SEA-ttle

[trip style = urban + weekend getaway]

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Last weekend when I was in Seattle with some of the Trip Styler gals, we were all reminded of how much we love the Emerald City, and said {almost in harmony} "why don't we come here more often?" We'll blame it on the flagship Nordstrom's shoe department, which can wreak havoc on even the healthiest of bank accounts!

Here are some shots of Seattle's iconic and everyday goings on, representing a fraction of why we love our 'sister city' below the 49th!

{Shot on a morning run around Lake Union.}

{Springtime-meets-graffiti on the base of the Freemont Bridge.}

{Fish tossing at Pike Place Market.}

{The fish being tossed.}

{There must have been between 75 and 100 meters of tulip vendors at the Market!}

{Dancing windsocks in Post Alley.}

More IMG_FRI Tokyo JAL Business Class A Cinque Terre Adventure Conquering Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain Arizona Spring Training Baseball Tipping Etiquette Infographic Portlandia Honolulu

[photos by @tripstyler]

Roam+Board :: Sorrento Hotel

[trip style = urban + weekend getaway]

{Editor’s Note :: I just stayed at the Sorrento Hotel and it is Trip Styler Approved. PS – Enter to win a two-night Mother’s Day getaway in Whistler, BC.}

What  The Sorrento Hotel intersects at the crossroads of classic and cool. Built in 1909, Seattle's first boutique hotel was the cultural hub where intellectuals gathered to discuss le topic du jour and musicians came to entertain.

Today, this same vibe is present; you feel smarter the second you walk in. Dark woods, bold-print carpet and heavy curtains surround the lobby's Fireside Room, anchored by a central red damask banquette and leather wingback chairs making you want to pull out an Ernest Hemingway novel and dive in with a glass of bourbon. And people do, with a regular roster of 'group' silent reading sessions, as well as bossa nova jazz, indie acoustic and mixology "drinking lesson" nights beckoning hotel guests and locals alike.

The elevator---rotating a different carpet for each day of the week---transports you back in time to rooms with historic detailing and modern amenities featuring Italian marble bathrooms, snuggly beds with 400 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and French press coffee made by the local roasters.

{Trip Styler Tip :: Don't miss happy hour at the Hunt Club, the hotel's restaurant.}

Where In Seattle, WA's First Hill neighborhood near the buzzy Capitol Hill, a few blocks above I-5.

When Summer is Seattle's high season due to its breezy warmth, yet visitors flock to its emerald-green sheen year-round. Like Vancouver, make sure you're prepared for the possibility of rain---one of main reasons it's so lusciously green!

Who/Why For you, service is king, independent is queen and staying where locals live is the ace in your winning hand of hotel cards.

Cost Rooms start at $145 a night and include a welcome glass of Chardonnay {after 3pm at check-in}, wifi, a seven-day-a-week hotel shuttle and use of the fitness center. Parking is $39+ tax/night. Bark woof, pets welcome for a one-time fee.

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More Roam+Board The LIT! Bangkok - Thailand Hotel De La Paix – Thailand X2 Kui Buri – Thailand Ecopod Boutique Retreat – Scotland  The Saguaro AZ – Scottsdale From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos by @tripstyler and the Sorrento Hotel, taken while a guest of the hotel]

Roam+Board :: The LIT! Bangkok

[trip style = urban + budget conscious]

{Editor’s Note :: April’s destination focus is Thailand and today is the last Thai hurrah! Check out our spotlight on Bangkok, and other Roam+Board features on a modern, all-villa retreat and a swish and tech-savvy beach resort---both within a two- to four-hour drive of Bangkok. PS - I just stayed at The LIT! Bangkok and it's ultra Trip Styler approved.}

What The term calculated can have a negative connotation, yet use it to describe a near-perfect hotel experience and it's a positive. The LIT! Bangkok is cool, calm and calculated, a haven from the city's heat and hype.

Always smiling and gentle staff dressed in crisp white shirts and traditional Thai pants {a nicer version of the MC hammer pant craze} welcome and assist with your every whim; low-decibel ambient music sets the mood in elevators and hallways; the infinity pool and landscaping make you forget you're in a city of 8 million; and the design cues are right out of Vogue Living Australia.

Within seconds of arriving, I was promptly given a tour of my comfy, clean-lined room---complete with a sitting area, desk and marble bathroom that spanned the entire length of the space. Wearing my in-room raw silk robe, snacking on the included mini bar goodies, strangely, I felt at home though I was thousands of miles away.

The icing on the LIT!'s calculated cake? An included 10-minute foot massage that turned into 17 minutes of Bangkok bliss.

Where Bangkok, Thailand. Situated on a side street with food vendors and $10 massage parlors, the LIT! is a two-minute walk from the National Stadium Station skytrain stop and a two-minute cab from the Phaya Thai station {the airport express train's end point}.

When Bangkok is busy year-round. The "tropical cool" season is still hot and steamy spanning November to mid-January. The rest of the year is biz-nanas hot with intermittent rain and electric, short-lived storms.

Who/Why You don't have to stay at Bangkok's river-front, highfalutin towers to make you feel like you've experienced the high life in the Big Mango. You'd rather your voguish home base to be on a side street surrounded by local businesses.

Cost Rooms start at $105/night and include a 10-minute foot massage, a well-balanced breakfast buffet with fresh juice and killer coffee, wifi, bottled water and a daily mini bar allowance.

