life's a dream at lorien

There's a new hotel in town. OK, not IN town, but pretty close. Lorien Hotel & Spa has just opened in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia - just across the Potomac River from DC. The hotel will be managed by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and features three dining outlets by celebrated chef Robert Wiedmaier sure to suit traveling epicurean palates. World class designer Vicente Wolf was enlisted to create "Kimpton's crown jewel of the Washington, DC metropolitan region." Lorien artfully blends contemporary chicness with the air of traditionalism - appropriate for such a historic setting. Trellis style headboards crawl up the robins egg blue walls [probably giving housekeepers migraines] while a claw foot bathtub stands guard in the elegant gray slate bathroom. An iHome and 42" flat screen provide modern conveniences while wing backed chairs provide a historical punch to the rooms. 

I am really looking forward to visiting Lorien [hopefully while they are still running their grand opening promotional sales for a couple reasons. The first, the amateur graphic designer in me really enjoys the logo. It embodies the blend of old and new so prevalent throughout the hotel itself. And most importantly, I love the rooms. They [almost] remind me of softer, slightly more traditional versions of the rooms at Red Rock. The color palette of  blue, gray and white creates an inviting and calming sanctuary. Plus, they have a full service spa!! 

Every Kimpton hotel tells a story, and at Lorien, it's a dream! Seriously, it's all about cultivating the perfect dream experience. 

Other highlights include: 

* 24 hour in-room dining [important for night owls like me]

* Complimentary use of bicycles for touring Old Town - plus chef Wiedmaier will pack you a picnic to take with you - I can already see myself sitting by the river snacking on gastronomical delights!

* Pet friendly! 

* Their Forgot it? We've got it! service provides more than the substandard emergency toothbrush - should you find yourself in need of an extension cord they're there for you! 

you can sleep here.

Architectural Digest has a slideshow of Hotels Around the World and it includes this beautiful little floating paradise hotel. Designed by Christina Ong, this 23 room hotel is located on Cocoa Island in the Maldives. Imagine waking up and diving straight into the beautiful blue water...ahh heaven. 

Semiramis Hotel Athens

The Semiramis Hotel Athens is a fusion of style, art, technology and design - all combined in a vibrant package. Designed by Karim Rashid (think design classic and MoMa exhibited Umbra trash cans), this boutique hotel even features scrolling LED screens on doors to request privacy or maid service. This hotel looks so trendy and cool that even the meeting room set ups look a little fun. Rashid designed everything from the artwork in the rooms, to the stationary and toiletries.

Planes all day long.

Ok I have a serious serious fascination with watching airplanes take off and land....I'm very similar to a small child. Perhaps its because the airport in my hometown is sooo slow that you rarely see planes taking off and landing, who 

knows. Anyways, I love them. I also LOVE hotels. 

So combine the two and you get... citizen M hotel in Amsterdam. Their motto is affordable luxury for the people, or for citizen mobile. The planes are landing literally right beside your bed. I MUST GO. (however, the glassed in toilet area doesn't seem like so much fun if you're sharing the room with someone else!)