HotelChatter

Chad Oppenheim designed the hotel after he won a design competition held by Starwood Capital. And what a win this is for him because it's been rumored that future 1 Hotel locations will be based on this design.

Oppenheim has a history of building structures that are airy and bright and this design makes it very apparent that 1 Hotel is a "green" hotel. Here's how his website describes the 1 Hotel building:

Three 11-story volumes connected by glass enclosed vertical gardens are arranged on the corner site in the central business district of DC to optimize efficiency, light and openness.

The Oppenheim website also says, "Estimated Completion 2010." So there's no real good info on the opening date yet.

Judging from the renderings, visitors and guests are surrounded by green vegetation and natural colors---extremely unusual stuff for a hotel interior. The design brings the outdoors inside and shifts the focus from your typical abstract art or furniture design that is found in new, trendy hotels.

While we are all for enjoying nature during our hotel stays, we do wonder what happens to guests who have bad allergies. Will they offer a free pack of Clarinex with every room?