Highlights: The Grand America Hotel

•Elegant European décor evident throughout all public and private areas

•Staff service is efficient, friendly, and formal

•Guest rooms appointed in a tradition European theme with luxurious touches

•A main dining room and two lounges feature quality food and service

•State-of-the-art business center includes workstations and helpful staff

•Hotel fitness center and spa provide ample opportunities for relaxation

•Located within one hour of nearby attractions and skiing opportunities

Amenities: The Grand America Hotel

• 775 rooms, 24 story. Check-in 3 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access, wireless Internet access. 2 Restaurants, 2 bars. Fitness room, fitness classes available, spa. Indoor pool, outdoor pool, children's pool, whirlpool. Airport transportation available. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: The Grand America Hotel

The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, is aptly named because of its large public areas and spacious guest rooms, all decorated in a lovely Old World style while offering contemporary conveniences. The hotel’s European decor, with French cherry-wood furniture, chandeliers from Murano and Milan, and Carrera Italian marble bathrooms, creates a setting more sophisticated than one might expect in Salt Lake City. The lobby has multiple areas to sit, hold informal meetings, visit with friends, or just enjoy the hotel’s beauty. The staff is superbly dressed, with women wearing Chanel-style uniforms in a pale green/almost blue worsted wool.

This hotel is an excellent choice for a business trip because of its location and business center. The 24-story property is set on 10 acres in downtown Salt Lake City, five city blocks (one-half mile) from Temple Square, home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Trax, the city’s light-rail system, has a stop in front of the hotel, which makes it very convenient for guests to catch a free ride to the local businesses, shops, and tourist attractions in the downtown area.

The hotel is a good choice for romantic getaways, too, because the rooms are cozy and the spa is luxurious. Hiding away in one of the comfortable suites would be a wonderful place to start a honeymoon.

The Grand America Hotel is ideally located for getaway or family travelers who want to explore the city and the surrounding mountains. The hotel offers easy access to sports, music, and theater venues in downtown Salt Lake City. But, it’s also very close to the highways that lead to the activities in the Wasatch Mountain range, which frames the city’s skyline and is only 30 to 40 minutes away. In the wintertime, skiers and snowboarders who prefer urban nightlife stay here. More than six major ski areas are located within a 50-minute drive by private car, although some guests prefer to travel in one of the resort or private-company shuttles that transport skiers from the city to the slopes.

The hotel is a 10 to 15 minute ride from the Salt Lake International Airport; so complimentary airport shuttle transportation is another option.

(+) Hotel amenities and nearby activities available for all types of travelers

Guest Services: The Grand America Hotel

Staff service at the Grand America Hotel is generally good and efficient, although there were a few glitches. When I called for a reservation, the agent was well spoken but didn’t seem very informed about the hotel. I was then asked to call back because of technical difficulties.

Service greatly improved when I was treated like staff anticipated my arrival. I was immediately greeted and directed to the reception area, where a front desk agent provided an almost overwhelming amount of hotel information.

Throughout my stay, I noticed that staff was polite but not always pleasant. For instance, my first wake-up call was delivered early and my second call was a few minutes late, but both were made without a personable touch. When I asked for a toothbrush, housekeeping paused for a long time before quickly giving me a nicely packaged box along with toothpaste. Some of the staff, such as the front doorman and the front-desk agent maintained a formal demeanor but never smiled.

The departure service was very good overall. The friendly front desk clerk had a problem printing my bill and offered to mail it to me (although it did finally print). The bellman anticipated my needs by calling a taxi for me.

(+) Staff provided expert assistance and information quickly
(-) Staff was often more solemn, than smiling, when interacting with guests

Guest Rooms: The Grand America Hotel

The Grand America Hotel has 380 premier rooms (700 square feet) and 395 suites (880 square feet), with many of them featuring balconies overlooking the garden courtyard and pool. Each of the three Presidential Suites is more than 2,000 square feet of space. The guest rooms are decorated with handcrafted Richelieu furniture, an overstuffed couch and chair, leather-top desks, 32-inch televisions, and large beds with comfortable blankets and linens.

