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Second Earthquake In A Month Topples The Bayram Hotel In Turkey

The Bayram Hotel in the city of Van, Turkey, survived last month's 7.2 earthquake with just "some cracks and a damaged elevator," according to a report by AJC. But another quake last night, this one of a lesser magnitude, rocked the city again, bringing down about 25 buildings.

So far, seven have been declared dead, though dozens are still missing. In some cases, the victims were actually journalists who had traveled to the city to report on the wreckage from last month's earthquake, which killed 600. The Bayram Hotel, along with another unnamed hotel, were occupied during last night's quake, and rescue workers are still working to locate guests buried beneath the rubble.

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Hotel Fires / Hotel Emergencies / Shanghai Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Shanghai's JIA Hotel Briefly Goes Up in Massive Flames

Where: 931 West Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China

In case you need another reminder that gas leaks are no joke, an entire hotel went up in flames today because of one. The hotel, the designy-boutique JIA Shanghai, suffered exterior damage, as it was mainly the facade that caught on fire after "work being done by the government on a gas main that ruptured," according to Shanghaiist.

Almost as quickly as the gas leak caused tongues of flame to reach each balcony at the hotel, the fire was put out and all guests safe and accounted for. This is the reason hotels have emergency escape plans posted on the back of every room door.

[Photo: @dave1447]

Hotel Emergencies / San Diego Hotels / Westin Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

The Westin San Diego Experiences a Different Kind of Blackout Date

Where: 400 W Broadway [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92101

Yesterday we were giddy that one of our trusted FOHCs (Friend of HotelChatter) would be spending the night in the newly renovated guestrooms at the Westin San Diego . Except not long after he arrived there, a massive power outage struck, affecting huge swaths of Southern California from San Diego to Orange County to Riverside and the Palm Spring area. (Supposedly, a clumsy utility worker in Arizona is to blame.)

As of 10:30pm PST last night, the hotel still had no power and our friend was powering up his car to charge his cellphone but at the same time, trying to conserve gas as gas stations were closed. He was also navigating his hotel room by flashlight, courtesy of the hotel. Yowza. This gives new meaning to hotel's Blackout Dates, huh? The hotel also gave guests glowsticks in addition to flashlights and had a Make Your Own Sandwich Bar, free, in the lobby for guests. Sadly, there was no raiding of the in -room minibars.

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Hotel Emergencies / Hotel News / Four Seasons Hotels / Seattle Hotels / Hotel Saftey / Hotel Windows / → All Tags

More Falling Glass From a Hotel, This Time at The Four Seasons Seattle

Where: 99 Union Street [map], Seattle, WA, United States, 98101

Just when we thought the falling glass trend was behind us, some windows have shattered again, this time at the Four Seasons Seattle on Sunday. And much like what happened with the W Austin the loose window panes were actually from the residences that are attached to the hotel. But what's worse here is that this is the third time windows have fallen from the building since July.

Thankfully, no one's been hurt or injured but the glass has cracked the glass awning at the entrance of the hotel and a car was slightly damaged.

Needless to say the hotel has finally gotten the idea that all 300 of the tempered-glass windows need to be replaced. The hotel's GM told the Seattle Times:

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Hotel Emergencies / Hurricane Hotels / Hurricane Irene / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

Hurricane Irene Brought Out the Best in Some Hotels

You survived!! Looks like Hurricane Irene was far worse in the fantasies of meteorologists everywhere than it actually turned out to be. That's not to say the hurricane, excuse us, tropical storm wasn't scary at times and even though it didn't pack the punch we all expected, there are still lots of people without power along the East Coast.

We'll let the regular news outlets handle the aftermath coverage but we did watch all the hotel-related Irene activity as it was happening on Twitter and here were some of our favorite hurricane-related hotel tweets.

· The London NYC tweeted us this gorgeous shot above from their hotel waiting for Irene to hit Central Park. The hotel's Maze restaurant and London Bar weathered the storm just fine.

· @Manuel_C gave us the blow-by-blow (hah, pun intended!) from the Le Parker Meridien.

· The Surrey Hotel let us know they were giving out goodies bags to guests filled with magazines, Surrey waters, juice boxes, snacks, board games, etc.

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Hotel News / Hotel Emergencies / Hurricane Irene / → All Tags

HotelChatter's Hurricane Irene Hotel Tracker: Send Us Your Updates

Mean Miss Irene is making her way to the Eastern seaboard and people are starting to prepare for the worst. (Except the TV meteorologists that is, they have never been so excited before!) As expected, hotels are also preparing themselves and their guests for the worst especially those along the coastlines with many undergoing evacuations.

If you've got a hotel reservation somewhere along the East Coast in the hurricane danger zone, we strongly urge you to CALL your hotel (not email or Twitter) and check to see not only if they are still open and honoring reservations but what is their cancellation policy in the event of emergency. That's because with so many flights being cancelled already, you may not actually get to your destination.

Most hotels should allow you to reschedule your trip or let you cancel without any penalties. But if they don't, let us know and we'll call them out on it help you find a different hotel.

Here's the HotelChatter Hurricane Irene Hotel Tracker. We'll be updating it throughout the weekend and next week!

Got something to add, put it in comments below...email us...or tell us on Twitter!!

