Best Western Weston Inn

Imagine a night where everything falls into place, nothing goes wrong, and expectations are exceeded.  This is the very night my wife and I experienced while staying in Logan, Utah at the Best Western Weston Inn.  I would like to share a glimpse into our experience, highlighting some of the expectations we had that were exceeded.

Driving down Main Street in Logan my wife and I were extremely curious to find out exactly where the Best Western would be located.  To our pleasure it is situated right in the heart of town.  When I saw the exterior of the hotel I was very impressed by the look of the hotel, the Weston Inn is a great looking place.

            When my wife and I checked in, the front desk employee, Cody, was extremely courteous and helpful.  He happily offered to be of service in any possible way, which was helpful to know because my wife and I had questions later that evening.
            Once in our room we felt good finding that the room was extremely clean, it smelled great, was very tidy, and the temperature was perfect.  The hotel provided everything for our needs from a great room, comfortable bed, working desk, to free Internet, indoor pool and many other amenities.
            The Weston Inn is perfectly located in Logan.  Soon after unpacking our bags we decided to go to dinner.  My wife and I were grateful to find that within a very close walking distance there is a great restaurant called Iron Gate Grill.  We walked maybe two minutes away down a quaint side road to find Iron Gate Grill.

            I would highly recommend Iron Gate Grill to anyone looking for great food and an inviting environment, and I am sure my wife would as well.  The food was fantastic!  From the relaxing ambiance created by the restaurant to the last bite of food, the Iron Gate Grill proved to be a great experience.
            “The salmon melts in my mouth, it is so good,” raved my wife about her Orange Coconut Salmon.  “This is one of the best plates of salmon I’ve ever had.”
            The next morning we woke up and decided to find out what entertainment is nearby the Weston Inn.  As we walked across the street to the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau we again felt very pleased about the nicely located Weston Inn.  Now that it was day we were able to see the shopping we could do at nearby local vendors.  But we continued to the Visitors Bureau to find out a little more information on what Cache Valley is all about.  What we found was an overwhelming amount of information about Cache Valley’s best places for indoor and outdoor activities, restaurants, shopping and more.  It was great to learn some background and get a better feeling for Cache Valley.

            Later on we had the great opportunity to attend a great production held at Cache Valley Center for the Arts Ellen Eccles Theatre.  We tapped our toes to the beat of a 1940’s big band called In the Mood.  It was a blast!  Afterwards my wife and I questioned ourselves about why we hadn’t been out to the playhouse more often, and couldn’t find a good answer.  We really enjoyed watching a live show and taking the opportunity to step back in time to the 40s.
            I hope that after reading this review you were able to get a glimpse of the experience we had.  Our stay at the Best Western Weston Inn resulted in a wonderful rendezvous to Logan Utah.  I honestly could not have had a better stay anywhere else.

The Inn at Entrada

My wife and I don’t travel together nearly often enough, but when we do we want it to be memorable. We want to have an environment where we can relax and enjoy each other’s company. Recently we had the chance to get away for a few days and we found the perfect little spot.

We visited St. George recently and stayed on a beautiful golf course at a place called the Inn at Entrada.

The Inn is a unique little property. It sits on a private golf course designed by PGA great Johnny Miller. The course is exclusive, requiring members to buy into the club. However, by staying at the Inn you automatically gain access to the course as if you were members of the club. By staying there we were eligible to use the golf course, the club house and all of the great amenities there.

It was great to wake up and look out the window over the pristine course and the red-cliffs that surround the area. The Inn is just down the street from Snow Canyon State Park so the area is stunning with beautiful vistas.

Perhaps the most important thing to my wife was that the Inn at Entrada was the filming location for High School Musical 2. The pools and greens were each associated with memories from the movie. What I didn’t tell her until after we left was that we actually stayed in the same casita that Zac Efron stayed in while filming the movie. She has bragged about it ever since.

The casita was great; it had ten-foot ceilings, and was beautifully furnished with a queen bed, flat screen TV. A jetted tub let me relax at the end of the day, and an adjoining patio let us watch the sunset.

It was nice to have our own garage and kitchen, we were able to pull our car right up to our casita and really feel like we were home.

I would suggest the Inn at Entrada as a great place to stay while visiting Zion National Park or Snow Canyon State Park or the Tuacahn Outdoor Theatre. You can stay there to enjoy the golf and the spa available at the Inn at Entrada, or just to relax and get away for a few days. My wife and I loved it.

Red Mountain Resort & Spa

Even though I arrived late for my stay at Red Mountain Resort & Spa, I was immediately relieved to find the resort had provided me with not only a comfortable room, but chicken salad to alleviate my hunger. They knew that I would be tired from a long drive and the restaurant was closed; this was their way of taking good care of me.

I stayed in one of the suites. The room was clean and relaxed, with a kitchen and family room as well as a comfortable bedroom.

My first morning started early. I went to the restaurant for breakfast and was surprised that I was probably the last one there, even at 7:30. Everybody else was already enjoying the buffet, so I had to catch up. I enjoyed fresh fruit, but to be a little adventurous I added a bit of prickly pear syrup to my oatmeal. The chef was in the dining room speaking with guests, and I had the pleasure of meeting him. He told me that a large portion of their foods were prepared using local and organic products.

I was lucky enough to go on a Morning Meditation Hike, hiking up into Snow Canyon which has breathtaking views. It was pretty neat to do yoga on the red rocks, even for a guy like me who doesn’t even know how to sit cross-legged. It was worth getting up early to enjoy the adventure.

Red Mountain also has an amazing spa. I went that evening and chose the Canyon Warm Stone Massage which was incredible after my eventful day.

