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Tags: Hotel Renovations / Boston Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Sportsbars / → All Tags
Marriott Copley Place Unveils Renovated Digs, Giant TV Screen
Hey, Red Sox fanatics: Looks like you might have a new favorite game day destination in Beantown (Fenway Park notwithstanding, obviously). As part of the Boston Marriott Copley Place’s $22-million, year-long renovations, the hotel has a new restaurant, Champions, that boasts “one of the largest HD projection screens in New England,” or so they claim.
Champions’ 12-by-24-foot screen seems poised to become one of the hottest places to watch the Sox, if you ask us. Especially since the resto also has more than 40 flat-panel TVs, a high-tech sound system, and 36 beers on tap.
But enough about Champions — that $22 million didn’t all go the jumbo screen. Copley Place also features a completely renovated first and second floor, with new front desk area and three new meeting rooms, the new Connexion Lounge, renovated health club and pool, and full makeover of all 47 suites.
Full renovations will be complete in early 2010 — guess we mean guests can still expect a little hammering in the meantime?
Tags: Deal or No Deal / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Packages / Brooklyn Hotels / → All Tags
'Explorer Passes' Aren't Worth It at The Marriott New York Brooklyn Bridge
Marriot Hotels have been very good lately about alerting us hotel guests to their newest hotel deals and packages via Facebook, Twitter and even the individual Marriott hotels' websites. However, just because Marriott advertises it as a deal doesn't necessarily mean it's a good one. The other week we expressed some disappointment with a New Orleans package which, based on its marketing and pricing, made less than zero sense.
Now it's the Explore Your New York package deal from the New York Marriott At The Brooklyn Bridge. Room rates range from $274-$524 per room, per night, plus tax. The ostensible bonus is that rooms come bundled with two Explorer Passes that have three discount coupons for 40 different shops, tours, or attractions. Breakfast for two is also thrown in.
We'll get into the mechanics of this non-deal after the jump, but before we highlight the specifics: there's no way this is ever going to be a deal. The rules never change. Deeply discounted resorts and cruises are sometimes bargains because you're purchasing a unique experience. Not so much hotels in major cities, which are functionally interchangeable. Tourist coupon books are worse than useless, locking you into events for which you'd be better off picking and choosing deals.
Tags: Hotel Wine Tastings / Wine-Tasting Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
Crush Some Grapes at the Chicago Marriott Mag Mile's Wine Tasting
If you've always wanted to try making wine after seeing that I Love Lucy episode where Lucy stomps grape with her feet and laughter ensues, go to the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile's annual Wine Tasting and Grape Crushing event on Oct. 20 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Okay, so you won't actually be stomping on grapes with your feet and it won't be as hilarious. Instead, you'll use a destemmer crusher machine to help turn those grapes into vino. At least it'll save your tootsies from turning purple and your clothes from getting stained.
As part of the second annual festivities, Executive Chef Myk Banas of the hotel's restaurant, Harvest, will host a wine tasting inside the Grand Lobby. You'll get to swish the 2008 Farmstead Red American Sangiovese wine from last year's harvest crush. There also will be hors d'oeuvres paired with the vintage, such as various house-made sausages, like chicken sausage, and artisan cheeses from the Midwest. After the tasting, you'll have your chance to crush hundreds of grapes for next year's 2010 vintage.
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...
Tags: YouTube / Marriott Hotels / San Juan Hotels / Concierges / → All Tags
The San Juan Marriott's You Tube Concierge Makes Virtual Bragging Easy
Every time we go away, we feel pangs of guilt if we don’t bring back souvenirs for our nearest and dearest; especially, our beloved dog-sitter. As a carry-on only kinda gal, it can get burdensome, and many times we cop out with a 25¢ cookie cutter postcard with an impersonal message.
Well, the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino just launched a very cool (and complimentary) service that lets guests send a virtual shout out to the folks at home, and avoid the whole issue of having to schlep a bunch of useless tsotchkes. Plus think of all the money you’ll save on ever-increasing postage prices if you’re a postcard kinda person.
Tags: Hotel Openings / Marriott Hotels / Bill Marriott / Bogota Hotels / → All Tags
Bill Marriott Opens The Bogota Marriott Hotel
It's been a while since we checked in on Bill Marriott but thanks to the Marriott Twitter feed, we know exactly where he is.
Marriott on Twitter has been buzzing with updates on the opening day festivities at the new Bogota Marriott in Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe, Bill Marriott and developers Ricardo Poma and Fernando Poma were all on hand to inaugurate the hotel today.
The hotel is located 10 minutes from the El Dorado International Airport and sound proofed rooms feature a modern art concept along with techy amenities like high-speed internet, work desks with plug panels and 37" LCD TVs. On site there's a lap pool, an Italian restaurant and a sushi and tapas bar. Just outside are two shopping malls and the Chamber of Commerce.
And it looks like the Marriott will soon be joined by a sister property soon. A JW Marriott is planned to open in Bogota this May.
The Bogota Marriott is a Marriott Rewards category 3 hotel and room rates start at $215 a night.
