Theme Hotels
Another Time ANOTHER PLACE
An opulent Spanish castle, a giant shining pyramid, an 1880s stagecoach shop and saloon; they sound like the sets for next summer’s blockbusters, but in fact, they’re much closer to home. These are some of the styles adopted by the best theme hotels in the country. From the structures of the buildings themselves to the fine details in the guestrooms, these hotels go to breathtaking lengths to convince guests that they are in another time or place. It’s escapism in the most literal sense, and the top 10 are the most immersive.
words by > Sam Polcer and Christian Sylt
01» The Luxor, Las Vegas
With perhaps the most striking exterior of any hotel in the US, the Las Vegas Luxor is set inside a 350-foot-tall black pyramid that is three-quarters of the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. A 10-story Sphinx marks the entrance. At night, the brightest beam of light in the world shoots up from the tip of the pyramid.
The ancient Egyptian theme continues inside. Guests are greeted by four seated statues, which soar high into the largest atrium in the world (29 million cubic feet). Marble abounds in the lobby, and murals depict scenes from daily life in ancient Egypt. The hotel even holds a full-scale replica of King Tut’s tomb, from the young king’s sarcophagus to its guardian statues. It was all created in Egypt using gold leaf, precious pigments and 3,000-year-old artisan methods before being shipped to Vegas.
Twenty-two hundred “Pyramid Deluxe” rooms line the pyramid’s outer walls, reached by sloping “inclinators” that run along the inside of the pyramid walls. A palace worthy of the pharaohs.
02» Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando
A series of multi-colored road-signs point to a harbor lined with Vespa scooters, olive trees and cafés. Souvenir shops housed in fishing huts and cream-colored apartments with cracked plaster walls surround the water’s edge. A quartet starts to sing a serenade from a balcony.
Next, you expect a director to leap out yelling “cut,” because this full-scale mock-up of the Italian resort of Portofino is, in fact, in Orlando, and what seem to be apartments are actually rooms in Universal Studios’ Portofino Bay Hotel.
From the moment you drive down the cypress tree-lined entrance to the hotel, you are immersed in a captivating landscape that goes to great lengths to present an authentic Italian experience. Faded posters adorn the exposed brickwork in the lobby; Vivaldi is pumped in through hidden speakers; and padded tapestries line the insides of elevators. Corridors are even mocked up as city streets with faux star-scenes on the tall ceilings and porcelain plaques showing room numbers. The staff signs off every conversation they have with “ciao.”
There are a few “slip-ups” in authenticity: no streets, Italian or otherwise, are this squeaky-clean, and the paint on the brightly colored buildings is so shiny is seems as if it is still drying. The rooms are American-style large, and the beds have de rigeur padded mattresses—but the Italian theme continues to pervade with lace sheets and sculptured wooden headboards. Magnifico!
03» Casa Monica, Jacksonville
A majestic 1888 landmark hotel (restored in 1999) in historic St. Augustine, FL, the Casa Monica is a haven of old-world charm and elegance. Its awards include AAA Four-Diamond status, a spot on the National Registry of Historic Places, and membership with the Historic Hotels of America.
The décor and architecture is best described as “Spanish Castle Magic.” An arched carriage entrance and grand lobby welcome guests to a world of jewel-toned velvet, tapestries, chandeliers, white stucco walls, red Spanish tiles, fountains and lush greenery. There’s a private oceanfront beach club, and beyond the castle walls lie the historic streets of St. Augustine.
While the wrought-iron beds, mahogany tables and wicker lounge chairs make the 138 guest rooms and suites look like they’ve been transported from another time and place, hotels don’t become members of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Collection without featuring state-of-art technology and modern comforts and conveniences. Casa Monica is a destination hotel that is, literally, fit for royalty: the opulent four-story suite once accommodated King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.
04» Chateau Avalon, Kansas City
It may be in the state that is home to the geographical center of the continental US, but you wouldn’t know it if you stayed at this luxury-themed hotel in Kansas City, KS. Within its French chateau exterior, guests are transported to a variety of different times and places, whether it’s modern-day New York (in the “New York Penthouse” suites), the western frontier (in the “Jesse James Escape”), ancient Egypt (“Egyptian Palace”) or any number of far-away places that can be reached in its 62 rooms and suites.
The Chateau Avalon was opened in 2004 and is geared toward couples looking for a romantic and fun weekend escape—from the replica of the Place de la Concorde fountain in Paris which greets visitors in the parking lot to the rose-petal turndown service.
The “Monte Cristo” suite contains a miniature castle in its three-story room. Go up a winding staircase, past a suit of armor, to the bed in the balcony. Upstairs in one of the Serengeti rooms, find a queen-sized bed tucked away in a safari tent. Or step back to ancient times when you stay in the Roman Dynasty room. Whatever there is to be found at this unique getaway, it will most certainly be an extraordinary experience you’ll treasure forever.
05» Kate’s Lazy Meadow Motel, White Plains
It should be mentioned at the start that the Kate in the name of this “cabin fever fantasy” refers to Kate Pierson of the rock group the B-52s, who created this unique motel on nine acres along the Esopus Creek (known for tubing and trout-fishing), two hours north of White Plains, NY.
An assortment of 1950s cabins were restored and then decorated by her artist buddies in the same groovy style that defined her well-known, quirky band. The cabin suites are rustic and cozy, but contain bright, fun 1950s space-age décor. The kitchens have vintage cabinets and Frigidaires in dazzling colors, and all of the rooms have an assortment of tchotchkes, some of which were picked up by Kate during her B-52s’ on-tour shopping sprees.
There’s even a set of vintage Airstream trailers parked alongside the creek, decked out in the same style as the rest of the property. All of this, with picturesque views of the Catskill Mountains—way more impressive than your average love shack.
