Luxury Hotels

Luxury hotels are a way of life for some travelers and a special occasion treat for others. If you want to be pampered and feel as though you’re surrounded by sumptuous food, exemplary service, and gorgeous settings, then you should splurge on a luxury hotel, even if just for one night!

As empty nesters, we have the freedom and flexibility to enjoy frequent travel adventures, something that wasn’t quite possible when we had young children and then teenagers! They require a lot of expense and a lot of STUFF!

While we mostly enjoy luxury travel (who doesn’t!) we also venture out for some more rustic adventures from time to time—although we are for sure not backpackers!

This page is for those who are looking for very nice accommodations while travelling. For more indepth travel guides and food features, please visit the Travel page.


Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA

The famous Garden Court at Palace Hotel San Francisco, one of our favorite luxury hotels.

We love staying in historic hotels, and The Palace is one of the world’s finest. As you step in the front door, you’re presented with a breathtaking view of the Garden Court, where a daily breakfast buffet and afternoon tea are offered.

Miss Debbie, our concierge, was amazing with her patience and knowledge of the city—and two days after we’d talked with her, she ran into David in the lobby and remembered his name! That’s outstanding service!

We stayed in a suite that overlooked the city and felt pampered with our nightly turn-down service complete with chocolates on the pillow. San Francisco, we will be back and definitely at Palace Hotel San Francisco.


The Willcox Hotel, Aiken, South Carolina

The front of The Willcox Hotel with a long porch and rocking chairs, one of the South's most renowned luxury hotels.

Aiken is a charming, historic town reminiscent of days when folks lounged on the front porch drinking sweet tea on a hot summer afternoon. And in fact, you can do just that at The Willcox Hotel.

The long verandah out front beckons you with its numerous rocking chairs, where you can relax and have a drink, read a book, or just piddle. Because piddlin’ is what we do in the South when we don’t want to do anything else.

The Willcox has been voted one of the best hotels in the world, with its genteel, white-pillared front and luxurious guest rooms. The spa is outstanding and the food…THE FOOD…you might never want to leave.


Other Accommodations We’ve Enjoyed and Recommend

The following list represents luxury hotels or other accommodation types where we’ve stayed over the years. We highly recommend all of the luxury hotels on this list for travelers looking to enjoy a special time.

The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey, California

The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, Louisiana

The Campbell House, Lexington, Kentucky

The Brown Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky

Union Station Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee

The Roosevelt Hotel, New York City, New York

Laguna Cliffs Resort and Spa, Dana Point, California

Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, Braselton, Georgia

W Atlanta-Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

Marriott San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, California

JW Marriott, Los Angeles, California

The Westin New York at Times Square, NYC, New York

Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago Illinois