Le Meridien, SLC

The Le Meridien is the emerald of Salt Lake City hotels.

While it holds little access and inspiration to nature, it is a lustrous totem in the heart of downtown. In its shadow, flames reflect in the pool outside STK steakhouse. Above, the chic and the romantics gather on Van Ryder’s rooftop bar to watch fans gather for the second season of the Utah Mammoth hockey team.

The drinks are garnished, the fires are warm, and the cauliflower bites are impeccable. Two gentlemen slouch into the blankets and pillows on a couch. Before them, the silver ‘reserved’ sign goes ignored between boasts about, “Good for business” and “My friend has a property in Miami”. Inside, friends and partners lean close on two-tops to be heard over the cheery birthday party in full swing. Van Ryder is a hot spot for energy, and the perfect bar to bracket a Delta Center game or concert or find inspiration for another chapter.

If a view from on high is not desired, an upscale brasserie straight from a Pinterest board peeks at the lobby and street. Adelaide is quiet in the evenings with murmurs of the holidays over glasses of wine. The bright mornings serve French-inspired stamina for a long writing day.

In a King Studio, a desk faces the street below, perfect for studying the city’s pulse. The living room couch is perfect for brainstorming with a warm cup of in-room coffee and the bathtub is deep and fills with scorching water in short minutes. The lobby lounge and congregation spaces outside conference rooms have outlets available and plenty of space to spread notes, maps, and snacks.

Finally, the pièce de resistance, the heated rooftop pool. At sunrise, frost clouds the glass barrier while damp towels abandoned by unruly kids freeze in crumpled lumps. Mist sweeps over the surface to lap at your ankles and the sky is as pink as your warm skin. Sandals and towels are a must upon exiting, the mad dash to the showers by the fitness center can feel like an eternity in brisk winter.

Le Meridien SLC is an indulgent retreat for authors and solo travelers wanting proximity to entertainment and the best rooftop bar in the city.

Recommendations:

• King Studio (for panoramic views, writing spots, and bathtub!)

• Writing in lounge above lobby staircase

• Utah Mammoth or Utah Jazz game at Delta Center

• Concert at Delta Center

Culinary Honorable Mentions:

• Vosen’s Bread Paradise (only discounted day-old pastries on Sundays)

• STK

• Chile Tepin

• Rouser Restaurant

• Under the Umbrella Bookstore and Cafe

Ideas for Authors:

• Meet Cute with hockey player or musician at Van Ryder.

  • “Where do you work?” “Right there.” He points at the Delta Center, and everything clicks.

  • She shivers despite the fire, and he drags the blanket over to wrap it around her shoulders.

• Intimate conversation in the low lighting of Adelaide’s UFO-like chandeliers.

• Coffee and pastry date at Vosen’s Bread Paradise

  • If a character is from another country, they find a foreign sweet in the shop that they haven’t had in years. Sweet nostalgic moment for them that they share with their S.O.

• Intimate bath scene that involves the sliding glass door of the green-tiled shower, or the king bed with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Taste:

• Coffee from in-room espresso machine

• Savory, spice-laden Creole Dusted Fries at Adelaide

• Sweet and spicy Cauliflower Poppers from Van Ryder

Touch:

• Soft crunch of parmesan crackle with Adelaide's Fire Pit Jerk Spiced Salmon

• Warm, fuzzy bath robe

• Muggy fitness room

Sound:

• Thunderous rush of bathtub filling at an impressive pace

• Laughter in Van Ryder's main room while quiet conversations carry on from the outdoor patio

• Dull rumble and occasional beeps from cars on 300 W Street

Sight:

• Hockey game-attendees in the windows of Delta Center

• Pulsing, dim glow of The West Quarter sign

• High chandeliers above the conference rooms and the staircase for Element hotel

Smell:

• Fresh bed sheets

• Crisp, clean smell in public spaces

• Chlorine and cold air by the pool