16 Stateside B&Bs, Resorts, and Everything in Between for Last-Minute Labor Day Travel
Although a three-day weekend is long enough to travel, it’s not exactly long enough to go somewhere far. That said, long weekends are still worth investing in, especially if they happen to fall at the base of autumn like Labor Day does. Those three days at the beginning of September offer an opportunity to close out an exceptionally warm summer with a road trip up the West Coast, a train ride to New England’s rocky shorelines, or a short flight to the Midwest. Needless to say, there are plenty of places to visit that, depending on the city of departure, won’t require an entire day of traveling.
From a rustic sporting club among Jackson Hole’s soaring peaks to a historic Art Deco landmark in Miami, the boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and towering resorts won’t have many vacancies for long.
Chatham Inn, Relais & Châteaux
It may be one of the oldest inns on Cape Cod, but Relais & Châteaux’s quaint 18-room Chatham Inn boasts all of the contemporary luxuries (think including design-forward marble and onyx bathrooms) that any high-speed city-dweller can appreciate. That said, there are plenty of traditional touches, like wood-burning fireplaces, that serve as subtle reminders that the charming lodgings—formerly The Travelers Home—have been around since the mid-19th century.
When husband-and-wife Jeff and Kayla Ippoliti purchased the inn in 2015, their mission was to transform the antique space into an elegant boutique hotel with a renowned fine dining scene, so they began what would be a four-year renovation that resulted in today’s Chatam Inn that houses one of the most lauded restaurants in the city: Cuvée at Chatham Inn, a globally-inspired dining concept that serves artistic-looking locally sourced fare.
If there is one place that makes a strong case for abandoning a high-tech penthouse overlooking a chaotic city beneath for a bucolic oasis in the heart of New England, it’s Barnard, Vermont’s Twin Farms. A countryside retreat spread across 300 acres, Twin Farms is as sweet as its name. Though the dining options are unparalleled—seasonal white truffle tastings in the Main House’s dining room, in-room chef-driven dinners or out on the guest rooms’ private screened-in porch, and intimate picnics in the hotel’s surrounding forest—Twin Farms’ crown jewels are the accommodations.
From the 10 freestanding cottages to the four Thad Hayes-outfitted rooms within the Peter Bohlin-designed Farmhouse at Copper Hill, each colorful space is informed by the hotel’s locale in the heart of New England. Not to mention: There are also rooms and suites in both the Main House and its neighboring lodge.
Setai Miami Beach
Situated on the shores of the Atlantic in Miami Beach, The Setai is quite literally the best of both worlds—East and West, that is. It’s housed in a circa 1936 landmark building within the historic Art Deco district, but its interiors are undeniably influenced by an Asian aesthetic, which is especially evident in the 87 Art Deco guest rooms and 52 one- to-four-bedroom Ocean suites. There’s also a 10,000-square-foot, four-bedroom penthouse that takes over the entire 40th floor.
If the penthouse is booked for Labor Day weekend, the runner-up for place-to-be is one of the hotel’s two restaurants, the executive chef Vijayudu Veena-led Jaya, which hosts a weekly Sunday jazz brunch on the restaurant's courtyard and combines noted delicacies from southeast and northern Asia. And because Miami in early September is the epicenter for unforgiving heat and humidity, rest assured that there are not two but three temperature-controlled pools.
Newport, Rhode Island, is arguably most famous for its collection of Gilded Age mansions flanking the now-iconic Bellevue Avenue, but there are storied 19th-century estates are all over town—especially near the water. Case in point: The Chanler at Cliff Walk, which is mere steps from Easton Bay. Constructed in 1873 by its namesake, New York congressman, John Winthrop Chanler, the glamorous 20-room inn is the only hotel along the historic three-and-a-half-mile walkway perched above the shoreline. It’s fair to say that history is The Chanler’s theme because each of the sizable guest rooms is designed in the style of specific periods that were particularly fashionable. Think Williamsburg, Regency, Louis XVI, and Renaissance spaces.
Plus, until the end of September, guests can nosh on a four-course prix fixe menu in an open-air yurt on the ocean-facing lawn. Although such menu items as the sausage, eggplant, and tomato bucatini, and two-pound Newport lobster a la plancha are reason enough to book one of the three yurts, the bay views don’t hurt.
