HotelChatter

The renovations covered all 739 guest rooms and 24 suites, plus 12,000 sq ft of meeting space. Though, we're far more interested in the funky things going on on the walls in the guest rooms.

Honoring the original Morris Lapidus design with little geometric shapes traced onto the wall above the bed, the new rooms are much more playful, a quality further set off by the reddish wood on the headboard, and the cute dome-shaped reading lamps.

As for the art, seems a little generic to us (we liked what we saw at the Algonquin much more), though since they've gone cuckoo over the whole modernist, Art Deco theme, we can forgive them a little. And really, when you take a look at what the rooms looked like before renovations (TripAdvisor offers a few snapshots), these new designs are seriously a blessing.

Fancy desk chairs, blind-free windows (curtains are just plain easier), and wall-mounted flat-screen TVs are all part of DoubleTree Metropolitan's new vibe, and we're digging it.

What's more, the hotel is offering folks a First Look Special, which throws in free WiFi and two free drinks at the new Lobby Bar, for just $179/night on weekends and $139/night on Sundays. Retro and economical—we like!

[Photo: DoubleTree]