Tag: hotels

Naperville, Illinois, USA ~ Hotel Indigo Naperville Riverwalk

March 2026

Naperville seems like an unusual choice. What took us there?

We do semi-regular road trips to Chicago to pick up wine we’ve ordered from an importer there. Typically, we stay in the city, but we’ve heard nice things about some of Chicago’s suburbs, so we thought we’d branch out a little. One of our friends grew up near Naperville, and she has shared many stories, so we decided it would be worth seeing this southwest Chicagoland city in person. Plus, our friend knows we appreciate places that have authentic and historic downtowns, which Naperville does — and a lovely river, the DuPage, that runs through the southern part of it.

And how did we settle on the Indigo?

Our friend said Hotel Indigo is “the place to stay” in Naperville. It sits right on the Riverwalk and is within walking distance of Naperville’s sites. In addition to being the place, it also appears to be the only place near downtown and the only one not situated on one of the highways that surrounds the city. It was, therefore, an easy choice.

Anything memorable about the hotel?

A few things. The location really was perfect for exploring Naperville. We parked our car in the ramp when we arrived and didn’t touch it until it was time to depart. That felt good. Many of the rooms also look out on the river and the Riverwalk, a 1.75-mile brick path with fountains, bridges, sculptures and the city’s Millennium Carillon. The Indigo seemed to be a popular spot for Napervillians to celebrate. When we arrived, a big group was having a pizza party in the lobby, and we saw another quartet celebrating a bachelorette or birthday party. The hotel’s location and the fact that it isn’t just a cookie-cutter property surely makes it a draw, and we were grateful to get a room on the weekend we visited.

Parking ramp entry
Street entry
Hotel lobby
Millennium Carillon
Covered bridge on the Riverwalk

One slightly quirky thing (that didn’t matter much but we noticed) was the hotel’s entrance. The Indigo spreads over two buildings on either side of Water Street with a skyway that connects the two. The lobby is on the second floor, but to get to it, you either need to enter through the parking garage, which is actually the most distinct entrance, or through one of two non-distinct sets of doors on Water Street. The hotel’s first floor is retail and restaurants, so we understand not wanting to use valuable real estate for a grand hotel entrance, but the streetside entrances seemed a little underwhelming. If we hadn’t arrived via our car (I suppose most everyone does, and that probably says something about Naperville), it would have been a trick figuring out how exactly to get in.

We do want to quickly call out the front desk staff. They were terrific — super pleasant and even more helpful. We felt like they were genuinely happy to have us at the hotel. That makes a big difference for first impressions.

And our room? Were you pleased?

Yes. It wasn’t anything luxurious, but it was kind of fun. We actually moved from the room we originally booked (one with a balcony) because the window seal was broken, so the view was obscured. Again, not a big deal, but we decided it was worth asking if there was another room. The lovely person who checked us in said she had just gotten a cancellation, and she offered to move us to a different category of room. The new room didn’t have a balcony, but she said it was one of her favorites in the hotel because of its windows.

The second room also had a window with a broken seal (the Indigo opened in 2015 and, in places, was starting to show its age), but it mattered little because the room didn’t only have one window but five big ones that stretched across two walls of the quite-sizable room, one of which opened to let in the warm spring air. The front desk staffer was right; the windows were certainly the highlight.

Beyond that, the room had everything we needed with plenty of storage; double sinks; a nice seating area with an L-shaped couch, chair and ottoman; and what felt like a massive bed. Robes would have been appreciated, and the in-room coffee wasn’t great, but those things didn’t get in the way of our enjoyment. If we happen to find ourselves in Naperville again, we’d return to the Indigo. And for anyone going there, our friend was right. It is the place to stay in this Chicago suburb.

Stay details:

What we did, where we ate:

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Marylebone, London, UK ~ Dorset Square Hotel

February 2026

We were staying at the Raffles OWO for the first part of this London visit; why did we move?

The Raffles was amazing — and we would have happily stayed there forever — but we also love London’s neighborhoods and have been wanting to return to Bethnal Green in East London and a hotel with fond memories for us: Town Hall Hotel. But when it came time to make the booking at the Town Hall, it wasn’t available; we figured this was our sign to try something new.

Okay, so why Dorset Square?

London has so many wonderful hotels; it really is an abundance of riches, and it can be hard to make a choice. Rather than looking to our go-to sources, we started with the idea of visiting a property connected with the hotel that gave us the original idea for our blog: the Crosby Street Hotel in New York. We don’t have a full entry for the Crosby Street because hoteling.org didn’t exist yet, but we chose a picture of the hotel for the featured image on hotelling’s home page, and we mention it in our “Past stays and reminiscences” entry where we note the hotel is one of our top 3 (it was on our list of favorites for a long time).

Crosby Street is a Firmdale hotel, one of (now) three in the U.S. The Firmdale brand is the brainchild of Ken and Kit Kemp, whose company includes 11 hotels. The very first property the Kemps opened is — you guessed it — Dorset Square. Since staying at Crosby Street, we have wanted to try another Firmdale hotel, and we thought it would be fun to check out the original.

We spent 10 days in Marylebone last year; was the Dorset Square neighborhood and the hotel itself familiar?

We thought we knew Marylebone pretty well, as we spent a lot of time exploring the neighborhood last year, but we’re pretty sure we had not previously come across the hotel or even the lovely residential square (the hotel’s namesake) that it sits on. With that said, even if we had walked by, it would be easy to miss the hotel. It is housed in an attractive Regency building that blends in with the townhouses that surround the square. Only a small sign at the doorway identifies the hotel.

We arrived on a rainy day, walking from the Baker Street tube station. What did you think when we arrived?

Dorset Square is understated and petite — a definite contrast to the grandeur of Raffles, but they both feel sumptuous, just in quite different ways. We arrived early in the afternoon, so our room wasn’t quite ready. We were invited, however, to linger in the drawing room, which featured a fireplace and honesty bar, or to visit the hotel’s restaurant, The Potting Shed, which the staff member at reception took us down to see.

The hotel’s design felt similar to Crosby Street, even though the properties are quite different. The Firmdale website says the 11 hotels encompass “modern English style, exceptional personalised service and an unrivaled attention to detail.” Our first impressions of Dorset Square reinforced this mission.

