Vacancy at Versailles

Visiting Château de Versailles is a magical yet exhausting experience.  You can't possibly see it all in one day, as much as you may try.  While there are lovely hotels in the town to extend your visit, there is none that will be as conveniently located as the proposed Hôtel du Grand Contrôle which is actually part of the Versailles complex.  The mansion was built in 1684 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and traditionally housed the treasury.  It will be renovated by the Belgian company Ivy International SA who has a lot of work to do on the deteriorated building.  Once open in 2011, the 23 room hotel will overlook the Orangerie and ornamental lake and might just make you feel like Marie Antoinette.  Just don't tell the staff to eat cake!

DVF at Claridge's: Part Deux

I was sent another fabulous photo of one of the rooms that Diane von Furstenberg designed for Claridge's today. I love that sofa! It's very Chic!

DVF for Claridges's

I've been dying to see one of the 20 rooms at Claridge's hotel in London designed by Diane von Furstenberg and finally I found one online at the Times magazine. I love the double headboard effect and the patterned fabric. It's pretty chic and stylish but then again, I didn't doubt that Diane would create anything less. Wonder if the have any vacancies!

Checking In

Most hotels are owned and run by men. And what do men know about hospitality and housekeeping? Considering that they usually stock their rooms with only five hangers, I'd say not much. So I'm happy to report that some chic ladies are throwing their hats, or maybe I should say hard hats, into the hotel business. First up is former model and now brand ambassador for Roger Vivier, Ines de la Fressange, who plans to open a chic hotel in Paris. Hopefully she'll be able to juggle both jobs since the 18th-century building that will house not only her hotel, but a restaurant and spa, is a stones throw away from Faubourg Saint-Honore. I'm wondering if it will look anything like her pink apartment or like the Roger Vivier boutiques, both pictured here. Furniture designer, Hervé van der Straeten is the partner of Bruno Frisoni, who helms the fashion house, so it will be interesting to see if his pieces make the cut. I, for one, would definitely take advantage of that friends and family discount!

Paris isn't the only city getting some hotel help. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg has been asked by the venerable 5-star hotel Claridge’s in London to make over 20 of its rooms and suites. She collaborated on the project with interior designer Olivier Gelbsman and they plan to stay true to the historic look of the hotel. While you won't be able to check into Ines' hotel until next year, you should be able to stay with Diane, or at least in her rooms, this June. I bet there will definitely be more than five hangers in their closets and probably really good gift shops too!

Photos from The Selby

Chic in LA: Chateau Marmont

If The Beverly Hills Hotel is like Doris Day, then the Chateau Marmont is more like The Doors. Instead of shiny and happy, it's dark and brooding and beyond cool. It was modeled after a royal chateau in the Loire Valley of France and since it opened in 1929, it has been the hot spot for celebrities and rockers to hide out and party. I originally thought about staying at the Chateau but since I just heard that it may be haunted, I'm glad that I stayed elsewhere! I'm more bright and sunny than moody and dark anyway! I did get to have an amazing first night dinner at the Chateau with Christian of Maison21, Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life, and Christian's very chic client Cristina. The food was delicious and we drank copious amounts of prosecco until I looked down at my watch and realized that although it was midnight in LA, my body knew it was really 3:00am in New York! That's when I turned into a pumpkin. Since I can no longer party like a rock star it's probably best that I didn't stay at the rock star hotel! But that's not to say I didn't have fun trying!

Photos from Chateau Marmont website, Google and Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic. By the way, that's Led Zepplin hanging out the window!

Chic in LA: The Beverly Hills Hotel

One of the highlights of my time in LA was brunch with Christian of Maison21 and Becca of Rebecca June Interior Design at The Polo Lounge in The Beverly Hills Hotel. As you can see from my photos, the weather was gorgeous and we were so happy to have a fabulous table outside.

On our way there, my father called me and I practically hung up on him as approached the hotel because I was so excited! It is so iconic and beautiful that I had to pull out my camera!

There is something about all that pink and green that is cheerful and makes me think of Doris Day and Cary Grant! The hotel was opened in 1912 but became popular with film stars in the 1920's and experience it's heyday in the 1940's and remains popular to this day!

The hotel is also in a lovely part of Beverly Hills that makes it quiet and peaceful. You can stay at the hotel or in the bungalows which I can imagine would be very chic!

If you drive up in a fancy car, you get the privilege of having it parked at the front of the hotel for all to see.

I couldn't visit the hotel without photographing the famous Beverly Hills Hotel wallpaper now could I?! It lines the stairs down to The Fountain Coffee Room.

One of the best things about LA are all the leafy green trees and palms and it's fun that they brought the look inside the hotel.

We wanted to use this paper for the powder room for one of my projects but we ended up using a similar vintage paper. Can't wait until you can see it!

This is not the best photo since everyone is eating and I hated to disrupt their meal but you can see how the paper continues into The Fountain Coffee Room. I love the old fashioned chairs too!

Around the corner is a display case with historic photos from the hotel and down the hall is the gift shop where I had to buy a few souvenirs! Don't forget to ask for the matches too!

