Two luxury hotels you shouldn’t miss: Oklahoma’s Colcord and Mayo

Colcord Hotel interior staircase, Oklahoma City (photo by Sheila Scarborough)Let’s put it right out there; some people don’t automatically think of Oklahoma when they hear the phrase “luxury urban hotel experience.”

It’s typical lack of knowledge about U.S. “flyover country,” and it’s too bad that some have those blinders, because the Colcord Hotel in Oklahoma City and the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa are more than a match for any posh boutique hotel, anywhere.

Built in 1910 and serving as an elegant, marble-stuffed commercial office building until a 2006 renovation turned it into a hotel, the Colcord is convenient to Oklahoma City’s Bricktown entertainment district and Convention Center, and it’s right across the street from the lush Myriad Botanical Gardens.

Colcord Hotel exterior at night, Oklahoma City (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

The hotel is also a quick walk from the Art Deco downtown train station, where I arrived in the city aboard Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer from Fort Worth (following my Megabus ride up from Austin; it was quite a long day.)

My room was big – with a view of the eye-catching new SkyDance Bridge – the bed was a giant, delightful cotton boll from which I could hardly stand to arise the next morning, I smelled good from dousing myself with the provided Bulgari toiletries in an enormous bathroom and the WiFi was free and fast.

Breakfast the next morning at the FLINT restaurant downstairs included lemon ricotta pancakes, fresh fruit and excellent coffee.

Lemon Ricotta pancakes at Flint restaurant in the Colcord Hotel, Oklahoma City (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

It doesn’t get much better than that!

Colcord Hotel lobby mail box, Oklahoma City (Instagram photo by Sheila Scarborough)

The Colcord lobby mail box is next to the elevators; it’s no longer in use, but something about the rich detail was very appealing to me.

Mayo Hotel lobby, Tulsa, Oklahoma (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

When I left the Colcord in Oklahoma City, I took a Greyhound bus to Tulsa in the eastern part of the state (all part of a four-legged trip by bus, train and plane.)

Going from one lovely Oklahoma property to another – Tulsa’s Mayo Hotel was my next stop – in the middle of a heat wave, pulling my carry-on suitcase from the bus station to the hotel during a 112 degrees F afternoon was a mind-bending experience, I’ll say that.

Walking into the cool, snazzy lobby was quite a relief after the short but broiling walk.

Like the Colcord, the Mayo decor is that hard-to-achieve “modern but timeless” which I’ve also seen done very well by the King Edward Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Mayo certainly has historic items and fixtures, but there are also updated touches like custom lobby chairs of burgundy faux alligator and velvet, with brass nailheads.

My room was large and included a wet bar, microwave and minifridge. There was no charge for the provided bottles of water (don’t you hate when they hang those price tags on hotel water bottles?) and the WiFi was again free and fast.

Why can’t ALL “full service” hotels be like this?

Mayo Hotel corner room, Tulsa, Oklahoma (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

Another ridiculously comfortable bed; good thing because I needed it.

Mayo Hotel room looking toward bathroom, Tulsa, Oklahoma (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

Looking back from the bed area toward the bathroom.

My one regret about staying at the Mayo is that I missed a chance to see their Penthouse rooftop bar, right under the giant Mayo neon sign. I’ve been told that it’s the best view in Tulsa!

Disclosure: The Oklahoma City CVB hosted me at the Colcord Hotel and for our business breakfast at Flint restaurant; I paid for my own room at the Mayo Hotel.

If you like this post, please consider subscribing to the blog via RSS feed or by email – the email signup link is at the top of the right sidebar near the Search box. Thanks!)  

 

We love your shares!

3 Comments

  1. Boyde McMakin August 31, 2012
  2. Sheila Scarborough August 31, 2012
  3. hotellipaketti tallinna November 19, 2013

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.