Salt Lake's stable of luxurious B&Bs is growing. With Valentine's Day around the corner and Cupid in the air, we decided to take a look at some of the city's hideaways to update you on what's available when you don't want to travel far from your front door for a weekend getaway.
We stopped by unannounced and, except for two inns, didn't mention our affiliation with a newspaper. We didn't stay overnight. We just looked.
We limited our inspection to small, luxurious establishments in the Salt Lake Valley and found a variety, from flowery Victorian to sleek contemporary.
Each one has a distinct ambiance. Many of the structures are on the National Register of Historic Places. Although there's a wide range of rates, on average you're looking at $150 a night.
Business travelers frequent many of the bed & breakfasts on weeknights. Honeymooners, anniversary couples and couples looking for a romantic weekend getaway also prefer B&Bs. By our way of thinking, none of the places we visited is perfect.
La Europa Royale, nestled amid trees off Vine Street, comes close. Built specifically as a small, sophisticated hotel, it opened in 1995. Guest rooms are elegant, convenient and soundproof. Each one has a sound system, television, fireplace and jetted tub. You have the option of breakfast in bed, and a massage therapist is on call, frosting on an already delicious cake.
Wolfe Krest Bed & Breakfast, which opened last year, is a new kid on the B&B block. Run by Utah Jazz wife Kay Malone, it's near the cusp of Capitol Hill. Two sides of the historic structure have views of the downtown lights. Another basks in the glow of the Capitol dome. The decor, by anyone's estimation, is a slam dunk.
The Inn on Capitol Hill is another newcomer, although the home itself is steeped in history. It was built in 1906 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The furniture is antique, the ambiance Victorian. But the original woodwork is the feature that will turn your head.
Brigham Street Inn on east South Temple was a pioneer of Salt Lake's luxury B&Bs, opening in 1982. The Spencer F. Eccles family purchased the inn in 1995. The establishment hasn't lost its polish, currently having the coveted Mobil four-star rating and AAA's four-diamond rating.
Here are brief descriptions of some of the places we've visited. If you're thinking of spending a night at one of them, we recommend that you stop by to see it for yourself. Only you can tell if the inn has the amenities and atmosphere you're looking for. Most of them welcome prospective customers during the early afternoon, although it doesn't hurt to call ahead to make sure the welcome mat will be out. Some serve full breakfasts. Others offer continental breakfast.
Anniversary Inn: Situated in the Old Salt City Jail, on the kamikaze bend at 1000 East where 400 South turns into 500 South, the inn has 45 theme rooms that call on a wide range of inspirations. The bed in the Jackson Hole Suite is in a Conestoga wagon. The Swiss Family Robinson Suite has a second-story bed that looks down on the rest of the room from atop a faux tree trunk with faux leaves. An aquarium hovers above the round bed in the Lighthouse Suite. In the Victoria's Garden Suite, the bed is in a gazebo. In the Romeo & Juliet Suite, the bed is on a second-level balcony above the jetted tub. Each room has surround-sound, a large-screen TV, laser disk movies and a jetted tub for two (many of which are in the middle of the room). This may be fantasyland for some people, but it's too Disneyesque for us. It was the only place we visited where big-screen TVs are de rigueur.
Armstrong Mansion Bed and Breakfast: This Queen Anne on the corner of 700 East and 100 South has an illustrious pedigree. Setting foot inside is like walking into a history book. Completed in 1893, it was the home of Frank and Isabel Armstrong and was one of the first residences in the city to have indoor plumbing. Frank was a successful businessman and politician who served two terms as Salt Lake City's mayor. The couple hosted many a social gala at their home.
The original woodwork, carved by the same artisans who worked on the Salt Lake Temple, is the highlight. It's worth your while just to see the hand-carved oak staircase. The carpets in the dining room and parlor are reproductions of patterns found during the restoration. The public rooms remain true to their Victorian heritage. So do many of the guest rooms, which are decorated according to the months of the year. The decor in some of the guest rooms was too gimmicky for our taste. And natural light coming through the windows in some of the rooms was low-beam. But the building's original wood is a work of art.