I’ll also say the aeshetic of the hotel — while not something I would probably want to use in the interior design of our own home — just makes me happy. Dorset Square (the square itself), is now a private garden but was originally a cricket ground, and the hotel plays on the cricket and garden themes throughout. Coming to London in January from Minnesota where winter was in full force, we were happy to see all the references to trees, flowers and sporting of the outdoor type.

Tell me about your impressions of the room.

While it would have been tempting to sit down and relax as preparations for our room were completed, London called, so we left our bags and headed out. By the time we returned, it was evening, and the housekeeping staff was doing turndown services. We found bottled water at each bedside, a small bottle of RikRak pillow spray (which smelled amazing) and tube of hand cream, a welcome note and a piece of cake.

Our room was on the smaller side, but it had everything we needed; the same could be said for the bathroom, which was floor to ceiling marble and felt luxurious despite its size. The bed — the primary feature of the room — was tall and fluffy and oh-so comfortable.

The combination of patterns, textures and colors in the room was a feast for the eyes, and, as we remembered at the Crosby Street, everything was impeccably maintained — not a scratch or nick to be found, even in the closet, which was painted a high-gloss white. We wouldn’t be surprised if touch-ups are done after every guest.

I particularly loved the large painting of a dog in silouette, but the room had lots of smaller details to enjoy as well, including the knobs on the closet door, the selection of drinks and snacks in the minibar, and the colorful canvas bag we were invited to take with us.

My only small complaint was that our window had frosted squares on the bottom half that impeded our view. We could see that our room looked out to some mechanicals for the building, so we understood the purpose of the frosting, but it made me feel a little claustrophobic when we were in the room during the day. If we were to return, we’d book a room with a view of Dorset Square.

What was most memorable about Dorset Square?

I loved feeling, for a few days, like I was a resident of a stylish townhouse in Marylebone. The hotel gave us a key to visit the private square, and we met the gardeners who had recently been hired to look after the square. It was beautiful, and we couldn’t get enough of the blooming bushes and bulbs. We also discovered (or rediscovered) Marylebone Station, which is both a tube stop and an overground station serving destinations to the northwest operated by Chiltern Railways. The station is as charming as the hotel and is now my favorite in London. I also appreciated the low-key but completely competent service at the hotel. We felt like we were in the good hands of staff members who authentically cared about their guests.

Stay details:

What we did, where we ate:

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Amsterdam North, The Netherlands, Sir Adam Hotel

February 2026

One of our favorite hotels, The Dylan, is in Amsterdam. Why someplace new for this stay?

The Dylan has, of late, been our home base in Amsterdam – and we know we’ll return there because we love it – but as we get to know Amsterdam better, we thought we should branch out and try something new. It’s always fun to explore different parts of a city.

Sir Adam is quite close to the historic center of town, but getting there requires a ferry ride from Amsterdam Centraal Station across the IJ River. How did that work out?

It was both amazingly convenient – running every 10 minutes or so 24 hours a day – and free. The ferries (two are typically running at any given time) shuttle thousands of pedestrians, bicycles, and other people-powered vehicles across the river each day on a ride that takes only a few minutes. Most of the passengers looked like locals. We loved studying their ferry-riding tactics and even picked up a tip or two for ourselves.

The hotel is housed in an iconic building in Amsterdam Noord that used to house the Royal Shell Laboratory (Shell Oil). What makes the building notable?

First, the building is a tower – 100 meters tall – so it’s a landmark on the banks of the IJ in what is a relatively low-slung city. It was designed in 1966 and originally called Toren Overhoeks (tower across the river). We have a love for concrete buildings, and this one is interesting because the tower is placed diagonally in relation to the substructure and the tower’s roof ornamentation.

A’DAM Tower – day and night

After Shell sold the building to the municipality of Amsterdam and after a significant redesign and renovation, the tower re-opened in 2016 as A’DAM Tower; it is now home to Sir Adam; a handful of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs; an observation deck, featuring the “highest swing in Europe;” and the offices of music and creative companies, including Sony Music. The tower has a distinct personality, for sure.

The hotel is listed as one of Amsterdam’s best in several of our go-to resources, but we were both a little concerned that the vibe might be a bit too young and a bit too “party party.” Were those concerns borne out?

The hotel definitely caters to the younger crowd and strives to offer an experience, not just a hotel stay. For example, accessing the elevators requires a somewhat complicated interaction with a monitor that asks where we’re going (different than just swiping a room key). Once we figured that out, we were instructed to get in a particular elevator, which turned out to be the “karaoke elevator” (each one has a theme). When we arrived on our floor, we exited to a foyer and hallways painted black with very low mood lighting that made it somewhat difficult to navigate to our very sunlit room. What a contrast; our pupils had to make a quick adjustment. People were definitely partying all around us — from our room, we could see the entry an underground nightclub on the hotel’s plaza, which had lines to get in until the early morning hours – but we never felt too out of place or too old. Everyone at the hotel seemed happy to see us, even if we did look like their parents.

How would you describe the room?

The room was fun with an aesthetic that I might call “rock n’ roll chic.” On the wall hung a guitar; and alongside the mini bar, which featured the ingredients and instructions for a kopstoot, was a turntable with a handful of albums.

The highlight of the room was definitely the windows, which extended fully across two walls. We had a great view of the river and of Amsterdam Noord, and I loved sitting in the window seats and watching the never-ending (truly never-ending) activity down below.

As you well remember, I spent a lot of time offering ideas for what I would do if I ran the hotel. Inside the rooms, it was clear that the housekeeping staff were paying attention to the things people notice: smoothing the bedding, making sure the shower is sparkling, dusting the furniture surfaces. But our room – I’m guessing all rooms – could use some attention to detail. Dust had built up inside the electrical outlets, and the soap and lotion dispensers at the bathroom sink needed a good wipe down near the pumps. The painted trim along the floor and the doors were black, and anything black shows every nick and dent; sending a maintenance team around to regularly engage in deep cleaning and paint touch-ups would take the guest experience to the next level.

It’s quite possible that many guests don’t care about these details, but we’ve seen them done so well at other properties – we had just come from two in London: the Raffles OWO and Dorset Square (entry coming soon) – that it’s hard not to notice.

Are you glad we tried Sir Adam?

