Cozy Midwest Winter Hotels with Fireplaces in Every Room

Find yourself lakeside with a view to kill for of either Lake Michigan or of the Sheboygan River from your Blue Harbor Resort guest room. Awake to pinky-orange sunrises and stroll the miles of trails surrounding the hotel. Alternatively, stay inside at the indoor waterpark, heated to a lovely 84 degrees year round and offering everything from lazy rivers to surf simulators. Follow up any activity with snuggling up to the working fireplaces found in many of the Suites and you’ve got the recipe for the perfect Wisconsin winter holiday.

Looking for a quiet holiday in the Dells? Christmas Mountain Village is stretched across an idyllic 800 acres of woodland, slightly off the beaten path but only a 10-minute drive to downtown on the Wisconsin Dells Parkway. Their large plot includes a 27-hole championship golf course and groomed ski hills with chairlifts that make Christmas Mountain the perfect destination for downhill and cross-country skiing in the cold of winter. Sleeping quarters are as spacious as the property with your pick of one or two bedroom villas, townhouses, log cabins or timbers offering privacy from other guests. Wood burning fireplaces create the perfect visual and acoustic backdrop for spending your evening playing board games or cards while the snow piles gently outside your door.

What could set the mood better at a historic property than pillow top mattresses, goose down pillows and a sexy fire lit in the fireplace? At the Des Lux hotel in Des Moines, decadence reigns. Located in the heart of the city in a former clubhouse dating back to 1912, guests will awake to a complimentary hot breakfast of made-to-order eggs and waffles among other offerings. Be sure to stop into the Des Lux bar for a chat with some locals– or potentially, one of the many politicians (Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton included) who have popped in for a drink inside the wood-paneled bar while blazing the campaign trail.

The house that today hosts the Candlelight Inn was lovingly built over 140 years ago with a careful attention to many of the details that make it so unique today. Stained glass windows, high woodwork ceilings, and a silken butternut staircase show exemplary master craftsmanship of a bygone era. Relive the days of candlelight with a stay in any of their distinctive rooms, all boasting a warm gas fireplace, private bathroom and many with whirlpool baths. Your stay also includes a three-course gourmet breakfast by innkeeper and locally beloved chef Lynette Gudrais.

Create your own traditions at the Townsend Hotel while enjoying the best of theirs. Take afternoon tea five days a week in the lobby and delight in finger sandwiches, scones, homemade lemon curd and enviably tiny pastries. Traditions continue straight into the guest rooms with custom Frette Egyptian cotton linens and duvets, four-poster beds and marble bathrooms with oversized soaking tubs that beckon you to dry off by the fireplace (available in select rooms). Fresh floral arrangements lend to the sophisticated European aura of this suburban Detroit hotel.

What spells romance better than the letters of the alphabet? Just 10 miles away from downtown Cincinnati sits the historic village of Mariemont. Designed with the Tudor Era in mind, the Best Western Mariemont Inn completes this charming atmosphere with carved four-posted beds nestling no lesser than Tempurpedic mattresses, imported tapestries, TVs hidden by paintings and those sought-after fireplaces. If you and your sweetheart can’t grow tired of fireplaces, Southerby’s Bar is the perfect spot to sample a crisp Ohio craft beer or a glass of red wine next to a crackling fire.

If you’re wondering how one could make a 25-room Victorian mansion the epitome of a cozy Midwest hotel, consider installing a multitude of fireplaces throughout to bring that cozy factor to the toasty-toe level. Leave your sweaters at home with a visit to the Oliver Inn in Indiana. Pick one of the six impeccably decorated rooms that boast their own working electric or gas fireplaces in addition to decadent details like clawfoot tubs or jacuzzis. This historic architectural gem of a property also has complimentary refreshments in the butler’s pantry which beg for a midnight pantry raid including some reputably delicious fresh baked cookies.

Following a day whipping down waterslides and splashing your way through pools, what better place to get read a bedtime story to the little ones than in front of a warm fire. Included in every stay at the Great Wolf Lodge are waterpark passes to their 84-degree indoor water park. Book one of their many fireplace suites that come in multiple configurations that can accommodate large families or groups in comfort.

The Westview Bed & Breakfast comes rich in historical detailing and glorious Nebraska sunsets that spill colorful, dancing light into all the Westview rooms. Each of the rooms and suites is decorated in a bespoke style with ultra comfortable amenities including pillow top mattresses, bathrooms made of decadent materials like lime jade and marble, whirlpool tubs and the ever covetable fireplaces with accompanying rocking chairs. A gourmet breakfast is served every morning anywhere you want and includes items like Eggs Benny, French Toast, trifles, fresh cinnamon rolls and bacon cheddar biscuits.

Whether you are in town for the Pony Express Monument, Cheyenne Frontier Days®, the Oktoberfest activities, or the Sidney Shooting Park, you’ll be relaxing at the end of the day curled up next to the crackling fire. Should you require further relaxation, jump in the hot tub. The small town charm of historic downtown Sidney is well-represented in this cheery, pet-friendly hotel located near Interstate 80 for those driving through town. Wake up to a free full breakfast of bread, eggs, meats and the usual pickings of fruit and cereal.

Looking to cozy up in the beautiful surroundings of Galena, IL? Soak in the atmosphere that 100 private acres afford you at the LeFevre Inn and Resort. Apartments and suites boast spacious guest rooms, full kitchens and patios to soak in the Tri-State views. Light the gas fireplace so you and your dog can warm up at the pet-friendly hotel hearths following a joyous walk on the Galena River Bike Trail. Wake up to a bountiful complimentary breakfast before tackling the Chestnut Mountain Ski Resort or boarding yourself up in your suite with loved ones for a day of board games.

Once home to an athletic club dating back to 1890, the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel has re-imagined a unique hotel space out of illustrious rooms. The original character is still intact throughout with marble floors and staircase, stained glass windows as well as gym ladders, pommel horses and other athletic accessories re-purposed as storage and furniture. Commanding significant presence in the Founders Suites are the in-room fireplaces stretching across a significant portion of the room. Take a hike up to Cindy’s rooftop terrace, restaurant, and bar that has stunning views across Chicago before snuggling into your boxing-style robe in front of that roaring fire.