I am a sucker for good hotel design. It thrills me when I roll my luggage into a room and find something totally unexpected. For example, at La Purificadora in Puebla, Mexico, I loved that the bed and the desk were a single unit of furniture, and that the floors were made of black and white tiles that sounded slightly like an xylophone when you walked on them. At Arcotel Velvet, in Berlin, pictured here, I adored the full wall of windows (although more about that in a moment), and the color scheme of burgundy, chocolate brown and white.

But there were things that I didn't like as much about my rooms in both of these places, and since these are problems I've observed in other design conscious hotels around the world, I'm going to use these as examples of what goes wrong when form takes precedence over function.

1- The Impossible Sink
At the Arcotel Velvet, as is quite common, there was a separate room for shower and commode, and a sink just outside. You could pull a curtain to separate the sink from the rest of the room, which was good. (Flossing = not sexy.) But the sink itself was a design nightmare. It was beautiful to look at, very long and narrow. The sink was so long, that when I stood facing the mirror, I couldn't reach the faucets -- and I hasten to assure you that I am not especially stubby-armed. Okaaaay, I flipped around to stand longways at the sink, glancing sideways at the mirror. But the large mirror turned out to be a cabinet that contained things like the soap, and when I tried to open it, it nearly clocked me in the head.

2 - Fishbowl vs. Claustrophobia
When the sun went down, my affection for the great big wall of windows also faded. Now, I love natural light in a room, and I want to see outside as much as possible -- why travel if you're just gong to pull the shades? But when I left the hotel for dinner the first night, I realized that those lovely windows made for pretty fascinating viewing, even for someone who isn't a peeping Tom. There are blackout curtains that you can pull, but then the room feels oppressively small. It's a design problem that could use a design solution, and I bet the Arcotel Velvet would be equal to the task.

3- The Unholy Peepshow
At the otherwise gorgeous La Purificadora, the problem was an open-concept bathroom, one of the most bewildering trends in hotel design that I continually encounter. (Memo to designers: please stop it.)

The room is a long rectangle, and the only structure between the bathroom and the rest of the room was a free-standing closet, made of clear glass. In other words, there's nothing to obstruct the view. The sink is against one wall, perpendicular to two stalls which account for the commode and the shower. Both stalls are frosted glass, which is a small mercy, but the glass does not reach all the way to the ceiling, meaning that there is nothing containing steam, sounds and smells.

Now that's a set-up that makes watching someone floss seem sexy -- and, come to think of it, you could do that here too.

As we head inexorably into winter here on the East Coast, it's time for The Classicist to take a look back, raise a glass and celebrate the best of the season. Perhaps you're looking for a last-minute gift for the holidays or just want to treat yourself once the dust settles. Here's our rundown of seasonal favorites, some we've mentioned before and others appearing for the first time. See the gallery for full pix:

1. Barbour Dunelm jacket: A slimmed down version of the classic foul weather parka style jacket in signature waxed cotton with an attached hood, utility pockets and a two way zip under a studded-front storm flap, from the classic British outerwear company. Founded in 1894 and holders of the Royal Warrant, they've opened a new chapter in classic sporting style with updated designs.

2. LINCS by David Chu cardigan: From Chu's new collection of clothing for the "gentleman adventurer", a weighty cashmere cardigan in a heathery loden weave with a leather buckle at the collar and suede trim under the placket. The epitome of Chu's classic and rugged yet elegant ethos.

3. Ralph Lauren tartan duffel: Part of Lauren's luxe new Holiday Collection, rooted in the spirit of 1930's Sun Valley, the famous Idaho ski resort frequented by socialites and celebrities. Tartan plaid wool with saddle leather trim embodies wintry sophistication.

4. Wolverine Gentry Upland boots: From the 125-year-old company's new vintage-inspired 1000 Mile Collection, finished in rough full-grain leather with loden Pendleton wool inserts and lug soles. Equally at home in the field or on the town.

5. Caesar Guerini Apex shotgun: The rich heritage of fine Italian shotgun makers meets British lines and classic style in the Apex field and sporting models, blending beauty - Oiled Turkish Circassian walnut stock and intricate engraving - with performance and lasting value.

If you'd like to join Richard Gere in the New York inn business here's your chance. As Newsday's Real LI reports the Village Latch Inn in Southampton just went on the market for $24.75 million. One family has owned the five-acre property for decades. The complex includes a number of outbuildings-- Terry House, the Potting Shed, Homestead East and Homestead West among others, which were originally a part of the adjacent Merrill Lynch estate. The grounds are also home to a Victorian greenhouse, private villas, a pool, tennis courts and more.

According to the listing there are 67 uniquely decorated rooms, some with fireplaces, balconies or decks. It's a Hamptons plum partly because pre-existing zoning conditions allow for a variety of possibilities including future development. Or you could just keep it all to yourself and create your own family compound.