I am. It was fun to see the creative reuse of the Toren Overhoeks, and it was equally fun to experience a new part of a city we are getting to know better. Amsterdam Noord is worth spending some time in. We had dinner at three places we likely wouldn’t have found if we hadn’t been staying across the river from central Amsterdam, and we had a great walk through Noorderpark on our final morning after getting coffee and breakfast at a local place full of Amsterdammers; we even stumbled on the chalkmill d’Admiraal, the last remaining wind-powered chalk and trass mill in the world.

Stay details:

  • Sir Adam Hotel, Amsterdam Noord
  • 4-night stay: Feb. 5-9, 2026
  • Sir Corner City View, #405

What we did, where we ate:

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Whitehall, London, UK ~ Raffles London at the OWO

January 2026

We’re excited to welcome our first guest contributors to hotelling.org. This entry is a collaboration with two friends who invited us to join them at the Raffles in London; thanks to them for sharing their insights on the Raffles experience!

Tell us about the origin of the London trip.

This trip was definitely a ‘treat yourself’ moment. We were coming off a couple of months with family in Serbia, transitioning back home and looking for a few days of luxury travel along the way.

You chose the Raffles OWO before we decided to join you. Why this hotel?

We were intrigued by the history of the OWO, which formerly served as the headquarters of the British War Office and is right on Whitehall among the iconic buildings of England. The hotel also has a knock-out spa – part of the ‘treat yourself’ scheme.

What were your first impressions of the property?

The entry to the building is directly across from the Royal Horseguards with tourists all around, so it really is right in the center of London’s power. The porter invited us in, asked if we were staying, and then whisked us off to reception, which was tucked away in the back of the ground floor. We didn’t have a moment to pause and take in the massive entry and grand staircase. In the reception room, we were seated at a desk and offered champagne, while another staff member took our luggage. With the exception of the champagne, it felt a little like meeting with a banker. The staffer from reception then escorted us to our room with an introduction to the ground floor bars and restaurants along the way. Our bags arrived separately. It was all well executed but felt a little choreographed, like a ride at an amusement park.

When you were left on your own in the room, what did you think? Did it meet your expectations?

We knew our choice was the right one when we made it to our room. Prior to our arrival, we received a preferences form, which included everything from pillow choices and preferred temperatures to the kind of refreshments we enjoy and the time we prefer turndown services. Someone clearly read the survey. Our pine needle pillows were waiting on the bed, the room temperature was perfect, and we had wine, fruit and chocolate waiting for us.

Our room looked directly onto Whitehall with two big windows, a king-size bed and a roomy seating area with a couch and coffee table. The entrance foyer with what looked like original parquet floors was a highlight; it served as a kind of dressing area (and perfect place to do yoga) and adjoined an entire wall of closets (stocked with a yoga mat, a steamer, slippers, luxurious wooden and padded hangers and a – very useful – shoeshine cloth to wipe off the London rain).

The marble bathroom was stunning with a separate deep tub, a big shower, dual sinks with a TV in the mirror, and a Toto washlet toilet. The bathtub was not only deep but long, and the edges were perfect for resting a glass of champagne, a candle or a book. The Toto toilet was always “on guard” with its lid programmed to open automatically each time we approached, followed by the swish of a bowl-freshening cycle of water. That got a little comical, particularly if we were on our way to the shower or just popping into the bathroom to get our robes from the hook, but other toilet functions, including the heated seat set to turn on in the early morning, were quite lovely.

  • Entry foyer ~ perfect for yoga
  • Seating area and 2 big windows
  • View to the Horseguards
  • Bedding to our specifications
  • View to the courtyard
  • Wall of closets
  • Marble bathroom with TV embedded in the mirror…and a fresh flower
  • Deep tub and adjoining shower
  • Welcome card and baked goods
  • Minbar and coffee station with our preferred milk
  • Digital art catalog
  • Modern art in a classic room -~ a nice combination
  • Bedtime stories

We’ve previously stayed in rooms that have smart technology, but they’re often not that intuitive and not worth spending the time trying to decipher. In this room, however, the iPad controls were easy to understand and allowed us to do anything we wanted – from turning on and off the TV and controlling the drapes, to calling for housekeeping or ordering room service. We could even access an exhibition catalog of the art that fills the hotel. One caveat: We managed to accidentally turn on the “do not disturb light” via the iPad; you two did the same thing. This must have sent a mixed signal to housekeeping that we wanted our room serviced but also didn’t want to be disturbed.

When you arrived the day after we did, it was fun to see your room as well (this second room is the one in many of the pictures). It was a little more petite and looked out to the courtyard, but it had all of the same features.

Did the formality of the hotel – what you experienced when you first arrived – continue through your stay?

As we spent more time at Raffles – and as we learned to navigate both the building and the hotel’s culture, our first impressions changed. The hotel was classy but not snobby, and we never felt uncomfortable or out of place. Almost everyone we encountered was warm and friendly, and we had fun chatting with the porters as we came and went.

The hotel is full of amenities. Which ones did you use?

The Guerlain Royal Spa and Guerlain L’Atelier were our first stops. One of us had a haircut and his first-ever manicure, accompanied by a whiskey pour, while the other had a ‘slimming massage,’ which consisted of being kneaded and buttered with lovely Guerlain honey in one of the many treatment rooms – all labelled with the code names of famous English female spies.  Following our treatments, we visited the pool area – a gorgeous set of pools, a steam room, a sauna, and showers, all five stories underground.

Later in the night, we visited the Spy Bar – located in the tunnels under the hotel in Room 007. To get to the spy bar, which was behind a door only marked with the room number, we had to be escorted down by a hotel butler. Once inside we found half of a James Bond car hanging above the bar and a scene full of young, beautiful, rich, and boisterous patrons.

We also visited the Guards Bar to sample the London version of the famous Singapore Sling, which Raffles invented at its Singapore property in 1915. The London Sling was perfectly fine, but it doesn’t stand up to the original.

During our final evening, we joined the two of you in the Poppy Room, the guest lounge. The room, once part of the exterior facade of the building, is five stories high and filled with an amazing glass mobile of abstract poppy flowers, a tribute to war heroes from WWI.

A highlight of the stay was a tour of the building led by one of the hotel’s butlers (concierges). What made the tour special?

