I’ve been thinking lately about the most memorable hotels where I’ve stayed. These places aren’t necessarily the fanciest or most expensive ones I’ve ever visited, but they left distinct memories. Some of these hotels I haven’t stayed at for decades, while others are places we’ve just recently visited. The reasons why these hotels are so memorable vary – it could be a place we visited during a “once in a lifetime” trip or somewhere that was so unique it was unforgettable. The point is that it’s not always the most luxurious or famous hotel that will stay with you. Any place could end up being memorable. It’s all about finding out for yourself what places are special.
Here, in no particular order, are eleven of my most memorable hotels:
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
There’s no denying that I’m a Disney fan. Heck, I live in Orlando because of it. When I was growing up, the coolest thing ever was when we stayed at the Contemporary on a trip to Disney World. Come on, the monorail goes right through the hotel. The view from the top of the building wasn’t that bad either.
The Contemporary Hotel also holds a special place in my heart because it’s where we stayed when I proposed to Sharon. Awwwwwww. (Note from Sharon: he didn’t mention that he proposed while we were on the Haunted Mansion attraction [because he knew it was my favorite ride]. He popped the question as we went through the ballroom scene and then I COULDN’T SEE MY ENGAGEMENT RING UNTIL THE RIDE WAS OVER!)
Hotel Taiseikan
What makes the Taiseikan Ryokan in Hakone, Japan, one of the most memorable hotels for me is that it was the setting for one of my most embarrassing travel mistakes. It was also the first place I’ve ever stayed where I couldn’t find the bathroom in the room. Ignoring these things, it was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had while traveling. It was my first trip to Japan, so staying somewhere off the major tourist path and being in a place that was so, well, Japanese was fascinating.
Being treated like a special guest (we were assigned the room from the brochure) made the two nights here something I’ll never forget. I still remember small details, like watching part of the movie Taxi with Jimmy Fallon with French dialogue and Japanese subtitles on the little TV we had in the room.
Casablanca Hotel
The Casablanca Hotel isn’t an exotic getaway; it’s smack dab in the middle of Times Square. I found it when looking for hotels on TripAdvisor. It’s been over fifteen years since we’ve stayed there.
The reason we haven’t returned isn’t a bad one—well, not for the hotel. You see, it was rated the number one hotel in New York on TripAdvisor for years and years (currently, it sits at #3), and they price the rooms accordingly. We just happened to get in before they got famous.
The hotel is fascinating. It’s steps from Broadway but feels like a quiet oasis. The rooms are small, but the theming makes it feel more exotic than cramped.
I’d gladly stay there again to see if it lives up to my memories, but I’m not willing to pay upwards of $500 a night. I’m glad they’re doing well and happy we were able to stay there when we did.
South of the Border Motor Inn
From our stay at the hotel to our dinner at the Peddler Steakhouse (which is inside a building shaped like a sombrero), I’ll never forget the night we spent staying at South of the Border
Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa
Switching gears, I’m going to a hotel that’s memorable because it blew away our expectations. I don’t know what I was thinking the Hyatt Regency in Danang would look like, but this wasn’t what I had in mind.
Our room was beautifully designed with an extra large bathroom and a patio that looked over the large pool area.
Our stays in Hanoi and Saigon were pretty much what I expected, as big cities are just cities no matter where in the world you are. Getting to see a different part of Vietnam was a highlight of this part of our trip to Southeast Asia.
L’Enfant Plaza Hotel
In my mind, this hotel will always be the Lowes L’Enfant Plaza. It was one of the first “fancy” hotels I ever stayed at. Until then, it was all hotels, motels, and Holiday Inns, but now I was in a massive hotel in Washington D.C., just steps away from the Air and Space Museum.
The only way we could ever afford to stay here was by using a coupon from the Entertainment book. Not only did we get a discounted room, but they also gave us a suite. My dad and I had no problems making ourselves at home (um, he now knows better than to put his feet up on the table).
The hotel has reopened as the Hilton Washington D.C. National Mall The Wharf. I want to see what they did to the place.
The Don CeSar
I’ll remember our stay at The Don CeSar on St. Pete Beach for many reasons. One of them is that Sharon had been talking about the place since we lived in Tampa over 20 years ago. But the main reason is that we love old hotels that have a sense of history. The Don CeSar is a unique place, and not just because of the bright pink paint. The hotel has a fascinating history. It opened in 1928 as a playground for the rich and famous and was later purchased by the US Army to be used as a convalescent center during WWII.
I’m not saying that I’d pay what it costs to stay here again, but I’m glad that we did it once.
Tokyo DisneySea Hotel Miracosta
With my love of Disney and Japan, staying at Tokyo Disneyland was a must during our trip. I have to say that the Miracosta Hotel at Tokyo DisneySea is the best-themed Disney hotel anywhere in the world. Everything about it is perfect. It also helps that it’s inside the Tokyo DisneySea park, which is the best Disney park anywhere.
From the lobby ceiling, which depicts each of the park’s themed lands, to the fountain outside the entrance, everything is just perfect.
Glacier Park Lodge
While I’ve stayed in several National Park hotels in Yosemite and Grand Canyon, Glacier Park Lodge is the most memorable. It’s a fantastic building dating back to 1913. Now, if you’re looking for luxury accommodations, this isn’t the place for you to stay.
It also helps if you aren’t creeped out by hallways reminiscent of a certain movie.
However, you don’t come here to stay in the room. You stay here because of what’s right outside of the room.
Our Most Memorable Hotels
I mentioned earlier that the list is not in any particular order except for the two hotels I am about to mention. Out of all the places we’ve stayed, these are the places we are certain to revisit and are our all-time favorites.
Grand Hyatt Kauai
The moment I set foot in the Grand Hyatt Kauai, I knew that I’d have to add it to the list of memorable hotels. We stayed here for three nights in a club room, which happened to be one floor under the former Presidential Suite.
View from our balcony at the Grand Hyatt Kauai
We loved everything about the property. While we’re not “resort hotel” people, we did make an exception and spent the better part of the day sitting around the pools.
I don’t have enough good things to say about this property. From the beach views to the sound of the ocean outside the patio doors, great restaurants, multiple pools, and friendly staff, this place just does it all right. Not to mention, it’s on Kauai.
Hotel Goldener Hirsch
The Hotel Goldener Hirsch in Salzburg, Austria is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen. It’s where we stayed when we saw a bunch of the places they filmed The Sound of Music.
Our first stay was so fantastic that we needed to go back. Fortunately for us, our trips bookended a total renovation of the hotel. The hotel upgraded us to one of their suites for our second trip.
Once you get inside, the charm starts to envelop you. After the renovation, the hotel still kept real keys at the front desk, even if the locks now work with RFID keys
to the classically elegant (and a little cheesy) bar area:
It looks strange in pictures, but this place is so adorable. The furniture has all been refurbished but still smells like they’ve been there for 100 years. Finally, there’s the view from the windows. If you’re a fan of The Sound of Music, you’ll recognize it immediately from the song My Favorite Things:
Top that with the most amazing hotel concierges we’ve ever seen, and this is a hotel that I’ll never forget.
Final Thought
I had a great time going through my memories (and pictures) to put this article together. It reminded me that traveling is not always about how fancy the plane is or how big a room you get upgraded to, but it’s about the memories you create while you’re away. These memories can happen at any time, anywhere, and it’s up to you to make them happen. Happy travels!
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