Ambiente™ Sedona describes itself as the first ‘landscape hotel’ in North America. What’s that mean? They allow the environment to take centre stage.
We’re not arguing given the way the hotel blends seamlessly into the dramatic red rock of its surrounds. Staying here feels less like looking at pretty scenery and more like you’re an active participant in the landscape.
Floor-to-ceiling windows bless each room with epic vistas of ancient waterways and the Brins Mesa mountain range. This place is stunning, and so cool. FYI we really thought ‘ambiente’ was going to be Spanish for ambient, but it’s Spanish for environment. Makes sense we guess.
Global travel favourite Hawaiʻi has been hit by some of the most devastating wildfires ever seen in the United States in recent weeks.
There aren’t many destinations in the world as universally loved as the Aloha State.
If you’re a traveller heading to Hawaiʻi, or you know someone who is, here’s what you need to know.
Where are the fires, and how bad are they?
Wildfires are still currently burning on the island of Maui, particularly in West Mauʻi, including one in Lahaina, a major tourist destination on the island. They have been burning for around two weeks.
Over 100 fatalities have been recorded and losses are estimated at over U.S. $6 billion. The fires have been labelled “the worst natural disaster in the history of Hawaiʻi.”
Can I still go to Maui?
No-one should consider travelling to West Maui.
Travellers are still able to visit other areas of Mauʻi, according to Hawaii Governor Josh Green.
“No one can travel to West Maui right now…but all of the other areas of Maui, and the rest of Hawai‘i are safe,” Governor Green said.
“When you come, you will support our local economy and help speed the recovery of the people that are suffering right now.”
Hawaii Tourism is advising travellers to continue visiting the areas of Kahului, Wailuku, Kīhei, Wailea, Mākena, Pāʻia and Hāna, as well as the other Hawaiian Islands of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island.
Is there any way I can help?
Paying heed to the areas you are advised not to visit is the most important thing any travellers to Mauʻi can do, as well as treating with the island and it’s people with an appropriate understanding of the situation. Around 2,000 people are sheltering at the Kahului Airport on Mauʻi, which remains open.
Visit mauistrong.info for information on where you can make financial donations to support wildfire relief.
On Aman New York’s website they give ‘how to get here’ directions from Teterboro Airport. An airport that only serves private jets…
And private jet people are exactly the sort of people that are gonna be frequenting the Aman, which has been dubbed ‘the most expensive hotel in New York’ at an eye-watering AU$3,400 per night.
What does this price get you? Absolute total luxury in Manhattan’s famous Crown Building (around the corner from Central Park), including a spa which takes up three entire floors, and suites of extreme opulence that look straight out of HBO’s Succession.
The former winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race has turned a run-down old motel in Palm Springs, California into a queer paradise—the Trixie Motel.
The refurbished mid-century motel contains seven rooms of whimsical, Barbie-style fabulousness, located in the heart of inimitable Palm Springs.
Until it’s time to sashay away, guests can enjoy over-the-top everything from wild wallpaper and art installations, to retro furnishings like flamingo lampshades and heart-shaped beds, all of which make you feel as if you’re actually on a RuPaul set. The neon motel sign, which is visible from the road, would normally be the loudest thing at a motel, but remarkably, it feels almost understated here.
Imagine telling your grandparents that a holiday in the future would be going to a farm, collecting eggs from the chooks for breakfast and foraging for your own vegetables for dinner. Working, in other words.
But this is 2023, not 1923, and we can see why the fresh air of Wildflower will appeal to those over in the Big Apple only 90 minutes away.
This is a stay that offers break from the grind, the fresh food on your plate – you know it’s fresh when you pick it yourself. Wellness tourism is a growing trend and, although this has traditionally seen as spas and exercise, eating is obviously a major part of being healthy.
This isn’t any old farm, either. No sleeping in hay stacks here; rooms of bespoke luxury are tucked neatly beneath sweeping tree canopies or within wildflower fields, where it gets its name.
Whether you’re into this sort of holiday or not, it is refreshing to see hotels placing a premium on the most basic of human pleasures – like the crisp air of the Hudson Valley.
There's an evil-looking horse that stares you down as you flee Denver Airport right after you land. It’s the sort of statue that immediately makes you rethink your decision to visit Colorado at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
My friends all gave me strange looks when I told them I was travelling.