While we were on the patio enjoying our long, leisurely and laugh filled lunch, we saw this elegant woman in yellow sit down below us. She had on fabulous big black sunglasses and we took turned guessing who she might be. Was she married to a former studio head? Was she a film star of yester year? Was she a beloved regular? We were dying to know and thought about asking her if she minded if we took her photo but that seemed a little weird so we left her alone.

As fate would have it, she and her granddaughter walked down the hall when we were checking out The Fountain Coffee Room! We had to talk to her now! She was so sweet and could not have been nicer! Turns out her name is Gerry Sinclair whose nickname is GiGi is also known as Gorgeous Grandma! When we mentioned that we were all interior designers, she informed us that her husband had founded Sinclair Paints! How perfect is that?! Also, Kelly emailed me after she read my coverage to tell me that she works for the Kor Group who devloped the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills where I stayed! The story just keeps getting better and better!

She even posed like a movie star! My advice is that if you ever see someone who you think looks interesting or who you would like to meet, go for it! She was a spitfire who even took the necklace her granddaughter Kelly was wearing to lunch! She also told us how there used to be a hair salon on the same level that she used to visit, after which she would head to The Fountain Coffee Room to eat. She absolutely made our day!

On the way out, we had the valet take our photo. If I had know Becca was that tall, I would definitely have worn heels! It was such a fun day and I'm so glad that Becca made the long drive down and back join us!

One last funny story too. While we were waiting for the valet to bring our car, a couple walked up behind us. The husband told the valet he'd take that silver Rolls in the corner. The valet thought he was kidding! No joke, he really was the owner! Only in LA! They were so nice to let me take their photo too! Can you see them in the car smiling? I'd be smiling too if I was driving that gorgeous car home! I definitely recommend a trip to The Beverly Hills Hotel. You never know who you might meet!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic and one by the valet

Chic in LA: The Avalon Hotel

As I've mentioned a million times, I had an amazing time in LA! I didn't think anything could top my trip to Paris but LA came very close! Paris was all about the architecture and beauty of the city while LA was all about the people and design stores. I definitely could not have experienced as much as I did if I had not had LA local Christian May of Maison21 as my tour guide! Not only did he take me to the best local haunts, he also drove me all around town to see the fabulous sites and joined me to meet some wonderful blogger friends including the lovely world traveler Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life, the ridiculously beautiful and thoughtful Taryn of Taryn Cox The Wife, the talented and tall Becca of Rebecca June Interior Design, and sweet and chic Style Curator who would like to remain anonymous for now!

I also owe a big thank you to Andrea Borda Stanford, the Design + Style Editor of C Magazine who planned the most amazing day of design which included among other things, meeting Kathryn Ireland, Madeline Stuart, Peter Dunham, Windsor Smith, and Kelly Wearstler! It was a dream day! I wasn't sure where to even begin but I figured the best place to start on my LA posts would be the very chic Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills that was designed by Ms. Wearstler and was home away from home during my stay in LA.

Uber chic interior designer Kelly Wearstler originally designed the hotel 10 years ago and is now updating it. The lobby and restaurant have already been transformed in her new 70's glamorous style and the rooms are next in line for a make-over.

The hotel sits on a corner lot and is only three stories so you're guaranteed great service! The hotel staff couldn't have been nicer and even welcomed me "home" when I returned back at the end of the day which I thought was sweet!

A fun fact is that Marilyn Monroe and Mae West both lived here in the 1950's when it was the known as the Beverly Carlton.

I absolutely loved the color scheme of aqua and gold in the lobby and that painted ceiling!

The colors remind me of the ocean and look great with the always blue LA sky!

I'm calling these sculptures modern totem poles.

The Oliverio restaurant is garnering rave reviews for not only the design but the great cuisine! It was packed for lunch and dinner during my entire stay too!

You can see through to the pool when you enter the hotel.

All the lounge chairs face the sun for the serious tanning enthusiasts!

I would sit in the sun by the pool every morning while waiting for Christian to pick me up. It was heaven!

The cabanas are the best part of the pool area and can be reserved for lunch and dinner.

I had a great view of the pool when I walked to my room!

For a small hotel, it was full of greenery!

The rooms on the left have little balconies. I'm kind of jealous that I didn't have one too!

I had fabulous weather for my entire trip to LA as you can see by the bright blue sky in this photo!

As I mentioned, the rooms have not been renovated yet so they still retain the mid-century feel of Kelly Wearstler's first design. They are large and comfortable and will only get better if they decorate them in the blues of the lobby. I especially loved the floor to ceiling windows that afforded me a great view of the sunrise every morning! The rates are actually quite reasonable as well. I paid $168 per night plus tax for two nights and was graciously offered two complimentary nights.

My room also looked out over the little building across the street that can accommodate more hotel guests. I really enjoyed my stay at the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills and can't wait to stay again after the rooms are updated. I enjoyed this trip to LA so much that I think they are going to become a regular habit!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic