HotelChatter - Alexandria

A Director of Pet Relations Gets Put to 'Work' On Halloween

MsRebecca — 2009-10-30T16:24:19-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/30451/Monacodogchef.jpg" class="top"> More Hotel Halloween Doggies! What more do you want on this Friday afternoon before Halloween? These awesome photos come to us from the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hotel+Monaco+Alexandria/local/1302">Hotel Monaco Alexandria</a>, which held its Howl-o-ween Costume Contest on Thursday. And just to show anyone worried about puppy labor laws that canine concierges do have a chance to clock off and get loose, here is the hotels Director of Pet Relations, bichon frise Charlie getting into the Halloween spirit. Hes dressed as chef Derek Simcik from the hotels restaurant Jackson 20right down to the tattoos. Then there was Scooby, decked out in Oktoberfest lederhosen, who took home the Top Dog award of the evening. (Kudos for hitting two October festive occasions

The Lorien Hotel Wants Us To Give Up Facebook and Twitter

amandak — 2009-09-17T09:08:54-05:00

We have definitely admired Kimpton's new Lorien Hotel and Spa since it opened up earlier this year. But their new special package is one we're finding a little bit confronting – although we suspect it's our fault, not the hotel's.

The thing is, the Lorien Hotel and Spa wants us to relax, and is worried that our addiction to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook (we do mention them occasionally) might be bordering on a social dysfunction (they even found therapists who agree). So they are offering a Social Media Detox Program for the rest of this year.

A Worthwhile Hotel Business Center Does Exist in 2009

markj — 2009-06-26T12:47:17-05:00

<![CDATA[<object id="flashObj" width="486" height="412" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/4862856001?isVid=1&publisherID=1321358962" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="@videoPlayer=25010989001&playerID=4862856001&domain=embed&" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/4862856001?isVid=1&publisherID=1321358962" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="@videoPlayer=25010989001&playerID=4862856001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> Earlier this month we found ourselves on King St. in Alexandria, Virginia and decided to stay the night at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Hotel+Monaco+Alexandria/local/1302">Hotel Monaco Alexandria</a> . Not only did this Hotel Monaco offer a great location and the usual Kimpton chic rooms but staffers also saw to it that our vehicle, which at the time had a U-Haul attached to it, was given premiere parking on the street right outside the hotel. Nice touch. Want more? There

Lorien Presents 'The Weekender,' Bike and Picnic Included

KatieK — 2009-06-03T12:25:41-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/17697/lorien.jpg" class="top"> Theres something altogether dreamy about a weekend getaway that includes bicycling, picnicking, and sightseeing in historic Virginia. So it only makes sense that Kimptons new <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Lorien+Hotel+and+Spa/local/1394">Lorien Hotel and Spa</a> in Alexandria, Virginia, would be the purveyor of such an idyllic scenario. After all, lest you forget, the Lorien is dedicated to the "<a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/2/12/1093/79207/hotels/The_Lorien_Hotel_Will_Start_Making_Dreams_Come_True_Today">story of dreams</a>. The hotels <a href="http://www.lorienhotelandspa.com/alexandria-hotel-packages/index.html#alexandria-weekender">Weekender Package</a> includes use of two of the hotels retro-chic bikes, a picnic lunch for two from the adjacent Butchers Block, a custom-designed biking map, tickets to the Mount Vernon estate, two river cruise tickets with the <a href="http://www.potomacriverboatco.com/">Potomac Riverboat Company</a>, and late 2 p.m. check-out. Available through Aug. 31, rates start at a totally reasonable $398

Lorien Staffers Roll Out Red Carpets and Fix Flat Tires

KatieK — 2009-03-06T13:46:15-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/17697/lorien.jpg" class="top"> We have to hand it to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Kimpton%20Hotels">Kimpton</a> for their newest hotel. Since opening Feb. 12, the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Lorien+Hotel+and+Spa/local/1394">Lorien Hotel & Spa</a> in Alexandria, Virginia, has managed first of all to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/2/23/92852/6087/hotels/Inside_the_Lorien_Hotel_and_Spa_s_Standard_Rooms">impress us</a> (no easy feat). And now that three weeks have passed, we thought it high time to dig deep into the first take on the guest experience in the often ugly, no-holds-barred world of <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/TripAdvisor">TripAdvisor</a>. Except, well, hmm. Seven reviewers, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g30226-d1230044-r25048830-Lorien_Hotel_Spa_a_Kimpton_Hotel-Alexandria_Virginia.html">seven perfect ratings</a>. If youre like us, overly glowing reviews strike you as a little suspect especially for a brand-new hotel. But these reviews just dont sound particularly phony. On the contrary, they read like the words of genuinely