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Arlington Gets Its First 'Boutique' Hotelby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer |
| More than 10 years in the making, the
Hotel Palomar at Waterview, in Rosslyn celebrated its official
ribbon-cutting on Nov. 15. Designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (the firm that designed the pyramid entrance to the Louvre in Paris), the 154-room property is the first and only luxury boutique hotel in Arlington. The Palomar, which is one of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' more than 40 boutique hotels in the United States, has a theme that centers around “art in motion.” It incorporates this concept by featuring the work of local artists, who also are invited to mingle with guests during the hotel's daily complimentary wine hour. “We bring art to life in this hotel, from the gorgeous original artwork, to our partnership with the Arlington arts community,” said Palomar general manager Sholeh Katherina Kia. “We are so excited to be a part of the renaissance of Rosslyn, an area with so many cultural offerings.” The hotel also has a commitment to being part of the green movement. “We are proud that this is Rosslyn's first eco-friendly hotel,” said Kimpton Hotels president Mike Depatie. “We take the environment seriously.” Each hotel room is equipped with a recycling bin, and all cleaning products used by staff are chemical- free and earth-friendly. Depatie also said that the hotel “takes fun seriously.” Some of the “fun” features of the hotel include telescopes in rooms with water views, 600-thread-count sheets, iPod docking stations and L'Occitane bath products, among other amenities. The hotel considers itself to be very pet-friendly, and Palomar staff recently announced their newest team member, “Sparky.” This mixed-breed pooch is maestro of pet services and is responsible for all hotel pet relations. Although many Arlingtonians will not, themselves, be guests at the Palomar, county and hotel representatives hope that the hotel's presence is beneficial to those who live and work in the area. “The investment a hotel brings to the community, obviously from tax dollars, really makes them jewels,” said County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson. “The design, the architecture, the art and the first-class facility you've built here really adds a lot to the county.” “Rosslyn and Arlington County are becoming destinations in themselves,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-8th. “This is a destination that people are going to talk about.” |