On December 16, Travel + Leisure revealed its annual list of the 500 best hotels in the world. There are at least 10 properties that are new to the list this year. In addition, there are 66 properties on the 2010 T+L 500 that offer rooms for $250 a night or less. T+L editors also spotlight the 500 hotels with notable rooftop scenes, culinary excursions, and wildlife treks. You can look up hotels by region (United States as well as abroad) or get started by checking out the top 50.

Based on readers' ratings, the 2010 T+L 500 is a guide to the top places to stay in six continents and also is featured in the January 2010 issue of Travel + Leisure. Beyond the guide in the magazine, which lists each property by region and includes each hotel's score, an overall description with contact information and starting room rates, TravelandLeisure.com has added information about these top properties, including the best rooms to book, amenities, exclusive T+L 500 hotel deals, and more.

The complete 2010 T+L 500 guide is based on 2009 World's Best Awards readers' survey results. As part of the survey, T+L readers rated hotels on several characteristics including rooms/facilities, location, service, restaurants/food, and value. The complete survey methodology is available here.

The 2010 World's Best Awards readers' poll is live through March 31, 2010. Cast your vote.

Fly fishing and warmth await attendees of WaterColor Inn & Resort's Orvis Fly Fishing School in northwest Florida. A two-day course offers instruction in everything from learning to set up fly rods to perfecting new casting techniques. The course is offered year-round on select Tuesdays/Wednesdays and Saturdays/Sundays.

The two-day course kicks off with an overview of the program and classroom presentation on lines, rods and reels. Students receive tutorials on the basic casting stroke, shooting line, false casting and roll cast and test what they have learned with some outdoor practice. Day one concludes with a knot tying seminar and discussion on fly fishing equipment and accessories.

The next morning begins with a lesson on fly selection, as well as tips on how to handle, photograph and release fish properly. Students then embark on an afternoon fishing excursion to local lakes or the Gulf (depending on the time of year and weather conditions), where they will hook fresh and saltwater fish.

The WaterColor Resort Fly Fishing School is offered year-round on select dates in 2010 for $470 per person. The price includes professional instruction, use of Orvis fly rods and reels, leaders, flies, waders, vests and fishing licenses, as well as lunch both afternoons. Lodging at the resort is additional.

Although snow and ice might not be the first things that come to mind when considering a spa vacation they're becoming more common as Nordic spas gain popularity with people looking to get their relaxation and invigoration fix during the cold winter months.

Nordic spas offer services based on the ancient European tradition of going from hot to cold (usually a hot sauna to a brisk cool dip) and back again. The therapy is said to help the body clear out toxins, boost immunity, stimulate circulation, and reduce stress. Sound interesting? Well it seems all the best Nordic spas are in Canada and here a few to get your search started.

Balnea Spa sits on 400 acres of nature preserve about an hour and a half outside of Montreal. The vibe is contemporary and a little urban, although expansive mountain views and a lakeside sauna make for plenty of opportunities to relax. You can even spend time in their winter-only igloo if you're so inclined.

The Scandinave Spa in Whistler is nestled in the northern woods and scheduled to open to the public next month (January 22, 2010). A Finnish-style sauna is supplemented with other options in individual glass and wooden buildings all connected by a series of meandering (and heated from below so you don't have to trudge through the snow) pathways. The feature list also includes open-air hot pools, complete with waterfalls.

Le Nordik is unique in that in addition to a Finnish sauna, four outdoor pools, several hot tubs, and a steam bath it offers a full pool-side restaurant that serves healthy fare like fish and veggie wraps, local artisan cheeses, and wine.

Many a gift is made that much more compelling by the addition of a bottle of wine. So when the opportunity arises to give a gift that is sprinkled with phrases like "private" and "VIP" and "Napa," and that gift comes with not one, but three, bottles of distinguished ambrosia -- well, it begins to look like a little bit of attention might be in order.

Wine.com's By Appointment Only will stuff your mailbox with a package of cabernets from Quintessa, Chateau Montelena, and Caymus. Yet those are merely to get you in the mood. The feature delight comes the next time you visit Napa: private appointments at each vineyard, during which you'll tour the facilities, sample as-yet-unbottled selections straight from the barrels -- so bring a straw -- and if Madame Nature plays fair, a tour of the vineyard

These are no rush jobs, either: each group is just four people, and each visitation lasts up to 3 hours. Which means that when you've finished your preliminary samplings and you want to know what makes Caymus so subtly capricious, Chateau Montelena so delicately moving, and Quintessa so.. just plain divine, By Appointment Only is your peek behind their veils. Oh, and priced at $500, it also has a superb finish: it's good until the summer of 2011.

When Oceana Cruises' new "Marina" ship sets sail in winter 2011 the exclusive "owners' suites" (pictured above) will be something of a homage to Ralph Lauren's enduring American style.