The person who led the tour was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the building, thanks, he said, to all he learned from the hotel’s in-house historian. The day we toured, two of the hotel’s historic suites happened to be unoccupied, so we got to visit both the Churchill Suite and the Haldane Suite (only £30,000/night) where we were able to sit at Churchill’s desk. We also learned why the hallways in the building are so wide; even though the building was one of the first to have internal telephone lines, young boys would cycle through the building delivering messages. And who wouldn’t love the story of the mosaic floor and the gift each War Office staff member received upon retirement: a set of cufflinks made from a piece of the floor.

 

  • Meeting spot for the tour
  • Historic map/modern sculpture
  • Outside the Guards Bar
  • One of the building’s historic lifts
  • Churchill’s desk in the Haldane Suite
  • Wide hallways for bicycle messengers
  • Chess in the Poppy Room

Many iconic buildings around the world have been repurposed as hotels. How did Raffles do on this front?

Raffles acquired the building from the British government in 2016 and invested £1.5 billion and eight years into the restoration and conversion to a hotel.  The property truly feels like a monument to the empire and to all of the important work that happened in the building over 110 years. 

Would you return to Raffles OWO?

Absolutely! And what would be even better is returning as a resident of one of the building’s 85 private homes. We probably need two – one for us, and one for you.

Stay details:

  • Raffles London at the OWO
  • 3-night stay: January 30 – February 1, 2026 (first couple) and January 31 – February 2 (second couple)
  • Junior Suite #124 and Deluxe Room #108

What we did, where we ate:

~the things the four of us did together on our two overlapping days in London~

Excursions:

Eating and Drinking:

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Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ The Pfister Hotel

November 2025

Why Milwaukee?

We have wanted to see Milwaukee for quite some time (we booked a trip several years ago and had to cancel) and we wanted to take the Amtrak, which departs from Union Station right across the street from our house. Thanksgiving seemed like a good time to travel by train.

This is a blog focused on hotels, so tell me a little about how you made your lodging selection for this trip. Were there lots of good choices?

If we don’t have a specific property in mind, we typically check a handful of sources to develop a short-list and then narrow down from there. Milwaukee isn’t a big enough destination to be covered on its own in most of our go-to sources, but just Googling “best hotels in Milwaukee” turned up a number of guides that we could then use to triangulate recommendations. We also typically check booking.com to see a property’s overall score and any trends with reviews; we did that for Milwauikee (even though we recommend — once a decision is made — to book directly with the hotel).

For this search, we pretty quickly arrived at a list of three hotels that met our criteria of (1) being centrally located, (2) having an on-site restaurant/bar (in case we couldn’t find a good option on Thanksgiving) and, (3) quite simply, looking interesting.

Why The Pfister?

The Pfister is Milwaukee’s historic “grand” hotel — it opened in 1893 — and, based on our research, it looked like a hub of activity for tourists and residents alike. We live a few blocks away from St. Paul’s classic, historic hotel — The St. Paul Hotel — and it always does a great job of celebrating the holidays. We imagined the same would be true for The Pfister. We weren’t wrong.

We arrived at The Pfister on a snowy Thanksgiving evening to find the lobby packed: folks heading to dinner at the hotel’s steak house, others enjoying a drink in the lobby bar, and some seemingly there just for the scene. As we checked in, staffers were putting the finishing touches on the lobby Christmas tree, which was a popular site for photos during our two-night stay. We also saw lots of preparation for traditional breakfasts with Santa that started the day after Thanksgiving.

Did The Pfister meet your expectations? If not, why not? What’s your assessment of the room given the price?

Our “premier king” room — in the tower (aka the round 1960s wing) — was perfectly comfortable. We technically had a view of Lake Michigan, but it was tucked behind other downtown buildings. One cool thing about the Pfister is its commitment to the arts. Not only does it house the largest Victorian art collection of any hotel in the world, the hotel also hosts an artist-in-residence program, and our room featured a print from one of the artists. We imagine that each guest room features a piece from a past artist-in-residence.

What else to say about the room? Its classic interior design aligned with the rest of the hotel, and everything seemed well-maintained. (A lovely person we met at a gallery during our stay noted that the hotel was in the process of renovating rooms; we think ours had been through a recent renovation.)

If we were to visit again, we might book a room in the original 1893 buildling. The historic side of the hotel is beautiful, and while the rooms might be smaller, we imagine they likely better align with the overall aesthetic of the hotel. (Our room in the round tower felt a little at odds with the hotel’s design.)

One of us forgot to sing the Bedbug Song. Do you regret this now?

I think, at this point, we can confidently say we’re in the clear, but the Bedbug Song can never hurt. You sing it at all hotels, even the fanciest, and the tradition has served us well.

“Bed bug, bed bug, leave me alone. Stay out of my bag; stay out of my home….”

What is one thing you will remember about the hotel?

How about two things?

First, the liveliness of the place. In addition to holiday events, the hotel hosted an Irish step dancing competition during our stay. Let’s just say, those dancers brought a lot of life — and a lot of luggage — to the hotel.

Second, the art collection was fun to see. We took time to wander the hallways and common areas, and it was like a visit to a museum. Milwaukee has a great art scene, which we didn’t expect, and The Pfister helps contribute to that.

It has been a long time since either one of us was in Milwaukee. How would you sum up your impressions of the city after this visit? Would you return?

We had only one full day in the city, but we made the most of it and ran out of time before we ran out of things to do. We would definitely return — maybe in the summer when we could more fully explore the area around Lake Michigan, the Riverwalk, and the Third Ward.

By the way, how was the Amtrak experience?    

The ride down was great. It was Thanksgiving day, so we had a car practically to ourselves. The route is beautiful, and sipped a Bloody Mary while watching the scenery sweep past. On the way back, the train was fully booked, and we had to scramble to find seats, which weren’t together. The Borealis — the train between St. Paul and Chicago — doesn’t do reserved seats like the Empire Builder –the longer route — does. My guess is that lots of Borealis riders would be happy to pay a little more to get a reserved seat. We definitely would.

Even though the return trip started a little rocky, we arrived back in St. Paul to a snowy holiday evening with the European Christmas Market at the depot in full swing. It was pretty magical and awesome to get off the train and walk right across the street to our home.

Stay details:

What we did, where we ate:

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Missoula, Montana, USA ~ The Wren

October 2025

We introduced hotelling.org in 2018 and have written nearly 50 posts. Starting with this one, we decided to mix it up a little, structuring the post as a Q&A with one of us posing the questions and the other answering them. Enjoy!

