FSR October 2022

Welcome

How to Beat Airbnb I’LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT that Airbnb has gradually taken a more promi nent role in my travel plans. When the platform works as intended, it grants me the opportunity to experience a place from a local’s perspec tive—something I especially relish on longer trips. And as travel ramps back up, I’m sure I’ll be frequently logging into the home-sharing app. But for as much as I enjoy using Airbnb, Vrbo, Hipcamp, and the like, nothing quite compares to the quintessential hotel stay. Like restaurants, the best hotels turn hospitality into an art form whose polished exterior belies the amount of time and skill that goes into creating something so seamless. Given the many commonalities between the two, it’s somewhat surprising hotel restaurants haven’t been more remarkable in the past. But that’s changing. If you ask Ewart Wardhaugh, executive chef at the Epicurean Hotel Atlanta, no city exemplifies the sea change in hotel dining quite like Las Vegas. Wardhaugh was part of the first culinary team at the Bellagio, and he says that before it opened, Sin City was known for cheap buffets, not internationally renowned restaurants. It went, he says, from an amenity to keep guests on-site to a lucrative moneymaker that could lure patrons from other properties. Naturally, everything is bigger and grander in Vegas, but the city serves as a macrocosm for hotel dining, even beyond the glitzy Strip. Across the country, hotels are stepping up their game, whether it’s by building their own vegetable gardens, hosting special events for area residents, or creat ing more robust cocktail programs ( PAGE 26 ). Locals might never stay at a hotel within a five-block radius of their homes, but if the F&B program is getting buzz, they’ll probably stop by for a bite. And for us out-of-towners debating between a hotel stay and a home share, knowing there are some great dining options right on property could tip the scales in favor of hotels. After all, I’ve yet to find an Airbnb listing that includes a nightcap.

Nicole@FSRmagazine.com FSRmag @FSRmagazine

Nicole Duncan ED I TOR

On the Cover This month’s cover showcases a salad of roasted baby carrots with duck con fit, blue cheese, baby kale, and espresso emulsion. The dish was created by chef Ewart Wardhaugh for Reverence, one of three restaurants within the Epicu rean Atlanta. The image was captured by Luke Beard , an Atlanta-based photog rapher and designer. His portfolio spans food and beverage, lodging, travel, life style, and more. To learn more about Beard, visit luke.exposure.co or follow him on Instagram at @lukesbeard .

NICOLE: LIBBY M C GOWAN / LUKE BEARD PHOTOGRAPH

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FSRMAGAZINE .COM

OCTOBER 2022