Last week, from the Ralph Lauren showroom in New York, the cruise line announced that the Marina's three, 2,500-square-foot luxury suites will be decorated with furniture, fabrics, lighting and bedding from the Ralph Lauren Home collection. Just shy of hiring Ralph Lauren himself, the company went so far as to hire a Tocar Interior Design, a firm started by two former Polo executives.

Marina was designed to carry 1,258 travelers and the boat's filled with high-end details not usually found on cruise ships, like a grand, Lalique-designed grand staircase, stained-wood paneling, marble and granite surfaces, wool carpets and leather armchairs. The ship has 10 dining venues, a variety of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub, fitness center and more. The ship is just now being built but Oceania Cruises will start taking reservations in January 2010.

The world's coolest new bar has just opened at the ultra-luxe Ayana Resort & Spa in Bali. To get to the Rock Bar, towering 46 feet above the crashing waves, you have to take a special lift that traverses the face of a dramatic craggy seaside cliff. There are uninterrupted, 360-degree views on all sides in a setting any Bond villain would love. Designed by Yasuhiro Koichi of Japan's Design Studio SPIN, it's an enviable feat of engineering, architecture and mixology. Designed to ensure maximum seclusion for every guest, the Ayana's 78 free-standing, cliff-top luxury villas are set in traditional Balinese compounds with private pools surrounded by tropical gardens.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Winter can be a great time to take a trip but traveling through the cold, ice, and snow can pose a real safety risk. Being prepared for the worst is key to preventing the worst, and that means having an emergency kit.

If you're driving the entire way just pack an emergency kit ahead of time and throw it in the trunk. If you're flying and then renting a car pack an emergency kit in something like a small gym bag and pack it into the bottom of one of your checked luggage pieces.

Winter Car Emergency Kit

• 3lb coffee can, candles, and matches (to keep warm and for melting snow for drinking water)
• Whistle and a red bandana/brightly colored garbage bag to call for help/let rescuers know where you are
• Some granola or candy bars
• A flashlight with spare batteries
• A first aid kit (including any essential medications)
• A blanket (special foil-type survival blankets fold up to a very small size)
  
• Basic tool kit
• Jumper Cables
• Ice scraper (most rental cars don't come with them)

More bad news out of Las Vegas for the tourism industry. The AP reports that the Sahara hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip is closing rooms in two of its towers over the winter season. Sam Nazarian's SBE Entertainment owns the property now and a publicist has said that the two towers will stay shut until business improves. The casino and the main Tangiers tower will remain open. It's not known if the hotel will lay off staff. Several other hotels recently opened on the Strip at the City Center complex so there is no shortage of places to stay in Las Vegas.

A soft opening date has been announced for the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel. The hotel, which will be London's biggest new hotel opening in more than a decade has a soft opening date of February 4 with room rates starting at £99. The hotel has 1,021 rooms including 54 suites and penthouses and will offer the second-largest ballroom space in London after the Marriott Grosvenor House, with the ability to host 1,000 people for dinner. In February the hotel will be partially open while the property completes the spa, swimming pool and gym. The hotel has six restaurants, a business lounge and 31 meeting rooms and will feature an Italian coffee bar by espressamente illy.

[via Breaking Travel News]

Flooring isn't a topic that gets a lot of attention in hotel reviews, but what you're standing on definitely contributes to the sense of luxury in the room. I've gotten to the point where I can pinpoint what the price range of an accommodation should be simply by slipping off my shoes and socks and walking across the floor. The best quality flooring is soft and caressing when it's carpet, just scratchy enough when it's sisal, pleasingly variable when its stone or wood. (And as for the rooms where I don't want to take my shoes off -- well, that's not what we discuss here on Luxist.)

There's far more to Encantado in Santa Fe than terrific flooring, like the kiva-style wood burning fireplaces in each casita, a private patio from which to admire that sky in its particular shade of blue, décor which tells you you're in New Mexico without hitting you over the head with it, a plush bed that you don't want to leave. But it was when I slid my socks off and discovered that the extra-large bathroom had radiant floor heating, I became officially delighted. Since I was, after all, in Santa Fe, I immediately assumed the yoga posture called Adho Mukha Svanasana, better known as downward facing dog. I was reluctant to break the pose, it was all I could do to not curl up on the floor for a nap. In a cold climate, it's the small, warm touches like that one can help justify a room rate that can stretch to over $1,000. See the gallery for more Encantado enchantments,

If you're among those worried about the state of the newspaper industry, here's one way to express your solidarity. Okay, so it won't do anything to save the jobs of your favorite ink-stained wretches, but the gift shop at Fairmont Copley Plaza offers very cool handbags made from recycled newspapers. They're a product of Couture Planet, a Boston-local company, and newspapers themselves come from the Fairmont's guest rooms. Choose the section that you want -- colorful choices include lifestyle,arts, food, sports and my personal favorite, travel -- and then the style, which ranges from tote to wristlet.

If you're more a fan of Boston than of newspapers, the gift shop offers other local products, including cufflinks made from T tokens, parquet from the Boston Garden, or chairs from Fenway Park.