What happens when you get a former House Beautiful contributor blogging about boutique hotels? Well, in the case of Hotel Chic, the style blog maintained by Sara Bliss, something pretty damn special. Not only does the selection wow with exotic locales and super-luxe accommodations, but Bliss, like many good design lovers, has her eye on how to take some of that hotel luxury home. The latest post focuses on the beguiling Old World-meets-Mediterranean style of JK Place (above), a 22-room hot spot on the Italian island of Capri. Takeaways: swap those boring beige lampshades out for some dark ones, mix classical and modern art, and don't be afraid to decorate with books. Short, sweet, and perennially gorgeous, Hotel Chic delivers.
? Elsewhere in Italy, Hotel Chic pays a virtual visit to L'Andana, the 33-room resort in Tuscany run by French überchef Alain Ducasse. The interiors, designed by Ettore Mocchetti, the editor of Architectural Digest Italia, are noted for the use of orange as an accent color, which ties in beautifully with the traditional architecture of a Tuscan villa that was once the summer residence of Grand Duke Leopold II.
? Bold colors are also the highlight at the the 70-room Vidago Palace Hotel in northern Portugal. The pink palace was built in 1910 in the Belle Epoque period, and today sits on 250 acres of verdant parkland. The interior, instead of the dusty warren one might expect, is a delicate balance between the period architecture and modern patterns and colors, designed by decorator José Pedro Vieira and architect Diogo Rosa Lã.
? Chic and boutique don't have to mean expensive, as the Postcard Inn on the Beach proves in St. Pete's, Fla. The stylish beach motel has a Hollywood vibe while keeping prices reasonable at $140 per night. Here, the Hotel Chic blog focuses on the wall decor, from photo wall paper to "50/50" paint jobs to tacked up photos, the Postcard Inn has some great design-on-a-budget ideas.
? Guest blogger—and former Bliss colleague—John Loecke paid a visit to that most classic of American resorts: The Greenbriar. The famous West Virginia has its interiors done by the inimitable Dorothy Draper had has unwaveringly remained true to her bold colorways and patterns ever since. A writer-turned-designer, Loecke might be uniquely qualified for such an assignment, as his Brooklyn brownstone features a living room inspired by The Greenbriar.
· Hotel Chic
· Design Lessons from JK Place Capri [Hotel Chic]
· The Allure of Orange: L’Andana in Italy [Hotel Chic]
· Design Lessons from Portugal’s Vidago Palace [Hotel Chic]
· Design Lessons from the Postcard Inn on the Beach [Hotel Chic]
· John Loecke Checks into The Greenbrier [Hotel Chic]
· Paper Planes [NYM]