Why Missoula?

You lived in Missoula 30 years ago, but I’ve never been to Missoula or to Montana. We’ve always talked about visiting, and this seemed like the right time to do it. Fall in Montana can be beautiful. When we made our plans, we didn’t know that our stay would coincide with homecoming weekend at the University of Montana where you were a graduate student (we only realized it was homecoming when we woke on our first morning to a very vibrant downtown Missoula as people headed to the parade) . That event made the timing even better.

Why The Wren?

The hotel choices in Missoula have grown quite a lot since you lived there, but most of them are national chains, and the properties are pretty cookie-cutter. The Wren, which opened in 2022 on the site of what was a 1960s motor inn, stood out as a property with a personality – something distinctly “Missoula.”

If you were to describe The Wren in a phrase, what would it be?

Pared down with an artsy, outdoorsy vibe.

How would you describe your room?

We stayed in three rooms during two separate visits to The Wren (three rooms rather than two because we moved once during our first stay). All three rooms were, first and foremost, functional – not fancy by any means but with some nice touches. We appreciated the wall infographics above each bed — custom pieces by local artists that reflect iconic symbols of Missoula and Montana. Our rooms featured the lifespan of the Western red cedar tree, traditional forestry tools, and classic trout flies.

The rooms also included ample pegs for hanging coats, hats, and other outdoor gear; Pendleton wool blankets; sliding barn doors between the bedroom and bathroom; spacious showers; and – a welcome surprise – fluffy cotton robes. We also liked the clever “do not disturb” magnets for the metal doors, which harkened back to the motor inn that originally stood at the site, and, on our first stay, we enjoyed the views of Mount Sentinel and the “M” that peeked out above our east-facing courtyard window.

How about hotel amenities?

The Wren sees itself as a launchpad to Missoula and its surroundings, so it doesn’t work hard to keep you on site. With that said, the welcoming common areas deserve a linger. The lobby “map room” has lots of information on local sites, along with rotating art from the Missoula Art Museum and a mini-exhibit on the famed Missoula smokejumpers. As cycling fans, we loved getting an up-close look at the bike Tyler Hamilton rode in the 2003 Tour de France. And the front desk staffers are ready to share advice. We had an extended conversation about the likelihood of encountering a bear on different hikes around the area (the bears hadn’t yet settled in for their long winter’s nap), and the staffer offered us a can of bear spray should we want it. Finally, the Northwest takes its coffee seriously, and the Basecamp coffee shop right off the lobby is popular with hotel guests and Missoulians alike. If the coffee shop is full – and on a nice day – the courtyard tables and chairs offer a peaceful spot to sip an excellent coffee and catch up on the news by picking up one of the actual newspapers (old-school paper version) scattered around.

Any final thoughts?

Should we return to Missoula, we would definitely stay at The Wren again. Missoula is a place all its own – its official nickname is the “Garden City,” but locals prefer “Zootown” – and The Wren captures Missoula well. The Wren is a great example of a hotel that does exactly what it sets out to do, and it provides a distinctive experience for its guests.

Stay details:

  • The Wren, Missoula
  • 4-night stay: October 10-12 and October 17, 2025
  • Wren King (1st stay) and King (2nd stay)

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Marylebone, London, UK ~ The Langham

February 2025

For a stretch of about 15 years, we visited London regularly, and we loved trying hotels in neighborhoods across the city. But our last visit was in 2018, and we had a lot of catching up to do. We know Kensington and Chelsea well and were tempted to return to a new hotel on familiar grounds (The Chelsea Townhouse was top of the list). We also, however, love Marylebone, which is near The Regent’s Park and close to so many of the things we love in the city.

In the very southeast corner of Marylebone, right across the street from the BBC’s Broadcasting House, sits one of London’s first luxury hotels: The Langham. After our terrific experience at The Langham Chicago, we decided to test the Langham brand, booking eight nights at the property where it all began: The Langham London.

Formal but not fusty

We arrived at Heathrow just after 7 in the morning, and our taxi was pulling up to The Langham by 8:15. The building is described by British Listed Buildings as “heavy Italianate style with some late Medieval details, French pavilion roofs and an east wing with a corner tower.” Put simply, it’s a building to behold – certainly at 8 in the morning, but, as we would later learn, even more beautiful at night.

The hotel’s interior is no less dramatic. The central lobby with shining marble floors and pillars supporting a tall ceiling is surrounded by a more intimate seating area with a fireplace; a room off to the side with a fabulous chandelier that houses the registration desk; and the Palm Court restaurant, which is reportedly where the tradition of British afternoon tea began. Because we arrived so early, our room wasn’t ready, but the staff member at reception got us checked in and then escorted us up to The Langham Club where we were invited to have a cappuccino and linger until our room was ready. We knew if we sat too long, jet lag would be the demise of our day, so after getting properly caffeinated, we headed out for a walk. On our way back out of the hotel – and feeling slightly less foggy – we took note of other beautiful common spaces, including the landings on each floor, each of which had artwork worth spending a little time with.

A classically beautiful room with abundant amenities

Within 45 minutes, we received word that our room was ready, so we returned to the club to pick up our key. We entered our room on the 4th floor to find sun streaming in through two large windows. A parquet-floored entry foyer with two closets to the left and the bathroom to the right led into a large room with a king-sized bed, a seating area, a coffee bar and an ample work space with a desk that faced into the room. While our tastes tend toward the modern, we had to admit that the traditional room was lovely. Books about London, a live orchid, paintings that looked to be more than simple prints, and a framed picture of the hotel’s chefs in 1907 along with a glass paperweight on the desk gave the room a distinct personality. As we were settling in, a bowl of fruit and box of chocolates arrived (the fruit would be resupplied throughout our stay).

The elegant bathroom included a deep tub, a separate water closet and a shower with some of the most amazing water pressure we’ve experienced in a hotel. Langham’s signature color is pink, and the color appears throughout the hotel, but the effect is not overly feminine. The delicate pink is balanced by dark woods and marbles, both of which featured in the bathroom. We loved the hotel’s bath products with their ginger flower signature scent, and the bamboo shoot on the vanity brought life to the space.

We used and appreciated all of the room’s amenities. From the multiple choices of china for our coffee to the fluffy Frette robes with slippers properly sized for each of us (the first time the small-footed of us had slippers that fit), we felt pampered. We loved that we could open the windows to sleep with fresh air coming in, and the storage allowed us to tuck all of our personal belongings out of sight.

