Tag: Manhattan Hotels
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It's Probably Never A Good Idea To Sneak Up On A NYC Hotel Maid
The New York Times ran an interesting piece today on a contract reached between union members and the major NYC hotels that employ them. Among other tidbits, we learn that hotels will soon be providing employees with their own personal panic buttons.
The decision, clearly influenced by a certain scandal at Sofitel New York involving a certain IMF chief last year, is a sure victory for housekeepers and room-service waiters and waitresses everywhere.
As long as they don't get button-happy, of course, and start panicking every time a door slams shut. But still, the less we see of this kind of thing, the better.
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The Kimberly Will Send You Sky High For Breakfast This Month
We've never known a hotel to be modest about showing off its awesome views. Still, we usually reserve our best window-gazing for later in the evening, when skylines are a-twinkle and sunsets are killer. But guests at the Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan get to enjoy awesome views of the city first thing in the morning, with free breakfasts in the rooftop lounge, Upstairs.
A buffet spread will offer French toast, pancakes, oatmeal, pastries, omelets, bacon and hash browns. Though the usual cost of the meal is $25 per person, all guests will get it for free through the end of the month. Turns out February isn't such a bad time to stay in hotels after all.
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Pounce On These Leap Year Hotel Deals Now, Before They Leap Away
Yes, it's a Leap Year! An entire day added to the month, an entire extra day for some hotel-lovin'. And the hotels are pretty excited about it too! We've hunted around for the best Leap Year deals from San Antonio to New York to London. Unsurprisingly, several of them overlap with Valentine's Day festivities—but as they say, bargains make the heart grow fonder...
Grand Hyatt New York, fresh from its recent $130 million renovation, is feeling generous. So they're singling out people who are either turning 29 this year or who were born on a leap year. While the 29-year-olds actually make out with something cool (free appetizer or dessert at New York Central, pictured above), leap year babies (anyone born in 2008, 2004, 2000, 1996, etc), as usual, get the short end of the stick. That would be a "free" Dylan's Candy Bar cupcake...-shaped tin (not even an actual cupcake!) from the hotel's 24-hour convenience store, Market.
With a purchase of $9 or more. Seriously. These guys only celebrate their birthday once every four years. Can't we just give them a free cupcake and call it a day? Rates from $309.
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The Veil Has Been Lifted From Waldorf-Astoria's Presidential Suite. Now What?
Barring the possibility that you're a former President—or that you don't mind spending $10,000/night—then you've likely never caught a glimpse of the Waldorf-Astoria's Presidential Suite. Why? Because until recently, the hotel has never allowed photography inside the suite.
Lucky for us, the NY Daily News has taken on the oppressive task of video touring the entire space—from gleaming top (the crystal chandelier in the master bedroom) to well-polished bottom (the black-and-white tiled bathroom floor).
Now, the goods are out in the open for all to see. So, what do you think?
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The Saddest Cupcakes That Ever Graced A Hotel Bar
We showed up to a pre-Fashion Week party last night at W Union Square and, as usual with these types of events, made a beeline for the bar. Planning on ordering a quick cocktail, we then noticed something that made us chuckle. At one end of the bar on a silver tray were rows of mini cupcakes—thick with icing, delicious looking, and virtually untouched.
But what else did we expect? This is Fashion Week, after all, where anything more than a stick of celery is considered an indulgence.
Not that these sugar bombs put a damper on anyone's fun. Indeed, with guest appearances by DJ Chelsea Leyland, W Global Fashion Director Jenné Lombardo, and man-about-town Waris Ahluwalia, the music was loud and the paparazzi bulbs were a-flashin'. Boy, were we glad for that drink.
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The Cassa Hotel in NYC is Now a Viceroy
Well this is a very bit of surprising news--The Cassa Hotel on West 45th Street in Manhattan now belongs to the Viceroy Hotel Group. Looks like the Year of the Dragon is getting off on a good foot for the hotel!
Management of the Cassa (whose owners filed for bankruptcy last April) was officially transferred to the Viceroy Hotel Group on January 20th and the hotel now belongs to Viceroy's Urban Retreat Collection. This also marks the first NYC hotel for the Viceroy group (finally!)
It doesn't appear as if much will change throughout the hotels 165 rooms and suites but the hotel is getting a new restaurant from Chef Laurent Tourondel--BLT American Brasserie which will serve classic American fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We reported on that opening back in Aprilbut it looks like it's really happening this time, and soon.
Interested in staying at the new, improved and Viceroy-ized Cassa Hotel? Rates for next weekend were going for just $279 a night for a deluxe room with a queen bed. Suites were starting at only $479 a night.