“You mean, like, out of the house?” they said to me. My mother actually stopped talking to me when I told her, and after just a few days away, I could sense she was sitting next to the phone in a semi-manic trance waiting for my call.
All the signs – including the horrific sculpture of an iron horse from hell – were telling me that coming to the mountains of Colorado was a bad idea.
Although I did enjoy this horrified drama from my loved ones, the illusion of danger quickly melts away once you’re in the Mile High City.
Denver is a bright, clean place with a pleasant mix of history and modernism. My city hotel is in the Cherry Creek neighbourhood, which by all accounts is corporate but not sterile, with cheerful beer halls and an upmarket shopping district. My first stop is downtown, where I’m greeted by the majestic Union Station in the heart of the city, a landmark which once stood as the launching pad for brave settlers heading west.
In a move that couldn’t be more contrasting, I hop in an ‘eTuk’, which is Denver’s new answer to clean tourism and COVID-19-friendly transportation. These open-air electric tuk-tuks zip around the city offering a far superior view then any tour bus. What’s more, your guide knows all the sweet spots and local lore to get your mind salivating about diving deeper into this unclaimed jewel of the west.
Small and zippy, these little pregnant rollerskates zip through traffic like it doesn’t exist, and I find myself seeing the best that Denver has to offer at almost light-speed. I visit the Brown Palace, which is a regal old dame of a hotel that has a functional artesian well you can actually drink from. I get lost in City Park with its 1.2 square kilometres of greenspace, and I’m introduced to the hip RiNo (River North Art) district of the city, which is covered in street art and rife with hip eateries that I wish I had more time to see.
But there’s not enough time in the world because Colorado is big. Damn huge. And because I’ve been stuck in the house in lockdown for six months straight and I’m now free to travel, I naturally make my way toward the cool mountain air around Aspen, to see what the rich and famous claim is America’s answer to St. Moritz.
Aspen is the personification of affluence in America. But it’s also a place laden with art, culture and fine food. On the way to my hotel, I pass the famous Anderson Ranch Arts Center, where some of the best and brightest artists from around the state come to nurture their passions. Then I cruise downtown, gazing up at the famous Little Nell Residences where you can ski from your bedroom onto the slopes.
But it’s in the Bauhaus-inspired Aspen Meadows Resort that I find myself not so much staying in a resort but more sleeping in a philosophy. If you can imagine that the best hotels in the world think of every detail as something to inspire an emotion or an experience – then dial that up to max volume – you start to understand the sublime feelings you succumb to while staying here.
While on the surface the Meadows can seem to be a bit out of place in this town, its celebration of farm-to-table dining and world-class shopping definitely still fits the mould of a town that strives for excellence at every corner.
Excellence is what I found that night at Bosq: a funky eatery with mad-scientist-slash chef Barclay Dodge at the helm, who turns out exquisite dishes that inject intense global flavours into these remote mountain peaks. “This is a special corn that I got from a farmer in a small town in Mexico,” he tells the table. “It doesn’t exist anywhere in the United States, and because there was a frost coming, we had to harvest it.
So this is the first and last time we will ever eat this dish here.” Needless to say, I chewed it very slowly.
As delightful as Aspen is, the call of Colorado had me hitting the road early the next morning to reach Telluride. Both Telluride and Aspen attract big names and big money, but the truth is that the two towns couldn’t be more different.
Telluride resembles an old mining village inside a deep gorge, with houses lined up symmetrically as though on a Monopoly board, all surrounded by impossibly tall mountains. The people (and personalities) that call Telluride home are as tall as these mountains. Enter ‘Telluride Tom’, who is the unofficial mayor of this snow-capped canyon hamlet.
Telluride Tom has a mess of white hair and a voice that is both velvet and Gatling gun at the same time. Like an old frontier cowboy, he doesn’t walk but rather slides through town, usually with a drink in hand or on the way to get one.
Tom would be my spirit guide while I’m in Telluride and on our first meeting he hands me a Chair Warmer, which is basically a shot of locally-made peppermint schnapps. “This will make the day settle in better,” he tells me.
