Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Nothing is more disappointing than reserving a high-end hotel and arriving to find the once-modern finishes are dated and stuffy. But no one wants to see a historic hotel rid itself of character, simply to meet the hospitality trends of the moment. This spring, five historic and Star-Rated hotels reveal brand new looks, proving that history and modernity don’t have to be at odds. In fact, they can look outstanding together.
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, Santa Fe
Once drenched with dark geometric designs, this newly renovated Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star gem embodies a more streamlined, modern aesthetic without forsaking its Southwestern spirit. Bright wool pillows made from traditional Native American Pendleton blankets complement lighter paint colors and soft neutral linens. In the guest rooms, handcrafted terra cotta ceramics mimic the hotel’s Adobe architecture, and individual fireplaces provide warmth to every guest. New Mexico never looked so posh.
Shore Lodge
Shore Lodge, McCall, Idaho
Originally built in 1948, this Midwestern Idaho treasure recently renovated all 77 guest rooms, revealing a brand-new look for a historic landmark in the Pacific Northwest. The newly refreshed rooms include wood and stone finishes, playing off the natural beauty outdoors. The updating also called for replacing wood balcony railings with all-glass partitions to better enhance the views of Payette Lake. In addition to these finishes, Shore Lodge considered its guests’ modern technology needs by adding 46-inch flat-screen TVs and building low-profile outlets into new guest room headboards and side tables.
Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco
Located on the upper floors of San Francisco’s tallest building, 345 California Center, this Five-Star property’s newly refurbished Oriental and Taipan suites offer many of the best views in the city, and some of the freshest décor as well. The Oriental Suite presents guests with 2,000 square feet of serenity, using a soft palette of blues that mimic the Bay seen from the room’s magical 800-square-foot terrace. With the same mid-20th-century modern influence, the Taipan Suite is just as expansive (also 2,000 square feet), with plush velvet armchairs, a freestanding sculptural bathtub, and sleek ambient lighting to complement the cityscape just outside your windows.
MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Ever felt like travel forces you to eat, drink, and sleep poorly? Five-Star Skylofts at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Four-Star The Signature at MGM Grand Las Vegas have long offered high-end cures for those issues, but with the recently renovated 14th floor of the property’s main building, you now have a source for an enhanced, healthful experience along The Strip. The revitalizing experience starts with the all-new, tranquil registration area, Stay Well Lounge, and only continues with 171 new stay-well units that are equipped with everything from air purifiers and dawn simulator alarm clocks, to aromatherapy diffusers and vitamin-C infused showers. As if all of that weren’t relaxing enough, the rooms now also boast jet-lag-reducing lighting, black-out shades for optimum sleep conditions and healthy in-room food options (salads, wraps) from the hotel’s room-service menu.
Hotel Lucia
Hotel Lucia, Portland
This Forbes Travel Guide Recommended charmer in Oregon recently underwent a $2.3 million renovation that overhauled the interior and the digital infrastructure in all 127 rooms. The entire hotel now operates on a fiber optic network that uses glass strands to transmit data at the speed of light. USB charging ports and iHome Bluetooth clock radios provide a dock for charging and playing music for iOS devices. In addition to those tech upgrades, the rooms now feature 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens made in Italy, brand new Simmons Black Label Napa mattresses and a modern design with a slate gray, orange and gold palette — colors that pop against freshly painted white walls.
Photos Courtesy of Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, Shore Lodge and Hotel Lucia
