Polar vortex? No big deal — as long as you can get hygge next to a big roaring fire. There’s nothing like being warm and cozy on a cold winter’s day. Especially when there’s hot toddies and other libations to ease the frost. These are hotels with the best fireplaces where winter isn’t so bad at all.
The Chedi Andermatt
Location: Andermatt, Switzerland
The Chedi Andermatt collects accolades, and not just for its stunning fireplaces. It’s one of the best ski lodges in the world, with top ratings in wine, wellness, and overall luxury. The Chedi’s unique design blends Asian sleek modernity with Alpine chic seamlessly. So, it’s no surprise that the fireplaces are impressive, and plentiful with its Swiss mountain location. In the main living room, couches are covered with fur blankets and encircle a wood-burning fireplace in the center of the room. It’s the kind of spot that you want to curl up with a cup of tea or a gluwein. And if you don’t want to leave your suite, every room has a gas fireplace that roars with the flip of a switch.
Other Reasons to Stay:
Just steps away from the warmth is Michelin-star winner The Japanese Restaurant. And speaking of restaurants, The Courtyard has fireplaces between the tables, to keep you warm even outside.
Rosewood Villa Magna
Location: Madrid, Spain
We’ve said it before, but you know a city is a hot destination when the major luxury players open hotels. The Mandarin Oriental took over the grand dame The Ritz, and after an 18-month renovation re-opened in 2021. The Four Seasons follows suit around the same time, with a totally brand new hotel. And not to be outdone, Rosewood took over the classic Villa Magna palace. The three hotels could not be more distinct from each other. Villa Magna makes its mark as your home away from home, much of which is achieved by the cozy fireplaces around the hotel. It’s not just one fireplace you need to compete, but instead, it’s like cozy fireplaces for you and all your friends. Even the outdoor courtyard has fireplaces, where you’ll see locals during the winter having drinks near the fire.
Other Reasons to Stay:
There are so many reasons to stay at the Rosewood Villa Magna, we did an entire review. From the Sense Spa to one of the four restaurants, any visit to Madrid should at least include a stop at the hotel if you’re not going to stay here.
The Greenwich Hotel
Location: New York, New York
The Greenwich Hotel is a a design oasis nestled in Tribeca, and one of the most unique hotels in New York City. Its aesthetic is vintage industrial chic, with Japanese influences throughout. This blend of elegance and tradition is achieved through Tatsuro Miki and Axel Vervoordt, who owner Robert De Niro hired to work on the building. The Drawing Room, with its wood-burning fireplace (a luxury in New York City) is a cozy and private nook. It’s only open to hotel guests, but for those in NYC, the Greenwich is also a perfect place for a staycation. If you ask very nicely as well, they will bring food from Locanda Verde for you to enjoy by the fire.
The fireplaces don’t end in the Drawing Room either. The TriBeCa penthouse has two terraces and includes an outdoor wood-burning fireplace. On the inside, the clay walls are lovely frames for the centerpiece, a large fireplace that adorns the naturalist wall. The design is somewhere between Japanese farmhouse meets a French chateau.
Two additional suites also have fireplaces, which make this even more unique in New York City. The Greenwich and the N. Moore penthouse both have sitting rooms and brick-and-mortar fireplaces.
Other Reasons to Stay:
You are all but guaranteed to get a reservation at the still hotter-than-ever Locanda Verde. While the restaurant has been around for over a decade now, their sheep’s milk ricotta and herbs will never go out of style. Neither will the celebrity sightings, where if you’re lucky you’ll catch Bono or Mr. DeNiro himself.
If you’re really going to make a staycation out of a stay at the Greenwich Hotel, then plan for an afternoon in the subterranean spa and pool. The Japanese farmhouse theme continues in this oasis, which also has a Shibui Spa. One of their specialties, besides serious massages, is an Omakase facial. Yes please.
In the summer months, the courtyard is also open to guests, where the Locanda Verde menu is also available. Even if you look to work from home here, it’s worth the hotel stay to have that home be the peaceful outdoors within the Greenwich.
