Not necessarily, but it is.
We might have driven nine hours from Boise to Mammoth Lakes CA but I could not face that much time behind the wheel after nine days on the road.
Bend OR was appealing (only five hours) then down through Ashland and Napa Valley but, ultimately, seemed too far astray.
So: Spontaneously, the next overnight destination is SLC, in time for a Harvest Moon.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco here is the best of the bunch—and I gather this extends to their chain throughout the country..
For a start, so pet friendly they don’t even charge. Confirmed early arrival with a readied room. The best bed and bedding, temperature control (I miss windows that open to fresh air, a casualty of high insurance premiums), the finest lighting (simplicity), and three out of three elevators in operation (a rarity these days…).
Add their bar, The Vault…
…and their restaurant Bambara (the only eaterie this trip offering elk and bison), and the stage is set for a sound night’s slumber.
On a visit to SLC four years ago I encountered some of the most beautiful stained glass I’ve ever seen.