Brigham Street Inn: This is a favorite of academicians visiting the University of Utah and businessmen. The classic Victorian decor is timeless and sophisticated. Each room has a fireplace. The suite in the basement has a jetted tub. "Our most outstanding feature is our big, sunny rooms with king-size beds," said general manager Karyn Haeckel. The front porch overlooking South Temple is also an asset. "Guests love it. We serve breakfast out there in the summer." Guests love the privacy and personal service, too. "They can have breakfast when they want. We can run out and get them a pizza. They can raid the refrigerator at midnight," she said. The home was built in 1898 for Walter C. Lyne, who in 1871 moved to Salt Lake City from Wisconsin with his father to establish a drug store. The clientele is generally as sophisticated as the decor. If you're looking for theme rooms, this is not the place.
Haxton Manor: Situated on east South Temple, the interior of this historic home, which originated around 1906, was reconstructed to replicate the original. The feel is English country with modern amenities. Four of the six rooms have jetted tubs. Two have fireplaces. Once we got past the plastic poinsettias in the planter boxes adjacent to the steps near the front porch, we realized that the interior decor is tasteful and homey. Rooms are smaller than those in some of the other establishments, but they have a cozy feeling. We particularly liked the Windsor, a minisuite on the second floor with a row of windows looking down on South Temple. One minor consideration: The in-room blower in the Windsor happened to come on when we were there. It made enough noise that it could be a problem for light sleepers.
Inn on Capitol Hill: Known by historians as the Woodruff-Riter-Stewart home, it was built in 1906 for Edward D. Woodruff, a physician for Union Pacific. It is perhaps the most commanding of the homes that line State Street on Capitol Hill. In previous lives, the home was divided into apartments and offices. It was renovated into a B&B, which opened in 1998. English antiques and Oriental rugs grace the wood-paneled rooms. The light fixtures are worth noting. Some are original to the house. Others were purchased through a local antique dealer. The music room has original canvas walls with stenciled trim. Guest rooms have jetted tubs, queen- or king-sized beds and TVs with VCRs, amenities worthy of the 21st century. Each room has a theme, which is carried out with tasteful decor. The Statehood room, for example, has a blue-and-white custom carpet. From its private balcony, you can see the city lights and mountains.
La Europa Royale: Native Texans Tom and Fran Flynn bill this as an elegant, small hotel. The difference between their establishment and others, they contend, is that it was designed and built specifically for its purpose. It also provides all the services of a hotel. Guest rooms, with jetted tubs, separate showers, elevated fireplaces (so you can see them from every angle of the room), TVs and sound systems, are elegant yet convenient. Walls are resistant to sound transmission. You can't hear a vacuum outside your door. People on business have access to secretarial services, fax and copy machines and in-room phone lines dedicated to computers. An exercise room looks onto the wooded grounds. On the flip side of the client coin are couples looking for a romantic retreat or newlyweds on a honeymoon who will find total seclusion. La Europa Royale is on two acres off Vine Street. The grounds have ponds and walking paths. One of the favorite options is breakfast in bed at no extra charge. A massage therapist recently was added to the hotel's list of services. The therapist brings the massage table into your room. Afterward, "you have to decide whether to slide into the bath or slip into bed," said Flynn.
Pine Crest Inn: Mother Nature plays a major roll in creating the ambiance of this retreat in Emigration Canyon. Emigration Creek runs through the property. The atmosphere of the canyon and the stream set the property apart, said Donetta Davis, who owns the inn with her husband, Phil. In good weather, guests enjoy sitting on the decks that overlook a little waterfall. Three of the inn's rooms have jetted tubs, three have fireplaces and one has a sauna. The inn opened 13 years ago. Guest rooms range from the Oriental Suite, which takes up the entire upper floor, to the Rustic Canyon Cabin, which has a wood-burning fireplace, a full kitchen and a claw-footed tub. "Pine Crest is a 20-minute drive from downtown or a million miles away," said Davis.
Wolfe Krest Bed & Breakfast: This inn owes its celebrity to proprietor Kay Malone. The publicity brochure says she designed each of the 13 deluxe suites, which feature fireplaces and jetted tubs. "Wolfe Krest represents my vision of what an elegant and luxurious bed and breakfast should be," she says. It is, indeed, an elegant addition to Salt Lake's B&B roster. Our favorite guest room is No. 302 on the south side of the third floor. It's apparently the crown jewel because at $300 a night it's the most expensive in the place. The public areas are stunning, too, with decor that's trendy but timeless.