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Prices start at $22 for these stunning pieces from Amazon, Wayfair, and more. hotel artwork
I’ve made a living out of traveling the world and checking into 5-star hotels — it’s a hard job, but someone has to do it. Throughout my years galavanting the globe as a hotel reviewer, I’ve stayed in palaces, villas, and some of the most exclusive hotels you can check into. I haven’t just used my time in these places as research for my travel stories and to inspire my home decor. Alongside my intrepid and design-loving husband, we’ve taken notes over the years on integrating hotel design influences into our homes.
We moved into a new home just this winter, and we are packing away our cozy blankets and investing in some outdoor furniture and decor for Memorial Day so we have plenty of time to enjoy the long days this summer. Here’s how we’re making our backyard feel like a five-star hotel, and all the current Memorial Day Weekend deals you can shop to create your luxurious hotel vibe.
For a friend's recent 40th birthday bash, I visited Beach Enclave and Wymara Villas in Turks & Caicos, where each 5-star villa had an even sicker pool than the last, just beckoning you to laze in the gorgeous sunshine the whole day. But if there's one thing I've learned about skincare over the years, sticking to the shade is essential whether you're in the Caribbean or your backyard, and so I knew our new sunny outdoor space would need a large umbrella to keep myself, my husband and my dog cool and better protected from harmful UV rays.
The Grandin Road one we scored has a sophisticated rectangular shape you'd otherwise see at a hotel or resort and comes in a beautiful neutral sand/champagne color, but beyond looks, it's sturdy enough for heavy winds, has a push-button tilt option and the smoothest crank operation I've seen. We opted for the bronze fluted umbrella base, made of quality cast iron, and the umbrella even boasts a ring light accessory for some nighttime mood lighting. It comes in a few color options, including black, white, and blue, and the umbrella, base, and ring light are all currently on sale.
If you’re looking to get this resort-like look for less, this Blissun umbrella at Amazon is nearly 30 percent off for Memorial Day, bringing the price to just $47 thanks to an additional on-site coupon. It has racked up more than 24,000 five-star reviews, has a 4.5 rating, and more than 8,000 were purchased last month by shoppers. Snap it up in 18 different colors that are sure to go with your outdoor aesthetic.
Speaking of the sun, this soleil-inspired outdoor coffee table has to be my absolute favorite piece in our backyard setup right now. Called the Ensoleille Tables, it’s made in a luxe Stonecast material that looks and feels like a softer, textured stone and comes in both a side table and a coffee table version. On a limited-time offer from respected outdoor furniture brand Frontgate, we love the table’s simple, sophisticated design and how easy it is to clean despite its soft, creamy white color.
While browsing Amazon for outdoor pieces for summer, I stumbled across a similar elevated concrete outdoor coffee table on sale for less than $300 — so you can get a lookalike of the Frontgate table I love for a fraction of the price right now. And we love the speckled finish that adds interest and dimension to your outdoor set.
The spa’s pool at Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne in Switzerland might be one of the most photo-worthy in the world, and to take in the view, I spent a late afternoon on the hotel’s comfy, contemporary white sun loungers. Though we don’t have a pool yet, we have plenty of sunshine to soak in the summer, and so these work just as great on a deck or an open field of grass as they do near a body of water. Constructed of a similar aluminum and mesh seating, I’ve recently added these dark gray versions to my Amazon cart because they have a clean, contemporary design, excellent purchaser reviews, and are currently a tremendous early summer deal as a set.
To give our potted plants and flowers a more elevated feel, we mixed various concrete, black resin, and corten steel designs in varying heights. The result reminds me of some of the more glamorous vineyard resorts I’ve stayed at in Napa. This tall, gorgeous corten steel planter from Wayfair is made of a water-resistant metal, which fades over time into a trendy rusted patina you’re likely noticing everywhere from hotel to restaurant design. I particularly like how sturdy this specific planter looks and that we can expand the collection as we acquire more plants since maker Veradeck also produces versions and sizes in the same material, like a cube planter, a long box planter, a window box planter, and more.
My husband and I searched reviews high and low until we landed on a modular sectional set from Madbury Road. We wanted a quality teak with Sunbrella cushions because these products are built to last and never fade. Even tucked away on our deck in the woods, the design reminds me of sitting outside at a chic coastal California resort.
Quality outdoor furniture is generally a bit of an investment — I was shocked to learn how much more it seems you have to shell out over an outdoor couch — and while our specific set was a bit of an investment piece, I found a similar option on Wayfair that’s currently on sale and under $1,200. But for even budget-friendlier shoppers, there's the Best Choice 7-piece Outdoor Sectional that's on sale for $600 during Amazon's Memorial Day sale to help you get the look for less.
One of my favorite al fresco dining experiences over the past year was a warm September night at The Dolder Grand’s Blooms. The hotel’s rooftop vegan restaurant serves up beautifully presented plates that feature produce from the property’s gardens on stylish teak outdoor dining tables — which are known to hold up to rain and other elements that age other subpar outdoor materials.
This pretty outdoor bistro table from Amazon had a similar style as the ones we dined on at Blooms, making it a perfect addition to any deck or patio for taking in a morning coffee or a more casual lunch. Made with high-grade teak wood, it will last you for many Memorial Day weekends to come and it's under $100 during Amazon's long weekend sale.
Oprah-approved brand Cozy Earth already makes the softest bamboo joggers I wear virtually everywhere — to get comfy in the seat of a 737, for a workout, or for casually lounging in my backyard. It recently launched these resort towels and I was instantly obsessed when I got one because they reminded me of the super plush towels I experienced at the hot tub during ski season at The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.