Though most of Savannah’s Regency-style structures, including famed neighboring mansions-turned-hotel, The Gastonian were erected in the 19th century, the historic town enthusiastically welcomed the utterly contemporary Thompson Savannah, a new 193-room hotel on the river-adjacent Port Street. And like any hot spot in a Southern city, Thompson Savannah prioritizes its beverage program in a big way. From Fleeting, the swanky resident restaurant that artfully highlights local ingredients, to the Mediterranean-inspired Bar Julian on the roof, the carefully curated libations and the delectable light bites on offer are epicurean perfections.
Also below the Mason-Dixon, Thompson Nashville is just one more excuse to spend some time in the Music City. Plus, the 12-story spot offers sweeping city views of the Gulch and downtown Nashville with floor-to-ceiling windows in all of the guest rooms. Pro tip: Opt for the wellness package for IV immune boosts and fresh juice without leaving the room.
If the city of Los Angeles were a hotel, it would be the spirited and soulful Hotel June. From the modular terrazzo and warm wood check-in desk and earth-toned mural behind it to the crisp white Fili D’oro linens and cacti in the guest rooms, this Mid-Century Modern-inspired boutique spot exudes youth and sophistication in all the right ways. The design may be the star of the space, but the food and beverage program, helmed by Scopa’s Steve Livigni, is a close second. The poolside two-level Caravan Swim Club’s inspired menu is the halfway point between Baja and L.A. with grilled locally caught fish, organic steaks, seasonal salads, and fresh oysters from the raw bar.
The sleek, linear, and often geometric Art Deco style made itself quite known in cities like Paris and Miami, but there are quite a few early 20th-century architectural gems from the impactful design movement scattered throughout the world’s most populous cities. One such structure is the 1928 Burnham Brothers-designed Carbide & Carbon Building, which now houses the 364-room Pendy Chicago. The new hotel, which opened this summer, pays homage to Art Deco’s French roots with Château Carbide, a rooftop bar overlooking the Windy City, and Venteux (which means “windy” in French), a modern brasserie lead by Chicago’s youngest Michelin-starred talent, Don Young.
Anyone who's ever spent time in Texas knows that downtown Dallas can get uncomfortably warm in the summertime. And when temperatures soar into the triple digits, there's only one place to go: a pool. Not just any pool, though, the pool on The Joule's cantilevered roof. Plus, every week the art-centric hotel hosts a poolside event dubbed "Checked Out Sundays" with chilled towels, a complimentary wellness libation, and a live DJ.
Perhaps just as attention-grabbing as the pool that, from the Main Street, appears to be dangling off the roof's edge, the impressive collection of art greets guests at nearly every turn. From the Mid-Century mosaics to the Roger Hiorns crystal-covered engine, there's plenty to see at The Joule—regardless of whether you're on the roof or in the lobby.
Elizabeth Taylor may have been the doyenne of Bel-Air, but during her marriage to Nicky Conrad, she spent quite a bit of time in El Paso, Texas—specifically in The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park’s penthouse suite. Of course, her sprawling suite has since been transformed into the stylish rooftop bar, appropriately named La Perla, the pearl of the hotel. The 130-room space just went through a $78-million renovation, but the original circa 1930 Pueblo Revival architecture is very much still a defining feature of the historic building’s facade. There are even touches of Art Deco influence—channel-tufted headboards, velvet throws boasting geometric patterns, and extreme symmetry—throughout the ForrestPerkins-designed guest rooms.
And because El Paso is right on the border, there’s some serious Mexican influence in Ámbar Restaurante’s open kitchen where chefs whip up everything from handmade tortillas, churrasco-grilled steak, and regional delicacies like chapulines and escamoles. Did we mention it’s home to the largest agave spirit collection in North America? So if you’re in the mood for something unique to The Plaza, opt for a $1,750 shot from the only bottle of Patrón en Lalique: Serie 2 in Texas.
With towering resorts on the shores of exclusive beaches and luxury boutique spots in metropolitan cities, classic bed and breakfasts can fall to the wayside. The Applewood Manor, which was constructed in 1912, however, serves as a stunning reminder that B&Bs are alive and well. There’s something indisputably sweet about a five-room space (plus a separate cottage) that feels more like an elegant private residence than a hotel, and Asheville's The Applewood Manor is no exception.
The surrounding cherry, oak, pine, and maple trees and the Blue Ridge Mountains inform every nook within the highly decorated interiors, all of which are outfitted in Regency-style antiques from 1stDibs. Plus, because the estate used to be the original owner’s home (until he passed away in 1939), the manor looks and feels like a private residence. The main level comprises a large entry hall that extends all the way to the back of the house, a colorful parlor with several fireplaces, a living room, a formal dining room, a butler’s pantry, a half bath, and a kitchen. Four of the guest rooms, all of which are designed in the style of their unique names (Granny Smith, Northern Spy, York Imperial, and MacIntosh), reside on the manor’s second floor. The last guest room, the sprawling Winesap suite, takes over the entire third floor.
