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The Standard Hotel is The Best Building of the Aughts, So Says Curbed

Where: 848 Washington Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10014

Curbed recently put out the first of what will be many lists across the internet universe, saying goodbye to the aughts. But this being Curbed, they focused on the The Best New Buildings of The Decade for New York City. And wouldn't you know it? The Standard Hotel is the #1 best building of the decade.

Yes, The Standard. Since we tracked the opening of this hotel pretty much from its inceptions, we're a little surprised to see it top this list. We say it looks way better from the inside looking out then just on its own. But we guess naked people in the windows helps.

Here are some of our favorite moments of the Standard NYC...through the years.

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Tags: Chicago Hotels / JW Marriott Hotels / Hotel Openings / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Architecture / → All Tags

Chicago Finally Earns a JW Marriott, Thanks To a Superstar Architect

When it comes to Marriott Hotels, you usually picture a hotel evoking the idea of contemporary upscale American. For the JW Marriott Hotels, the black label of the Marriotts, the idea is elevated to five-star sophistication and attention to detail. There are more than fifty of them around the world, and finally—in June 2010—Chicago will join the JW party with its very own JW Marriott in the sweet spot of the Loop.

The building itself with a tourist attraction, as it's the former Continental & Commercial National Bank, designed by superstar architect and city planner Daniel Burnham in 1914. To turn it into a luxurious 610-room hotel and restore the ornate lobby and design by this man who also did New York's Flatiron building, DC's Union Station and Selfridge's in London, Marriott spent $396 milllion. And now the landmark is almost ready for the public...

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Tags: Four Seasons Hotels / Hotel Renovations / Hotel Architecture / St. Louis Hotels / → All Tags

Four Seasons St. Louis Has Love For Its Famous Neighbors

Where: 999 North 2nd St [map], St. Louis, MO, United States, 63102

Now that it's been over a year since the new Four Seasons St. Louis opened along the Mississippi River with unparalleled views of the arch, all of the public spaces are complete and the guest reviews are pouring in.

The 19-story glass tower with 200 rooms offers rooms as low as $195, made all the more a steal on account of the newness of the property. Here, the focus is on the floor-to-ceiling windows and the view to Saarinen's Arch; the hotel's lobby is even located on the 8th floor within a grand glass atrium to maximize the drama of the neighboring iconic structure.

This, along with a pool, sounds well and good, but it's only a success if the guests love it. And, scrolling through the high ratings on TripAdvisor, it seems they do! They really do! Compliments like "We were traveling with my 8-year old son, and they hit it out of the park, as far as he was concerned ... they have won a customer for life" and "I agree with the many other reviews here that it is a beautiful, new facility, with spacious, clean and modern rooms, and friendly, helpful, professional hotel personnel." There also seems to be free self-parking; hallelujah!

It's too bad we didn't have a chance to head to St. Louis this week for the All-Star baseball game at Busch Stadium, another neighbor of the Four Seasons, as this property sounds like a much-needed, and what's more, much-loved addition to the city.