Maiden Voyage by SEA

[trip style = luxury + weekend getaway]

Ladies AND men, listen up! {Men I suggest you don't tune out because if you read this closely, and give this weekend away as a gift, you'll be a superhero}...

It was not my first maiden voyage---aka gals' getaway---nor my first trip to Seattle, but it felt like the first. My stateroom had iconic views, the seafood was Pacific Northwest-fresh and the first mates were first class...

Recently the TS gals were invited to discover an area of Seattle that wasn't on our radar: South Lake Union {SLU}. Sandwiched between the Space Needle and Lake Union, Paul Allen {former Microsoft exec and current bachelor extraordinaire} owned some serious city acreage and decided the area needed a refresh, so he cooked up a work-play locale befitting Seattle's urban movers and shakers {read: volumes of young Amazon.com staffers who work at the recently-minted mega-campus in SLU, aka, the first mates}.

What makes the area unique for a trip style = weekend visitor is the local beat. Industrial, gritty and glassy, it's a place where people actually live, eat, sleep, shop, work and exercise; so we join them, stopping in for a smoothie at Whole Foods, browsing the fashionable furniture at Seva Home and sipping a bev at re:public. Because it's home to many, it feels like a home to us---a place we can settle in and discover bit by bit, bite by bite and step by step. Now, more on our stateroom and fresh catch...

Stay Punctuated by color-popping modern art and a large-scale desk-chic chandelier, find the burgeoning area's most stylish digs at the Pan Pacific Seattle. Far from polar fleece or khaki cargo pants, the 153-room hotel---capturing views of the Space Needle and Lake Union---feels like a contemporary artist's canvas where guests can add their own color. Mine involved a Saturday morning lake-front run beside marinas and houseboats before meeting the TS girls for an afternoon of shopping, the spa and dinner out.

Eat Saddle up to the Raw Bar at Seastar Restaurant and let the masterful chefs have their way with your taste buds. Sushi savants will love the colorful, on-a-whim platters rolled in plain sight. Tasting the ceviche, and crab-topped flame-seared sushi, and chatting with the gentleman beside us {who visits four times per week}, we see why it's the #1 Zagat award-winning seafood restaurant in Seattle. PS - If you retire to the restaurant for your main course, the Reggiano Parmigiano Halibut is mouth-watering and highly recommended.

Do Draped in earth tones and shaped by clean lines, Vida Wellness Spa at the Pan Pacific is a maiden voyage must-do. Known for their facials, the estheticians are knowledgable and highly educated in the art of skin. All three of us---fairly into skin ourselves---could not stop swapping discoveries gleaned from our treatments. PS - you'll love the healing infrared lights over every treatment bed and full-body infrared sauna.

If You Go - Ladies, spring for a night in the swanky and spacious Space Needle-View Suite {from $400}. Champagne tastes so much better overlooking cultural landmarks and large bodies of water! {Trip Styler Tip :: get an adjoining room if you're with a gals' group, and toast the moment in the living room of the suite.} - A complimentary hotel town car runs m-f. - Valet parking is $39. - Free wifi. - SLU is a five minute walk from downtown Seattle.

Related A Gals' Getaway in AZ Condensed Mancations Springtime In The Emerald City YVR To SEA Must-Stops Tulalip Resort - Five Things

[photos by @tripstyler]

Roam+Board :: Fairmont Banff Springs

[trip style = active/adventure + luxury + spa]

{Editor’s Note :: I was just a guest of the Fairmont Banff Springs and the iconic property is Trip Styler approved.}

What First things first. The Fairmont Banff Springs isn't just a hotel, it's a fairy tale scene right out of a just-shaken snow globe.

I don't think I've ever referred to a hotel as magical, but the 768-room castle {literally} carries a Harry Potter-level mystique with chandelier-covered ballrooms, arched grand entrances and a stone-clad exterior. Within seconds of pushing my way though the rotating wood and brass doors, it quickly becomes my favorite Canadian heritage hotel, and yes, the four-lane bowling alley helps sway my decision.

Whether or not you have any interest in history, you can't help but be taken by the 1888-built property. You'd be in good company, Marilyn Monroe liked it too, and if she were here today, I have a feeling she'd escape under the trio of cascading waterfalls in the spa's spring fed pool. This alone is worth writing home about. Fold in the stop-in-your-tracks views, and you've got a post card-perfect Canadian scene stealer.