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Whatever They're Planning, It Better Not Be Another Westin Times Square Eyesore
Two weeks ago, we learned that Host Hotels had purchased the New York Helmsley and was planning on re-making it into a Westin. Now, we find out that $65 million is being poured into the building for what they're calling an "extensive re-branding initiative."
Fine. The part that gets us, though, is when they mention that the entire facade of the building is gonna be transformed as well. Ah, real monsters! We desperately hope Westin isn't sketching out a repeat of their purple-and-blue stripey Times Square mess (which we once upon a time dubbed one of the ugliest hotels alive). For a 774-room hotel in midtown Manhattan, we're not sure what kind of "statement" Westin will be going for, but hopefully nothing big. A nice scrub-down and maybe some window replacements should do the trick nicely.
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Which Hotels Are Doing Good For Heart Disease Awareness Month?
It's National Wear Red Day, and across the country, the American Heart Association is urging everyone to raise awareness about women's heart disease by wearing the color red. And since we've already done our work pointing out the best Valentine's Day hotels (for both NYC and Miami), here's a look at some heart-conscious hotel efforts happening this month.
First stop: Kimpton's Hotel Palomar, which is offering a new gluten-free minibar to provide guests with healthy snacks when they get back to their rooms. Our favorite item? The KIND fruit and nut bars, which we always make a point of slipping into our carry-on whenever we travel. So fruity and chewy and delicious! The minibar will also be stocked with Izze soda, Glutino pretzel twists, and Lundberg rice chips.
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While New York's Oak Room Closes, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Starts A Music Festival In Vegas
Two main players in the hotel music world are really getting the shake-up this month, and all we can do for now is sit back and watch (or, you know, listen) as the changes come to pass.
For starters, let's face the awful truth that The Algonquin is saying bye-bye forever to the Oak Room, its famed piano lounge that has hosted cabaret legends from Barbara Carroll to Julie Wilson to Steve Ross. According to the NY Times, audiences there have been "declining."
But it's not all doom and gloom! Head west—about 2,200 miles west—and witness a positively burgeoning indie music scene when Sports Illustrated Swimsuit hosts its first-ever music festival at The Cosmopolitan (where else?). The two-day lineup will feature indie acts like The Black Lips (above), Delta Spirit, and Elan Atias among others, and will hopefully do for the Strip what SI's Swimsuit issue has traditionally done for non-sports fans—make everyone sit up and pay attention.
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Wyndham Trades In A Garden For A Tryp
The new lobby at DoubleTree Times Square South
We told you last month that DoubleTree was planning on taking over the Wyndham Garden Times Square South—which, we can safely report, officially transpired. However, the rooms remain intact, as well as the ground-floor cafe, Greenhouse 36, so not much has really changed except for the name. And the added bonus of a welcome cookie.
But this neighborhood hasn't seen the last of Wyndham! Oh, no. Just one block south, this month the brand is launching Tryp by Wyndham Times Square South. So we thought we'd do a little compare/contrast to see which of these two (verrry similar) hotels is worthy of your dollar.
For starters? The price. For a random date (we picked a one-night stay on Feb 22nd), Tryp's lowest starting rate is $179, which offers a queen bed, iPod dock, and free WiFi. Meanwhile, DoubleTree will do you one better with starting rates of $152, and pretty much all the same amenities.
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From A Hotel Standpoint, New York Is Pretty Much Done With the Recession
New York, New York—so great they named it twice. But, hey, don't just take our word for it (we live here, so we're a little biased). Talk to all the hotel developers who are buying up hotels left and right. Because of them, New York City alone accounted for 20% of hotel transactions across the entire country in 2011, announced The Real Deal.
In some ways, we already knew this. Well. We didn't know the exact numbers ($3.5 billion in sales, to be exact), but we did know that there were some major hoteliers sniffing out the next NYC locations for their brands. At a glance: Public New York is on its way, Edition New York has already found a location, and two other Marriotts (a Courtyard and a Springhill Suites) will be popping up in Herald Square.
Further downtown, Andre Balazs' Standard empire is steadily expanding eastward. And let's not forget about King & Grove, who recently burst onto the scene with two well-established NYC properties firmly under their belt.
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Florence Welch Set Fire to Her Room at The Bowery Hotel After Drinking with Kanye West
That might be one of the oddest headlines we've ever written but it's all true. Flame-haired (heh) singer Florence Welch, the frontleader of Florence and the Machine known for her powerhouse voice and questionably retro bathing suits, nearly burned down the Bowery Hotel in Manhattan.
The rocker recently told Britain' Q Magazine that she accidentally left a cinnamon tea light burning:
“I came back to the hotel, passed out in my ripped dress – no phone, chipped tooth – came round and there was black stuff all over the wall, my book had melted on the bedside table and there was a bucket of water on the floor. Actually the last scene you want to wake up to with a hangover. Half the room was singed.”
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