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West End Girls, London's Got a Hotel For You

Where: 35-36 St James's Place, London, United Kingdom, SW1A 1NY

Following in the footsteps of Copenhagen's Bella Sky Comwell, who devised an all-female floor to cater to XX chromosome guests, another hotel is stepping things up for the ladies, this time in London. The Dukes Hotel has anointed some of its suites "Duchess Rooms," themed to attract women clientele.

While this kind of marketing ploy was recently ruled illegal in the Danish capital, London is willfully flaunting notions of political correctness by providing a package of clichéd feminine perks to "tempt single female travelers or groups of women," according to the NY Daily News.

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Oprah and Gayle's Theme Room is Really Just a Girlfriend Getaway Package

We're suckers for a hotel with a themed room so when we got an email from the newish Edgewater South Beach proclaiming that June was "Room with a Theme" Month, we had to click, especially since one of the themes was labeled "Oprah and Gayle." Oooo! Would it be filled with our favorite things? Would the OWN network be playing on loop? Would there be a blow-up Stedman doll to fight over?

Sadly, no. The theme room is really just a girlfriend getaway package that includes a No Boyz Allowed door sign, some magazines in the room and list of things that girlfriends can do in Miami. There's not even a Moscow Mule drink or a Book Club read!

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The Batman Hotel Room is Only for the Die-Hard Batman Fan

There's tons of hotel news flying around this week and we don't have time to give each and every story the love and attention it may deserve, so you will have to settle for some news briefs.

· Travel booking site, Kayak, now allows guests to book directly through their site. This is a much easier and smoother option but as we just heard again, hotels really like it when you book with them directly. It may be the difference between getting the ocean view upgrade at check-in and that room by the elevator. [Kayak]

· No surprise here. London Hotels are set to charge five times more their usual prices during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Considering that we often find ourselves priced out of London hotels, we thinking the only peeps who can afford these rooms are Russian and Facebook billionaires. [Daily Mail]

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Speaking of Hotel Cars, The V8 Hotel Offers Cars in the Guestrooms

Where: Graf Zeppelin Platz , Böblingen , Germany, 71034

So we got a little turned on this morning with our list of 10 Tricked Out Hotel House Cars but the reality is, we're not going to be able to afford a $1,000,000 stay at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi just so we can have exclusive access to a Maybach. Yet we've found a more affordable way to indulge in our gearhead fantasies--spending the night at the V8 Hotel in Germany's Meilenwerk Stuttgart, an international hub for car dealers.

The hotel opened last September on the old Böblingen airport field and it's entire inspiration is the automobile. There are 34 rooms inside the hotel and while the single rooms are rather bleak, the 10 themed rooms will satisfy most every auto fantasy you've ever had. Here are some of the stand-out themed rooms:

Autokino; The bed looks like a big red Cadillac and the room is designed to look like a night out at the drive-in movie theater from the 70s. All you need is a schmoopie in bed with you and you can be instantly transported to Lovers Lane.

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Disney to Open 'Art of Animation' Hotel in 2012

The themed resorts at Disney World in Orlando are a little bit cheesey, but they do offer a close stay to the park for a good value. However, we think their plans for a new hotel near the Pop Century Resort is brilliant. Orlando Biz Journal reports:

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort — expected to open in 2012 — will feature more than 1,100 suites with room for up to six people, plus 900 regular hotel rooms. The resort will include wings based on the popular Disney films “Cars,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Do you know how crazy little kids go over "Cars"? Can you imagine if you tell them they will be sleeping in an entire hotel wing full of Lighting McQueen, Doc Hudson, Mater, Sally and more? They might get so excited they will forget about seeing Mickey! Ok, maybe not but this new hotel sounds very smart. And the "Little Mermaid" rooms will totally appeal to 32-year-olds as well...um...we mean, little girls as well.

Groundbreaking is set to begin this summer so we suggest not telling the kids until the hotel is closer to opening. We don't think they can handle the wait. We barely can!

[Photo: Emrank]

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If Salvador Dalí Designed a Hotel, It Would Be The Winvian

Where: 155 Alain White Rd. [map], Morris, CT, United States, 06763

Relais & Chateaux has a long and storied past of finding the most sophisticated hotels and restaurants, especially in France, where the organization was founded in the 1950’s. Lately, however, the venerable collective has been expanding its portfolio to new continents and more whimsical properties, including Winvian in the forested hill country outside Litchfield, Connecticut.

The eighteen guest cottages and cabins that dot the 113-acre property were designed by fifteen different artists, and all come together to form a sort of dreamscape in the Connecticut back country. Each cottage has its own unique character, and a name to go along with it. We’ve picked out a few of our fantastical favorites to share with you.

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Laguna's Casa del Camino Just Got a Whole Lot Cooler

Where: 1289 S Coast Hwy [map], Laguna Beach, CA, United States, 92651

On what ended up being a sunny, yet slightly overcast day in Laguna Beach, we had the opportunity to check out ten recently overhauled rooms at La Casa del Camino, a comfortable boutique hotel that lies just above the city's famed shoreline. And just in case you're wondering, no, we didn't run into any ex-cast member of a certain O.C. reality television show.

