Stylishly Mod Hotel Close to Washington, DC

While the term airport hotel might evoke images of colorless cement structures, Aloft Dulles Airport North isn’t the average airport hotel—a vivid, multicolored roof installation immediately disproves that stereotype. Just 5 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport, Aloft Dulles brims with imaginative style and personality. In its lobby, multi-toned, ice-cube-shaped lights hang over brilliant purple armchairs and bright-yellow couches. In re:mix lounge, a four-screen LCD TV broadcasts over an eclectic selection of furniture, ranging from a green-apple lounge chair to square coffee tables.

In one of the loft-inspired, pet-friendly standard rooms, giant windows stretch up to 9-foot ceilings, allowing natural light to stream in. Guests sleep under a sleek wooden headboard with modular reading lamps. Padding into the bathroom, guests discover the walk-in shower and rethink trying to crab walk under the oversize showerhead.

Aloft guests can use their iPhone or Blackberry to download exclusive step-by-step workouts for exercising in the re:charge fitness center. A complimentary hotel shuttle brings passengers to area attractions within a 5-mile radius. Returning guests can relax at the hotel’s in-house w xyz bar, which plays mood music and serves a light snacking menu.

Ashburn, Virginia: Wine Country near Nation's Capital

Less than a 30-minute drive to Washington, DC, Aloft Dulles Airport North is located in Loudoun County, otherwise known as wine country for the DC area. No other area in Virginia has more wineries. It’s certainly possible to spend the morning exploring the nation's capital, then head out to the country in the evening to sip local vintages on a wine estate’s rolling vineyards.

Washington, DC, arguably contains the most famous monuments in American history. First-time visitors may want to head straight for the National Mall, which stretches east from the Lincoln Memorial, past the soaring white Washington Monument, and down to the U.S. Capitol Building. The city is rife with other cultural opportunities, starting with the 19 museums in the Smithsonian Institution. The prestigious institute’s best-known museums are located along the National Mall, where tourists find the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. Thousands of guests each year also visit the lesser-known Smithsonian museums, such as the National Postal Museum and the National Zoo, featuring giant pandas and lion cubs.