Amazingly attentive service

A hotel itself is just part of the experience, and we have come to appreciate top-notch service when we encounter it. The Langham’s service felt flawless to us, and everyone we encountered was a pro. Our room was serviced multiple times during the day, but we were never interrupted. We had breakfast each morning in the hotel, and by the time we returned, the housekeepers had come and gone. Turn-down service was done when we left for dinner, whatever time that was. One of our favorite nightly rituals became anticipating the linen postcard with a story about The Langham that was left on our pillow each evening. We learned, among other things, about The Langham’s longstanding alliance with the BBC, about Langham appearances on the silver screen, and about the literary icons who frequented The Langham.

During our stay, the concierge team secured last-minute reservations at Trishna, a lauded (and quite small) neighborhood restaurant; porters held umbrellas over our heads as we got into taxis, and staff in the club learned our coffee preferences after the first day.

Nourished and quenched  

One of the best things about London is its eating and drinking establishments; it really is an embarrassment of riches. And some of those riches are right in The Langham. The room we chose included access to The Langham Club. When we booked the room, we thought the club might be a convenient place to get a cup of coffee before heading out on the day’s adventures. We’ll admit that we didn’t have high expectations. That perception was misplaced. The club – open throughout the day with a changing menu of food and drinks – became our living room. The promise of a coffee gets us out of bed each morning, and the coffee was delicious. Of course, the pastries, salmon and caviar, and eggs cooked to order didn’t hurt. In the club, we could also connect with a staff member who offered concierge-level services, and when we popped in during the evening, champagne flowed liberally.

During our stay, we also patronized the hotel’s pub – The Wigmore – twice; we had a drink in the Palm Court one evening and breakfast one morning; and we also visited the hotel’s bar, Artesian, and had a lovely conversation with our Polish server who talked to us about drinking Zubrowka vodka as a young person. (We’ll admit that we’ve had our fair share of this particular vodka, which we discovered at our neighborhood Russian restaurant). Each of our experiences at the hotel was well worth using as one of our limited London eating and drinking opportunities.

Quite possibly Langham fans

The Langham London

If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you’ll know that we tend to choose smaller, independent properties when we travel, and we certainly aren’t loyalists to any brand. But we both must admit that our two experiences at The Langham have made us think about where we might visit next because it has a Langham hotel. Can two wonderful experiences become three?

The Langham Chicago

We don’t imagine we’ll ever become exclusive to a particular hotel brand, but it’s fun to see how a brand can be expressed in different places. The Chicago and London Langham hotels are two very different properties, but they share things that we appreciate and that we would seek out. Stay tuned for where we next discover a Langham hotel.

Stay details:

  • The Langham London
  • 8-night stay: February 21 – March 1, 2025
  • Executive Club Room, #405

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Nisswa, Minnesota, USA ~ Nature Link Resort

January 2025

In the days following the new year, most people in our part of the world are on a bit of a holiday hangover and slowly returning to “normal” life. But we have a January 5 birthday in our house, and it’s actually a perfect time to get out of our neighborhood, which suddenly seems very lonely after all of the holiday happenings.

In the cold and dark days of a Minnesota winter, it might make the most sense to head south, but this year, we did the opposite, booking a few nights at Nature Link, a resort in central Minnesota that had been on our list for a few years.

A modern take on classic lake resort

Nature Link is in the Brainerd Lakes area, and although the area is a popular destination and a place where many friends have cabins, we had never spent time there, opting instead typically to head to the North Shore of Lake Superior when we want to get into nature. We can’t even remember exactly how we found Nature Link – it was likely just a Google search of resorts near Nisswa, MN – but what we saw online was intriguing: modern, tastefully finished cabins on a smaller, off-the-beaten-path lake with an aesthetic that emphasizes slowing down and spending time with nature near the water and among the woods.

Summers are clearly the more popular time for resorts like this, but winters draw anglers for ice fishing, cross-country skiers and snowshoers, snowmobilers, and people like us who just want a little escape from the city. On the weekend we visited, there was no snow (a hardship for the local economy), but it was very cold, below zero. We love to get outside in the winter, and we did manage a walk into the town of Nisswa along the Paul Bunyan trail, which adjoins the resort. But the cold temps and lack of snow turned out to be a good excuse to either stay inside by the fire, looking out from our big windows to the forest, or to take the short trek to the newly finished sauna where we watched the sun move across the frozen lake.

Apparently, we weren’t the only ones who wanted this kind of weekend. When we first arrived at Nature Link on a Friday afternoon, we thought we might be two of only a few guests, but by the time we headed to dinner on Friday evening, lights were on in nearly all of the resort’s 20 or so cabins and suites.

Treehouse or lakehouse?

When we made our booking, we had a choice between a cabin looking out on Clark Lake or an elevated cabin facing into the forest. The treehouse experience sounded intriguing, so we chose that one, not knowing exactly what to expect. Upon arrival, we were directed to Cedar Cabin #11 – a stand-alone structure and one of two with this particular design – jutting up from ground level with access via an external staircase. Inside, a massive picture window looked out to the woods; it really did feel like a luxurious treehouse.

Inside, we found a gas fireplace, two leather chairs oriented toward the windows, a king-sized bed, and a nicely finished bathroom with a shower and deep soaking tub. The cabin also included a big Nespresso machine and a small refrigerator and microwave, along with some fun features: a deck of cards, tasty chocolates, a few books. There are no TVs in the cabins, which we welcomed, but the solid WiFi made sure we could stay connected with the outside world if needed.

The design and the quality of the furnishings and finishes exceeded our expectations. This is not your typical rustic cabin. We’ll note that Nature Link is only a few years old, and maintaining the standards will surely take constant work. In addition to guests, who can be hard on a property, the outside elements are relentless. On the days we stayed, the difference in the outside and inside temperatures was causing a fair amount of condensation on the window frames, and even though it was winter, we still tracked sand inside whenever we entered (the resort helpfully leaves a broom in the cabin). We hope the simple design and relatively rugged materials of the cabins lead to easier upkeep. In addition, because the resort is new, it’s still under development, and, although it was hard to tell in the winter, the landscape looks to be in recovery from some of that development.