Spread across nearly 1,000 acres, some of which make up a fully functioning ranch, the Snake River Sporting Club in Jackson Hole is like a transcendent threshold into a supremely rugged oasis. When it comes to sleeping quarters, there are no wrong choices between the three multi-room rustic cottages: The Shooting Cabin is a wooded jewel box perched atop more than 31 acres, the four-bedroom Fairway Lodge boasts 20-foot-tall vaulted ceilings in the open-layout living room, and the Caddis Lodge features stunning views all the way down the Snake River Canyon. There’s also plenty to do at the club: skeet shooting, horseback riding, golf, mountain biking, archery, platform tennis, and hiking. From the riding trails and serene pastures to the nearby granite mountains and river, Snake River Sporting Club is a gentle reminder that the Old West never went anywhere, and it’s as popular as ever.
A sustainable, family-owned masterpiece in the soul of the Finger Lakes, The Lake House on Canandaigua is lake life at its finest. Each space—whether it’s the fireplace-warmed library whose glossy navy-hued walls are lined with books, the nautical-inspired Rose Tavern overlooking the lake, or the super-casual Sand Bar (and its famous canoe that’s suspended from the vaulted ceiling)—is carefully curated with the surrounding natural elements in mind. When Bill Caleo and his sister, Lyndsay Caleo Karol, the founders of The Brooklyn Home Company, opened the lakeside spot last August, their goal was to completely transform the formerly dilapidated motel into an artful destination for both locals and visitors in search of a calming and effortless retreat. So the interiors, most of which are white and wood with touches of navy, played a big role when they were deciding on decor.
The siblings even enlisted Lyndsay’s husband, Brooklyn-based artist Fitzhugh Karol to hand-carve the sandalwood four-poster beds to make them look more like someone’s bedroom than just another guest room in a typical hotel. And as an extension of the property’s story and aesthetic, the newly debuted Willowbrook Spa was outfitted by interior designer Cate Mills, who gave the space a refined feel complete with warm woods, earthy tones, and plush textures.
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Like any 19th century magnates, Santa Monica's founders decided to give their seaside California estate a name: Miramar, which means "view of the sea" in Spanish. Although the oceanfront spot on Wilshire Boulevard was purchased from the founders in 1921, the buyers, who turned it into what has since become one of Santa Monica's most beloved hotels, paid homage to the original owners by calling the new resort Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. And since opening its doors a century ago, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows has hosted such luminaries as Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, and Jimmy Stewart, among others. And though the stately hotel has always boasted a particular panache when it comes to interiors, the newly redesigned spaces, including the lobby lounge, library, and recently debuted eight-seat sushi pop-up, Soko, are a feast for the eyes.
Few places offer a classic New England getaway like the Shingle Style cottages on Martha's Vineyard do. This particular home, which encompasses six bedrooms across the main house and guest lodgings, is one of several charming spaces on Vrbo's digital vacation rental marketplace. The impressive collection of real estate may not boast the amenities that accompany resorts with a capacity for thousands of guests, but it does have several benefits that sprawling hotels do not: utter privacy. This sweet yet expansive spot has all of the fixings to make any long weekend worth extending: an abundance of porch space, plenty of beds, an open-concept kitchen, and, of course, proximity to the beach.
M Social Hotel Times Square New York
Earlier this spring, when M Social arrived in the United States, it made sense to reside in arguably New York City's most vibrant and lively area. There may be more visitors than locals roaming up and down Broadway in Times Square, but the views from the neighborhood's higher floors are unparalleled—especially from the seventh-floor 7,500-square-foot wrap-around terrace at Beast & Butterflies, M Social's private oasis. Order a carefully curated cocktail and a few light bites and take in the city before a performance on Broadway, late dinner in the Theater District, or sight-seeing around the city.
After undergoing multi-million-dollar redevelopment, Atlantic City's tallest building, the 1,399-room Ocean Casino Resort, is turning up this Labor Day. Situated across 20 beachfront acres on the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk, the massive resort boasts a lobby-level indoor-outdoor pool with chaise-side cocktails and seasonal fare. Think classic lobster rolls and frozen piña coladas. Otherwise, spend the weekend in the 40,000-square-foot Exhale Spa + Bathhouse, complete with a jetted pool, jacuzzi, Himalayan Salt grotto, and highly serene lounge area.
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