Dinner at the resort was a unique experience. Because I attended the resort alone, I was asked if I wanted to eat by myself or at a community table. I chose to sit at a community table with several women from various backgrounds. It was a wonderful opportunity to make new friends and hear about different cultures. Most of the guests were staying for five or six days. They were the lucky ones. I only had two days at the resort and missed out on most of the activities that they offered. The resort offers a variety of guided hikes and bike rides, in addition to daily activities such as kickboxing, yoga and horseback riding.

Red Mountain Resort & Spa is in an amazing location, just off the beaten path in St. George. Gorgeous views of the canyon surround the area; it’s hard not to feel at ease. I wish that I had had three or four more days to enjoy the tranquility of the resort. I left feeling like I wanted to be healthier, and I can’t think of a better feeling to take away from a resort experience.

Boulder Mountain Lodge

Although I have lived in Utah most of my life, I had never been to Boulder Utah until just a few weeks ago.  I was headed to Cedar City for some meetings and decided to take a little detour to check out that part of the state.

I was thrilled by the view on the way in Dixie National Forest. The forest is one of the highest plateau forests in the United States and filled with flora and fauna.  The road climbs so high that you would expect to be in the peaks of tall mountains. The drive has several viewpoints that allow you to look over Capitol Reef National Park; it is an amazing scene. 

While traveling through Boulder, I went to Boulder Mountain Lodge.  This small, yet attractive, property was different and quaint.  It is just off the main “highway,” and so is easy to find. Yet, it’s in its own little world.

One of the most breathtaking and beautiful parts of the grounds was the vast bird refuge right behind the property.  You could look out the back window of the room and see hundreds of birds in an eleven-acre marshland refuge.  Even with the breathtaking views and trails around Boulder it was nice to sit and relax watching the diversity of birds, it is a real bird-watching haven.  In fact, they have a hot tub that sits just beyond the bird refuge which allows you to lounge any time of year and enjoy the view at the same time.

The whole property sits on fantastic grounds with a large grassy area where they just had a large concert the week previous to my visit.  They set up volleyball nets and have a large fire ring for those who are visiting and want to stay close to the lodge.

Yet to get the most out of the visit to Boulder I would suggest going on one of the countless drives, hikes or biking trails that surround the area.  In each direction you can find some of the most breathtaking and beautiful trails in Utah.  I didn’t have a lot of time so I just took a quick drive up the Burr Trail.  I found one of the many slot canyons and took a short hike.  It was a totally different world than the one I had been in Dixie National Forest on the high plateau.  The diversity was incredible in that area. Only a few miles down the road I had a fantastic view of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  

At the lodge they offered a distinctive service for travelers unfamiliar with the area.  Small hotels and lodges like Boulder Mountain don’t usually have a concierge service, and it is often difficult to find some of the local attractions that you read about before visiting.  The Boulder Mountain Lodge had a unique way of managing that problem.  I, along with all of the guests, was invited to attend an evening tutorial about the town and the area.  I was given insights into all of the local trails, eateries, shops, museums and events.

I decided to take a tour of the Anazazi Museum just up the street.  I was very impressed with the collection of artifacts as well as the full size replicas of the Anazazi dwellings out back.  Although small, the museum had plenty to offer about the community that used to reside in the area.

If you go to the Boulder Mountain Lodge you cannot skip Hell’s Back Restaurant.  Known around the country for their fresh and unique meals made from the produce grown on site at the lodge, the restaurant lived up to the hype.  It was a fine dining experience in the middle of what might otherwise be the middle of nowhere.

After my visit I hit the road again, this time headed south on my path to Cedar City.  I took Highway 12 south and drove over the Hogsback. It was one of the most incredible drives I have ever taken in my life.  I was amazed at the view as I drove down a two lane road with large cliffs on both sides; it was an amazing experience, one I hope to repeat again soon.  Perhaps, I will soon need another trip to Boulder.

The University Inn at Utah State University.

I had the chance to take a quick trip to Logan recently.  I love Cache Valley for the quite feel that you get when you drive into the valley as well as the beauty of the national forest and mountains.  I also love Logan and particularly love Utah State University and all of the wonderful memories I have from visiting there.

This trip was no different.  The valley was covered in snow but it still carried that quite feeling and was as beautiful as ever.  And I was able to make a new memory at Utah State University unlike any I had had before.

I was invited to attend the Utah State Men’s Basketball game.  They were playing Hawaii.  Because the game would go late I stayed at the University Inn on campus.  The Inn sits right on campus and is actually the only hotel near the campus.

I parked in their covered parking and checked into the hotel.  I have always been impressed with their staff and how welcoming they were.  This trip was no exception.

It was a five to ten minute walk from the University Inn to the Spectrum.  In fact I think that I had better parking in the covered parking lot provided for guests of the hotel than most people going to the game.  They had to scramble for on road parking after the much too small parking lot was full.

The game was fantastic and the crowd was all that I expected.  With the entire student section packed with blue clad Aggies the atmosphere was intense.  It helped that USU came within two points of scoring one hundred and beat Hawaii by over forty points. It will be one of those great memories of USU that I add to my collection.

The room I stayed in at the hotel was fantastic.  It had beautiful décor and a very classy look with large wood cabinets and wood paneling.  There was a feeling elegance about the room, certainly a place full of class and history.  The branded fireplace mantle reminded you that you were in the land of the Aggies and were experiencing part of a rich heritage created by educators and students at the school.

The next morning I sat at breakfast in the hotel looking out the fifth floor window which looks over much of the campus.  I watched as the students who had chanted and cheered and roared just the night before hurried to class in the snow. It was a great trip to Logan.