Now that I’m inoculated against the cool mountain air, together we meet with Pete Wagner who crafts legendary custom skis in a handsome shop in Mountain Village. Mountain Village is the other town here, and the special hack that gives Telluride its unique character. It’s in this town – rather than Telluride – that you’ll find all the burger joints, chain restaurants, familiar resorts, and family fun that isn’t permitted in the picture-perfect postcard town in the valley below.
“You know how we keep out the big chains?” Tom asks me with his crooked smile. “We have a law [in Telluride] that doesn’t permit large signage. Corporations can’t handle it. Imagine a Starbucks without a sign? You can’t, neither can they.”
The gondola gently lowers us to Telluride in just eight minutes.
Once below, I find a vibrant city, full of little bars, hip local restaurants, and locals that truly love their town. The energy in Telluride is electric. Immediately I want to get lost in the summertime fray, but Tom insists that we must go do the Via Ferrata first.
“Trust me, you’ll earn your drink, and you’ll feel better,” he says.
Living in Manhattan I’m used to heights. That being said, I found myself soon appealing to a God I didn’t believe in as I precariously dangled off the sheer face of a cliff about 300 metres off the ground, with nothing below me below me but a thin metal rung that someone put there half a century ago.
“Um, are you sure this is rated for Italians? We’re dense people,” I ask our guide of my perilous footing.
I’m assured it is impossible to fall while strapped into the dubiously thin safety cable. The Via Ferrata is a hiking trail that runs horizontally across a rock wall. These were originally invented in the Dolomites of Italy to quickly move troops through the mountains, but some genius thought it was a hoot to put one here in Colorado for tourists.
I’ve jumped from planes, zip-lined in the Philippines, and even risked a tattoo in a Shanghai bar, but nothing ever made me feel like this. The combination of terror, adrenaline and views were unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before.
About an hour later, back on terra firma, I’m in a bar called the Fat Alley with Tom.
“Here, put this in ya,” Tom says as he slides over a greasy shot glass filled with bourbon and topped with a piece of bacon. “It’s called a Mitch Morgan and it’ll straighten you out.”
I’m told that the trick to drinking a Mitch Morgan is that you really have to concentrate to pick up the grease-lined glass (which does calm your nerves) just as much as the fat from the bacon blocks your arteries to slow down your heart rate.
Doctor Tom was right again – one gulp and my faith in life was restored. Now elated to be alive, I finally start to understand the magic of this tiny mountain town. “You see,” Tom said sliding deep into his chair. “People go to Aspen to be seen, they come to Telluride to hang out.”
It was then I realized that the evil hell horse at the airport isn’t there as a warning for incoming visitors – it’s there to warn you that you’re leaving paradise.
What are the top three things that pop into your mind when thinking of Utah?
As a travel agent I have the unique opportunity of speaking with hundreds of travellers as well as my social media followers, giving me a real sense of public opinion on travelling through the Beehive State. Unsurprisingly Mormons, desert and national parks topped the list of interests.
But while Utah certainly has an abundance of all those things, there is so much more on offer here, making it (in my opinion) one of the most underrated frontier states in all of the U.S.
The most surprising thing about Utah – aside from the fact it has the third largest number of national parks in any U.S. state – is that the is that the sheer number of state parks and national monuments are so impressive they rival any of the Mighty Five® which the state is better known for; these are Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks.
If you’re an adventure lover and a fan of the great outdoors, there really is no other place on the planet quite like Utah. One hour you can be swiftly pedalling down ruby red-coloured slick rock, the next you’re wedged between a towering slot canyon, waist deep in crystal clear water. You could be cruising down world-class ski slopes in the morning, and hiking through a wonderland of hoodoos (columns of weathered rock) and pine trees that same afternoon.
Utah shines in every season, with 238 days of sun a year (well above the national average) so when you visit really depends on what you’re hoping to experience. For snow lovers, mid-November through to April is best, especially in January to March if you’re craving deep pow. For hikers, look at the seasons of Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November) for comfortable conditions. The summer months (June to August) are best for alpine hiking and water sports.
We laced up our boots in the capital, Salt Lake City, to kick off a monumental road trip. You can take a hike from day one on your visit by heading out to the Great Salt Lake or acquaint yourself with the state’s fascinating Mormon roots by checking out the Temple Square complex. The Utah State Capitol building and the National History Museum are also well worth some time while you’re still in the big smoke, and if you can catch the Utah Jazz basketball team at home, it’s game on!
