If only this one had been open in January when millions rushing to D.C. to witness President Obama's Inauguration were faced with sold-out hotels left and right. In what marks another milestone in the global expansion of the W Hotel brand, the W Hotel in Washington, D.C opened this past Thursday with a giant bash. It was a jam-packed party full of the town's political elite, including Presidential Aide Reggie Love and the President's personal secretary Katie Johnson, as well as celebs like Emmy Rossum who flocked to hear an intimate performance by John Legend. In an event that brought Versailles to Washington, the party was full of Marie Antoinette models sporting powdered wigs and opera glasses while guests sipped on pink cocktails and munched on cotton candy.

The new W Hotel, the 25th to open in North America, takes over the historic Hotel Washington, which opened in 1917. The new design incorporates the 1920s Beaux Arts architecture of the original building with the edgy designs of Dianna Wong whose, L.A.-based firm transformed all of the interiors. Wong gathered artwork symbolizing "old Washington," which she sprinkled among her more modern designs including a digital fireplace, crackled paint, deconstructed fixtures, and new chandeliers complimenting the original 1920s light fixtures. Her theme throughout the hotel is "pinstripes and lace," to appeal to both the masculine and feminine powers of Washington.

As the city's closest hotel to the White House, the location features unparalleled views of our nation's monuments, and can expect to attract an abundance of stately guests from around the world, and perhaps a national scandal or two.

W turned the famed rooftop, where for decades politicos have converged to drink and deliberate, into a modern cocktail lounge, with a menu provided by cocktail king Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey and Little Branch. The cocktails can also be ordered in the Living Room, W's design of the traditional hotel lobby. Dining options include the J&G Steakhouse and Wine Bar from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.The W Washington D.C. has 317 guestrooms in total, including 23 Marvelous suites. The W's interpretation of the traditional Presidential Suite, the "pinstripes and lace" Extreme WOW suite, is an exact symbol of the new design influence quickly arriving in our nation's capital.

We first heard about this hotel last summer and now it is finally open for business. The Merchant Hotel in Belfast, Ireland has transformed the former headquarters of the Ulster Bank, on Waring Street into a luxury boutique hotel of 21 bedrooms and five suites. It took two years to restore the property and the company behind the project, Beannchor spent more than £400,000 on antiques and artwork. Rooms cost from £220 to £600 for the grand suite. Rooms have air-conditioning and flat-screen televisions. Each bedroom is named after a different Irish writer. There is also a  commercial gallery in the hotel lobby, showcasing the work of Northern Ireland's best artists. Guests can also hire the hotel's Bentley Arnage.

Just in time for Derby season, a new hotel has opened in Louisville, Kentucky. The 21C Museum and Hotel is located in downtown Louisville and offers 90 rooms including six suites. The rooms have high ceilings, flat-screen televisions, 450-thread-count sheets, iPods and original works of art from the owners' $10 million collection. The hotel also includes a 5,000-square-foot contemporary art museum and a fitness center as well as a new restaurant, Proof on Main that serves American cuisine with a Tuscan flair. Room start at $199, but Derby weekend is already all booked up. Given that many most of Louisville's luxury hotel options are more on the traditional side, it's nice to see a touch of modern come to downtown.

[via Hotel Newswire]

The Ritz-Carlton has announced a new China hotel. It's their first resort style hotel in the region (they already have hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai). The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya will be located along the South China Seas with views of Yalong Bay, in Hainan Province. The hotel will include 451 rooms, suites, and private villas and a 30,000-square-foot spa as well as three restaurants, a fitness center and even a wedding chapel. The ambitious project will be completed in 2008.

Chicago will get another big tower. Mandarin Oriental has announced a 65-story co-tel. The Mandarin Oriental Tower, Chicago will have 500 units in a tall glass structure that will also have restaurants, shops and a 40,000 square-foot health club and spa. The tower will have 250 guest rooms and suites, 100 Residences at Mandarin Oriental which will be on floors 32 through 45 and start at 1,600-square-feet and include a full kitchen. Above that are 150 Tower Condominiums which have their own concierge service, valet parking and access to the hotel's spa and restaurants. Prices start from $500,000 to over $10 million. Completion is planned for spring 2009. Between this and the Fordham Spire, Chicago's skyline is going to be a whole lot flashier in a few years.

The condo market in Las Vegas may be in a slump but that isn't stopping new resorts from being developed. The latest is the Ultimate Sports Resort (not its official name), a sports-themed mega-resort. The complex will be in North Las Vegas near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The $4 billion project will have 5,500 rooms, ten sports arenas, 150,000 sq. foot casino and 750,000 sq. foot convention center. The resort will offer places to watch sports, play sports, test out sports equipment and buy sports memorabilia. The four primary hotel towers will feature giant LED displays and the towers are capable of broadcasting sporting events taking place inside. The new resort's website has video of the plans for the interior and exterior of this massive complex.