Top 5

Rooms with a View

By Jen A. Miller

Sometimes when you plan a getaway, you really want
to get away. Here are five suites around the world that afford splendid vistas – from the comfort of your hotel bed.

Jade Mountain, St. Lucia
 
Talk about thinking outside the box. Jade Mountain, a resort within a resort (Anse Chastanet), offers suites called “sanctuaries,” each with its own infinity pool and an open view of the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea. And by “open view,” they mean it: the suite’s fourth wall is nonexistent. The rooms have screens in case of bad weather, but given the resort’s protected location (high up on Morne Chastanet), there’s rarely a need to block the gorgeous view.

Radisson Fort McDowell, Arizona

Surround yourself with the Arizona wilderness – literally. The Radisson Fort McDowell, on the edge of Scottsdale, is nestled in the Sonoran Desert on the open lands of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. So don’t be surprised if you see some moose, dogs or even cattle wandering through the property. Ask for a room that looks out onto Camelback Mountain for the best view of what the desert has to offer.
 

Timberline Lodge, Oregon
 
Having opened in 1937, this national historic landmark was built at the height of the Great Depression, when people were in desperate need of work. The entire project was done by hand, and the talents of local artisans and craftsmen are evident throughout this timber and stone resort. Once you’ve checked in to your handcrafted suite, you’ll also want to check out the view. This mountain lodge is perched halfway to the summit of the massive and stately Mt. Hood.

Four Seasons Philadelphia

If you’re drawn more to the city than the country, make sure you book a stay at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia, where you can watch the City of Brotherly Love go by right outside your window. Rooms overlook the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a grand boulevard reminiscent of Paris, which runs from Philadelphia’s City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Rocky fans will appreciate a jog up the steps of the art museum, which is a short walk – or sprint – away.)

Hotel Everland

Why share? At this art installation-meets-hotel suite, you’ll be the only guest soaking up the ever-changing view. Conceived by Swiss artist duo L/B (Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann), this luxury suite is moved from spot to spot. These days, you’ll find it atop the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, where it affords a bird’s-eye view of the Eiffel Tower. Previously, the portable pod was on the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig, Germany, and come September, it will move on to another site. Watch that space indeed.

(Jen A. Miller is author of The Jersey Shore, Atlantic City to Cape May: Great Destinations.)

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