MGM Grand Detroit. Credit: MGM Grand Detroit
The first few months of the year can be brutal, but that doesn’t mean you should hide inside all winter long. If you can’t bag a beach getaway, opt instead for a luxurious staycation at a high-end hotel in your hometown, where posh packages and sumptuous extras come standard.
Detroit
Rather than hide from winter’s chill, Michigan residents embrace the snow with a three-week-long free outdoor festival. Through February 17, Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends takes over Campus Martius Park (a year-round gathering spot for locals) with an ice-skating rink, Detroit-themed ice sculptures, giant slides, zip lining and more than 50 musical acts.
But don’t worry about those potentially below-freezing temps — comfort zones (set up every 150 feet) offer tunes, bites, steaming sips and, most importantly, heat lamps to warm you through.
Between polar plunges, defrost at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star MGM Grand Detroit. Just a 17-minute stroll from the park, this entertainment epicenter boasts plenty of indoor fun with a 100,000-square-foot, smoke-free casino floor and a Four-Star steakhouse from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.
Conrad Indianapolis. Credit: Conrad Indianapolis
Indianapolis
With a popular wine bar, an onsite art gallery and an indoor infinity pool, the chic Conrad Indianapolis doesn’t give you many reasons to leave its grounds, especially if temperatures take a turn for the chilly. But if you do decide to stretch your legs, you’re in luck — the luxury hotel is handily connected to downtown destinations like Circle Centre Mall and the Indiana Convention Center via skywalk.
Should the weather happen to cooperate, make the eight-minute trek east to Indianapolis City Market for a tasty tour of the capital.
Sip a local brew (coffee and beer are both on tap here), savor freshly baked goods or pick up a souvenir from the more than 25 local vendors that line the halls of this restored 19th-century building. Just remember that the market is closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly.
The Grand America Hotel. Credit: The Grand America Hotel
Salt Lake City
You don’t have to be a skier to enjoy a winter getaway in Utah’s scenic capital. Check into Four-Star The Grand America Hotel for a taste of the finer things, such as live jazz and cocktails in the Lobby Lounge, daily afternoon tea and Sunday brunch in the light-filled Garden Café.
Make your stay even more indulgent when you book the 775-room property’s Spa at The Grand Package. In addition to spacious digs at the famed address, you’ll enjoy a $125 credit to spend at Four-Star The Grand Spa. Might we suggest an 80-minute hot stone massage or the sumptuous Honey Moisture Body Wrap or Sugar Body Polish? Either way, save some time to lounge by the large indoor pool once your service concludes.
Hotel Ivy. Credit: Hotel Ivy, A Luxury Collection Hotel
Minneapolis
The Twin Cities may not be known for their temperate climates, but Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Hotel Ivy, A Luxury Collection Hotel is heating up this winter with a star-inspired offer.
Through March 31, celebrate the city’s most famous former resident with the Party Like $3,999 — Prince Package. Live like the music icon in the property’s loft-style Penthouse Suite (including a welcome bottle of Dom Pérignon) and enjoy VIP perks like a Prince-themed cocktail reception for up to 15 of your fans, a Purple Rain spa treatment for two (a treat that features a spin in the Vichy shower) and a curated vinyl selection provided by storied local record shop Electric Fetus.
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Credit: Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
Baltimore
If you’re looking to take in the city sights without wandering too far, check into the chic waterfront Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Perched on Recreation Pier, this hotel venture from Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank provides an ideal home base packed with local artwork, a stylish steakhouse and some of the city’s best Inner Harbor vistas.
If you can tear yourself away from the view through your floor-to-ceiling windows, bundle up and hit the pavement to discover nearby attractions like historic Fell’s Point (a five-minute stroll) or make the short taxi ride to bustling Lexington Market to see landmarks like Fort McHenry National Monument and the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum.
