HotelChatter

Both properties were acquired in 2010 by UK-based St Giles Hotel Group an outpost of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Originally an apartment building, the 19th-century Tuscany opened in 1928 at a cost of $500,000 with 14 floors of apartments, and later became the first NYC hotel to have telephones in every bathroom and color televisions. Audrey Hepburn was a frequent patron for coffee, and their in-house restaurant/lounge is named after her. It alsohad a stint as a W Hotel. This is what The Tuscany is supposed to look like, come December. Nearly there!

Though the could have skimped on the size and cut them in half, rooms are large just like The Court, which we certainly appreciate. They're furnished in custom oak with Italian leather walls, as well some pretty luxe chocolate-and red-velvet furnishings (score, if you get the chaise lounge!)

The bathrooms, are a bit jarring and don't go with the richness of the room--super white with subway-style tiles, but Molton Brown fans dig the bathroom amenities like Ambiente sleep spray, vitamin lip saver made from French honey, beeswax and vitamin E.

The Tuscany is still planning to honor its introductory $269 per night rate listed in its mid-October press release, though we expect that price to increase quickly. It’s spacious rooms, lovely design, and free WiFi, won’t go unnoticed for long, even with glut of New York hotels emerging in the next few months.

Oh, and St Giles’ “Be Rewarded” members (sorry, we’re blanking on this club) will also earn 500 bonus VOILÀ points.

Stay tuned for our full report, when we see the official gussied Tuscany.

[Photos: Chanize Thorpe/HotelChatter/Rendering: St Giles Group]]