HotelChatter - AK

21c Museum Hotel Breaks Ground in Bentonville

juliana — 2011-12-07T10:20:31-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/21cmuseumhotel_crystalbridges.jpg" class="top"> Now that Wal-Mart heiress, Alice Walton, has opened the <a href="http://crystalbridges.org/">Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern Art</a> (it was her millions and her incredible art collection that got the museum off the ground), cultured visitors to the museum in Bentonville, Ark. are in need of an equally cultured place to stay. Fortunately, ground has broken on the new <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/21C+Museum+Hotel/local/347">21c Museum Hotel</a>, which will be modeled after the original <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/21C+Museum+Hotel/local/347">21c Museum Hotel</a> in Louisville. And yes, it's also being bankrolled by the Waltons.The hotel will be located in the city's downtown arts corridor but Bentonville is a small town so the Crystal Bridges museum will still be walkable. The four-story contemporary style building will have 103 rooms,

And This is Why Politicians Shouldn't Stay in Hotels on the Taxpayers' Dime

juliana — 2011-08-26T17:12:20-05:00

<![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/trashedhotelroom.jpg" class="top"> When you vote a politician into office, you hope that he or she lives up to all their campaign promises, looks out for the little people, avoids wasteful spending, makes smart decisions and fingers crossed, doesn't get messed up in a sex scandal. But thanks to Wasilla, Alaska's city councilmember, Steve Menard we will now hope that our politician doesn't act atrociously in a hotel room that our tax dollars paid for. <a href="http://www.claimsjournal.com/news/west/2011/08/26/190196.htm">The Claims Journal</a> reports:<blockquote>Menard was staying at the Westmark in Sitka earlier this month for a meeting of the Alaska Municipal League. The hotel reported that damage to his room included urine on two mattresses and a chair, vomit on the carpet, ruined

What's Kristen Bell's Hotel Alias? Ask Ted Danson

Jennifer Kester — 2011-02-08T12:31:22-05:00

Kristen Bell all dolled up in '80s Anchorage garb for her new film.

TV show character names must be the go-to aliases for celebs. We told you about Justin Bieber's hotel handle—Chandler Bing—and now we find out about another star's make-believe check-in name. Kristen Bell recently checked into an undisclosed Alaska hotel under the moniker Holly Frobisher.

It sounds like an innocent-sounding name. The Couples Retreat star stole it from the show Damages; it's the name of Ted Danson's character's wife. Again, no big deal. But it turns out that Danson was in the hotel lobby after she checked in.

Wal-Mart Family Is Behind The New 21C Museum Hotel in Arkansas

juliana — 2010-06-08T16:10:57-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/21cmuseumlobby.jpg" class="top"> The 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville.The good news is there's going to be yet another <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/21C%20Museum%20Hotels">21C Museum Hotel</a> opening. That will make four 21C Museum hotels--the original in Louisville, the second in Cincinnati, a third in <a href="http://www.21cmuseumhotel.com/futureprojects/">Austin</a> and now, a hotel near Bentonville, Arkansas.The odd news is that the people who are making this third hotel possible are some Wal-Mart people. The Waltons, the heirs to the megastore that famously bans music and books for being too provocative, are now supporting an art hotel. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703303904575293011211756690.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop">The WSJ</a> reports: <blockquote>A Walton family investment arm and partner 21c Museum Hotel of Louisville, Ky., are scheduled to disclose Tuesday that they will construct a $28 million, 130-room hotel

For A Stay in Sitka, Try The Shee Atika Totem Square Inn

globetrotting gourmet — 2009-06-08T16:52:08-05:00

Mention Sitka in surrounding Southeast Alaska island towns, and locals invariably perk up: “Oh Sitka? It’s really (drag it out for three syllables) nice there.” All starry eyed, you have a feeling they’re conjuring up mental images of rainbows and unicorns.

Although we rolled into town at an ungodly hour after a 13-hour schlep on the Alaskan Marine Highway Ferry, the chipper (caffeinated?) concierge Shee Atika Totem Square Inn made us feel right at home. After cracking open the windows for some cool night air (Alaska hoteliers tend to overheat rooms), our head hit the pillow for one of the most restful slumbers on the nine-day Alaskan adventure.