I spent 2 nights in one of Salt Lake City's only 5-star hotels. It epitomized luxury and was shockingly affordable.
The Grand America Hotel is a five-star hotel built in Salt Lake City for the 2002 Olympics.
The hotel is renowned globally and frequented by celebrities and traveling NBA teams.
I recently stayed there and found it incredibly luxurious for the price point.
Five-star hotels aren't the norm in Salt Lake City.
The metropolis of Utah's Silicon Slopes has a surprisingly thin supply of luxury accommodations. There were none before the Grand America Hotel was built in 2001 to serve the 2002 Olympics.
"One of the stipulations to bring the Olympics here was to build a five-star hotel," a hotel representative told Business Insider. "We hosted the Olympic committee."
In 2024, the Grand America Hotel was ranked among the best hotels in the world by CN Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards.
It's also a hot spot for celebrity sightings, and traveling NBA teams often stay there, the representative told BI.
I recently spent two nights at the premier hotel. With a starting rate of about $300 (depending on hotel occupancy), I thought it offered more luxury for your buck than any other accommodation I've booked.
The Grand America Hotel is a five-star hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.
The independently owned hospitality company also has locations in Idaho, California, Arizona, and Wyoming.
The 10-acre, 24-story hotel has 775 rooms.
There are four tiers of rooms. The lowest is a 700-square-foot premier room with a sectioned-off sitting area.
The second tier is an 880-square-foot executive suite with a living room.
A 1,000-square-foot kitchenette suite is the third tier, and the top tier is a 2,4000-square-foot presidential suite with two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub made of Italian marble, and a full kitchen, breakfast bar, and dining room.
From the lobby to the guest rooms, this hotel was coated in elegance.
The Grand America Hotel aims to be an American-sized, European-esque hotel. And I think it delivered.
The spaces were decorated with Italian marble floors and glass chandeliers, as well as French cherry-wood furniture and classic antiques.
The hotel reminded me of the lavish cars on the iconic luxury sleeper train I rode from Paris to Venice in 2023 — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
After checking in, I made my way to my suite.
I booked an executive suite with a base rate of $340 a night, though BI received a media rate for the one-night stay.
Knowing the room's rate, I was astonished when I stepped inside. The accommodation was on par with luxury hotels I've booked that cost $1,000 a night.
I entered a spacious hallway leading to a large living room with a workspace. To the right was the bedroom, which had a king-sized bed. Both rooms had floor-to-ceiling windows framing the downtown Salt Lake City skyline and the hotel gardens below.
I had a huge walk-in closet with mirrored doors leading to the bathroom.
The bathroom was coated in Italian marble, with a shower and separate soaking tub. I found Grand America-branded luxury toiletries on the counter and in the shower. The lotion smelled so good that I asked for a couple more to bring home.
On the second day of my stay, I took a private tour of the property and learned more about the hotel's luxury details.
My tour started in the lobby, where I learned the wood paneling was sourced from West Africa.
A representative also told me that the marble flooring was bookended and matched by hand to create a geometric pattern.
The Lobby Lounge hosted afternoon tea.
In true European spirit, the Lobby Lounge has a daily afternoon tea service with snacks and live music from harpists.
For cocktail hour, guests should check out the Gibson Lounge on the same floor.
After exploring the lobby area, we headed to the Shops at The Grand.
The Shops at The Grand is a collection of high-end boutiques inside the hotel selling clothing, accessories, snacks, toiletries, and other essentials.
The most surprising store was JouJou, a vibrant and whimsical toy store that felt like a child's wonderland.
Next to the shops, there was a spa and a fitness center.
The 20,000-square-foot Grand Spa welcomed guests with a grand lobby area. It had a water feature and retail items from popular athleticwear brands like Lululemon.
NBA athletes have worked out in this fitness center.
The representative said that visiting NBA players often exercise in the fitness center, which is open 24 hours a day.
The spa had Mediterranean-inspired pools, 18 service rooms, and wet and dry saunas.
Upon entering, the indoor pool area was calming. Natural light poured into the white, cave-like room through carved archways, and cozy nooks framed the main pool.
Next, we headed to the other side of the lobby to check out the dining options, starting with Bonne Vie.
Bonne Vie is a coffee shop that serves local brews, French baked goods, and in-house ice cream.
Bonne Vie led to a full-service restaurant, Laurel Brasserie & Bar.
Laurel Brasserie & Bar is a European-style bistro.
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a large menu that includes pasta, pizza, sandwiches, salads, and desserts.
The hotel also had 24 venues for business meetings and events.
The hotel can host up to 3,000 attendees at a time with three ballrooms, 20 meeting rooms, and a 35,000-square-foot courtyard for outdoor events.
The last stop on my tour was a presidential suite — the top-tier accommodation with a starting rate of $8,500 a night.
The 24,000-square-foot suite felt like a luxury apartment. The living room was bright and spacious, with a striking marble fireplace and a wealth of seating.
Despite its large size, the two-bathroom suite only sleeps two. But guests can host their friends and family with a full kitchen and a dining room that seats eight people.
The Grand America Hotel's elegant property, spacious guestrooms, and ultra-luxury amenities make it a steal for less than $350 a night.
And it's an ideal pick for travelers like me who want to experience luxury on a budget.
Read the original article on Business Insider
