Grand Hyatt Regency, SLC

A pale blue obelisk commands the cityscape of Salt Lake City. Its rounded corners and gridded exterior changes hue with the sunlight. The Grand Hyatt Regency hotel. An unexpected host that checks many boxes for authors and solo travelers.

At Contribution bar, engineers in slim puffer jackets laugh and watch the Utah Jazz game on mounted flat screens. Two boys chase each other up and down the escalators while their parents slouch in armchairs by the lobby’s fireplace. There’s outlets spread around the lounge chairs, and at every desk nearby. Upstairs between grand ballrooms, couches are a respite from the chaos below, and massive windows show eager fans outside Soundwell hall.

Mar | Mantanya’s tapas charred shishitos, funeral croquetas, shrimp al ajillo, and iberico ribs are a must. The glow of holiday lights and firepits are the warm contrast to the blue glow of the city, and butter cake with gelato is a sweet ending to the day. In the morning, The Salt Republic spreads an abundant breakfast buffet to fuel a day of writing.

Nearby are options for energy and late-night musings. Cupla Coffee sits diagonal the Regency and is an outlet-ladened hotspot for remote workers who seek tasty drinks and even better pastries. The Vault, a sultry bar in a nearby hotel, is the low-lighting mood needed to inspire hard-hitting scenes.

In the King Corner Rooms, an armchair and a desk are optimal for writing before the panoramic sight of the valley. Floor to ceiling windows, including in the bathroom, set the tone for a perfect urban escape. While the fitness room has poor ventilation, the heated rooftop pool soothes an aching back and invigorates a writing routine.

The Grand Hyatt Regency may draw hundreds for conferences, but a solo entrepreneur on a getaway will not be disappointed in their choice for retreat.

Culinary Honorable Mentions:

• The Vault

• Ivy & Varley

• Alpha Coffee

• HandoSake Sushi

Descriptions for Authors:

• Sights:

  • Fire in lobby's closed mantle

  • Mirrors and information screens in the elevators

  • Yurts, polar bear, firepits, illuminated pathway on the roof

  • Smart bathroom mirrors with embedded light and time display

  • Breathtaking view of the Salt Lake Valley from the Corner King Room

• Smells:

  • Laundry detergent

  • Fresh coffee from lobby's convenience store

• Taste:

  • At Mar | Muntanya: the savory Iberico ribs with St. Louis rub, spicy and creamy combination of charred shishitos, and creamy gelato and fluffy whipped cream with moist butter cake

  • Crunch of The Salt Republic's Belgian waffles

  • Smooth richness of the Contribution smoked cocktail

• Sound:

  • Avid fans in line for concert venue nearby

  • Hum of lobby escalators

  • Suitcases rolling on marble

  • Ambulance sirens that migrate through city's grid

• Touch:

  • Cold pool patio stones before the warmth of the water

  • Supportive curves of the room's armchair

  • Hooks that twist out from a wall fixture for coats and bags

Ideas for Authors:

• Meet Cute on the parallel escalators

• Meet Cute at breakfast buffet

• Steamy or surprise intimacy in the elevator with mirror as a prop

• MMC taking shirt off because of overheating in fitness room

• Quiet, romantic moments out on the pool for sunrise or sunset. Stay warm with towels supplied by the door