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Ace Hotel NYC Laces Up Doc Martens And Chuck Taylors

Where: 20 West 29th Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10001

Forget what brand of hotel toiletries are neck to the sink or the signature scent of the lobby; the hot hotel detail these days is what the employees are wearing ... on their feet. A designer staff uniform might smarten them up and cut a fine figure, but flashy footwear polishes off the look; The Hotel On Rivington knows what we're talking about.

Since The Ace Hotel NYC is still the word on everyone's lips, they're not going to dress their staff in just any other polyester blend suit; it's hipster-cut looks with a winning combination of labels. Coolhunting breaks it down:

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Tags: Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Uniforms / Bellmen / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags

The Betsy's Bellmen Wear Bushmen Duds

Where: 1440 Ocean Drive [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139

In a city known for its Art Deco trappings, the new look of The Betsy Hotel is more of an interior design mash-up. It may have been designed by Deco granddaddy L. Murray Dixon, but the “Florida Georgian façade” and airy interiors are more colonial plantation than clean modern lines. And, wait, there’s more!

First, you’re greeted by friendly bellman wearing safari green shirts, shorts and bushman hats, then you enter the polished, palm-tree dotted lobby and slick BLT Steak restaurant. Photos of Bono, Sting and co. from the Rockarchive line the hallways, alongside architectural images by Richard Bluestein, and reportage from Bobby Sager. Finally, the cool, white rooms with pastel accents return you to a plantation frame of mind—if, say, Ralph Lauren was the plantation owner.

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Tags: Hotel Uniforms / Designer Hotel Uniforms / Hotel Swag / Mexico Hotels / → All Tags

Buy the Hotel's Uniforms at Velas Vallarta Resort

Where: Paseo de la Marina Norte 585, Mexico, 48354

We've heard of folks coveting hotel beds, sheets, and bathrobes before but now you can walk away from your hotel stay wearing the exact same clothes as the hotel employees.

The For Her boutique at the Velas Vallarta Suite Resort and Convention Center sells a two-piece tunic and slacks ensemble designed by Melin Castro of Melin Castro Design.

The pieces are cut from fine linen, and the necklines are works of art with elaborately designed bead patterns hand-embroidered by craftsmen in Guadalajara. The lightweight ensemble comes in black and white and can be worn for any casually elegant outing during the day or night or worn as a bathing suit cover-up. It sells for 2400 pesos, or approximately $200 US. The ensembles are also sold in the boutique of Velas Vallarta's sister hotel, the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit.

We gotta say that uniform looks mighty comfy if just a tad too see-through. We just hope hotel guests buy the outfit on the day they check-out and not during their stay. That could get awkward at the pool.

Tags: Hotel Uniforms / Designer Hotel Uniforms / Thompson Hotels / Hotel News / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

Gild Hall Gussies Up With Steven Alan-Designed Uniforms

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10038

Our hotel fashion expert JetSetCD reports on the latest in hotel uniforms.

Thompson Hotels' Gild Hall at Wall Street seems to be weathering the economic downturn just fine; Libertine, their musky and manly Todd English-helmed restaurant successfully opened last month, and now the hotel staff gets to dress up in designer duds. Bringing a sliver of his classic, messy-refined style to the lodge atmosphere of Gild Hall, New York clothier Steven Alan will provide male and female uniforms for the first time in his history. He's no Gwen Stefani, but Steven's functional outfits will be able to stand up to her W Hotel designs any day. About the Steven Alan for Gild Hall line:

He riffed on the financiers who populate the neighborhood in creating a men’s ensemble of a worsted wool blazer, button-down vest and slacks with a reverse seam. The woman’s look is the so-called 'Banker’s Dress,' and everyone dons a silk skinny tie.

We admittedly have no idea what a "banker's dress" is, but we're sure it will look great with the backdrop of Gild Hall's faux library lobby. No word on if hotel rates in the Financial District will be dropping in time with the Dow, but at least the hotel staff will be dressed like money.

[Images via Thompson Hotels/Steven Alan]

Tags: Gwen Stefani / W Hotels / Hotel Uniforms / Designer Hotel Uniforms / Hotel News / → All Tags

Gwen Stefani Designing New Hotel Uniforms for W Hotels

OMG LAMB! Gwen Stefani is in as the next designer of W Hotels hotel employee uniforms. The Harajuku Girl fashionista, who has her own label L.A.M.B., will be creating the outfits for the W Hotels bar staff.

