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Monthly Archives: July 2020
Isolated Oasis: Echo Canyon & Sulphur, OK
The mansion at Echo Canyon Spa Resort
Today the road has brought me to Sulphur, OK.
With the tiniest starts of a return to normalcy, I began to wonder if it were possible to get away from it all. And I realized that it was a possibility, provided I got away from it all.
One perk of my particular calling is that the inns I visit tend to be in small towns, thus making social distancing considerably easier. So a small town in a relatively unaffected county would make a visit possible, though it would have to be a special inn as I took it for granted that normal goings-on would either still be curtailed if not outright on hiatus.
I found such an inn in the form of Echo Canyon Spa Resort owned and operated by Joe and Carol Van Horn.
But, before we get to the inn, let’s look at the first part of the journey.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Emporia, KS
To break up the long drive, I journeyed to the town of Emporia, KS where I made the inaugural use of my IHG membership with a reservation at a Holiday Inn Express and Suites. For an extra $10, I opted to go ahead and get a suite for maximum relaxation and comfort. Before heading to my room, I did wander around the hotel to see how the pandemic had affected it. Notably, the exercise room and swimming pool were closed, but the hotel did still promise breakfast in the morning.
I headed up to my room and either the hotel is new or the rooms have been remodeled because this suite looked like it had just rolled off the assembly line.
The idea of a hotel suite seems to be rapidly changing. When I think suite, I think a living room and a bedroom, but the modern hotel suite seems to be a very big room with a hideaway bed. Not that it wasn’t comfortable, I just like the homeyness of a traditional suite.
I did need a little something to eat so I decided to give Braum’s a try. This restaurant chain is prevalent in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas and is known for its ice cream, burgers, and fresh market. I tried a pepper jack and jalapeno burger and decided to indulge in a vanilla shake. Unlike other fast food chains, a shake can be had at Braum’s instead of a beverage for no additional charge on most of their meals.
Braum’s
I brought my dinner back to my room and was quite pleased by the shake and crinkle cut fries. The burger wasn’t too bad either. As it was already late, I did my nighttime rituals and got a good night’s sleep in the king sized bed.
I arose in the morning, caught a bath, and then went down to see what the hotel offered for breakfast.
I was somewhat disappointed, but not entirely surprised by the limited selection. No hot items were available, though milk, juice, cereal, coffee, and pastries were available. I grabbed a glass of juice and took some milk and Apple Jacks back to my room for a light breakfast.
At 10am, I was back on the road. The drive was pretty smooth and even the normally dull drive of the Kansas Turnpike wasn’t so bad due to construction adding some color and the addition of a few Dunkin Donuts that broke up the monotony of McDonald’s and Valeros.
Around 2pm, I arrived in the tiny town of Sulphur. A brief drive through the Chickasaw National Rec Area brought me to the gate of Echo Canyon, winner of several hospitality awards and voted the best inn in Oklahoma by MSN in 2015.
As this is a private, secluded property, you have to call for the gate code in order to be admitted, but you are admitted into a marvelous oasis.
A visit to this private resort all but guarantees that you won’t have to leave the property unless you REALLY want to as the property not only contains an inn, but a spa in the form of the Aloha Spa, a swimming pool, bar, gift shop, and a five star gourmet restaurant called Baron of Beef.
Unlike most B & Bs, Echo Canyon maintains a regular staff and one of the staff gave me a brief tour of the property before leading me to the mansion and the Chardonnay Chalet which would be my base of operations for the next few days.
Every room at Echo Canyon bursts with luxury as each contains a queen or king sized bed along with a fireplace, JASON jacuzzi chromotherapy tub, and a large screen TV with over 50 movie channels available. I marveled at the quality of the room before getting situated and spending a few minutes looking out at the vista from my private balcony.
Once settled, I wandered around the property and got a look of the inn’s private orchard and garden. The inn is known for its peaches which it uses in its signature peach hibiscus juice which was a cornucopia of flavor.
I puttered around the inn and room until 6:45 when I headed to Baron of Beef for dinner.
Baron of Beef
Come hungry if you choose to have dinner because it is a feast. The meal began with garlic bread with a homemade basil pesto sauce. The bread was warm and chewy and I actually accepted an offer of a second piece because it was so good. The first course was a house salad with fresh vegetables and greens and what I believe was a house Italian. The main course was a triple entrée of a 10 oz beef fillet with smaller servings of Roasted New England duck breast marinated in plum sauce and an Alaskan halibut with a cream sauce. For side courses, there was a twice baked potato with green beans.
I can’t remember the last time I had a meal this wonderful. The beef was cooked just right. The duck didn’t have a trace of gaminess. Be certain to slice it thin if you have it as it brings out the best flavor. The halibut was right on the mark. The potato was a work of art and the green beans were fresh and crisp. I was stuffed to the gills before the end and I had to take my dessert course of chocolate truffle cake with me to be enjoyed as a bedtime snack.
Back in my room, I gave the jacuzzi tub a spin. The water is from mineral springs located on the property and reportedly have a very therapeutic effect on the body. I added some bath salts and shower gel to the tub and enjoyed a leisurely soak before sinking into the deep, cushy mattress of my queen sized 4 poster bed.
I woke up slowly and leisurely the next morning where I watched a little TV before heading back to the manor for breakfast. I poured a glass of orange juice as I took a corner seat by a window. Breakfast is a two course meal consisting of a first plate and a main course and each has a few options to choose from. I chose the banana cinnamon coffee cake with fruit for my first plate and a tomato and spinach frittata with honey sausage, fried potatoes, and a biscuit with gravy for my main course. Another fine meal and I was ready to. . .not really do a whole lot this day.
I did take a drive through the Chickasaw National Rec Area where I got a look at Little Niagara Falls. I also took a drive over to Turner Falls Park in the hopes of seeing the namesake falls, but a very large line of cars was heading into the park and I decided it would be too difficult to social distance so I headed back to the inn where I read, watched TV, and caught a nap.
I decided to head off property for dinner and visited Fat Bully’s By the Lake which claims to have the best burger in Oklahoma. After tasting it, I’m willing to support that claim.
Fat B
Fat Bully’s has the look and feel of a hole in the wall which usually serves the best food. It also boasts itself as a motorcycle themed restaurant which is bolstered by the pictures of bikers and motorcycles on the table and the restaurant seems to be popular with bikers due to the plethora of motorcycles I saw in the parking lot.
I had the Fat Bully which is an old-fashioned hamburger with the works plus bacon. This was a perfect hamburger. So juicy and tasty. The vegetables tasted like they were just pulled from the ground. And the fries were hot and perfect. After a refreshing meal, I took a drive to Veterans Lake where I gazed at the water for a bit before heading back to Echo Canyon to relax for the evening.
The next morning I performed my ablutions, then headed to breakfast which was a repeat of yesterday’s menu, though I opted for the oat waffle for my first plate.
Oat Waffle
I am going to make it a point to revisit this place after things return fully to normal in order to enjoy the Aloha Spa and visit the local sites. But even with social distancing, Echo Canyon is a place where one can truly get away from it all and enjoy a taste of supreme luxury. So when you feel ready to travel again, I encourage a visit to this isolated oasis.
Until the next time. . .stay safe and healthy. . .and happy travels.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: When researching inns, there are many websites from which to choose. Personally, I use the bed and breakfast association of each state and I always make certain to visit the website of each inn when available. And when I book, I always book directly with the inn. While third party sites can be an aid, they don’t always have reliable information as Carol shared with me a story of a third party site that erroneously listed Echo Canyon as booked for months on end when reservations were actually plentiful. So remember, when you want to book a B & B, always book direct.
Chris' Corner 