Viceroy Snowmass
Location: Snowmass, Colorado
In Aspen, skiing is essential, and so is warming up. One of the best hotels though isn’t in Aspen proper, but rather in nearby Snowmass. The Viceroy Snowmass is a full-service resort where rooms are modern, sleek yet comfortable, with ski in/ski out amenities, a spa, and a hot tub.
But the real star, or rather stars, of the show are the fireplaces. The lobby has one of those cool linear gas fireplaces that extends the length of the lounge with plenty of seating. It befittingly mirrors the modern, chic style of the hotel.
The theme of cool fireplaces extends to restaurant Toro and in the outdoors for s’mores after a long day of hiking or skiing on the slopes. Also, at the Viceroy Snowmass, each and every room has its own fireplace, which yes, do make it hard to get out of bed even for fresh tracks in the morning.
Other Reasons to Stay:
Whether it’s winter or summer, Snowmass is the place for families. The slopes are optimal for beginning ski bunnies, and everything is easily accessible from the Viceroy. It’s ski in, ski out. During the summertime, the village has quaint pizzerias and ice cream shops, and is a hub for camp. All year round, their restaurant Toro Kitchen & Lounge has a serious huevos rancheros to fuel you for the day. For lunch and dinner, Toro is also one of the best Latin-inspired restaurants in the area. There’s little pretentiousness in Snowmass, where it’s about connecting to nature and enjoying the great outdoors.
Post Ranch Inn
Location: Big Sur, California
Big Sur is the definition of stunning scenery. For everyone who is into luxury travel, this is a destination that’s at least once, if not more in a lifetime. Post Ranch Inn is one of the best hotels in the country, and it certainly has the best views. Choices include houses that are themed around the natural: for example, the Treehouse, the Coast and the Cliff.
Most rooms come with a view of the Pacific Ocean, so you don’t even have to leave your bed to catch some waves. The Ocean House has the best fireplace. It also boasts some of the biggest windows you’ll see by the coast, and at night the double fireplace lights up the room. The hearth has a metal frame surrounded by wood that seamlessly blends into the surf style of the bedroom and the shower.
Other Reasons to Stay:
Nowadays many good restaurants have their own gardens, but Post Ranch Inn was one of the first to make that standard. The food at Post Ranch is so good that most people don’t leave the property for meals. You have never had an avocado until you’ve had one at Post Ranch, and even simple burgers reach best in your life standards. This place is just special, from start to finish.
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection
Location: Park City, Utah
Park City has a brand new luxury ski option, that also provides access to extensive winter activities like snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and cross-country skiing. The hotel is a brand new build, so they had the chance to blow out the amenities, which includes their two story fireplace with direct mountain views. Their chill out living room makes the Lodge at Blue Sky is one of the best spots for visitors and locals like to relax by the fire.
If you’re planning to stay a while, the Creek Houses also have indoor fireplaces. For a more private experience, the Earth Suites, with their own private terraces and outdoor fireplaces, are a three-minute walk from the main Sky Lodge.
Other Reasons to Stay:
The hotel is set on 3,500 private acres, so there’s plenty to do besides ski. Also the hotel is brand new, which means rooms are done right. The rooms are actually some of the nicest accommodations of any lodge out West, that are decorated as an extension of the nature outside. This is a luxury getaway where even if you don’t ski, the comfort of the rooms, spa and restaurants are worth it to visit. Their culinary program is especially notable, as they’ve had places like 3-Star Michelin Single Thread out of Sonoma come into residence.
The Hoxton, Chicago
Location: Chicago, Illinois
With its stiff winds and frigid winters, Chicago was made for fireplaces. Each day, the big room transforms from a power breakfast spot to a happening bar. The centerpiece is (you guessed it) the fireplace, sure to give a welcome a greeting as warm as Midwesterners themselves.
Other Reasons to Stay:
The Hoxton is a scene, and it’s located in the trendy West Loop area. The top restaurants like Alinea and Rosemary are right around the corner, as is the nighlife at spots like The Blind Barber. In-house, for those who like Peruvian, Cabra serves up solid ceviche.
