the historic main hotel and several guest cottages.

There are 24 recently renovated guest rooms in the main hotel building, six private rooms in the Phillips House, and 14 cottages, spread across the six acre property.

The main house boasts a porch with rocking chairs where you can relax with a book or your computer — yes, wifi has reached Maine!

Relax in a rocking chair on the open deck at the Claremont hotel in Maine

The more intimate Phillips House also has a veranda that tempts the tired traveler to sit and contemplate the water, as well as a large common room with a fieldstone fireplace.

Each of the 14 housekeeping cottages has a wood or gas burning fireplace, deck and kitchenette, for a classic “cottage on the water” vacation. The cottages has loads of character, from charming log cabins to more contemporary styles, and range in occupancy from two to seven.

The view from the Claremont hotel restaurant

There are a couple of options for meals on the property, including fine dining at Xanthus Restaurant. The menu is impressive, with local and organic offerings like Niman Ranch pork loin with fava bean risotto, and pan roasted red snapper with stewed fennel and tomatoes on a porcini risotto cake. But I have to admit I was disappointed not to see lobster on the menu. For me that’s a vital element of every trip back to Maine!

You can also enjoy a light lunch and evening cocktails at the Boathouse, and there is a new hotel bar for pre-dinner cocktails. “In season” between July 1st and September 2nd the hotel also serves afternoon tea, and in the summer has weekly lectures and music recitals.

For entertainment, the hotel offers boating, tennis, a library and two croquet courts, as well as close proximity to Acadia National Park, where you are practically guaranteed a moose sighting. The hotel is a quick 20 minute drive from the shops, restaurants and attractions of Bar Harbor.

The Claremont hotel is open from late spring to early autumn, with rates in the neighborhood of $150 to $250 per night in the off season, and from $200 to $300 range in season. Check the website for exact dates and rates.

In 2008 they offered two special packages, “Summer in Acadia” and “The Colors of Fall”. The two day packages were based on double occupancy and included two nights lodging, two full buffet breakfasts and one dinner. It’s definitely worth a look when you’re planning a summer vacation on the coast, or a foliage trip through New England.

If you’re dreaming of your summer vacation while looking at mounds of snow out your window, or making plans with family members over the holidays, you may want to consider a rustic visit to Maine, (State Motto: “The Way Life Should Be”) and stay at the Claremont hotel.

The Claremont Hotel
PO Box 137
Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679
phone: 1-800-244-5036
email: clmhotel@roadrunner.com