A grand European-style palace in downtown Salt Lake City, defined by white granite, Murano chandeliers, and manicured courtyard gardens.
The Grand America Hotel stands as a monumental tribute to classic European luxury on a ten-acre block in downtown Salt Lake City. Commissioned by businessman Earl Holding and completed in 2001 just in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics, the 24-story tower is clad in 300,000 square feet of Bethel white granite quarried in New England and shipped to Europe for precise fabrication. Inside, the design by Frank Nicholson eschews modern minimalism in favor of Old World opulence. The lobby features soaring ceilings hung with hand-blown Murano and Venetian crystal chandeliers, polished Carrara marble floors, French cherry wood paneling, and custom English wool carpets. Every detail, from the Flemish tapestries to the original 19th-century oil paintings, is curated to evoke the grand hotels of Paris and Milan, providing a stately, quiet sanctuary that feels worlds away from the surrounding city streets.
The 775 guest rooms and suites are remarkably spacious, with the executive suites sprawling across 880 square feet and featuring elegant French doors that separate the bedroom from the living quarters. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the Salt Lake Valley skyline or down into the central courtyard, where a dedicated gardening team tends to manicured topiary trees, fountains, and over 40,000 tulips that bloom in unison each spring. The bathrooms are clad in Italian marble and outfitted with deep soaking tubs and separate brass-fixtured showers. For relaxation, the property features a grand indoor pool under a vaulted ceiling, a seasonal outdoor pool, and the four-story, 20,000-square-foot Grand Spa, which offers a comprehensive menu of wellness treatments in a quiet, light-filled environment.
Dining at the hotel centers around Laurel Brasserie & Bar, a vibrant space that opened in late 2021 following a multi-million dollar transformation of the former Garden Cafe. Spearheaded by Director of Food & Beverage Regis Perret, Laurel serves approachable European comfort food with a modern American twist, featuring dishes like steak frites, wood-fired pizzas, and pan-seared branzino. Next door, Bonne Vie patisserie offers small-batch gelato, house-made croissants, and espresso, while the Gibson Lounge provides a moody backdrop for craft cocktails. In the afternoon, the Lobby Lounge hosts a traditional afternoon tea service curated by Executive Pastry Chef Xavier Baudinet, complete with loose-leaf teas, English scones, and delicate pastries accompanied by the soothing sounds of a live harpist. On Sundays, the hotel’s legendary brunch takes over Laurel, drawing both locals and travelers for chef-manned carving stations, fresh seafood, and decadent bread pudding.
Reserve your Sunday brunch at Laurel weeks in advance to secure a table near the garden windows, and do not miss the house-made bread pudding or the fresh crepes.
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