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Heard Around the Hotel World: Hollywood Edition

January 11, 2008 at 1:06 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

· Legendary "Mayor" of Hollywood Johnny Grant died on Wednesday night at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Now, maybe he and Marilyn can haunt the hotel together.

· The scariest lodgings in all of Hollywood? The suites at the Celebrity Centre run by Scientology. The New Yorker says there are 39 hotel rooms to accommodate visiting Scientologists. (One suite is even designed by famous Scientoloigists like Kirstie Alley.) If you don't want to stay overnight, the Centre has a restaurant called Renaissance that's open to the public. Enter at your own risk.

· In their latest edition of 36 Hours, the NYT goes to Hollywood. A hotel recommendation aside from the Roosevelt is the Hollywood Hills Hotel on North Sycamore Avenue:

Studios with a king bed and kitchen start at $129, and many rooms have balconies. Added perk -- stay at the hotel and you are permitted entry to the Magic Castle, a private club where magicians do their thing.

· While the Writers' Strike has effectively cancelled the Golden Globes, the swag suites will still go on. The Sofitel LA and the Peninsula are two local hotels hosting gifting suites. But the HBO's Golden Globes "Luxury Lounge" at the Four Seasons Hotel will not be open. Poor celebs may actually have to buy some clothes with their own money this money.

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Heard Around the Hotel World :: Openings and Renovations in 2008

January 7, 2008 at 5:30 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

· When The Thompson LES Hotel opens sometime in April/May, the guest rooms will be tricked out with HDTV. The hotel recently signed a deal with RCN has signed a multi-year deal to provide digital cable TV and high-definition services.

· Speaking of Thompson, while BondSt inside the Thompson Beverly Hills was set for a January 7th opening, we hear it's more likely to be open by Friday, January 11th.

· More hotel renovations are coming in Las Vegas. This time to the Mirage which will unveil its contemporary guest rooms in February.

· Remember the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua has officially re-opened today for all guests after a $160 million renovation. Call the hotel directly to book as their online reservations page is not working properly. Room rates start at $599.

· The Nita Lake Lodge which was to open in December 2007 is still unopened but the website promises a Winter 2008 opening.

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Heard Around the Hotel World: A Thompson Hotel at the Rio Looks Likely

December 14, 2007 at 3:57 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

·  Our Vegas sources say that the Thompson Hotel inside the Rio Hotel & Casino is getting closer to a deal. Stephen Brandman, everyone's favorite hotelier, was in Sin City on Tuesday at the Rio checking the place out.
· Prive nightclub inside the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino will open on New Years Eve with Avril Lavigne set to host.
· Kor Hotels have announced yet another expansion of the Viceroy Hotel brand, this time in Asia. Viceroy China Beach will open in 2010.
· NYLO Plano is opening on Tuesday, December 18th and we were able to talk with the senior VP of operations, Patrick O'Neil. We will have that interview next week but it's interesting to note that so many of the partners/execs at NYLO Hotels came from Starwood. They of the similar brand, Aloft. And so the battle begins.

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Heard Around the Hotel World: Britney Spears Gets Blacklisted

November 30, 2007 at 4:22 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

We had a little surprise bit of Heard Around the Mexican Hotel World earlier this week and now we bring you our regularly scheduled programming.

· Britney Spears has reportedly been blacklisted from the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills after a paparazzi there got into a scuffle with a hotel security guard. Apparently, the Peninsula is not willing to sacrifice the peace and quiet of their swank hotel and their other high-profile guests for trainwreck that is Britney Spears.

· This has been a big week for Thompson Hotels. First we introduced a Thompson Hotels map, then we saw some sketches for the Beverly Hills property uniforms, and then Stephen Brandman defended his hotels' service reputation. In between all that, we heard that Thompson Hotels will announce a few more projects in early 2008. No word on where they will be but discussions are happening about a Vegas property which would include a Teddy's outpost.

· Ok this is not technically a piece of gossip, but we think you should hear it. Whist at the Viceroy Santa Monica is offering a Sunday New Year's brunch every Sunday in the month of January for just $20.08 a person. Get it? 2008...The brunch is usually $55 person and includes unlimited champagne, mimosas or bloody marys. So much for that "Drink Less" New Years Resolution.

· Care to spend your holiday in Minneapolis? That is where the hotel rates are the cheapest at around $83 a night, according to the CheapTickets.com Holiday Shopping Cheapometer.

