Best Hotel Shower In The USA? Best Bed?
Aug 13th, 2003, 07:35 AM
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Best Hotel Shower In The USA? Best Bed?
There's a great post today from Cassandra about what people consider important in rating a quality hotel or restaurant. I'd like to survey a couple of the specific areas which were raised by Patrick and others--(things I never see rated, but SHOULD be rated by one of the magazines).
1. What hotel has the best shower you've discovered?
2. What hotel has the 'best' bed you've ever slept on (whether due to mattress, linens, design, whatever)?
1. What hotel has the best shower you've discovered?
2. What hotel has the 'best' bed you've ever slept on (whether due to mattress, linens, design, whatever)?
Aug 13th, 2003, 07:54 AM
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The best showers I can recall are the steam showers in the Bellagio's suite rooms (number one on my list overall), showers at Loews' Venatana Canyon (haven't been there in quite awhile) were remarkably powerful, Four Seasons Chicago because I like the marble in the shower and overall bathroom design, the Chelsea Harbor Intercontinental in London for best power ever, Mandarin Oriental Munich, and Victoria Jungfrau in Switzerland.
Aug 13th, 2003, 08:11 AM
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This type of question floors me. I like having a nice hotel room and all, but I recall overall ambience and comfort, not the particulars. I have lovely pics of my room at the Cardozo in Miami Beach, and I always sleep soundly and fully, and I was always able to get thoroughly clean in the shower, so it hit on all cylinders in that regard-- I guess.
I mean, those are some of my criteria: Am I sleeping well? Do I go into the shower dirty and emerge clean? The scale of shower effectiveness for me is a simple "came out clean/not clean" proposition.
Having said that: My vote for favorite shower is the one at the JW Marriott Resort in Las Vegas (well, just out of LV). Rainforest shower head supplementing a regular, powerful shower head, plus all that marble! All those toiletries!! Jacuzzi hot tub!! I didn't come out of there any cleaner than the relatively pedestrian shower at the Cardozo, but I felt rich and famous.
I mean, those are some of my criteria: Am I sleeping well? Do I go into the shower dirty and emerge clean? The scale of shower effectiveness for me is a simple "came out clean/not clean" proposition.
Having said that: My vote for favorite shower is the one at the JW Marriott Resort in Las Vegas (well, just out of LV). Rainforest shower head supplementing a regular, powerful shower head, plus all that marble! All those toiletries!! Jacuzzi hot tub!! I didn't come out of there any cleaner than the relatively pedestrian shower at the Cardozo, but I felt rich and famous.
Aug 13th, 2003, 08:40 AM
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Your post goes right to the heart of the matter, rjw_lgb_ca: why would anyone pay the extra $$ for a luxury hotel vs. a Motel 6 since they both provide a place to sleep and a shower?
It's the way it makes you feel, right?
I don't need a $30 cut of fish or meat to fill me up, but the experience of 'filling up' is much nicer.
Same with hotels.
It's a bit like living someone else's life for a few days to stay at a really nice hotel, and it can be quite enjoyable if everything clicks.
I sometimes wonder, though, if you live in a $15 million home, is it really possible to enjoy ANY hotel more than home?
I can never get a rental car I like better than my own, so it's drudgery to have one.
We once vacationed at a small island resort with Bill Gates (simultaneously, not WITH him) and that started me wondering. He probably didn't enjoy it half as much as we did. Must be hard to be that wealthy and have no more horizons left to conquer and enjoy, eh?
It's the way it makes you feel, right?
I don't need a $30 cut of fish or meat to fill me up, but the experience of 'filling up' is much nicer.
Same with hotels.
It's a bit like living someone else's life for a few days to stay at a really nice hotel, and it can be quite enjoyable if everything clicks.
I sometimes wonder, though, if you live in a $15 million home, is it really possible to enjoy ANY hotel more than home?
I can never get a rental car I like better than my own, so it's drudgery to have one.
We once vacationed at a small island resort with Bill Gates (simultaneously, not WITH him) and that started me wondering. He probably didn't enjoy it half as much as we did. Must be hard to be that wealthy and have no more horizons left to conquer and enjoy, eh?
