When I think about the great accommodations Ruth & I have enjoyed during our travel years, 3 particular places come to mind as outstanding and in unbeatable locations. All today would be classified as luxury accommodations, and we recognize our great luck in being able to stay in each one. We experienced them over the years and could not stay in each now unless we had a special deal like we had back then. Today all 3 would only be considered for special occasions in our lives.
We loved the Georgian Court Hotel in Vancouver BC for its classiness and exquisite location at 773 Beatty Street. We only stayed there one time for a couple of nights but always hope to return. This probably will never happen. The Georgian Court is near lots of attractions, but it’s across the street from BC Place. Construction began on BC Place in 1981, and it’s now home to 3 professional sports teams and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Its genuine glory days occurred after a major renovation when it was selected as the main stadium for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was used for the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic Games, and the staff at the Georgian Court told us that this venue created major tension for Olympic sponsors due to possible fire threats.
We liked the Hard Rock Hotel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago a lot for the 3 nights we stayed there in March, 2014. The room was rock music themed and like no other we had experienced. This special accommodation was inexpensive at the time, but parking was outrageously costly.
The Hard Rock Hotel is gone. It has been transformed into a truly deluxe accommodation called St. Jane Chicago. After being a Hard Rock Hotel for 15 years beginning in 2004, it was shut down at 230 Michigan Avenue and over time became the St. Jane. Among other changes, its number of rooms was reduced from 381 to 363. The Jane of its new name was a Chicago social worker, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner named Jane Adams. She ran a socially important facility called Hull House. The Hard Rock Hotel now the St. Jane Chicago is in a historically important structure, The Carbide and Carbon Building. This 40 story art deco masterpiece with a marble stone exterior and shaped like a champagne bottle amazed us. It reopened as the St. Jane in 2019. What a location!
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is southern Utah was also old but spectacular. It was built in 1924/25 but has been steadily upgraded and now looks historic but well-preserved. We still can’t believe our luck in booking it many years ago. Even then it was tough to get in. Staying there for a single night was great for jaw-dropping scenery and fine food in the dining room. Although it’s completely closed this month for water pipe maintenance, it will reopen soon with 4 levels of accommodation–cabins, lodge rooms, guest suites, and 4 guest studios. Expect to be put on a long waiting list and good luck in getting a break.
Hank
Security Conscious 