Web sites for armchair travelers

Published 3:45 pm Friday, September 5, 2008

All travel, no attitude: Are you tired of travel Web sites that want either to sell you a ticket or prove that they’re better than the other latest travel social network? Would you be more comfortable just reading about cool travel-related products and destinations? Been-Seen.com has daily posts — sans attitude — about global destinations for design-hungry travelers.

What’s hot: Find out who’s building the most inspired hotels and buildings, from glass igloos in Finland to an underwater luxury hotel in the Maldives. The site has a soft spot for all things underwater and dares to talk about UFO-inspired art installations in Poland.

The section called “52 Weeks” lists hotels, islands and global hideaways that celebs frequent and that are open to the public. Film buffs will be drawn to the Movie Atlas, which offers a weekly film recommendation with a location “irrevocably changed by time and the relentless march of progress.”

What’s not: For a Web site that obviously has a strong interest in style and design, this Web site interface looks archaic and, well, not very design-y.

Jen Leo Special to the Los Angeles Times