From Portfolio.com:

W and L.A.M.B. are expected to announce the deal in a few days. The uniforms--short dresses made of washable black jersey--will debut in December or early next year.

The Stefani/W Hotel partnership grew out of the luxury hotelier's sponsorship of a Fashion Week lounge where celebs can escape from the hoi polloi and the flashbulbs.

"Gwen Stefani was in our lounge last season, and through that relationship she's doing uniforms for the [Rande] Gerber bars located in W Hotels," said Jenni Benzaquen, director of public relations for W Hotels, who declined to discuss terms of the deal.

Wait a minute. "Short dresses made of washable black jersey?" That's it? That's what they are going to wear? That's what the eclectic creative funky Ms. Stefani is going to create? Boo.

W Hotels is going to have to step it up here. Have you seen the cute dresses the cocktail waitresses wear at Thompson Hotels? (They are Nicole Miller by the way.) We hate to say it but Gwen can do so much better.

Tags: Designer Uniforms / Hotel Uniforms / Uncool Hotel Uniforms / Hotel Staff / → All Tags

Top Hat Makes Entire Hotel Uniforms, Not Just Hats

Ever wondered where those goofy uniforms you see on hotel staff came from? Turns out not all of them were made in China: there's a uniform designer and manufacturer that does all the work in New York, called Top Hat Image Wear.

Not that we're personally in the market for any uniforms ourselves, but it is interesting to see what's out there and how bad or how good the staff at our favorite hotels could really look.

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Tags: Party Dispatch / Hotel Parties / Hotel Lounges / Lenny Kravitz / Art Basel / Hotel Uniforms / → All Tags

Art Basel Party Report: Inside Lenny Kravitz's Florida Room at the Delano Hotel

Where: 1685 Collins Ave. [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139

Once again we have our Miami Beach insider/party animal Gregg to thank for this inside scoop on the newly opened Florida Room inside The Delano Hotel. The lounge is the first official nightclub from musician Lenny Kravitz and was host to the Agent Provacateur Art Basel party last week. Enjoy.

I got to the side entrance of Delano Hotel (on 17th Street) at 10 pm and had to wait 15 minutes until they were ready to open and let people in. Security was real tight. But it was a pleasure waiting because Granville the doorman (imported from NYC) is super nice and polite. He will kill you with kindness no matter how rude you are to him.

The Florida Room is very 1950's Cuban-style lounge. Lenny Kravitz's design firm did a really nice job. The uniforms are old school. The bartenders wear green jackets and the cocktail waitress's wear a white blouse (showing cleavage) and a black high waisted skirt. They also had girls dressed in Agent Provocateur corsets with 1950's hairdos and make-up greeting you into The Florida Room's entrance.

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Tags: NYLO Hotels / Hotel News / Designer Uniforms / Hotel Uniforms / Daniel Vosovic / → All Tags

NYLO Unveils Hotel Uniforms Designed By Project Runway's Daniel Vosovic

Where: 8201 Preston Road [map], Plano, TX, United States, 75024

NYLO Hotels announced that Project Runway Season 2 runner-up Daniel Vosovic would be designing the brand's hotel uniforms back in July 2006 and at that time, we still thought NYLO was a pipe dream.

But here we are, practically waving goodbye to 2007 and not only do we have a hotel--NYLO Plano will open Dec. 18th--we have several snapshots of the hotel uniforms which  are intended to double as both front desk gear and street wear.

Created for frontline workers and fashionistas, NYLO Wear is an 20-piece collection that aims to flatter its wearers in the hotel as well as in the office and on the street.  The versatile, mix-and-match clothing line includes sweaters, skirts, pants, blouses, shirts, jackets and more.

Each piece features Daniel's signature clean lines and sophisticated styling. From jackets and jumpers to polos and pants, the collection is varied enough for a day in the office or a night out with friends. Starting in December, the casual, fashion-forward apparel will be available for consumers to purchase in the hotel boutique shops and online at www.nylohotels.com.

While we did love Daniel's oh-so-clean and classic lines on Project Runway, we're not quite sure we would want to scoop up these garments for a dinner party. However, if we did work at NYLO, meeting friends for dinner after our shift wouldn't necessarily require a wardrobe change. And who can resist naughty schoolgirl knee-highs?

More hotel fashion after the jump.