We ventured through rocky desert landscapes, pristine forests, glistening waterways, and the wild west ...
From Salt Lake City, we ventured through rocky desert landscapes, pristine forests, glistening waterways, and the wild west, all the way down through the deep south of Utah, to Las Vegas, Nevada.
While hiking and landscapes were what we were originally craving on this visit, we found ourselves smiling from ear to ear with charming locals, falling in love with quirky desert towns, and having foodie experiences that still make my taste buds moist at the memories.
If I had to sum up Utah in an elevator pitch, I’d say it’s like a game of pass the parcel. When the music stops and you rip off the next layer of wrapping paper, you’ll be squealing with delight and it’s one of those games where Mum and Dad have packed an epic present in each layer.
DANA’S TOP FIVE EXPERIENCES Here’s five epic recommendations, a detailed road trip itinerary from our creator and the best way to discover (and book) the real Utah with get lost:
It’s not a cliche: it should be a God-given right for everyone to have the opportunity to experience the magic and diversity that Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks offer. It still blows my mind how different each of these parks are, yet they’re so easily accessible to navigate within a week.
The AU$115 America the Beautiful pass, gives you access to all federally managed land units (national parks, national forests, national monuments, etc.) It’s good for a year from the month of purchase. You can pick one up at any national park entrance station.
Part of the ‘Trail of the Ancients’, this national scenic byway is a roadway that drastically switches back and forth on itself at a mind boggling 11 percent grade, carved into a cliff face. You breathe in while you’re driving this stretch of road simply as a natural protection instinct from the sheer drop. Yet, the views over San Juan River Canyon will balance your adrenaline. It is simply stunning at the top. It was a combination of both these elements that made me really feel alive.
I went all gung-ho to tick off the Mighty Five® national parks. And while they are certainly pretty epic in their own right, I was floored by how insane the lesser known parks were. I was questioning how they could not be honoured with the same national park status? There are 44 state parks, 9 national monuments, and several other areas defined as really cool landmarks. At this point, I decide that I need to move to Utah to visit each and every one.
TAKE A HIKE
AU$108 for an annual State Park Pass which is a no brainer if you’re visiting a few. They can be around AU$15 per park if you pay individually.
If the aqua coloured truck doesn’t stop you in your tracks as you pass by the town of Boulder, the scent of perfectly cooked Mexican wafting through your window will have you parked up in no time. Sit under the cottonwoods to enjoy their fare, and take some extra away with you to fuel you on your next hike.
You’re in the most adventurous state in the U.S, so it’s time to try something new. Challenge yourself on a higher graded hike, mountain bike, canyoning adventure, bouldering ledge, rock climb, fly fishing trip, ATV, jet ski, water ski, snow ski, snowboard or slackline. If you’ve ever wanted to try something new that will really get your heart racing, Utah is calling your name.
TAKE A HIKE
Choosing to get out of your comfort zone = priceless
DAY 1 SALT LAKE CITY DAY 2 SALT LAKE CITY TO GREEN RIVER DAY 3 THE FIRST OF THE MIGHTY FIVE DAY 4 THE WILD WEST DAY 5 MONUMENT VALLEY TO CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK DAY 6 WORKING ON THAT MIGHTY FIVE DAY 7 BRYCE CANYON TO KANAB DAY 8 THE FINAL FIVE DAY 9 ZION TO CEDAR CITY DAY 10 CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
It’s no secret that Australians love visiting the USA in the winter.
With over 400 ski resorts to choose from, the country has a buffet of snow and cold weather experiences that will have you either chewing deep powder, climbing glaciers or kicking back in a luxurious mountain treehouse.
From the Rocky Mountains in the country’s wild west to the highest (underrated) peaks of the Appalachians in its east, here’s 16 unmissable snow experiences for an unforgettable winter spent in the USA.
PRIVATE CAT SKIING EXPERIENCE Steamboat Powdercats, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Cat skiing offers all the same remote, untracked fun as heliskiing without the noise, chaos and the skiing abilities of James Bond.
With professional backcountry guides, as well as plush, heated snow cats, Steamboat Powdercats takes advantage of the literally trademarked Champagne Powder® in Colorado’s Buffalo Pass.
