“The seed is within the floor.
Now could we relaxation in hope
Whereas darkness does its work.”
These poetic words by Wendell Berry describe the hopefulness of winter. However, for many travelers who prefer to hibernate until spring, winter travel can be a challenge as they often search for warm places and comfort food. Recently, we got to experience and explore Salt Lake City’s new dual-branded Element and Le Méridien hotel during Utah’s coldest and snowiest winter. The two hotels are in one building, fraternal twins – both different but similar in mission and vision.
They also share a unique downtown location near City Creek, the Vivant Sports area where the Utah Jazz play, as well as the Planetarium, the Farmer’s Market, Temple Square, Salt Palace Conference Center, the University of Utah, and everything else that Salt Lake has to offer. As we gaze out of the windows of both hotels, we see the Wasatch Mountains covered in snow, reminding us that they too are a part of our guest experience, providing both contrast and complement – nature and culture – to this new twin hotel exploration.
As we drove to this new hotel, we were impressed by the beautiful, subtly bifurcated building that caught a glimmer of the setting sun. Once inside Element, our first stop, we felt a comfortable sustainability with living walls in many areas and a hotel dog named Scoop to greet us. Although dogs are not a sustainable concept, he still exuded a sense of comfort and home. Scoop is a small Golden Retriever who lived behind the registration counter.
Our concierge told us that this Salt Lake City Element is the 100th global opening for the Element brand and the first one in Salt Lake. Element is a lifestyle brand that allows many guests to have longer stay options, often to enjoy basketball games or winter sports, as Element is just 30 miles away from several ski locations: Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, Solitude Mountain Resort, and Brighton Ski and others. We also found out that this twin hotel is in The West Quarter, part of a new mixed-use development that connects two halves of downtown with a mid-block pedestrian street called Quarter Row.
Our stay at Element, with 126 rooms and suites, floor-to-ceiling windows, fully equipped kitchens, spa-like bathrooms with eco-conscious amenities, and signature Heavenly beds, is complemented by an organic Daily Rise breakfast and a Relax evening reception. What’s interesting, in addition to the organic fruits and produce, is the brand’s collaboration with Lettuce Grow, a leader in hydroponic gardening. Here, guests have access to free, farm-fresh produce and herbs at the on-property Lettuce Grow Farmstand.
But Farmstand is not the only intuitive wellness component included in both hotels: the signature restaurant, Adelaide, is a shared restaurant that blends Element’s sustainability with the Le Méridien French Bistro vibe on the main floor. We access Adelaide from both hotels, different entrances. The Adelaide Menu is an excellent collection of organic vegetables, fruits, as well as farm-sourced meats and truffles used in unique ways.
Different shared areas are the Van Ryder rooftop bar, where cocktails, mocktails, and shareable plates are served, and again, with an expansive view of the Wasatch mountains covered in snow. There is also an 8355 square feet of shared meeting and event space, and rooftop fitness center with a pool.
Finally, our hosts at Element present us with a fascinating concept made for families, businesses, and personal groups, known as The Studio Commons, which connects four private bedrooms with a communal area that includes a shared kitchen and lounge. We have a private dinner at the Element Studio Commons, where we meet the Executive Chef at Element, Jacqueline Siao. We also experience the Lettuce Grow Farmstand again, as she and her sous chef pick fresh herbs for the unique dishes she and her team create. We also sample libations, either Mocktail or Cocktail, with fresh flowers and herbs placed on the side of the glasses.
Our next stay, right across the walkway, is at Le Méridien, which features 144 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and city views. There is a sense of art and artisanry to this hotel. In all rooms, there is artistry in the tilework, on the walls, in the textured bedrooms and carpets. And in the Le Méridien lobby area, there is dazzling original artwork, plus a unique lobby library.
What we realized is both brands, Element and Le Méridien, allow the growing achievement of modern guest needs and desires. The desire for winter hibernation – the desire to go home and stay there in winter – is fragmented, as the sustainable, organic food, living walls, great art, unique design flow, branded Heavenly Beds, all allow the winter traveler to feel at home, comfortable, and cared for. In addition, the dog Scoop, the Studio Commons, and the library also mingle in memory, to create an environment that allows for a remembered home warmth, all within a non-home city landscape, creating a need for us to return, regardless of the season.
Photo: Le Méridien and Element Salt Lake City Downtown
