Hotel Utah

Now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Hotel Utah was the premier lodging in the city for almost a century. Designed by Parkinson and Bergstrom and opened in 1911, it was considered literally the finest hotel west of the Mississippi. It's design is renaissance revival and it was clad in white glazed terra cotta and brick.

In 1984 Westin took over management of the Hotel and it became the Westin Hotel Utah. As a kid in high school, if you wanted to impress a date, you took them to the Roof (restaurant) inside the hotel on dance nights. In 1987 the LDS church which had always owned the hotel decided to convert the building to church offices and thus ended the career of one fine hotel. You can still visit the roof restaurant, though it is more of a brunch venue now days and alcohol is no longer served. The views however, are still excellent.