My room had been turned down upon check-in, which created a good initial impression. Overall, the room was very plush and inviting, with its traditional European design in rich raspberry, apple green, and ivory colors. It had spacious grooming areas and was full of luxurious touches –- overstuffed armchairs, an exceptionally luxurious and fluffy bed, and a nicely sized desk. Both the bedroom and the bathroom were meticulously clean.

The spacious bathroom was out of this world, featuring Italian marble, a separate deep soaking tub, a glass-enclosed shower, and a separate area for the toilet. Crabtree & Evelyn amenities were set on a glass shelf above the sink and the wall-to-wall white-and-gray marble bathroom counters. A completely separate second vanity area also included the closet, which didn’t have a door but worked as an entire “dressing area.”

(+) Elegant, spacious, European decorated rooms designed for comfort

Facilities & Activities: The Grand America Hotel

The hotel’s fitness center features state-of-the-art equipment, plus ample audiovisual options, to help guests obtain a complete workout. The spa has an array of massages, facials, and body treatments, as well as saunas and steam rooms for relaxing. The staff is friendly and informative, making treatment recommendations after asking guests questions about what they like.

While receiving a treatment, I liked how my knowledgeable therapist was able to answer several of my detailed questions. Guests can arrange for in-room massages and for in-room private yoga classes. The locker room is extremely comfortable and quite luxurious, but there really wasn’t anywhere to sit and relax.

Touring Temple Square, the Beehive House, and other Mormon landmarks, then stopping at the Family History Library to track down one’s ancestors are among the most popular visitor activities. It’s easy to reach Abravanel Hall to hear the Utah Symphony, or the Capitol Theatre to attend the opera or a dance performance. The Delta Center, where the Utah Jazz basketball team plays, is also easily reachable from the hotel. Despite the perception of non-Utahans, there are plenty of chic lounges, restaurants, and bars for visitors to enjoy a cocktail.

(+) Hotel offers workout and spa options, and multiple urban leisure pursuits are less than one hour away

Dining & Lounge: The Grand America Hotel

American seasonal cuisine, prepared with fresh produce, game, seafood and fish, is served in the Garden Café, which has a pleasant outdoor patio overlooking the hotel’s garden. During the Cafe’s elaborate Sunday brunch, tables are filled with a mix of guests and locals. The lovely Garden Café dining room is quite formal, both in decor and the table settings.

At the traditional Afternoon Tea, guests nibble on delicate sandwiches and rich pastries, while listening to harp music in the Lobby Lounge. Guests also can enjoy a continental breakfast and light appetizers in the evening here.

The Gibson Lounge, north of the lobby, is an ideal place for a light meal or relaxing with friends. The hotel offers light poolside fare in the summer and provides 24-hour room service for those who prefer privacy.

At breakfast I was greeted immediately upon entering the dining room. The service and the food were both excellent. As I was leaving, however, I noticed a nicely set up buffet tucked away in a corner and found it odd that the waiter didn’t offer the buffet to me as an option. It wasn’t noted on the menu, either.

Room service came in an acceptable amount of time, just under a half hour, but the food setup was a bit awkward. The tray was placed on the coffee table and set so I could eat, but there weren’t any chairs near it, nor was one brought over. I ended up eating with the plate on my lap in a chair across the room.

(+) Quality food and service provided in main dining room and two lounges
(-) Staff needs to be more consistent describing all menu options before guests order

Business Services: The Grand America Hotel

This is an excellent business center with up-to-date equipment, including guest workstations in private nooks so you can work on sensitive documents without concerns. The center staff, while a bit formal, was very helpful in anticipating my needs and didn’t hesitate when dealing with any of my requests. When the staffer offered to make copies for me, I hesitated, and she immediately sensed that I needed to make the copies myself because the documents were sensitive.

The center has a color copier/printer and a full complement of business services. The staff had a good understanding of how the equipment worked and could troubleshoot minor problems. When one computer had a glitch, the staffer didn’t hesitate to let me use her computer.

(+) Business travelers can be confident that the business center has the right equipment and a knowledgeable staff