One more note about the Cedar cabins: They are set up like a hotel room, and Nature Link doesn’t have a restaurant, so guests need to venture off property to eat. There are lots of options close by – more than we could explore on our long weekend – so this wasn’t an issue. But visitors to Nature Link who want to cook should book one of the bigger cabins with a full kitchen.

Forced relaxation

Without snow, many winter activities were out of the question, but that turned out to be just fine; it meant we could truly take it slow. Between short bursts of energy to walk around the property, visit the sauna, or explore Nisswa, we mostly just settled down near the fire and gazed out to the forest (or played the classic board game Aggravation). On our second day, we were entranced by a pileated woodpecker knocking away at a nearby tree and later watched as a herd of deer moved slowly across our view, feeding on the nibbles below the brush.

We’re curious how the resort feels in the summer when the whole area is brimming with people; we’ve heard the whole Brainerd Lakes region can be a pretty lively scene. We’re guessing that folks looking for something on the quieter side choose Nature Link; in summer, the resort provides bikes, kayaks, and hammocks for guests. And the resort has a private island that guests are encouraged to explore. All of this sounds terrific and right up our alley. We hope to return during summer to see more of what Nature Link has to offer, but it might just be that the quiet of winter is when the resort really shines.

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Milan, Italy ~ Senato Hotel Milano

September 2024

In a fashionable and sophisticated city like Milan, the experience of searching for a hotel is an embarrassment of riches. Beyond international chains like the Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons, Milan hosts dozens of smaller independent hotels that, in our exploration, looked promising. In the end – and following the advice of Condé Nast and its “best boutique hotel” designation – we chose Senato Hotel Milano.

A private residence turned hotel

Senato Hotel is the former home of the Ranza family, who converted their neo-classical residence on Via Senato into a hotel and now operate the 43-room property. We arrived via taxi from Milan’s central train station and stepped from the almost-always bustling street (Via Senato is one of the roads that rings central Milan) into a tranquil lobby that adjoins the central courtyard, the expanse of which is covered by a shallow reflecting pool. Because we were quite early and our room wasn’t ready, we settled into the garden space of the café for a cappuccino and the “salad everyone loves” (we loved it too) before checking into our room. On our way back to the registration desk, we paused to admire the tillandsia collection, which is tended by Milan-based gardener-landscape duo Bonanomi Benatti.

Our hideaway on the top floor

As we exited the elevator on the top floor, we were greeted by a skylit corridor with angled roof beams and only one other room besides ours. We felt a little like we had been given a passkey to a secret attic chamber. Our room at the end of the hall – the Senato Junior Suite –  was really three rooms: a living space with daybed, desk, coffee and tea bar, and large closets; a bedroom with a big terrace, and a beautiful Carrara marble bathroom with a separate water closet.

In our suite, the white floors, walls, and beamed ceilings served as a neutral and cheery palette to highlight the custom-designed furnishings made by Milanese craftspeople and well-chosen lighting and accessories. The room felt clean and uncluttered, and we appreciated that every surface wasn’t covered with something. This allowed the architectural elements of the room to shine, and we loved that the structure of the building was incorporated into the room’s design. (Side note: On this holiday, we had an unplanned overnight in Amsterdam, and were able to stay in one of our very favorite hotels, The Dylan. The room at The Dylan was also on the hotel’s top floor and featured attic-like ceiling lines with exposed beams. Both Senato and The Dylan do a fabulous job of capitalizing on a building’s architecture.)

Form following function

When we’re staying somewhere for more than one night, we like to unpack and stow away our luggage, which is never more than two carry-ons and a backpack. The large closets in our suite featured drawers, shelves, and hanging space that allowed us to put our clothes and our bags behind closed doors. In the bathroom, a long vanity with two sinks provided room for both of us, and we appreciated the separate water closet with toilet, bidet, and free-standing sink. The bedroom – also simple but beautiful – was oriented toward the terrace and the courtyard; we loved sleeping with the doors open and couldn’t hear any of the activity down below.

Four standouts

Our room featured two dormer windows oriented toward Via Senato: one in the living room and the second adjoining the jacuzzi tub and shower. The particular location of the windows in relationship to the rest of the building was the topic of some debate because we couldn’t see them from the street, but we eventually concluded, based on the footprint of the 5th floor, that they were likely set back from the rest of the building. Both of these windows were encased in short walls, and a lovely little tree – perhaps a maple or plumb – was planted outside each one.

When we were at the hotel in early October, the trees were just beginning to change color for autumn. Taking a bath or shower in a rooftop room with a view out to a live tree made our suite feel like a sanctuary. We will note that neither these windows facing the street nor the glass doors to the terrace afforded any kind of panoramic view, but that didn’t bother us; after all, a view is what the terrace of the Duomo is for!

Our second favorite feature of the Senato suite was a marble sculpture that served as a speaker for playing music from our iPhones. The OVO amplifier worked so well that we were tempted to bring one home, and the hotel shop sells them, but carrying home something made of Carrara seemed a little weightier than what we had in mind.

Following the theme of design and function, we both loved the espresso machine that allowed for a customized espresso shot. And for one of us, the Dyson hair dryer and hair straightener – the equipment our hair stylist uses – felt luxurious and came in very handy on the days it rained.  

At the top of our list

We arrived in Milan after a short stay in Como at a vacation apartment that we found on the Plum Guide. While that experience was worth trying, we looked forward to checking into a hotel, and we were hopeful that our experience at Senato would match our expectations. It did; we loved everything about Senato. From the central location that provided easy access to all of Milan’s charm to the understated calm of our top floor oasis, everything worked. The Ranza family can certainly count us among its fans, and we can’t wait to return to get to know the hotel and Milan a little better.

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Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Shutters on the Beach

July 2024

This weekend trip to Santa Monica served as a condensed re-do for a Southern California vacation we had planned the year before but had to cancel last-minute. For that longer holiday, we had chosen Santa Monica Proper, which is still on our list (it looks terrific), but because we had only one full day in California, we wanted to be closer to the ocean. Shutters on the Beach – as the name implies – is directly on Santa Monica beach and very close to its famous pier, so we figured it would give us the quintessential LA experience. It ended up being a California hotel in Cape-Cod clothing, a combination that worked just right for what we wanted.

