I want to go to there
An ode to the accommodations we love but (most likely) will never afford.
Note from Brandy Cerne: On a day when your email inbox is mostly full of sales and marketing promos, hopefully this week’s story brings you a bit of escapism! Maybe this post can serve as motivation to exit out of the shopping cart and put the money in your “luxury hotel” savings account 😉
Amangiri
By: Natalie Filkoski
I don’t know what it is about Amangiri, the luxury hotel and resort hidden in Utah’s Canyon Point. Whenever I’m looking at photos of it (never prices, only photos), it’s almost too ethereal-looking to stare at for too long.
Taken from two Sanskrit words combined to mean “peaceful mountain,” this property is so secluded, I should probably feel terrified to stay there. But hey, if the celebs can handle it, so can I.
What I can’t handle though – something the celebs can – is the cost. I want to say it’s at least $3,000 USD a night but I could be exaggerating. (I am not exaggerating). BUT THE VIEWS. THE AMBIENCE. THE EXPERIENCE. It might be worth it.
Architects Marwan Al-Sayed, Wendell Burnette and Rick Joy certainly knew what they were doing when they designed the space surrounded by five national parks, national monuments, and the largest Native American reservation in the United States, the Navajo Nation Reservation. With the help of hotelier Adrian Zecha’s inspiration, they were able to build “something that was a contemporary interpretation of native Indian architecture” that respects the natural environment.
Some of you might be contributing to your retirement funds, but I’ll be over here contributing to my Amangiri fund. (J.K., I will absolutely be contributing to both.)
Rambagh Palace
By: Sarah Taylor
The last big trip I took before the pandemic grounded us all to a halt was a three-week jolly around India in March 2019. I had wanted to visit for years and when I got there, my GOD it did not disappoint.
The food, the sights, the smells, the adventure — I loved every second of visiting the subcontinent (and so did my tastebuds). However, no place captured my heart quite like Jaipur. The capital of Rajasthan, the "Pink City" is buzzy, vivid and filled with history and culture. After just 48 hours, I felt like I could have spent two weeks in Jaipur alone, eating thali and shopping for gorgeous fabrics and jewelry.
And in a world where money's no object, I would. And I'd stay at the Rambagh Palace.
Originally built in 1835, the Palace has seen many iterations: a home for the Queen’s handmaidens, a royal guesthouse and hunting lodge, and even the residence of the Maharaja. The Palace’s architecture is elaborate with hand-carved marble, sandstone and beautiful garden grounds. Today, the Palace has nearly 80 rooms and operates as a luxury hotel with an incredible spa, offering ancient Indian wellness therapies and the best fine dining Jaipur has to offer (I’m drooling).
The Grand Presidential Suite with Garden View starts at ₹ 9,50,000 (~$11,500), though you can find less ornate rooms for a cool $2-5K if you’re up for an internet search. BRB - I’m just running out to go purchase a few lotto tickets.
Hacienda de San Antonio
By:
When I dream of a transportive vacation, I dream of colonial architecture. I’m sure there’s a lot to unpack there, and probably not all of it is good, but what can I say, I’m a real sucker for it.
The beauty that sits at the top of my list is the hotel Hacienda de San Antonio in Colima, Mexico, situated in the foothills of a frickin’ volcano.
Dating back to 1879, it was once the center of a coffee plantation, and now is a chic boutique hotel with 25 luxurious suites situated around a large courtyard. I’d stay in any of them.
At once glam and down to earth, the space looks like a massive house, and the interior decor is warm and inviting and unique to each room. The expansive green grounds have a pool, spa services and hiking and horseback riding trails.
I don’t know how I first found out about this place, but part of me wishes I’d never seen the photos that captured my heart with its out of reach beauty. Maybe one day, if I stumble across some forgotten crypto wallet or long lost inheritance…
If you’d like to support our work with Good Trip, here’s our Buy Me A Coffee.