By the time I round the final bend in the road, the Belicourt comes into view.
And my breath catches.
Every.
Single.
Time.
The Belicourt Resort Hotel rises from the mountainside like a castle made of stone and timber.
Built in 1910 by banking magnate Fitzgerald Garrison, the historic resort was designed by the famous architect Edwin Ford in the Arts and Crafts style.
Massive, native granite boulders form the base of the main structure, giving the building the feeling that it grew straight out of the mountain itself.
Towering timber beams frame the windows.
Wide balconies overlook the valley below.
Smoke curls from the enormous chimneys that feed the legendary great-hall fireplaces.
For over a century, the Belicourt has hosted everyone from Hollywood legends and foreign dignitaries to US senators and presidents.
And today, I’m becoming a part of that history.
I park in the employee lot and sit in my car for a moment, staring up at the building.
“Okay,” I whisper to myself, “you got this.”
Then I climb out.
Inside, the lobby takes my breath away.
The great hall is enormous with its cathedral ceiling. Hand-hewn beams. Stone fireplaces, big enough to roast an entire cow, standing on both ends of the room. Leather couches and high-back chairs. Massive chandeliers. And large floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the Tetons like living paintings.
It’s early, but the lobby is already buzzing with activity.
Guests checking out.
Uniformed bellmen rolling luggage carts.
A concierge speaking softly with a couple near his desk.
I step toward the front desk.
Two women stand behind it, focused on one of the computer screens.
One stands with authority behind the other. She’s elegant in a way that feels … intimidating.
Dark hair swept into a perfect chignon.
Sharp cheekbones.
A burgundy blazer tailored within an inch of its life.
And stilettos with unmistakable red soles.
She looks about mid-thirties.