· In some more holiday booking news, Booking.com was named the #1 hotel site in terms of room availability over Christmas.

· Lastly, the bitterness between residents and new management at the Hotel Chelsea still continues. Manager Glennon Travis has been called a "baby dictator" and a master of the annoying memo. While we certainly agree he is young at just 26 years of age, a dictator is stretching it. Afterall, isn't he just doing what BD Hotels tells him to? But since he is so proficient with the memos, we shall call him Baby Bill Lumbergh--"Did you get the memo?"

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Heard Around the Mexican Hotel World

November 28, 2007 at 11:40 AM | by Tim L. | 0 Comments

It turns out we have our own sort of "Gossip Girl", a fellow travel writer huffing around the Yucatan who has sent us some hotel gossip on Cancun and the Riviera Maya in Mexico. Our anonymous tipster can't be so scathing in the guidebook text. However, we at HotelChatter are not known for being diplomatic, so here's the straight scoop on a few hotels:

ME Melia Cancun
"The doormats at ME say 'It's all about YOU!' Ack. Their signature thing seems to be heavily scented air. Someone had really gone nuts with the essential-oil-diffuser thing. They were also playing Foreigner at Volume 11 in the pool area."

Azul Blue
"This resort is not 'Azul Blue' anymore, but just 'Blue.' It looks like it has been sold--already!--and there are also more than a few mentions of theft on TripAdvisor. Now it's run by Eurostars. The sign on the place looks awkward now because it used to say AZUL BLUE on the whole length of the wall. Now it says ______BLUE."

Sens Hotel Cancun
"Oasis, the mega-resort group, is doing some hipster hotels called Sens. One's already in downtown Cancun, and they're building a 'Sens Del Mar' one in the hotel zone--I think wedged between Coco Bongo and the Bulldog if I got the spot right. I'm curious to see how the downtown one fares. It looks very out of its element, all covered in magenta LEDs and stuff." ("Sens Bed Lounge" at the downtown hotel pictured above.)

Unik
"This Isla Mujeres luxe boutique hotel was originally supposed to be open by now but it looks to still be a loonnngg way off."

Related Stories:
· Hotels in Mexico [HotelChatter]
· Acapulco Hotel Guide [HotelChatter]
· Zihuatanejo Hotel Guide [HotelChatter]

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Heard Around the Hotel World: When Hotels and Novels Collide

September 7, 2007 at 1:20 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

· The general manager at the Opus Hotel in Vancouver, Daniel Craig, has written a novel called Murder at the Universe which is about a hotel manager in New York "who becomes sleuth when the owner of the hotel is murdered and various management staff become suspects." In the pages you can find the inner-workings of a luxury hotel and possibly a few recognizable bizarre types of guests.

For more of Daniel's writing just check the hotel's blog.

· In other book news, we hear a novel is coming out from Simon & Schuster about the behind the scenes at Hollywood hotels and their celebrity guests. Perhaps it will be titled, The Devil Sleeps on Frette Linens and Demands Room Service at 3am Before Puking in the Pool.

· Meanwhile, Dora Lee Thompson emailed us asking to get a hold of Bill Marriott regarding her book, Pocket of Guilt which she said will be on the shelves around Jan. 2008. Her description of the plot: "It is a WWII book about Germany's starving teenagers, a story with LDS theme." Ok. Not sure what Bill Marriott would say.

· Finally, news not related to books. A friend of ours recently stayed at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica and found the beds to be so soft, she is considering tracking down the mattress brand and buying one.

· And the man behind the The East Houston Hotel in NYC is apparently responsible for many of the city's karaoke bars. He's also hands-on as he's been spotted doing some construction work himself.

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Heard Around the Hotel World: The Healthy Edition

July 5, 2007 at 4:24 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We've recently received a bunch of emails (thankfully not hate mail) that are about hotels announcing new health programs--some fitness and some life-saving heavy stuff.

So instead of our usual gossipy Heard Around the Hotel World, we thought we do a round-up of the good-for-you hotel news. You might need it after that BBQ session yesterday anyways.

MORE

more ›

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Heard Around the Hotel World: Horses, Jogs, Cookies and Graydon Carter

July 2, 2007 at 9:00 AM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips--and in some cases, press releases--our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

· The Half Moon Resort in Jamaica offers an equestrian program for its guests of all ages and skill levels. You can sign up for day excursions like the Beach Ride  ($50) or the Jungle Jaunt ($70) and you can also sign-up for one-on-one lessons.