MOST UNDERRATED SKI RESORT Mad River Glen, Vermont
The east coast mountains don’t get nearly as much airtime as the Rocky’s, but Mad River Glen in Vermont should be on your radar.
It has some of the most challenging and diverse terrain in the country, but a hard day of riding is perfectly complemented by the fire inside Stark’s Pub. This watering hole has regularly been named one of America’s best snow pubs for post slope brews. Mad River Glen is a skier-owned cooperative resort with an old-fashioned vibe which we love.
INSANE SNOW TUBING EXPERIENCE Woodward, Park City, Utah
A favourite American winter pastime, ‘tubing’ (which involves sliding down a ramp of ice in an inflatable inner tube) is now an extreme sport at Woodward in Park City, Utah.
With two magic carpets that take you to the top of Utah’s longest and wildest tubing slide, this activity is perfect for those who want all the extreme speeds from a snow experience without the need to ever strap on a pair of skis or a snowboard.
MOST LUXE HOTEL EXPERIENCE The Little Nel, Aspen Colorado
Perfection is not a word that the get lost team dishes out regularly when it comes to hotels.
But Aspen’s Little Nel certainly ticks all the boxes for the ultimate destination in opulence. This incredible ski-in-and-ski-out hotel is the haunt of celebrities and millionaires from around the planet. Our favourite is the personal ski concierge and the hidden, invitation-only wine cellar.
BEST HOSPITALITY Sun Valley Resort, Ketchum, Idaho
Sun Valley is a true year-round resort but it’s in winter when it really sparkles.
Built in 1936, Sun Valley in the city of Ketchum is not only the oldest ski destination in America, it is also home to the country’s first chair lift. There’s a sense of Hollywood at Sun Valley Lodge and the foyer alone makes you feel like you’ve just walked onto a movie set. But don’t let the opulence fool you, everyone here is going to be your best friend by the end of the trip and that is the real secret to a visit to Sun Valley. Get ready for the warm Idaho hugs.
BEST LOCAL SKI RESORT Snow King Mountain Resort, Jackson, Wyoming
For decades, Snow King Mountain in Jackson has been overshadowed by its much more popular neighbour, Jackson Hole.
But with its quintessential local-feel and zero lift lines, you’ll be able to bust out a few trackless runs early one morning without the usual Wyoming winter crowds. But don’t cut anyone off here or you might end up coming to blows with a local. Remember, this is their mountain and you’re only visiting.
We can’t do night skiing here in Australia because the risk of death and injury on our icy runs is just too high, but in the US it’s an institution.
At Mt Hood in Oregon, we’re not just talking about a few bunny runs flanked by magic carpets. This is America’s largest night ski area, where all the lifts have lighting (sometimes neon lighting) meaning there’s 36 runs to choose from right through to the end of Spring. Go get it, powderhounds!
With over two decades of teaching under their belts, MICA Guides are experts when it comes to taking newbies climbing on the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska.
After donning your gear and a quick briefing, you’ll hike over an hour across a breathtakingly beautiful turquoise glacier before reaching some simple to moderate ice slopes designed to help you refine your climbing techniques. But beware, this experience is only for those with ice in their veins. It’s tough, but well worth it.
BEST HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION
Timberline Lodge, Oregon
This luxury ski lodge in Oregon’s picturesque mountains has all the hallmarks of an archetypal American ski experience.
Timber clad rooms, roaring open fireplaces and snow draped roof pitches. It is both so beautiful and eerie that it was also used as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in the 1980 horror thriller, The Shining. We’d recommend staying away from room 217 (notable from King’s book) and instead opting for one of the Premiere Fireplace rooms.
BEST MOUNTAIN MICROBREWERY DruBru | Snoqualmie Pass, Washington
With a beer list that would rival most German beer halls, this local Washington microbrewery in the shadow of Snoqualmie Pass brews its award-winning craft beers from fresh mountain water and serves them to thirsty skiers and snowboarders in their huge beer hall with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the ski area.
Try the DruBru IPA, or a full flight if you’re unsure … heck, try them all. We won’t judge.
BEST SKI RESORT TREEHOUSE Ponderosa Treehouse, Whitefish Mountain, Montana
When we say that this magical treehouse is located on Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort, we mean that it is actually ON Whitefish Mountain’s famous Hope Slope.
