F
ebruary
has
many
dis-
tinctions.
Of
course, it is the shortest
month, whether it is 28
and 29 days. It is the birth
month of two of our best-
known presidents: George
Washington and Abraham
Lincoln. It is the last full
month of winter.
But for many couples
the best part of the month
is Valentine’s Day. The day
that celebrates love and ro-
mance is the perfect time
for couples to plan a close-
to-home getaway without
the kids.
It always surprises me
that a simple overnight can
be so rejuvenating and re-
laxing. If you are lucky
you might have relatives
to watch your children or,
if not, consider arranging a
swap with friends. Generally hotel pric-
es are the lowest during the winter.
Here are two new hotels that would
make an ideal winter escape — one in
the heart of downtown Buffalo and the
other on the shores of Chautauqua Lake,
75 miles south of the city.
The Curtiss
Hotel (210 Frank-
lin St., Buffalo,
716-954-4900;
curtisshotel.com)
is a high tech, 68-
room luxury bou-
tique hotel inside
the shell of a his-
toric former office
building. Commis-
sioned by attorney
Harlow Curtiss in
1912, the building
was home to a number of businesses
over the years, including the legendary
Kittinger Furniture Company.
At the time it was built, it was one
of the tallest buildings in the city. It was
designed by Buffalo architect Paul F.
Mann. The building fell vacant in the
1990s and developer Mark Croce bought
it in 2002 and set about to transform it
into a special posh experience.
18 WNY Family February 2019
FAMILY TRAVEL
— by Deborah Williams
Close-To-Home
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Opened in 2017, the $24 million
hotel took nearly eight years in the plan-
ning and construction. The final results
are quite spectacular, with many spe-
cial touches. First impressions are al-
ways important and there is no worry
about parking — free valet parking is
included for guests, as
well as a free shuttle to
area highlights such as a
Sabres game or an eve-
ning at Shea’s Buffalo.
There are a number of
restaurants within a few
blocks.
Since its opening,
the hotel has attracted
quite a buzz, including
some celebrity guests.
The hotel’s public areas
certainly
possess a Vegas vibe and
the décor is clearly cho-
sen for the “wow” factor.
Actress, singer, and
theater star Vanessa Wil-
liams, who is married to
a Buffalonian, is a fan of
the hotel and has stayed
several times on her
regular visits to the city.
“I love the rotating bar
downstairs and the sky bar
is beautiful.”
The most impressive
rooftop bar is officially
called the Vue Rooftop
Lounge. Open year-round
Tuesday through Saturday,
beginning at 5 pm, the pan-
oramic views of Lake Erie,
the Canadian shoreline,
and downtown buildings
are hard to top. The fire pit
and heated enclosed bar ar-
eas offer warm spots to get
away from Buffalo’s win-
ter cold.
Downstairs, just off
the lobby, are the revolving
bar and the 200-seat Chez
Ami Restaurant. The name
is an homage to the for-
mer Chez Ami Restaurant
on Delaware Avenue that
was known as the Home
of the Revolving Bar back
in the 1950s. We enjoyed
our breakfast in the adjoining, enclosed
light-filled sidewalk patio. The five
beautiful restrooms are each decorated
differently.
Also off the lobby is the unusual
hot tub that is billed as “Buffalo’s first
and only year-round Urban Hot Springs
experience.” It is actually much bigger
than any typical hot tub and can be en-
joyed both inside and outdoors. Soaking
in the spa on a cold winter night while
the snow is falling is definitely an un-
worldly experience. It is even possible to
swim a bit. On the lower level there is a
fitness center and spa services.
Reached by one of the two high-
speed elevators, our room was full of
high-tech surprises. Though we were
able to decipher the controls in the bed-
room and in the quite amazing bath-
room, some written
instructions would
be helpful, as would
a description of the
hotel and amenities.
The bedside tablet
controls the lights,
television, drapes
and temperature —
but there was not
enough light for
reading.