06» The Library Hotel, New York
On the 10 floors of this highbrow luxury hotel, located between the New York Public Library and the Pierpont Morgan Library on Madison Avenue in New York City, rooms are arranged according to the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal System. Individual rooms are defined by the relevant subtopics; for example, guests who dream about comets and nebulas can stay in the Astronomy Room on the science and math floor. Meanwhile, guests enjoying an intimate getaway might prefer the Love Room, which is strewn with rose petals.
All the rooms are tastefully decorated with warm colors and bonsai trees. Mahogany furniture and granite-topped desks lend an air of studious elegance. The theme is cleverly infused into carefully selected artworks: the New Media room, for example, is adorned by framed photographs of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Books abound here: bookcases are set into the walls, and the hotel has a total of 6,000 volumes hand-picked from New York’s celebrated Strand Bookstore.
Guests reading books that they just can’t put down have a range of luxurious locations to settle down in. There’s a reading room that offers refreshments, a wood-paneled lounge with a welcoming fireplace, and the poetry garden—a rooftop greenhouse with an outdoor terrace— perhaps the perfect place to lose yourself in a tome.
07» Pelican Hotel, Miami
Miami Beach is a theme destination in itself, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find that it plays host to one of the most uniquely stylish theme hotels in the US. The first hotel venture from cutting-edge clothing company Diesel, the Pelican is a quirky spot on Ocean Drive in the Deco District of South Beach.
Each of the 30 rooms and suites have been decorated by Swedish interior decorator Magnus Ehrland. His trips to numerous antique stores and his witty imagination have resulted in rooms with such names as “Me Tarzan, You Vain,” and “Birth of the Bubbles.” The $2,500-per-night penthouse, where Diesel president Renzo Rosso stays whenever he’s in town, boasts a big tropical fish tank, a rooftop deck and hot tub, and three separate bedrooms.
Every room is unique at the Pelican, from “Love, Peace and Leafforest” to “Psychedelic(ate) Girl.” Sometimes the themes may be a little tough to pin down, but they are all totally out of this world.
08» Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn, Orlando
You don’t have to get slimed, but that may well be part of the fun at this wacky, Nickelodeon-themed family vacation spot in Orlando. The cartoon insanity starts with the bright orange-and-green décor of the lobby and doesn’t stop until the kids have had their fill of the Nick After Dark activities (which allow parents to enjoy an evening on their own). It’s a non-stop, action-packed experience that exemplifies Nickelodeon through and through.
The architectural focal points of the 24-acre resort are its two pools—the Lagoon and the Oasis. The Lagoon is a pool/courtyard/waterpark wonderland that includes an interactive water tower, slides, flumes, spas, basketball courts, a mini golf course, climbing nets and water jets. Life jackets are provided. The Oasis is a bit more relaxing. It includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a shaded play area and adult-sized whirlpool spas, and features a splash zone for pre-schoolers who want to join in with the wet-and-wild fun.
Though it’s only a mile from Walt Disney World Resort (guests can use a free scheduled shuttle), there is enough going on at Nickelodeon to keep all the kids happy. From its bright, themed rooms, to the arcade, mall, Studio Nick (an interactive Nickelodeon entertainment experience) and kids’ spa, everything about this hotel guarantees the little ones will be asking when they can see Dora, Spongebob and the Rugrats again.
09» Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco
The front desk resembles a steamer’s trunk, a working astronomer’s clock sits above the fireplace in the lobby, and the wooden floors are reminiscent of the deck of a luxury ship. Named for the gold rushers who sought their fortunes in the West, this luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf offers a glimpse into San Francisco’s life as a harbor town.
Housed in the historic Haslett Warehouse, which was built in 1907 as part of a fruit-and-vegetable canning plant, some of the 252 guestrooms and 13 suites at the Argonaut include original exposed brick walls, large timbers and steel warehouse doors, and are decorated with whitewashed furniture and captain’s chairs. The spacious suites are styled like high-quality captain’s quarters, with separate parlors, spa tubs and brass telescopes in each. The plush décor utilizes a lot of golden yellows, dark blues and red accents.
While the sophisticated design elements of the nautical theme are stunning in their own right, nothing goes further toward promoting the hotel’s maritime history than the views afforded by its waterfront location. San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge can be seen from different rooms, and a breath of salty sea air on the way out of the lobby into Fisherman’s Wharf will put the wind in your sails for a full day of adventure on land and sea.
10» Union Hotel and Victorian Mansion, Los Angeles
In the heart of Santa Barbara County, California, in Los Alamos, a tiny Western town that time forgot, sits a unique and impressive bed-and-breakfast comprising two distinctive structures. One takes its thematic cues from the history of the town itself, while the other is a hodgepodge of six individually themed rooms.
The Union Hotel is a historic 1880s’ stagecoach shop that brings guests back to the Old West in a striking, convincing fashion. The rooms are authentic to the period, right down to the original antiques, and the saloon is the real thing, having served thirsty stagecoach travelers more than a century ago. The hotel hosts special Western-themed events, including stagecoach murder mysteries, costume balls and concerts.
In contrast to the dusty, spurs-and-saddles fantasy available in the hotel, the Victorian Mansion presents a very different kind of period experience. In the ‘50s Room the bed is an authentic 1956 Cadillac. The Gypsy, Roman, Egyptian, French and Pirate rooms all contain their own fireplace and hot tub, boasting similarly creative design details. In the garden outside, a gazebo, rose garden, reflecting pond—even a hedge maze—add to the period fun. If that isn’t enough, the property is just 15 minutes away from some of the most beautiful wine country in the US. And, frankly, you might need a drink after all this excitement.
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