Aug 13th, 2003, 08:43 AM
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The most comfortable hotel bed I can remember sleeping in was at the W Hotel in Seattle. Comfortable with plenty of pillows.
In terms of showers, I'd second the steam room/shower in the Bellagio Suites.
In terms of showers, I'd second the steam room/shower in the Bellagio Suites.
Aug 13th, 2003, 08:48 AM
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Hey Ted Turner- good point about those with money losing the appreciation that others might feel. Saw "Life of David Gale" last night and that point was made really well by the main character David Gale who is a philosophy instructor. The movie is pretty thought provoking.
Aug 13th, 2003, 09:08 AM
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Ted Turner, that is an interesting point that you've brought up. We are lucky enough to live in a wonderful house. No credit to us, it's a 1920s historical gem for which we owe some long dead architect a debt of gratitude. My house is my benchmark of what I appreciate in lodgings. We always try to stay somewhere better than what we have at home. As I get older, I've come to realize that I like my creature comforts, and to that aim, prefer a quality vacation over quantities of vacations! Having said that, our latest favorite is the Hotel Inter-Continental in Chicago for the bed. Triple sheeted with glamorous bedspread and pillows. Soft and comfy! I am not bothered by quality of showers. Any shower is better than the ones I grew up with! My childhood home supplied water via an Artesian well, and we NEVER had good showers. Anything is an improvement. For me, it's bathtubs, and the best one I've found is at the Palmer House Hilton also in Chicago. Old fashioned deep soaking tub. I stayed in so long enjoying my bubble bath that my husband nearly gave me up for lost! It was heavenly heavenly heavenly.
Aug 13th, 2003, 12:35 PM
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The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites in Los Angeles. Westin decor and beds are best by far. This hotel in particular is the best hotel I've ever stayed in. Showers are also nice with dual showerheads as is standard at all Westin hotels. The rooms are rounded and the windows are floor to ceiling. We wondered if there was an earthquake would we fly right out, so it was kind of freaky, but their service is great. I accidently left my wedding and engagement rings there and they fedexed them overnight back. The only minus is it's about an hour from LAX. We took the metro there and nearly missed our flight. Stayed there early Sept. and got rates of $89.
Aug 13th, 2003, 01:03 PM
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Hey, I'm going to jump in here with my list & keep it real simple.
Best Bed: 1) Helmsly Palace Madsion Ave NYC
2) Ritz Carlton New Orleans
3) Marriot in Cambridge Boston
honorable mention: Essex House Central Park South NYC
Best Bed: 1) Helmsly Palace Madsion Ave NYC
2) Ritz Carlton New Orleans
3) Marriot in Cambridge Boston
honorable mention: Essex House Central Park South NYC
Aug 13th, 2003, 01:08 PM
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Not in the US, but the Ritz Carlton Millenia in Singapore has an awesome shower in an already awesome bathroom - views of Singapore through a window next to the tub! No water conservation going on there.
My most recent experience with a great bed and shower was at the new Sundara spa in the Wisconsin Dells. All Frette on a feather bed; the shower was a Kohler tower system with two heads above and eight heads up and down the wall!
My most recent experience with a great bed and shower was at the new Sundara spa in the Wisconsin Dells. All Frette on a feather bed; the shower was a Kohler tower system with two heads above and eight heads up and down the wall!
Aug 13th, 2003, 03:17 PM
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The Delano in Miami Beach has an enormous rainforest shower...no door or curtain, and almost as big as some cheap motel bathrooms I've seen...three soft, luxurious showerheads with a huge spray...I think in the one night we stayed there my boyfriend and I each took like three showers.
love
roxy
love
roxy
Aug 13th, 2003, 04:21 PM
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Most outstanding bathroom was Hotel Nikko in Beverly Hills CA -- a huge tiled shower with sleek glass doors and also a deep soaking tub. I couldn't decide whether I wanted a shower (I'm usually a shower person) or a bath (That soaking tub was truly special!) I ended up taking a bath to relax and night and a shower when I woke up in the morning (had to fight that East-to-West coast jet lag, you know!). My favorite bed? Probably the W in San Francisco with all those wonderful down pillows. Of course the amazing view probably also had something to do with that! 