Related Stories:
· Project Runway Runner-Up to Design Uniforms For Non-Existent Hotels [HotelChatter]

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Tags: Heard Around / Hotel News / Britney Spears / Peninsula Hotels / Hotel Blacklists / Hotel Uniforms / Thompson Hotels / Stephen Brandman / Kor Hotels / New Years Eve Hotels / Hotel Booking Sites / Hotel Chelsea Takeover / BD Hotels / Hotel Staff / → All Tags

Heard Around the Hotel World: Britney Spears Gets Blacklisted

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?"

Tags: Hotel Openings / Hotel Uniforms / → All Tags

Palazzo Las Vegas: Are the Staff Uniforms Sensible, Boring or Both?

As the Palazzo Las Vegas nears its soft-opening on December 20th, it's looking to hire a few good men and women. The place has about 64 front desk hires but for this gigantic new 3,068-room tower, the Palazzo needs at least 420 more positions filled. Fortunately, they won't have to post any ads on Craigslist as the Palazzo has received about 55,000 applicants.

But we were shocked to see that such a fancy new Las Vegas hotel which will include a Barneys New York department store, a production of hot Broadway hit "Jersey Boys", a Christian Louboutin shoe boutique, and several hot restaurants would have such awful uniforms.

Seriously, what is wrong with black? That looks much more chic. These bland taupe uniforms look like silly putty. And no one looks good in that. But it could be worse. Front desk employees could be wearing gondolier uniforms.

Related Stories:
· Palazzo welcomes aboard its first 64 new hires [LVRJ]
· Palazzo Las Vegas Update: Rooms Open Dec. 20th [HotelChatter]

Tags: Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel News / Hotel Parties / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Uniforms / → All Tags

Miami Hotel Mambo: Nudes at the Sagamore Hotel and More

· So that public photo shoot by Spencer Tunick featuring 600 real nude people (as opposed to professional nude models) happened yesterday at the Sagamore Hotel (Wait, sag...more...not good words when talking about nude people.) And fortunately, it looks like everything went off without a hitch.

· The Mondrian South Beach is hosting a yacht party tomorrow night (October 11th) in hopes of attracting more buyers for the residential units at the condo-hotel which should open in early 2008. Word is 200 VIPs will sip "Mondrian Margaritas" and enjoy hors d'oeuvres from OLA as the yacht loops around Biscayne Bay.

· While the Tides South Beach continues to struggle with renovations, the hotel's La Marea restaurant is trying to keep things popping. Starting tonight the restaurant introduces "La Notte" which will happen every Wednesday evening from 6-10pm this Fall.

The night will feature The Tides' signature Royale Cocktail – spiced rum with guanabana and cranberry juice topped with a kiwi slice – and a Mediterranean selection of bruschettas and montaditos.

And of course you can order other food and drinks if you want.

· Speaking of dining, the Conrad Hotel Miami is set to unveil their dining and entertainment destination, Level 25. The floor will include Atrio, the hotel's fine dining restaurant, a wine-tasting room, and a lounge bar with views of the Biscayne Bay. In hotel uniform news, local designer Julian Chang did the restaurant staff uniforms.

· Lastly, the Four Seasons Miami unveiled a Chocolate Tapas bar which is open every Friday and Saturday night in the hotel's lobby from 9pm to midnight. At $21 a person, you can much on heavenly chocolate treats like chocolate-covered strawberries, and molten cake.

[Photo: Miami Herald]

Tags: Hotel Uniforms / Hotel Staff / → All Tags

The Indian Guide to Hotel Uniform Design

Hotel trade mags are full of gems that us ordinary hotel guests don't always learn about. Last month the Indian-based Express Hospitality magazine published a bunch of tips on how to design a suitable hotel uniform and just why it should be done right.

The big tip is to dress even "back of house" staff in a way that you wouldn't be ashamed of if guests got an eyeful. Chefs, for example, are more often being expected to come out of the kitchen and get compliments (hopefully) from important guests--so a chef's uniform must now be ramped up to designer level.

And while designer flare is good, practicality is great. Take this example given by a senior hospitality industry trainer in India, as she attended a hotel's outdoor party:

While the uniform was aesthetically perfect, it overlooked the essential front pocket. "Consequently, the waiter had to keep the bottle opener in his trouser pockets," she said, a shabby end to perfect tailoring and a perfect image.

Kind of lends itself far too easily to some "is that a bottle opener in your pocket or ..." jokes, but we won't go there. Just be more aware of what people are wearing at your next hotel, and beware of strangely-shaped bulging pockets.

Related Stories:
· Dressed to Kill [Express Hospitality