{Trip Styler Tip :: Upon check-out, it's common for hotels in Thailand to ask you to wait a moment before you leave while housekeeping inspects the room.}

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More Roam+Board Hotel De La Paix - Thailand X2 Kui Buri - Thailand Ecopod Boutique Retreat – Scotland The Saguaro AZ – Scottsdale Arizona Biltmore – Phoenix Llipimpac Guesthouse – Cusco, Peru From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos by @tripstyler---see additional shots the LIT! Bangkok on Trip Styler's Instagram]

Tokyo

[trip style = urban]

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When faced with a 10-hour layover in Japan what do you do? Last week, I found out.

The tired part and studious of me---that had just flown through the night from Bangkok---wanted to nap in the JAL Lounge relaxation room, then get a head start on writing. The traveler in me wanted to forget the dizziness, head bobbing and stomach ache associated with zero sleep, and explore a new city, especially one as COOL as Tokyo! The traveler prevailed.

Six Hours In Tokyo {The stars definitely aligned, the day was perfect: sunny and 17 degrees C with a slight breeze!}

{Central Tokyo, near Shibuya---a popular shopping and entertainment district.}

{Karaoke!}

{Bikes 'n blossoms. So lucky to be in Tokyo during Hanami---aka flower or cherry blossom viewing.}

{Entrance to Meiji Shrine, near Harajuku!}

{Located inside an urban park, sake art on the path leading into the Meiji Shrine.}

{Asakusa Shrine.}

{Bikes are locked from the back, apparently it's illegal to lock your bike to something in Japan.}

{Lanterns and the Tokyo Sky Tree, aka tallest tower in the world at 2,080 ft high.}

{Narita Airport Express. Takes approximately 50 mins from the airport into central Tokyo and costs $30 one-way or $71 return including a $19 Suica train/subway card.}

More IMG_FRI JAL Business Class A Cinque Terre Adventure Conquering Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain Arizona Spring Training Baseball Tipping Etiquette Infographic Portlandia Honolulu

[photos by @tripstyler]

Spotlight :: 24Hrs in Bangkok

[trip style = urban]

{Editor’s Note :: April’s destination focus is Thailand. So far we've covered two hip beachfront hotels a few hours from Bangkok. Stay tuned for more on the Lit! Bangkok and why one of Thailand's B destinations receives an A on our travel report card!}

If New York's the Big Apple, then Bangkok's the Big Mango---sticky, sweet and reasonably priced. An age-old mix of traditional and modern stitched together by an avant garde tailor, combing the city is an intense sensory experience from every angle.

For a fleeting moment, I considered going to Thailand and not sampling Bangkok given my tight schedule and its metropolis magnitude. Mistake. Even for 24hrs, snacking on one of the world's most exotic and cosmopolitan cities is both worthwhile and energizing.

Driven by its 12 million+ industrious and gracious inhabitants, the city hums, hisses and hurries at all hours of the day. For this reason it always feels safe and has something to offer every stripe and budget. High rises with head offices crowd the skyline and street vendors crowd available sidewalk real estate selling crepes, just-cut pineapple slices or pad Thai. Eat on the street for less than $0.50 usd. You'd be surprised at what can be sold out of a cart AND how good it is---Bangkok proves almost anything.

Peel off the Big Mango's protective peel for a taste of a city ripe with flavor! Here's a trip style = urban starting point:

Do Lofty Libations I wasn't going to have a drink at Lebua State Tower {which you might remember from The Hangover Part II} fearing it was too cliché, but our friends convinced us to indulge, and I'm glad they did. Sipping a bev at the glow-bar on the 64th floor will cost you---drinks set you back about $16 usd---but it's a stunning space, one which should be perched upon for the limitless city view alone. Trip Styler Tip :: There is a dress code in effect, no sandals or shorts. And don't get too tipsy and drop your drink {or yourself}, the "security nets" hanging below the glass-enclosed rooftop wouldn't hold more than a penny.

Market Meander If you're in town from Fri - Sun, meander and barter your way through the inner and outer lanes of the superbowl stadium-sized Chatuchak market. It's sweaty, it's over-the-top and you can pick up everything from leather belts to fans to Thai silk. Refuel with coconut ice or a giant chocolate-dipped and sprinkle-covered banana. Men, don't be jealous. Wear clothes you're willing to sweat in and arrive early so you're not roasting like street meat in the midday sun. Easily accessible from the Mo Chit skytrain stop.

Cruise 'n Wat Not Make your way to the Mandarin Oriental's dock and ask the attendant to book you a long tail boat to cruise along Choa Phraya River. Total photo opp! Hire the boat for 15 mins or two hours, and cruise up and down the river's murky waters. Ask your captain to drop you off at one of the gold-leafed and colorfully adorned riverside Wats to view a Buddhist Temple in the centre of the city. Trip Styler Tip :: Many Wats like the Grand Palace and Wat Pho have a strict dress codes. I know this will be a chore, but no booty shorts or shoulder cut-outs, even though the heat will make you want to dress like you're 19 and club-going.

Stay Skip Bangkok's brood of $200+ usd/night luxury hotels in favor of the Lit! Bangkok, priced around $100/night. Located a two-min walk from the skytrain on a side street with hostels, street food and $10 usd massage joints, this modern palace provides a cool, calculated calm from Bangkok's heat and hype. Stay tuned for a full write-up about the Lit! on April 25th.

Getting There From the West Coast, Bangkok can be reached on Cathay Pacific or JAL via Hong Kong or Tokyo. Thai Airways operates a direct flight from LA. Once at Bangkok's airport, skip the 45-min, $15 USD taxi into town and take the express train for approx. $1.50 USD. Within 25 mins you're dropped right in the center of the city. From there, either take a bright pink cab or the skytrain to your hotel. Easy peasy.

[photos by @tripstyler]