That’s right. You can ski to the Hope Slope lift from your bed to the ski lift in less than 30 seconds. With two huge bedrooms, including an epic star filled loft for the kiddos, your legs are going to love finishing a big day of riding and falling into the private hot tub.
Close your eyes, breathe in that fresh mountain air and from this altitude your brain will trick you into thinking you’re actually in the Dolomite region of Northern Italy.
Instead, this quaint European wine bar and restaurant is in Telluride, Colorado. Alpino Vino is the highest altitude restaurant in all of North America and has an all Italian lunch menu with pastas, pizzas and extensive wine pairing. Enjoy the views of the Wilson Range while you can, because the way the wine flows here, things can get a bit blurry after 6pm.
BEST WINTER FISHING Fly Fishing, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The fish don’t stop biting during the winter in Colorado. In fact, some would argue this is the best time to hit the Yampa River when the crowds are down.
You can opt for a private guide through Steamboat Flyfisher to provide all your boots, waders, rods, reels and flies but you are advised to dress warmer than you would if you were skiing.
BEST SNOWSHOE ADVENTURE Creekside Yurt Dinner, Midway Utah
Snowshoeing gets a bad rap. But that’s often because it adds a layer of complexity to the already laborious task of walking.
But on this magical evening of guided snowshoeing through a forest lit by starlight, you’ll be finishing your short snowshoe at your own private yurt deep in the Wasatch Mountain State Park, sitting down inside for a four course meal, endless booze and roasted marshmallows around an already lit fire.
DOG SLEDDING Jackson Hole to Granite Hot Springs, Wyoming
Get on and hang on! This wild adventure through the snowy Gros Ventre wilderness starts with an early pick up at your hotel.
Your team of dogs (and your sled ‘Musher’) will guide you through Jackson Hole’s most iconic scenery in an exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The team from Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours work with a hybrid breed of Alaskan sled dog racers and Northern Huskies who will be responds to your commands by the end of the day. Bring your togs, because this adventure takes you all the way from Jackson to Granite Hot Springs for a much welcome soak, before returning back to your hotel in the afternoon.
At 3pm everyday, Cloud Nine in Aspen becomes a hedonistic melting pot of debauchery and we absolutely love everything about it.
In no other ski town in the world would this sort of drinking shenanigans be possible, let alone deemed appropriate. Revel in pure joy as overly expensive bottles of champagne are popped and sprayed over you and your guests while you dance and watch the sun drop over incredible mountain views.
In a city where there’s no shortage of places-to-be, the Tommie is the new place to be in Los Angeles.
It’s not difficult to see why this Hollywood hotspot has racked up this reputation in six short months. During the day, go full maxo-relaxo at the rooftop pool, a relaxed oasis which feels miles away from the craziness of the day-to-day L.A.
By night, debauchery seekers should head around the corner to the Desert 5 Bar, a hedonistic treat in the form of sweeping city skyline views, endless pitchers of margaritas, live music and a serious, serious vibe.
In between these two bookends you’ve got sleek 1960s-themed rooms to kick back in, and a restaurant with a very meat-strong menu from an award-winning chef (Wes Avila) to eat at.
There might be finer or quirkier places to stay, but nowhere in New York City quite has the bohemian street credit of The Hotel Chelsea, which has re-opened after a four-year renovation.
The hotel probably peaked as a creative hub in the 1960s and the 1970s, when the likes of Patti Smith (pictured below), Jimi Hendrix, Robert Mapplethorpe, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Madonna and a heap more resided at the Chelsea, on 23rd street Manhattan.
Jack Kerouac could often be found there when not on the road. Decades earlier Dylan Thomas drank himself into a stupor in his room, and earlier than that Thomas Wolfe wrote You Can’t Go Home Again within the confines of the hotel’s grungy walls. Leonard Cohen wrote “I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel…you were talking so brave and so sweet,” in memory of Joplin, forever entwining the two.
The hotel is now a upmarket trip down memory lane, refurbished with new coats of paint and expensive art. The Spanish restaurant has been retained, but upgraded. The rooms are glamorous, featuring restored marble fireplaces, Marshall speakers and retro couches. There’s a spa, a gym and, obviously, a bar. It’s shabby elegance has gone, replaced by a nostalgic elegance.
Colour is splashed throughout, reflecting the building’s colourful history.
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