HotelChatter - AnnaS8

Kampala : Uganda Hotel Scene :: Expats Can Be Found Poolside at Hotels

ScarlettLion — 2008-09-05T15:05:22-05:00

HotelChatter's newest contributing editor Scarlett Lion is filing her stories from Uganda. Every now and then, she'll be sending us dispatches about the hotel scene here. Got questions? Send 'em to us and we'll get them answered. Enjoy.

Every time Saturday or Sunday rolls around, or an unpredictable "public holiday" is declared in Uganda, you can be sure to find expatriates and wealthy Ugandans flocking hotel swimming pools.

While the Sheraton was once the place to see and be seen, and maybe spot a government minister or two, such is no longer the case. It now has some Olympic-sized competition in the new Speke Munyonyo Resort.

Providence: Reader Review :: The Hotel Providence is Just Right for a Boutique Hotel Virgin

kjb — 2008-09-05T14:35:22-05:00

<![CDATA[Every so often we feature a hotel review from one of our readers that we feel should be shared with the rest of you dear hotel guests. These reviews are highlighted because they are timely, about cool hotels in cool places and are relatively level-headed. Think you can submit one just like this? <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">Send it in</a>. Now, we present you with Jaunted contributing editor <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/user/KJB">KJB's</a> review of the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Hotel+Providence/ian/226563">Hotel Providence</a> in Rhode Island. Enjoy.<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/14943/hp2.jpg" class="imgborder"> A weekend trip a couple years ago granted me the opportunity to visit the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Hotel+Providence/ian/226563">Hotel Providence</a> in Providence, Rhode Island. To be honest, this was my first experience with a boutique hotel, but certainly will not be the last.

New York: Get Your Entourage On at The Muse New York

Jenna — 2008-09-05T14:05:23-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/bevwil_entourage.jpg" class="imgborder"> While some of us maybe would like to "get it on" with the stars of HBO's <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Entourage%20Hotels">Entourage</a> (ahem), we suppose we might be able to settle for the "Get Your Entourage On" package at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Muse+-+A+Kimpton+Hotel/local/167">Muse New York</a>, just in time for the season premiere of the series (hooray!) on September 7th. Or at least we'd send our boyfriends to get their Entourage on while we did other stuff... We've been jealous of our brothers at Jaunted, who <a href="http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/5/114748/6407/travel/Entourage+Air+Jets+from+Queens+to+Vegas">got to fly aboard</a> the very first Virgin America Entourage Air flight yesterday -- so maybe we can one-up them by booking this hotel package and flying to NYC via Entourage Air. Or something. Package

New York: Party Dispatch :: Interview Magazine Party at The Standard NYC

Jenna — 2008-09-05T13:28:31-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/standard_commonareashot.jpg" class="imgborder"> As we mentioned <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/5/91033/59791/hotels/Snapshot_Still_Bare_Standard_NYC_Hosts_Interview_Magazine_Party">this morning</a>, we had a chance to swing by the Interview Magazine party held at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/The+Standard+NYC/local/795">Standard NYC</a> in Manhattan's Meatpacking District last night. Now, just to be clear: the hotel is Not. Done. And it's not, like, close to done. No, no, no -- rather, in the spirit of fashion week, the party's theme was innovative: we'd call it "construction site chic." Seriously though, the party was on the construction site of the Standard -- but somehow, they managed to pull off a kickass soiree and we, in turn, managed to get through the whole thing without any stiletto catastrophes from the combination of plywood planks and cement floors.

West Hollywood: Snapshot :: Cat Power Helps Mondrian Hotel Show Off New Look

abigailmschilling — 2008-09-05T13:25:27-05:00

Last night we stopped by the (re)launch party of the new, totally reinvented Mondrian Hotel in LA. The place was packed and the staff were out in full force (and costume), and everyone was falling head-first into the fantasy design. Not only was Cat Power there, but apparently Paris Hilton was around (which explains all the photogs we saw hanging around not shooting us).

The real celeb of the evening, though, was definitely Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz -- the artist behind the total redesign.

For more on the head-to-toe, looks-nothing-like-it-used-to, this-will-blow-your-mind redesign, check back Monday for our full report.