sipping cocktails by the pool.

and if there were a particular hotel where i'd like to be sipping those cocktails...
today, it would be here:

the raleigh hotel in south beach.

it was built in the 40's, and they knew how to make em post war.

this pool makes me week in my rococo/miami art deco-loving knees.

can't you picture the rat pack having a gin martini here back in the day? i can.

and they probably did.


so very old school cool.

and you know i am lover of all things cabana stripe. it's small, but check out the loungers below.
beauty.

and i'll stay here, please. the penthouse.

even their logo is awesome.

miami, here i come.

now who's coming with?

JILL

i'll send a postcard

wow. i wish i could say i was off to explore this magnificent land!! my sister-in-law shared with me this amazing hotel in cappadocia, turkey. what a true sight to see. located in the heart of cappadocia on the site of an ancient monastery in old uçhisar village, argos in cappadocia has carefully restored the remains of historical dwellings, underground tunnels and caves to offer guests not only an unsurpassed place to stay but a unique perspective from which to view this magical land.

the lava and ash which spewed from mt. erciyes, mt. hasan and mt. güllü sixty million years ago formed soft layers of rock, which were then eroded by wind and rain over millions of years to form the region of appadocia, which today charms the entire world. the locals gave this unique and magical place a nickname: the fairy chimneys. cappadocia features a unique beauty that combines nature and history. humans have used the fairy chimneys as dwellings throughout history, carving them into homes and places of worship that still bear the traces of thousands of years of civilization.

xoxo

elle.

images and text via argos in cappadocia

hotel thoumieux

as we head towards summer and hopefully some wonderful vacation time i thought it would be fun to share great hotels. let's start with the fun and stylish hotel thoumieux in paris!!!

xoxo

elle

an italian delight

a friend introduced me to this hotel in sorrento, looking out towards capri with a view of the infamous mt. vesuvius. i'm glad she shared her wealth of knowledge :)

the scenery inside is almost as breathtaking as outside.

it's the beautiful hotel la minervetta.

hanging off a cliff along the almalfi coast

i'm obsessed with the unique guest rooms. stunning. each and every one.

you know i love a good stripe.

kitchen area. hmm. not like other hotels i've made my way through.

alone it's truly worth a trip to italy, if not for the other 92,837,493 reasons.

has anyone else stayed here?


JILL

i must really need a vacation right now because i have an italian wedding to share with you a bit later... stay tuned :)

chamberlain west hollywood

i have been doing some research on LA hotels for an upcoming event's auction, and was reminded of how much i love the decor of the chamberlain west hollywood.

well, the hotel really had me at hello because the font they use for their logo is just the perfect combination of retro and glam...

i assumed this was the work of kelly wearstler as it definitely has her style to it, but while researching i learned it was actually designed by david mccauley of david mccauley interior design.

actually david was a protege of kelly's meaning i wasn't completely wrong...

the chamberlain is just one of the many fabulous hotels by the viceroy hotel group...check them out

so many choices and so little time ;)

xoxo

elle.

sleeping under the stars

i came across this article in conde nast traveler magazine over the summer and have since wanted to share. i thought the timing was especially fabulous with jill's post on her interest in traveling to africa yesterday.

kulala wilderness camp, sossusvlei, namibia

kalamu lagoon camp, south luangwa, zambia

amangiri resort, lake powell, canyon point, utah

the last time i slept truly under the stars it was about 1994 in the middle of a brownie/girl scout camp 4 hours from home (which seemed remote at the time). it was the last night at camp and we had to pair up with a friend and "experience the wilderness".

ol donyo wuas, kenya

killa bhawan, jaisalmer, rajasthan

adere amellal desert ecolodge, siwa oasis, egypt

loisaba wilderness lodge, nanyuki, kenya

we scouted out the perfect spot on camp to set up our campsite under the stars. if i remember correctly we bartered with our counselor the raw chicken for 5 more matches and still couldn't get our fire started.

l'alberta, erbusco, lombardy, italy

blue mountain private safaris, blue mountain national park, australia

las ventana al paraiso, los cabos, mexico

lion sands private game reserve, sabi sand game reserve, south africa

loisaba wilderness lodge, nanyuki, kenya

this consisted of 5 matches, some toilet paper, a can of corn, a raw chicken, a couple potatoes, the makings for s'mores, and both of our sleeping bags, sheets, and pillows.

amangiri resort, lake powell, canyon point, utah

maybe i should ease back into the whole "under the stars" thing with one of these spectacular open air suites. it looks like skunks might cost extra.

xoxo

elle.

lets just say things ended for me and experiencing the wilderness about three in the morning when i awoke to my camping partner in a loud whisper saying "elle, there is a skunk in our bed"...