Anyways, we're of the "we have to see it to believe it" variety; almost daily we catch wind of the latest multi-million dollar renovation, but it takes an in-person visit to determine exactly what makes those new, meticulously chosen linens and architectural changes worth a guest's time and, sometimes, extra money.

Casa del Camino's Surf Project differs from your run-of-the-mill update for many reasons. Not one, but ten designers were paired up with ten quintessentially Orange County companies that represent the best of surf and skate culture, from Roxy to bikini line L*Space. When we first entered the hotel, its traditional Spanish architecture, soft, recessed lighting, and a familiar seaside bungalow ambiance belied the hypermodern changes that lay inside the ten rooms.

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Get Into Levi Strauss' Pants At Ace Hotel Palm Springs' Suite 501

Need an outfit to compliment your new Ace Hotel Palm Springs sneakers? Levi Strauss has partnered up with the desert property to transform one of the hotel's rooms into Suite 501, an environment that evokes the Levi's denim-filled lifestyle.

According to the LA Times, the result is a space with a lived-in, rustic look:

The room featured a denim upholstered headboard, Levi’s pillowcases and artwork from Levi’s most recent campaign, shot by Ryan McGinley. The Walt Whitman poem “Go Forth,” the focus of Levi's recent marketing campaign, is painted on a denim tapestry. The curated ephemera vibe matches the hotel's rustic chic campground aesthetic; canvas covered walls, salvaged furniture, Native America throws and portable record player in every suite.

The stay in the suite, in which case we hope you love Levi's, guests can request the Suite 501 at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs. We're going to guess that it's tagged with nightly standard suite prices, which run between $209 - $369. It's just too bad that it doesn't come with a closet full of Levi's clothing; we love not having to worry about dirty laundry.

[Photo: LA Times/Levi Strauss]

Family-Friendly Hotels / Orlando Hotels / Themed Hotel Rooms / Loews Hotels / → All Tags

Loews Portofino Hotel Will Serve You Green Eggs and Ham

Where: 5601 Universal Boulevard [map], Orlando, fl, United States, 32819

Didn't get a chance to celebrate what would have been Dr. Seuss' 105th Birthday last week? There's still a way to pay tribute to your favorite children's book author at the Loews Portofino Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

The hotel unveiled its Dr. Seuss Suites over the summer which come with a king bedroom for Mom and Pop and a kids' room with two twin beds and plenty of Dr. Seuss decor. And recently, the hotel used the suites to host a Read Across America event with children from a local elementary school (pictured above.)

Now the hotel has created a Dr. Seuss package which includes a three-night stay, a breakfast of green eggs and ham in Trattoria del Porto for two daily, a special children's welcome amenity, a set of four Dr. Seuss books, and a set of four mini Dr. Seuss themed plush characters plus a souvenir Cat in the Hat photo frame.

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Where to Get Your Pink and Drink On for Barbie's 50th Birthday

Hey! Did you know Barbie's turning 50 on Monday, March 9th? Sista is ascending from PYT-status to certified cougarhood — and if she were a real woman, we would strongly urge her to cease dressing like a 21-year-old. But she's not real and she remains eternally hot; her life in plastic remains fantastic. Thus, her birthday gives us an excuse to surround ourselves with pink and have a fat drink.

First up, Milwaukee's new boutique-chic Iron Horse Hotel is getting the ball rolling with a Barbie birthday celebration

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Inside the Curtis Hotel's Themed Floors

Where: 1405 Curtis Street [map], Denver, CO, United States, 80202

The other day we were all giddy over The Curtis Hotel in downtown Denver which has different theme floors like the Science Fiction Floor and the Dance Floor. We posted a snapshot from the 13th Floor also known as the "Dun dun dunn" floor which uses the tagline: "We've traced the call, it's coming from the hotel."

So needless to say we wanted more of the Curtis. And today we've found it on TripKick.com, a site attempting to Seat Guru-ize hotels.

For instance, TripKick recommends guests booking floors five and up for the best views. Quieter rooms at the hotel end in 05 and 06. Rooms to avoid are the ones ending in 01 which apparently get hit with noise from the elevator.

The room shot above is from room 1525 which is The British Invasion Suite on the Mad About Music floor.

The rooms look quite comfy and very new, which is always a good thing in hotels. And we're loving that while you can have a themed-stay at the hotel, you won't be sleeping on Cars-themed sheets on the 16th floor which is the Pedal to the Medal floor. Although, one of those car-shaped sleeping beds would be kinda cool.

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Snapshot :: The 13th Floor at The Curtis Hotel

Where: 1405 Curtis Street [map], Denver, CO, United States, 80202

So Halloween is a ways off but if you know that you are going to be in Denver on October 31st this year (which is a Friday!), then you should strongly consider staying at the Curtis Hotel in downtown.

And more specifically, you should stay on the hotel's 13th floor which is dubbed Dun Dun Dunnn and this tagline greets you when you step out of the elevator:

"We've traced the call, it's coming from the hotel."

Rates for Halloween start at $137 a night for an internet rate which is prepaid and not refundable. More flexible rates are a little more dough at $229 a night. As for booking the 13th floor, make sure you put in your request to the hotel's front desk.

The Curtis has other themed floors and they all have art installations and taglines. Like the Science Fiction Floor, One Hit Wonder, Pedal to the Metal (quote: "I feel the need, the need for speed.") and the Dance Floor which has a Dirty Dancing theme.