A City Oasis at Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City

I’ve had a lot of stays in beautiful hotels over the years, but the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, was one of my favourites. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so beautiful – photos simply don’t do it justice at all. I was staying in an Executive Suite for two nights, and from start to finish my stay was absolutely perfect.

I checked in on Thursday evening and as soon as I approached the hotel, I was in awe. Set against a backdrop of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountain Ranges, and with 775 guest rooms, 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space, restaurants, a fitness center, pools, and The Grand Spa, the hotel is a Salt Lake City landmark…and it’s huge. Built in 2001, the hotel is nothing short of spectacular, with 24-floors and an old-world European design and architectural style.

Location & Arrival

The hotel is located to the south of the city’s downtown area, but I was actually really surprised by just how big Salt Lake City is. It’s fairly spread out and on average it seemed to take 20-30mins to walk anywhere in the city. Even places that were only a block or two away took ages to walk to, and I think it’s just because the blocks are huge so everywhere looks deceivingly close on the map.

The lobby is jaw-droppingly beautiful, with the concierge and check-in desks backed by Flemish tapestries, priceless antiques and works of art. This elegant lobby creates a dramatic first impression and I was instantly wowed by it – and couldn’t wait to enter my room!

Executive Suite

I checked-in to my Executive Suite, and once again I was in awe. With 880sqft of space, it was only a tiny bit smaller than my 3-bedroom house in London. I walked in to find a spacious hallway area complete with coat closet for jackets and suitcase storage, which then lead-on into a living area. A plush sofa and two large chairs were the focal point of the space, with a large desk and chair in the corner by the doors leading onto a Juliet Balcony. A sideboard in the other corner with the TV on-top of it, had the mini-bar inside it.

Double doors from the living room took you into the large bedroom, with the plushest and most luxurious bed. It was the squishiest marshmallow bed I have ever slept on – and unlike most soft beds, this one didn’t give me any back pain! The pillows were also incredibly soft and comfortable. The bedroom also had large windows overlooking the mountains, and it was pure bliss waking up to that view each morning.

Finally, the closet and bathroom. At the other end of the bedroom was a walk-in closet and a sink unit perfect for doing make-up and getting ready in the morning if someone else is in the bathroom, and the bathroom. Made of luxurious marble and with golden brass taps, everything about this space felt luxurious and special. The bathroom was ginormous, the bathtub was ridiculously deep, and the shower was one of the best I’ve ever used.

Dining Options

Whilst I didn’t use any of the bars or restaurants in the hotel, there are plenty of options to choose from with the Garden Café and Lobby Lounge, the Gibson Lounge, La Bonne Vie patisserie, an Afternoon Tea service, and a Sunday Brunch. I walked past the lobby lounge during the afternoon tea service on the Friday afternoon, and it was absolutely packed with people, so it must be a popular spot!

Pool & Spa

I thought the lobby and bedroom were special…and then I experienced the pool and spa. Or rather, the two swimming pools and four floors of ‘The Grand Spa’. For this is no ordinary hotel spa or pool. It felt like more of a resort style experience, with a heated outdoor swimming pool in a stunning space, and a large indoor pool on the fourth floor of The Grand Spa. The pools were also super accessible, with hoists beside each of them for wheelchair users to get in and out of the water.

While I was impressed with the pools, I was even more impressed with The Grand Spa. I’d been struggling with shoulder pain for the week before my visit to The Grand America, and was in desperate need of a massage to work the muscles there. I booked in for a 30-minute massage, and loved the quiet and peaceful lounge for relaxing in before the appointment, complete with a Zen Garden. The appointment itself was on the third floor of the spa – the second floor is for men’s treatments, while the third floor is for women’s treatments – and afterwards I was invited to use the sauna and steam room on the floor.

Verdict

While the service wasn’t the best, being such a hotel I think it’s hard for them to provide a truly personal service. For example, when I arrived no one helped me with my four suitcases and bags that I was very clearly struggling with, and they also didn’t offer to help or ask if I needed help getting it all up to my suite (which resulted in me having to drag my heavy suitcases across the carpet in the hallways, searching for my room which took me about 10-mins to find).

However, service aside, my experience at the hotel was completely faultless. It really has everything you could need for a luxurious and special stay – I only wish I had more time there. I desperately wanted to spend days lazing by the pool in the sunshine, soaking up those glorious massages at the spa, and testing our the restaurants and bars. Alas, I had just two nights in which to fit everything in. But, one day I will be back.