From LAX to the beach in no time

Our flight arrived at LAX at 10:30 in the morning, and we were at the hotel by 11:15. (Worth noting: For any visitors to LA trying to fit maximum fun with minimum time in a car, Santa Monica is a good choice.) With such an early arrival, we were prepared to drop our bags and return later for check-in, but the hotel had a “partial ocean view” room ready to go. After getting a helpful explanation from the staff member at the front desk about the difference between “partial ocean view” and “ocean view” – an explanation that included a hand-drawn diagram and his personal assessment of both choices – we decided to go for the room that was ready so we could get settled and get on with our weekend.

There’s a reason it’s called Shutters

The route to our room took us from the street-side lobby – a space we didn’t appreciate right away but later understood why it’s called the “living room” – up one elevator to the pool level on the third floor, down a corridor, into a second elevator, up to the sixth floor, and then around the corner to our room on the opposite side of the horseshoe. Upon exiting the first elevator, we stepped into an inside/outside space with – you guessed it – shutters separating the in from the out. At that time of day, the shutters were wide open, and a cool breeze coming in from the ocean blew through the corridor. When we left the second elevator, we were happy to see that its hallways were the same with guest rooms on one side and shutters to the outside on the other.

It didn’t take long for the shutters in the hotel – literally counting every one we encountered – to become a bit of a game for us. We discovered that navigating through the hotel was best done via stairs whenever possible, and those stairs led to many combinations of spaces divided by shutters. Reading this may lead you to think that the hotel took the shutters theme a little too far, but it seemed to work both from an aesthetic sense and a practical one. The shutters provided multiple options depending on the day’s weather: shade without stuffiness, air flow without wind and heat, and the perfect level of darkness for sleeping in without sleeping all day. It felt as though a member of staff – invisible to guests – was in the background constantly adjusting the shutters to match the current conditions.

Cape Cod on the Pacific

The hotel’s website advertises it as “an acclaimed Santa Monica beach hotel” that “recalls the quintessential cottages of Cape Cod.” We’ve never spent time in one of these cottages, but the guest room and common spaces did make us feel like we were staying at the home of friends…in all the best ways. Shutters features nearly 200 rooms and suites, so it isn’t a small property – certainly not a cottage – but the design and décor were personal and intimate. Our partial ocean view room on the 6th floor had a perfectly lovely view of the ocean from its sliding doors and balcony. (A second note: Santa Monica beach is quite wide; an ocean view room is still a good distance from the ocean even if it’s right on the beach). And while we loved looking out to the beach and ocean, we spent as much time studying the contours of the building – its shingles, balconies, stairs and, yes, shutters.

The room’s interior felt non-corporate with bookshelves holding books we actually took time to peruse; a large round bedside table with a piece of coral, a push-button alarm clock, and a copy of Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea; and a slipcovered wingback chair next to a Chinese ceramic lantern. Some of the furniture had a few scratches and dings, but as we settled into the Shutters vibe, we began to question whether it was purposely distressed – an effort at making us feel like visitors to a friend’s house and not anonymous hotel guests.

When we first arrived in our room, it was set up for an extra guest – a kid – with a rollaway bed and a kid-sized robe and slippers. We’re not sure whether the rubber whale bath toy was for the kid or for all guests, but we appreciated the effort the hotel took to welcome its younger customers even though we were only a party of two. We’re pretty sure our early arrival got in the way of someone else’s request, but after a quick call to the front desk, everything was whisked away to, we assume, another room for the party of three.

Our favorite part of the room was the opportunity it provided to sleep on the ultra-comfortable bed with the shutters only partially shut and the fresh, cool air coming in all night.  We also enjoyed coffee in the morning on the balcony (the first morning, we made it ourselves from the Nespresso machine; the second morning, we went down to the living room where it was already brewed and waiting for us). And the deep tub, also separated from the bedroom by shutters, so accessible to the fresh air, tempted us in. When, by the way, is the last time you’ve seen a hotel supply a real candle and matches next to a tub?

In our room, we encountered a few things we would change in a perfect world. The aforementioned Nespresso machine was tucked away in a cabinet with no obvious place to set it up if we actually wanted to make coffee. With that said, the housekeeping staff noticed we used it on our first morning and made space for it on the desk for day 2.  (Note # 3: The hotel staff was exceedingly attentive and friendly during our stay; a stand-out moment was a staff member noticing us sitting on the balcony in the afternoon and handing us two cans of water across the railing from an adjacent balcony.)

Other small observations: The mini bar and the cabinet near the bath with lotions and potions were secured with a zip tie, which seemed like a mismatch for the clientele the hotel was clearly trying to attract. And the deep tub with the real candle had jets that didn’t work. This didn’t really bother us, and the hotel was quick to respond with a restaurant credit when we reported it upon check-out, but it seems like something that should be on a punch list with each room turnover.

A beach bike ride, time by the pool, and an art scavenger hunt

We didn’t have much time, but the hotel helped us make the most of it. Our first adventure was a bike ride along the Marvin Braude bike trail. The hotel set us up with two cruiser bikes, and we headed south toward Venice. We intended to take another adventure north but didn’t manage to fit it in. 

If you’ve read other blog entries from us, you’ll know that we love the ocean and the beach, but we aren’t avid swimmers and sunbathers (with the exception of time spent in the Caribbean Sea in Puerto Rico). More often than not, on warm-weather vacations, we end up at the pool under the cover of an umbrella, and the Shutters pool was a really nice spot to recline, have a cold beverage, and catch up on some reading. When we were there, it was full of kids – cute kids – so we didn’t actually get in the water. But we loved the energy of the space, the view out to the beach and the ocean, and the big fireplace that made us want to come back when the weather would call for sitting on a lounger in a warm sweater.

On the day we checked out, we made time to do a self-guided tour of the hotel’s art collection. When we first arrived, we noticed a handful of terrific pieces hanging in the lobby but only later came across a booklet with a self-guided tour of 30 prints from the likes of David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Cales Oldenburg, and Alex Katz. (We’re now realizing that there is representation from only one woman: Yayoi Kusama.) We had a lot of fun wandering through the living room, the hallways on the main level, entries to the restaurants, and the meeting rooms to view and read about each pieces. It was like having a semi-private visit to a museum; we could linger as long as we wanted, and the only people we encountered were focused on other things, but they seemed to recognize and appreciate what we were up to. The art tour was the perfect diversion before we checked out and headed back to the airport and back to real life.

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