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Hotel Emergencies / Hotel Earthquakes / Hotel News / Manhattan Hotels / Twitter / Facebook / → All Tags

If You Were in a Hotel During the East Coast Earthquake...

...ask for some free drinks and some french fries to soothe your nerves! That always helps us get back to normal.

Yes, today felt like Opposite Day as Virginia was hit with a 5.9 earthquake sending a ripple effect north along the coast up to Massachusetts. Meaning today was an amazeballs day to be on Twitter and Facebook watching everyone's reactions.

Lots of folks are Twittering from their hotel rooms from North Carolina to DC, Philly and New York with several saying their entire hotel was shaking and a few reported some hotel evacuations. But despite the unusual quake, most folks were taking the rumble in stride. And the Bryant Park Hotel managed to make the earthquake all about their sexual prowess. Check this tweet of theirs:

We felt the earthquake, but we're still standing! We're used to our beds shaking! We're the most romantic hotel in NYC!!!

Anyone got some earthquake-related hotel activity to report? Let us know! Or Tweet at us @HotelChatter!

Hotel Emergencies / Political Hotels / Libya Hotels / Tripoli Hotels / Muammar Qaddafi / Hotel New / → All Tags

We Guess There's No 'Pink Champagne on Ice' at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli

You can check in anytime you like but you probably can't leave until the fighting dies down in Tripoli.

Reports from Libya today have been all about the rebels taking down Qaddafi's nefarious regime in the capitol of Tripoli but the journalists responsible for getting those reports out are in a bit of a quandary themselves.

Approximately three dozen journalists are holed up in the five-star Rixos Al Nasr Hotel. Actually holed up is not the right word. Trapped is more like it.

The Guardian UK writes:

For months, many have feared they could be held by the regime as human shields if rebels reached the capital. The only exit route from Tripoli by land, the road to the Tunisian border, has been cut off by rebel fighters for more than a week.

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Hotel News / Intercontinental Hotels / London Hotels / Hotel Emergencies / → All Tags

Intercontinental Hotel Group Isn't Too Worried About The London Riots

The thousands of rioters currently tearing through London (and other parts of the country) don't seem to be a concern for UK-based Intercontinental Hotel Group.

The international brand, which launched a $1 billion Holiday Inn makeover, and is custom-tailoring an entirely new brand for their fastest-growing market, China, is too busy celebrating an unpredicted 23% company-wide earnings boost for the first half of 2011.

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Hotel Safety / Hotel Rooftops / Hotel Windows / Hotel Emergencies / → All Tags

Hotel Safety 101: What to Check Out After You Check In

Hotels. Gravity. There's no reason they have to be in opposition. So far this summer, we've seen one too many tragedies unfold on the wrong side of a hotel balcony—or window. So maybe it's time we go back to basics and lay down some travel safety rules.

· Keep off the heavy drinking at rooftop bars

It's a terrible way to bring a night of fresh-air fun to an abrupt and unsavory end. When you find yourselves drinking al fresco, it may be a good idea to save the heavy drinking for later, when you find yourself back on dry land. One Manhattan-based GM tells us: "On busier evenings, we do have security on the roof to watch for unruly behavior as well as employees and managers keeping their eyes out for any such occurrence."

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Hotel Sick / Viva Vegas / Hotel Emergencies / Las Vegas Hotels / → All Tags

What Happens in Vegas Actually Comes Home With You, If You Stayed at Aria Recently

Generally, on a trip to Vegas, you can expect to get wasted, lose money gambling, spend more than you can afford on food, drinks and Chippendales and then go home with a wicked hangover and vow to do it all again next year/month/lifetime. What you don't expect is to get home and receive a letter from the hotel like this one, saying you may have contacted Legionnaire's disease.

That's what is currently unfolding at Aria Resort and Casino. Apparently guests who stayed at the hotel June 21 and July 4 are being contacted by the hotel in cooperation with the Southern Nevada Health district after "six former ARIA guests have come down with the pneumonia-like disease which can be contracted through exposure to bacteria-infected water."

Wow, a nasty head cold from the smoky casinos is sounding kinda good right now huh?

Did you stay at Aria during June 21 and July? First, call the Aria Hotline at 1-877-326-ARIA (2742). Then tell us how you feel right now!

Twilight Hotels / Hotel Emergencies / Hotel Fires / Portland Hotels / → All Tags

'Twilight' Fans, Look Away Now as The View Point Inn Goes Up in Flames

Where: 40301 East Larch Mountain Rd [map], Corbett, OR, United States, 97019

What you are seeing is the burning roof of the View Point Inn, the Portland, OR hotel where Twilight once filmed Bella and Edward's Monte Carlo prom scene.

The 87-year-old year old "world class" hotel has notoriously suffered from leaky ceilings and a crumbling chimneys—though that is all, by now, public knowledge. The recent damage (the hotel caught fire on Sunday after particles from the chimney settled on the roof), however, may prove more than a simple charity prom can handle.

Optimistic owner Geoff Thompson, who kept up a brave front, asserted, "A little fire isn't gonna stop us." "Unfortunately," he added, "this is a big fire." Thompson, being interviewed by a local TV station, seemed uncertain whether this spelled the end for the hotel.

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