· In what we consider a pretty smart move,  Rome Hilton Cavalieri famous for its Gladiator training program has unveiled two new ones---Jogging with the GM and Kids' Cucina (cooking lessons for kids.) The hotel's GM is a marathon runner and will take guests from the Ponte Milvio and continue along the Lungotevere with a shuttle bus taking the wear back to the hotel at the end of the run. Meanwhile the kids can sign up for the Saturday and Sunday 50 minute cooking classes and learn to cook--what else?--pizza.

· DoubleTree Hotels will be offering up their infamous chocolate chip cookies for free to all those who pass by or stay in a Doubletree on July Fourth from 12:01am to 11:59pm. Don't miss 'em!

· We missed this the other week but someone pointed it our way. Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fare is looking to purchase the Oak Bar in the revamped Plaza Hotel. Elad Properties, the hotel's news owner, has renovated most of the place, turning hotel rooms into private residences. But they have agreed to leave the Grand Ballroom, Palm Court and The Oak Bar intact.

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Heard Around the Hotel World

June 22, 2007 at 4:49 PM | by juliana | 1 Comment

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

· The Red Rock Resort & Spa has partnered with iPort to install in-wall music system for the Apple iPod into 20 of the hotel's suites. Party in the room!

· In what we consider a pretty smart move,  Microtel Inns have released a version of their website en Espanol.

· TripAdvisor has not gotten the memo that Nicky O South Beach is just a figment of Nicky Hilton's imagination.

· The Le Meridien Beverly Hills is selling off its furniture as it gets ready to close. In its place with be a Philippe Starck hotel under the SLS Brand.

· And some super insidery info (or so we think). An Intercontinental Hotel (the chain's anchoring brand--not a Holiday Inn) is going up just off the strip near TheHotel. No word on whether it will be a casino as well.

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Heard Around the Hotel World

May 4, 2007 at 3:09 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

The St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C. has been closed since last summer for extensive renovations but is expected to open this November.

Thompson Hotels, in addition to opening a Beverly Hills property and two more downtown Manhattan hotels, is also headed to Toronto. Maybe they will have better opening luck in Canada.

The nightclub Cain at The Cove Atlantis had a soft opening on April 20th but the official opening happens next week.

The Four Seasons chain is expanding by building atop a casino parking lot in St. Louis. As one insider says, "their expansion must be getting desperate."

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Heard Around the Hotel World

April 13, 2007 at 1:47 PM | by juliana | 1 Comment

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

Sanctuary in Times Square New York has not started construction yet although March was supposed to be the first month. Apparently, the developer has switched architects.

Philippe Starck will redo the Le Meurice, the oldest palace hotel in Paris. This might be the last deal he closed before he entered into a 15-year exclusive contract with the new SLS chain from Sam Nazarian.

Cabo Azul Resort & Spa will open in September with a 5-star look done by interior designer, Dodd Mitchell who recently renovated the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The resort will feature a 5-story open-air wedding chapel, a tri-level infinity pool, a Yin and Yang spa and cabanas on the beach.

The Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland-Lloyd Center has created a carbon offset program by partnering with the Climate Trust. Visit the hotel's website for their Green Initiatives.

If you got a hot tip, spill it.

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Heard Around the Hotel World, Volume IV: Nicky O Rumbles Again

March 16, 2007 at 4:00 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

We have spies all over the hotel industry who like to send various miscellaneous tips our way. Some of these are post-worthy, others are not much more than one sentence tid-bits. So here's the latest batch of whispers through the hotel grapevine.

· Several tipsters have pointed us in the way of a Miami-area blog that reported Nicky O South Beach might be coming back from the dead. Honestly, we cannot go through this again.

· The first phase of renovations at the Desert Springs JW Marriott are done and include an atrium lobby, a 60-foot sushi bar and an area for wine and cigar tastings. The spa is set for a 2007 opening.

· In case you missed it, an inside source reports that when the cast of The Hills visited the W Westwood Los Angeles they actually ate a full-course meal, not just dessert so blame the MTV editing department.

· We said the The Las Vegas Hilton is crapping out but geeks still admire it for their Star Trek experience. Should they just turn it into the Star Trek Hotel & Casino or what?

If you got a hot tip, spill it.