When there’s a chill in the air, what’s the first thing you do when you check into a cozy hotel? Do you warm up with a hot shower, bath, or steam? This month, Luxe Lavs contributors Angela Fairhurst and Natalie Compagno share the best hotel bathrooms to warm up in this winter.
With winter upon us and cold weather outside, we found the coziest, most comforting bathrooms where guests can escape the chill. Time to bundle up and snuggle in with these beautiful, warming hotel rooms and spas.
L’Apogee Courchevel
This winter, we discovered the newly opened five-star resort hotel in the French Alps, L’Apogee Courchevel. A charming resort with interiors that envelope guests in luxuriant warmth, L’Apogee Courcheval is nestled in the heart of the famous ski resort at the foot of the slopes. The concept for the property was to create a welcoming space, like a family chateau. Even the bathrooms invite guests to rest after a day of skiing. With a window featuring an awe-inspiring scenic view, the natural daylight comforts. The glistening gold tile warms up the Fior di Bosco marble and gold accented sink, creating a warm and cozy glow. The caramel wood spa adds to this sense of calm, as guests choose a variety of ways to get warm and soothe tired limbs. With designer steam showers and deep soaking tubs, who wouldn’t want to relax and rejuvenate with luxurious Bamford organic amenities?
Hotel Casa del Mar
Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica blends the romance of the ocean with country charm. The Club Casa del Mar originally opened in 1926 as a beach club and hotel in a Renaissance Revival style by architect Charles Plummer. WWII converted it into a military hotel and it was a drug therapy program for 20 years, becoming the Pritikin Longevity Center. In 1999, the hotel was converted back to its traditional look and feel, which spells out warmth. The bathrooms feel safe and secure with a frosted-pane window that peers into the guest room. Keep it open to engage with the main room or shut it for an intimate soak. The white Italian Calacata marble walls and floors, alabaster soap holders and glassware, and flattering light fixtures finished in silver leaf are beautifully detailed, with whirlpool baths and plush bathrobes all adding to the charisma. The mood is unique (elegant yet not overstated), with a hint of Spanish seaside casita and rustic coziness. Our favorite touch is the playful rubber ducks set by each tub. General Manager James Barela tells us, “the duckies add a sense of home and whimsy to a stay with us.” We think he’s right.
Red Mountain Resort
Arriving at the Red Mountain Resort in Utah is both a visually stimulating and calming experience. The exterior is painted terra cotta to blend in with the surrounding vibrant mountains. The retreat was created as a sanctuary where guests can pursue health, wellness, peace, and joy. That translates into cozy decor. We were overwhelmed by not just the resort, but also the nurturing feel of the bathrooms themselves. The soft, burnt orange towels continue the theme of blending in with the nature outside and the fresh lavender nestled into them is a sensory delight. There are small touches of the outdoors everywhere including decorative cacti and wild grass near the tub. The Villa suites feature deep soaking tubs, double vanities with granite countertops, slate floors, separate water closets, and new wardrobe closets. Red Mountain was the first resort to be an exclusive Clarins spa, and guests can request the Clarins products in their rooms. When relaxing in the suite (with the view of Red Mountain in the distance), the fireplace and the deep tub with tea lights makes us feel warm and cozy.
Orchard Hill Country Inn
“Baby, it’s cold outside!” and what better way to escape the cold then to check into a cozy inn with a roaring fire in the lobby? Orchard Hill Country Inn is a special place in Julian, California, where guests can be cared for and nurtured while escaping the winter weather. The staff is always friendly and ready to help in any way they can. Julian itself is one of the most charming towns in California, with old western store fronts and one main road. Everything about the Orchard Hill Country Inn is cozy (including the main lodge and restaurant), but the Cortland Room and its oval bathtub right next to the fireplace is what made us sigh with joy. What could be better than soaking in a tub with a soothing fire next to you, and sipping hot apple cider in the Orchard Hill’s own silky bath salts? The room is not large but it is perfectly arranged, with a separate shower and toilet, as well as the large whirlpool tub in the main room. It was hard to leave this wonderful home away from home. “Well, maybe just a half a drink more…..”
