HotelChatter

Rising 25 stories on the bank of the Hudson River, directly across from Manhattan's West Village, the W Hoboken is the very hip hybrid of hotel and condo. While the middle 14 stories host guests, the highest floors hog all the best views and balconies for the forty sold-out private residences. Those calling the W home will also enjoy access to housekeeping, maintenance, the gym, floral arrangements and the company's Whatever/Whenever concierge program.

Hotel hotspots will include the club Chandelier Room, from the folks behind New York's exclusive Tenjune, a 5,000-square-foot Bliss Spa, SWEAT gym, an as-yet-unannounced restaurant, themed bar, and a lounge where we hope the servers will be decked out in Gwen Stefani's creations for W Hotels. Because Hoboken is home to some large companies with needs for business travelers, expect the W to outfit the rooms and convention areas with the latest technology and impressive furniture, although we're pretty sure the wifi will not be free.

The lobby of a W Hotel is called the "living room," and Hoboken's will be getting two-story glass windows and some nifty mood curtains installed. What exactly are "mood curtains?" Here's a tidbit from the press release: "Innovative design elements such as luminous woven stainless steel curtains that flank the entranceway and change color according to mood and atmosphere." Ahh sookie sookie now! What color is hungover?

Hoboken's PATH train stop is 2.5 blocks south of the hotel, making it within easy reach of Midtown and Lower Manhattan; from Hoboken to the West Village is 5 minutes, or continue up to 33rd Street for max 20 minutes on the train. We smell the opportunity for West Village shopping and dining combinations, because everyone knows that W Hotels are package-crazy.

Although room rates haven't yet been released, we're going out on a limb to guess at $220 for soft-opening, followed by $300-$320 a night when they hit their stride in late spring 2009. Due to open on February 26, we have no doubt that it will quickly become a destination for both travelers and locals. especially if Hoboken's mayor proves right with his words: "When you're in Manhattan and you look at Hoboken ... the W Hotel stands very tall and proud - and you know just where the City of Hoboken is."

[W Hoboken flag image and mayor's quote via nj.com; W Hoboken rendering via W Hotels]