The Passport Physician: Kimpton

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Hotel Review: Hotel Lorien, Alexandria VA

Price: I booked this room for $109 during Kimpton's annual sale.

Location: The hotel is located on King Street, one of the main thoroughfares in old town Alexandria. It is fairly close to the metro station if you want to take a trip into D.C. and there are lots of nice shops and restaurants nearby. I have been to Washington D.C. several times and wanted something different which is why I chose this location in alexandria. If you are only staying for a weekend and want to escape the tourist hordes of D.C., there is more than enough to do and see in Old Town without even hopping on the metro.

Room: As an inner circle member I received an upgrade to a "Hospitality Suite". The room itself was not a true suite (in that it was just a bedroom and bathroom) but there was a HUGE patio off the bedroom which would be great for entertaining.

Hotel/Facilities: As is always the case with kimpton, there was an evening wine hour. Unlike the other locations that i have stayed at however, the lobby area wasn't really made for such a wine reception. There were only 2 small benches near the door where most people sat but other than that no real area to sit back and relax. That being said they did have a pretty solid red and white wine as well as hot (non alcoholic) cider. In addition to the wine they had flatbreads from their restaurant- Brabo.

Overview: If you are planning a getaway in the DC area, are looking for a relaxing setting a little bit off the beaten path then I would highly recommend a stay here.

Hotel Exterior

Exterior Courtyard

Exterior courtyard

Hospitality Suite

Hospitality suite

Doors to balcony

Private balcony of the hospitality suite

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Hotel Review: Hotel Monaco Philadelphia

Let me first start off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Kimpton Hotels and their portfolio of properties never fails to impress me. During my stays, I've come to expect 2 things from Kimpton: 1. Top-notch personalized customer service and 2. stunning rooms with interesting decor.
The Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia was no exception.

Cost: Rates this summer can be found for as low as $162/night but generally are in the $200 range.

Location: For a casual visitor to Philadelphia you really cant get a much better location. The hotel is literally across the street from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. In fact, while touring Independence Hall, I could see the hotel out the window of the room where the declaration of independence was signed.

Room: I was booked into a standard king but as an Inner Circle member I was upgraded to a Spa King. At check in they gave me the option of an Independence hall view room or a Spa room; being a sucker for awesome bathrooms this was an easy choice. The most interesting thing about the room was the wall paper. I think in any other environment the wallpaper would have clashed but in this room it felt right at home. The bed was super comfy and provided an excellent nights sleep. The highlight of the room was a large soaking tub which I utilized several times throughout my stay.

Facilities: I didn't have a chance to check out the gym, but I did have brunch in the restaurant, Red Owl Tavern. The food was of the typical american gastro-pub variety and nothing that I had especially stood out. I opted for a burger which was good but not memorable. The decor of the restaurant was rustic and very appealing so if staying here again I would probably grab a drink at the bar but eat elsewhere.

The rooftop lounge Stratus was super cool. One side had a gas fire that extended the entire length of the bar. There was also some indoor seating for rainy or cold days.

Extras: As an inner circle member i ended up with the above mentioned room upgrade. In addition my welcome amenity was AMAZING. I had emailed the front desk prior to arrival saying that I enjoyed beer and cheese. I ended up with a couple bottles of hard to get brews from Russian River as well as a chunk of aged gouda from a local gourmet food store. Another amenity that many if not all Kimptons offer is free bike rentals. This was very handy for getting around town.

Summary: With its trendy rooftop lounge and amazing customer service (not to mention eye-catching rooms) I think this hotel will see me coming back whenever I am in Philly. The standard rates are on-par with other luxury hotels around the city but the charm, location and service here makes it the easy winner.