Where In Banff, the heart of the Canadian Rockies, a one hour drive from the Calgary International Airport.

When Summers are warm like hot chocolate, winters are frosty like snow cones, and shoulder season could go either way. When I was there in mid-May, it went from a balmy +25 C one day, to a snowy -2 C the next. Dress in layers---from flip flops to snow boots.

Who/Why You're 30% adventurous 70% chic, and like an intrepid boy scout/girl guide you'll just as quickly march into the wilderness as you'll waltz into the wine bar for après. Lucky for you, both are much better enjoyed with views of the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cost Rates start at $299 per night Jan-May and Oct-Dec. During summer high season, rooms start at $449. Valet parking is $35+ tax/night and self-park is $25+ tax/night. Bark woof, Fido can come too for $25/night. Expect complimentary wifi and a $49 spa rate *if* you sign up for Fairmont's free {and fabulous} loyalty program.

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

[photos by @tripstyler]

Tech Tuesday :: What Kind Of Beachgoer Are You?

[trip style = beach]

The idea of trip stylin' is taking flight, and we're excited to be the figurative first officer! Expedia recently launched their Discover Your Summer Escape Sale---one of their biggest sales of the year---partially designed around trip styles.

The sale comes in two parts: a} Discovering your perfect summer escape by selecting a destination through a package or a la carte. b} Discovering your ultimate summer beach-going escape through a quick quiz on Facebook.

Use the quiz to find your summer 2012 beach personality---be it zen, active, luxury, family, exotic, foodie, etc.... After completing the questions, you're matched with a travel blog like Trip Styler that best fits your answers. Each travel blog shares their bucket list and top pick destinations for summer travel inspiration, some of which you can book! We were lucky enough to be featured as one of these 15 travel blogs; check out our locales for Zen and Luxury trip styles.

PS - I have no obligation to mention Expedia's summer sale, but who doesn't want to talk about summer trip styles? If you're reading Trip Styler, I'm guessing you do!

More Tech Tuesday Stitchtagram - Travel Pillow Talk Hotel Tonight Adds Canada Eh Pic Frames {aka – photo collages} Tingo “Money Back” Hotel Search ‘n Book Instagram For Android Google Traveler Tricks

[photos via expedia.com]

Go Fish {With Costas Spiliadis}

[trip style = staycation + weekend getaway]

{Editor's Note: Did you see that we're listed as one of 12 travel blogs in North America in Expedia's Discover Your Summer Escape campaign? See our recent press here.}

One thing that excites me about summer travel is the food, specially outdoor cooking. There's fewer joys in the world than preparing and eating a fresh meal by way of a clambake, fish fry or BBQ under a starry sky. Full stop.

Recently I covered the three-day Uncork'd epicurean event in Vegas and attended "how to select the best fish" at Estiatorio Milos, helmed by celeb chef Costas Spiliadis. With four highly successful Greek restaurants worldwide and a respectable 30 years in restau biz, he demonstrated the fine art of "fishing at the market" while fandangling the fresh catch from his chilled display. Here are his tips---perf for your next summer clambake:

How To Select The Best Fish At The Market {With Costas Spiliadis}

• Go local - Find out what's local for the ultimate freshness.
• Seasonality - Don't try to find salmon in February. Go with what's in season.
• Freshness - Look at the fish's eyes for clarity and general composition. Take a whiff; if it smells fishy, toss it back.
• BFFs - Build a relationship with your fish supplier to get the inside track.

{Outdoor patio of Estiatorio Milos at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas}

[Photos by @tripstyler]

IMG_FRI :: Rock 'n Rails

[trip style = luxury + sightseeing]

{Editor's Note :: Next week is a double-whammy for the TS crew, Monday is a Canadian National Holiday, and the rest of the week we'll be trip styling in a secret location abroad---more details on this in the next few weeks---with potentially spotty wifi and a full schedule. Look for updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and catch us back in action on Monday, May 28th.}

This week I had the privilege of taking the road less traveled aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, named by National Geographic as one of the world's greatest trips {our full report coming in a few weeks}. Inching through the Canadian Rockies at speeds ranging from 10 to 50km/h, I savored a side of Canada that's wild, explored by few and ruled by the mighty grizzly bear.

More IMG_FRI Handsome Coffee LA SEA-ttle Tokyo JAL Business Class A Cinque Terre Adventure Conquering Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain

[photos by @tripstyler]