People often do things in hotels that they would never do in their own homes, such as sleep soundly, watch Marley and Me, or let the kids drink as much shampoo as they want. Let loose with today’s Groupon: for $99, you get a one-night stay, breakfast for two, a $25 dining credit, and valet parking at the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Omaha (up to a $239 total value).
The Prohibition-era Aquila Court Building, recognized in the National Register of Historic Places, houses the luxurious Magnolia Hotel's 145 boutique-style guest rooms. Guests can sprawl across spacious beds, lounge on teal furniture, or gaze through tall windows at the city skyline and the roaming, lovelorn gorillas on nearby roofs. When the dinner theremin sounds, diners can use their $25 credit to feast on half-pound Magnolia cheeseburgers made with Angus beef ($9), three-cheese lobster mac 'n' cheese ($18), or other dishes served at the Magnolia Club Room lounge and restaurant. Richly appointed with dark wood tables and red floors, the lounge lets guests bathe in its font of beer and wine in a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., or pregame for a bakery crawl with a cookie-and-milk buffet (8 p.m.–10 p.m.).
A complimentary American breakfast awaits visitors on their way out to visit Magnolia Hotel's cultured neighbors, which include old-school pubs like Mr. Toad’s, art hubs like the Orpheum Theater, and rock spokes like the Qwest Center. Wired high-speed Internet in all rooms ensures e-mail access and makes it easy to stay in touch with friends who mistakenly wander into the hallway.