Cozy Earth will be having a dedicated Memorial Day sale for even more savings, but right now, Travel + Leisure readers can exclusively score 35 percent off during Memorial Day Weekend using the code "TRAVELANDLEISURE" at checkout. Hurry, this offer expires on Tuesday, May 28.
Enjoying our newfound outdoor space during the cooler spring nights wouldn’t have been possible without our cozy new Breeo Fire Pit. While the fire pit has become a ubiquitous staple at many hotels worldwide, the gas designs are in high demand as they're easier to maintain by the staff. After seeing the Breeo in a cozy Airbnb listing, I discovered the fire pit’s innovative smokeless design and easy portability. I instantly knew it’d be the right one for us because I can’t stand it when smoke gets into my eyes and clothing. Its sleek and contemporary design is available in both stainless steel and corten steel finishes. Pro tip: There are plenty of Breeo accessories, like the insert ring that allows you to finish off your fire pit in hardscaping and the beautiful stainless steel cover to keep it safe from rain and debris.
Perhaps the most rad accessory I’ve used in my backyard is the live-fire Outpost Grill. Currently 15 percent off for Memorial Day, in my humble opinion, this is the accessory you need to buy if you purchase a Breeo. It allows for live-fire cooking above the Breeo. Whether you’re barbecuing in your backyard or taking the Breeo off-grid to a secluded location, it makes for an incredibly great party trick.
String lights remind me of almost every boutique hotel I’ve visited. They’ve become somewhat of a staple for hotels and backyards, but to stand out from the pack, I’m currently digging this version with Edison bulbs with a sturdier, wrought-iron finish. The lights are dimmable, have a lovely hanging hook, and are spaced nicely, creating a more polished look. Currently, they are 22 percent off, and they come in black or white, so you can choose the finish that works best for your space. But if you clip the on-site coupon, you can get them for an extra 30 percent off.
Suppose you pay special attention to the outdoor areas at your favorite luxury hotels or fancier Airbnbs as I do. In that case, they often have beautiful outdoor rugs to dress up the space, a design tip we integrated into our own deck space. Sitting underneath the Ensoleille coffee table, the Vista Indoor/Outdoor Rug ties the space together beautifully with an eye-catching pattern. Unlike some other outdoor rugs I’ve owned or stepped on recently, this rug never feels scratchy underneath my feet and is resistant to mold, mildew, stains, and heavy foot traffic. Dog owners, listen up: I’ve found that this rug is so easy to clean should you or your four-legged friend make a mess.
But even with Frontgate's generous Memorial Day promo, the rug's price tag still falls on the steeper side. Want the look for less (without sacrificing quality)? This Amazon lookalike delivers the same level of elegance to instantly dress up your backyard, and it's on sale for $35.
On a not-long-ago trip to Italy, my husband and I stayed at Villa Cortine on glittering Lake Garda, where the 19th-century palace and grounds dazzled the senses at every turn. Filled with statues and busts, soothing fountains, Roman columns, and splendid gazebos and benches made for quiet moments of reflection, Villa Cortine provided lots of inspiration for how to integrate these surprising elements into the wooded areas of our property, where we’ve slowly been cutting a walking path with the help of a machete. This regal Roman-Greco bust is weather-proof and can double as a planter in your garden or on your deck, or tucked away as a fun surprise in the woods for guests to find.
My husband is a genius when it comes to styling, and one of my favorite ways he styled our outdoor coffee table and concrete dining table from RH was with ceramic vases and dried pampas grass decor, which blow gently with the wind and instantly transport us on vacation. I’ve seen this design trick used at many different hotels around the world, and it’s easy and stylish to replicate (as long as you make sure to protect the dried pampas grass during any inclement weather). There are lots of colors, shapes, and sizes you can try together, but one of my favorites that’s currently on sale for Memorial Day Weekend comes in a moodier, rustic-inspired black color.
While we haven’t taken the plunge just yet, it’s always been a dream of mine to have a hot tub, and as we think through it further, my husband is trying to convince me to go the more aesthetic route. Following a trip to Bordeaux’s countryside to sip wine and visit the glamorous Les Sources de Caudalie, the 5-star spa hotel affiliated with the famous French skincare brand, I’m almost convinced.
This 50-percent-off (and almost-sold-out) four-person tub can be used as a hot tub or for a cool plunge and is heated via a wood firebox, which keeps things economical on the electric bill. Outfitted in a rich red cedar and stainless steel design, the wood-fired hot tub comes with a cover and, like many acrylic hot tub models, can reach a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lighting is a really easy way to make an outdoor space feel more luxurious, and if you pay close attention, you’ll notice hotels lighting trees or other elements at night that they want to draw your eye to. Most resorts also need lighting to guide their guests around safely at night, and I’ve noticed a lot of fancier spots are lining their patios and walkways with subtle, rectangular-shaped lights like these from Amazon.
I like these particular models because they have longer rectangular shapes, which fit nicely with many different styles of our house. Plus, they’re solar-powered and weather-resistant and come in a pack of sixteen, making them what I and other purchasers consider a good value for the price.
This might not be on sale, but I promise you it's the one thing that your backyard has been missing. I first became acquainted with the power of the Big Green Egg at Southall, a luxe farm and inn outside of Nashville, where I experienced cooking demos of a mouthwatering dry-aged ribeye paired with Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon. As a bit of an aesthete, I was drawn instantly to the look of the green Kamado-style grill, but then I started grilling on it and began to understand why this brand has such a passionate following.
Beyond the high-quality, ceramic green egg shape looking super stylish in our backyard, this versatile ceramic cooker allows us to smoke, roast, and bake in one outdoor device. We love its ability to heat up quickly and retain heat evenly, and it also has an easy-to-read temperature gauge to ensure we’re always cooking at the right temperature to perfect our meals.
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