10 best places to curl up by a hotel fireplace
Travelers caught in the chilly weather blanketing much of the country this winter can appreciate the comfort and beauty of a hotel fireplace. But hearths offer more than mere warmth, says best-selling erotic romance novelist L. Marie Adeline, a pseudonym for Lisa Gabriele, author of Secret Shared (Broadway Books). Fireplaces can provide ideal settings for romance, she says. "If you linger, things may happen, and memories will be made." She shares some favorite fireplaces with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
La Fonda on the Plaza
Santa Fe
A welcoming fire has long comforted travelers at this bustling grand hotel at the end of the Santa Fe Trail. The fireplace in the dining room keeps guests warm in the high desert, which can be chilly. It's decorated with a modernist terra-cotta sculpture by a contemporary of Georgia O'Keeffe. The hotel has recently been renovated, and rooms and public areas have been upgraded. 505-982-5511; lafondasantafe.com
Grove Park Inn
Asheville, N.C.
This historic, high-end hostelry offers a variety of cozy niches to warm up guests around its twin lobby fireplaces — each of which is 14 feet wide. The stone chimneys are so large that they were used to hide the inn's elevators. "They (create) unique clusters so you can have private conversations and still benefit from the lovely glow," Adeline says. "It still feels as though you're in your own world, even though you're sharing space in a grand lobby." 855-427-1409; groveparkinn.com
Bowery Hotel
New York
Amid the bustle of New York, this clubby Lower East Side hotel reveals a surprisingly romantic lobby fireplace with comfy clubby chairs and overlapping carpets. "In a city as busy and neon and loud as New York, when you walk into the Bowery, you can exhale and relax," Adeline says. 212-505-9100; theboweryhotel.com
Hotel Burnham
Chicago
The big city still has cozy hideaways, including this boutique hotel in a National Historic Landmark building. Inspired by architect Daniel Burnham, who helped design and build modern Chicago, it has wood paneling, marble stairs and ironwork that recall the city's formative years, when guests would ward off the chill in front of its stone fireplace. 312-782-1111; burnhamhotel.com
Sorrento Hotel
Seattle
It's hard to beat the appeal of a fireplace when you're visiting the Pacific Northwest on a damp, gray day. Adeline likes this hearth, with its niches and nooks for intimate gatherings. More than a century old, the hearth is surrounded by green glazed tiles and a mosaic of an Italian landscape. "It takes the chill out of your bones when you walk in, and imagine how lovely your skin would look in that light." 206-622-6400; hotelsorrento.com
Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
Truckee, Calif.
While any self-respecting ski lodge is expected to have a roaring lobby fireplace to greet guests, this towering stone hearth stands out. "It's incredible," Adeline says. She likes how the hotel surrounds the hearth with furniture, inviting visitors to sit and soak up the atmosphere. 530-562-3000; ritzcarlton.com
Old Faithful Inn
Yellowstone, Wyo.
This grand National Park lodge, which celebrates its 110th birthday this year, has been called a cathedral in wood and is one of the largest log buildings in the world. Its main lobby is centered on a massive lava-stone fireplace that measures 16 feet square at the base and has four main hearths, one on each face. It's where generations of park visitors have warmed up after a day of exploring. "The architecture is just spectacular," Adeline says. 307-344-7311; yellowstonenationalparklodges.com
Hanover Inn
Hanover, N.H.
In chilly New England, fireplaces aren't just for show. The one at this hotel, tucked into an alcove in the lobby, has small areas for seating and is surrounded with green wood paneling, inspired by the Dartmouth College colors. "This one is cozy," Adeline says. 603-643-4300; hanoverinn.com
River Inn of Harbor Town
Memphis
Adeline, who sets some of her stories in the South, has visited hotels throughout the region. She says this lobby, which has a crystal chandelier, Oriental rugs and a wood-burning hearth, welcomes guests with a warm, classic design. "The South is romantic, and it's beautiful, quite lovely." 901-260-3333; riverinnmemphis.com
Camelback Inn
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Arizona may be desert, but it's not hot all the time. "It can be surprisingly chilly in the winter, especially at night," Adeline says. That's what makes the adobe beehive fireplace here so welcoming. "It gives a cozy feeling. It's quite beautiful." 480-948-1700; marriott.com