Why I Oughta...

I made a stop in Memphis, Tennessee recently (my first trip there) and I didn't stay at the Peabody Hotel.  Nope.  I stayed next door.  At a...ummm...not so great place.  It was fine.  But it wasn't the Peabody.  And, I do love me some historic hotels, so I had to stop in during one of the breaks to take a look around the lobby. From their site : Known as the “South’s Grand Hotel,” The Peabody is legendary for its charm, elegance, gracious hospitality and rich history. This Memphis icon, opened in 1869, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is world-famous for its five resident ducks, who march daily through the lobby at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Of course, I had to see the ducks.  But, I didn't see them arrive or depart.  They were just kind of hanging out in the fountain in the lobby. And...that two-story lobby?  It is spectacular.  Worth going to have a drink there if you are in town. I've covered some oth...

Back at the end of June, I added a coaster (and glass cover) to the #CoasterCollection here on the blog and kind of just glossed over the actual hotel.  Being a fan of old-school hotels, the lobby at the Roosevelt deserves a post of it's own here in my online/travel diary.  Check out the photo above to see the mosiacs, the fixtures and the all around glamour of the place.  They don't build hotels like this any more - in terms of the materials but also the space.  There is so much 'useless' space that isn't in rooms.  The areas around the elevators on the upper floors is generous.  Today? They'd build that space into the rooms.  There are these little weird half-floors that are totally NOT ADA-compliant.   And in keeping with the Waldorf-Atoria tradition of featuring significant clocks in their lobby , the Roosevelt has a beautiful piece called "The Paris Exhibition Clock.  Turns out, despite the clock being made in 1867, it has o...

I would stay at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs 10 out of 10 times.  I posted about my stay at the Broadmoor back at the beginning of the month when I added it to the coaster collection .  As I mentioned in that post, I only stayed one night at the hotel and it was far too short of a stay.  I arrived late in the evening after dinner and headed out for an early flight in the am.  But, I woke up early and strolled some of the property to take it all in.  It is a special place .  When Spencer and Julie Penrose opened The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, the master plan was to create a place where European elegance met Western hospitality in the perfect blend of style and service excellence. More than nine decades later, their vision is intact and their dream is still alive. Since The Broadmoor opening, it has been the destination of a long list of presidents, statesmen, foreign dignitaries and celebrities. I *do* love a good, historic hotel....