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How Many Pianos Does The St. Regis Need?

Where: 2 East 55th Street, at Fifth Avenue [map], New York, NY, United States, 10022

What do businessmen and businesswomen look for in a conference room? Good coffee, a strong wi-fi signal, and probably some comfy chairs. What about an antique Steinway piano? We're guessing not.

Back in July, we happened upon this neglected beauty in the mezzanine level of The Algonquin, where one hotel staffer admitted the piano had sat unattended for the past three years. Now, we know large, unwieldy pianos have a way of becoming part of the furniture—but surely there's got to be a better place for a lonely Steinway than next to the fire exit?

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Hotel Carpets / Hotel Decor / HotelChatter Galleries / Viva Vegas / Manhattan Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / → All Tags

Five Non-Fugly Hotel Carpets We Don't Mind Looking At

You know how pissy we get about fugly hotel carpets but this time around, we decided to look at the positive side of things. We've put together a gallery of Five Non-Fugly Hotel Carpeting where the design beneath your feet looks just as sweet as the rest of the room.

What's interesting to note, however, is that these hotels on this esteemed list are all new hotels (well, we count The Surrey, above, as new because it got a top to bottom makeover.) The oldest photo we have is from the W South Beach which just opened in July.

Hopefully, more and more new hotels will start to do away with their crazy carpeting patterns. And the hotels that are thinking of doing a refurbishment on their rooms, then consider these non-fugly designs.

Hotel Carpets / Fugly Carpeting / Hotel Decor / Marriott Hotels / LA Live / Downtown LA Hotels / → All Tags

Is There Time for JW Marriott at L.A. Live To Reconsider Their Carpeting?

Where: 900 West Olympic Boulevard [map], Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90015

UPDATE: The JW Marriott LA Live just tweeted about the carpet installation on the 5th floor. Guess it's too late!

We've been riding a sort of high about the upcoming JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton coming to downtown Los Angeles' LA Live entertainment complex. Downtown LA has been struggling for a long time to pull visitors away from the action of Hollywood and the fun of the Venice/Santa Monica beaches and LA Live looks like their best shot.

Next to the Staples Center (home to the Lakers and big ticket concerts), LA Live has a Nokia Theater, a small intimate venue called Club Nokia, an ESPN Zone, the Grammy Hall of Fame and several restaurants and bars.

So bringing in the JW Marriott and a Ritz next to LA Live (in a cool building with a large video wall) will give guests close-by fancy hotel options. However, we're really hoping the JW Marriott can reconsider its carpeting option before it opens on February 15, 2010.

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Why Are Hotel Carpets So Ugly?

Fugly carpet found at Paris' Four Seasons George V.

We'll admit it: we rag on ugly hotel carpeting with a fair bit of frequency. But in an honest effort to embrace our softer sides, we will attempt to do what our mothers always taught us to do before mocking something: we'll make an attempt to understand it. And we'll be starting with the fuzziest victim of our sometimes-vicious scrutiny; a hotel design element we tend to walk all over frequently (ha! See what we did there?)

So, we ask because we want to understand: why is hotel carpeting so ugly?

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Where to Find the Most Extravagant Hotel Holiday Displays

We've already covered the grossest holiday hotel decorations (hello, fake snow, old friend...) but if you're getting into the holiday spirit and wanting to hit up hotels nearby to take in some festive feasts for the eyes, Hotel Interactive put together a list of the most killer hotel holiday displays that are sure to make you get into the Christmas spirit. Presumably, their intention was to inspire other hotels to do the same sorts of things — but ours is to inspire you to get in and check 'em out.

· Four Seasons, New York

Four Seasons New York located in midtown Manhattan. The I.M. Pei-designed hotel has a three-story tall lobby and this year has a tree skyscraping the ceiling. And management has made sure to deck the tree with oodles of lights and ornaments to ensure it’s one of the most sought-after Christmas experiences in town.

· Rosewood Crescent, Dallas

Eric Perelli, a pastry chef, has designed an incredible gingerbread house that will stand nearly 10 feet tall and will be adorned with everything from sugar wreaths and candy canes to a chocolate North Pole mailbox...the large scale cake-like masterpiece required 20 pounds of modeling chocolate and 100 pounds of icing.

· Fairmont Olympic, Seattle

The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, WA has one of the most unique decorations - a Teddy Bear Suite filled to the brim with a collection of the aforementioned plush toys. The room was designed by Kevin Bradford, a Seattle-based interior and event designer, and is elaborately adorned with trees resembling a forest.

· Gaylord Palms, Disneyworld

The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL (just outside the gates of Disney World) used two million pounds of ice to create a life-size village. The ice village is complete with igloo homes and playgrounds made entirely of sculpted ice.

We also know that the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco has a magnificent twelve-foot rotating sugar castle (pictured) like they do every year for the holidays.

Seen any amazing holiday displays at hotels you've been to recently? Let us know!

[Photo: JunkFoodBlog]

Lists / Hotel Decor / Holiday Hotels / → All Tags

The Five Ugliest Types of Hotel Lobby Christmas Decorations

You've seen it: you walk into the lobby of your upscale, elegant hotel — marble floors, stunning finishes, grand piano on display — and you can't quite appreciate its beauty because the place is covered with over-the-top holiday decor.

We're all about getting into the holiday spirit with, say, some tasteful garland, a couple poinsettias and a beautiful sparkling tree, but when it comes to festive decorations, we're firm believers in less is more.

So, guests, hoteliers, hotel managers and interior designers: follow along with us as we outline the Five Ugliest Types of Hotel Lobby Christmas Decorations ... and take notes.

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