http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2009-11-25T04:47:01Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Hotel%20Openings http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/23/94021/654 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/21888/mandarin_barcelona.jpg" class="top"> <p>Well here&#146;s a nice surprise to start the week. Despite our fears, the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Mandarin+Oriental+Barcelona/ian/333047"><b>Mandarin Oriental</b></a> Barcelona is going to open on schedule this Thursday. <p>When we say schedule, of course, we mean delayed schedule. The hotel was originally down to open 29 October, but when the date came and went, it was pushed back to 26 November. Although we weren&#146;t so sure it was a goer, given that the website <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/10/29/122752/97/hotels/Mandarin_Oriental_Barcelona_Will_Now_Open_on_November_26th">wasn&#146;t taking rezzies</a> until 15 December. <p>But hallelujah! We just called the hotel and spoke to a delightful man who told us that it is indeed opening Thursday, although plebs like us would not be welcome &#150; it&#146;s a private inauguration and opening do. Guests juliab 2009-11-23T10:19:26-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/20/1550/4266 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/PeninSH1.jpg" class="top"> <p>We can talk about <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Art%20Basel%20Hotels">Art Basel Miami</a></b> hotels and <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/christmas%20hotels">hotels for the holidays</a></b> all we want, but we can't ignore one of the biggest hotel openings of autumn, that of the <b><a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Peninsula+Shanghai/ian/324788">Peninsula Shanghai</a></b>. It officially welcomed its first guests back on October 19, and yet it's already like a landmark on Shanghai's Bund&#151;the street of shops, other high-class hotels, and historical buildings right at the bend of the Huangpu River. <p>The main thing to know about this Peninsula is its relatively low starting room rate: <b>$295</b>. With it, if you can score the deal (and we recommend searching for dates far into the future), you'll be sitting pretty in a room with the feeling JetSetCD 2009-11-20T15:30:58-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/20/104540/82 <![CDATA[<p><i>For the opening of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+Santiago/local/1599"><b>W Santiago Chile</b></a> we were fortunate to have <b>Jonathan Franklin</b> and photographer <b>Morten Andersen</b>, the guys behind <a href="http://www.addictvillage.com">Addict Village</a> attend the party and report back to us on what they saw. We know, we know, what a tough assignment. Enjoy.</i><p><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/w_hotel_santiago_01a.jpg" class="top"><p> W chose Santiago as its first ever South American location roughly five years ago. Finally on Tuesday, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/W+Santiago/local/1599"><b>The W Hotel Santiago</b></a> held its official opening party, a trademark WOW experience that included a rooftop pool adorned with three female synchronized swimmers in body gripping silver suits, live bands on various stages and the constant buzz from the estimated 1,200 guests.<p> Beginning at 8pm, paparazzi stalked the entrance as a virtual Jonathan Sanders 2009-11-20T14:16:43-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/20/1060/9928 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/30451/Distriktbed.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>One of our favorite milestones when tracking a new hotel opening is the release of photos. Not renderings, not collages, but full color pictures of the guestrooms we&#146;re so eager to check into. Today <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Distrikt+Hotel/local/1548"><b>The Distrikt Hotel</b></a> reaches that milestone by posting photos on its <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DistriktHotelNYC">Facebook page</a>.</p> <p>We&#146;ve been dying for a glimpse inside the hotel since the funky collages on the <a href="http://www.distrikthotel.com/press-gallery.php">website</a>--while arty and cool--left us without a clue as to room design. Now The Distrikt delivers and we&#146;re both relieved and disappointed. <p>Relieved that the neighborhood theme is not an OTT mish-mash as it could have been, but a little sad that the décor plays it so safe. For all its savvy MsRebecca 2009-11-20T10:44:30-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/11/20/3711/1205 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/amesbostonroom.jpg" class="top"><p><b>UPDATE:</b><i><a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/11/19/ames_hotel_presents_a_contrast_of_old_and_new/">Boston.com</a> has some new interior pics of The Ames Hotel.</i><p> What a long way in such a short time <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Ames+Hotel/local/1568"><b>The Ames Hotel</b></a> in Boston has come. When we checked in on the hotel at the beginning of October, we were quite skeptical based on the construction work we saw going on. <p>But lo and behold, The Ames has gone ahead and opened itself up. <a href="http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2009/11/20/enjoying_their_stay_at_the_ames/">Boston.com</a> has the scoop on the hotel execs that made it out last night to the hotel's opening party: <blockquote><p>The opening party for the Ames drew a long list of VIP guests including the project&#146;s celebrated architect and designer David Rockwell, hotel partner Seth Greenberg, former &#147;Top Chef&#146;&#146; contestant Sam Talbot, juliana 2009-11-20T08:29:30-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/