Tags: Hotel Crime / Hotel Safety / Erin Andrews / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
Erin Andrews Stalker Asked For, and Received, a Guest Room Next to Hers
Last Friday, the creepy stalker who videotaped sexy ESPN reporter Erin Andrews through a peephole in her hotel room was found, arrested and charged with one count of interstate stalking using harassing and intimidating surveillance. But it turns out, Michael David Barrett wasn't just a clever predator on the hunt for his prey. Oh no, he had some help from the hotel.
A lawyer for ESPN blasted the management at Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University for failing to protect Andrews. The reason why? Computer records show that Barrett requested and was given a room next to Andrews and that their rooms were located in an alcove off the main hallways. It even shows up on the computer records as "GST RQST TO RM NXT TO [Andrews]." So much for guest safety and privacy, huh?
Tags: Hotel Blog Watch / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Celebrity Chefs / → All Tags
Marriott's Head Chef Revamps His Chef Blog
Where: United States
As you know, we keep our eye out for new hotel blogs on our Blog Watch, and have watched the evolution of Marriott’s blogs with great interest since Bill Marriott himself launched Marriott on the Move in January 2007. That was followed in January 2008 by Marriott in the Kitchen written by the mustachioed head Marriott International chef, Brad Nelson, whose mantra is “you’re only as good as your last meal.”
Now we are happy to report that the chef blog has just completed a re-design of the site and are using it to hype special events, such as Chef Laurent Tourondel’s (of BLT Restaurants) recent foray into the kitchen to personally fix a burger for Bill Marriott, complete with slideshow.
Tags: Twitter / Marriott Hotels / Paradise By Marriott / Halloween Hotels / → All Tags
Paradise by Marriott Puts a Cyber Spin on Halloween With Trick or 'Tweet'
For those of you who like to get your trick or treat on (costumes optional) or simply like free swag, Paradise by Marriott, a collective of nine resorts throughout Mexico and the Caribbean is launching a huge, month-long promotion today, appropriately called, Trick or Tweet.
Here’s how it works:
Follow Paradise by Marriott on Twitter (@MarriottResorts.) Over the month of October, they will be giving away 27 travel treats ranging from a free night's stay or round of golf to $100 F&B vouchers and spa treatments specific to one of the nine resorts. No houses, cars, cruises, or complete living rooms sets (à la The Price Is Right) – just a lot of fun perks that should make any sun-filled vacay just a little bit sweeter. (Why not 31 days of giveaways, you ask? We did. The remaining four days are for “Tricks.” Clever.)
Tags: Hotel Packages / Aruba Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Learn to Play Beach Tennis at Marriott Aruba (Jams Shorts Not Required)
Whether or not you’re a tennis fan, beach tennis — featuring tan, chiseled-chested men! — is the sort of spectator sport many of us can get behind. Throw in a trip to Aruba and, well, you’ve got the makings for a pretty fabulous vacation, if you ask us.
If you agree, consider the Aruba Marriott Resort’s Beach Tennis Tournament Package. Coinciding with Aruba’s 8th annual International Beach Tennis Event, to be held Nov. 13-15, the hotel is offering a four-night minimum stay that offers a $700 savings, which includes a free night’s stay and breakfast and other free goodies, like a one-hour beach tennis lesson from a beach tennis pro, use of the resort’s beach tennis court and paddles, and the chance to participate in the round robin tournament. The package also includes access to the opening night festivities, free drink and entertainment included, plus a beach tennis T-shirt and BBQ lunch.
Rates start at $339 a night (remember: the fourth night is free). To book the package, request promo code S3Q. Learn more about beach tennis at Arubabeachtennis.com.
Tags: Hotel Rumors / Los Angeles Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hard Rock Hotels / Hotel Hype / Edition Hotels / → All Tags
Who Will Be Marriott's Neighbor at LA Live: Schrager or Rock Stars?
Curbed LA has some great scoop today on the potential hotel that may open up across from the JW Marriott at LA Live (and also attached, a Ritz-Carlton).
Latest rumor about that mystery AEG-funded hotel--planned for right across the street from LA Live--comes courtesy of Karen Englund, director of sales and marketing for Marriott at LA Live: She tells us that the new hotel will likely either be a Hard Rock (as noted before) or an Ian Schrager hotel.
Now we, like Curbed, read the words Ian Schrager and we immediately thought of Edition Hotels. But we have to remember that Ian still can open up his own independent hotel a la Gramercy Park. But we bet Marriott would much rather an Edition Hotel than a competitor like Hard Rock.
We say? While we would love an Edition to open up in our backyard, a JW Marriott and a Ritz-Carlton might be too many luxury hotel rooms. Besides LA Live fits the Hard Rock brand better. Just our two cents. What do you think?
Tags: Hotel Bars / New Openings / Chicago Hotels / Renaissance Hotels / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
Renaissance Chicago Launches Soft Opening for Swanky Bar Novo
It looks like theWit's hot Roof bar has some competition. As part of the Renaissance Hotel's rebranding effort, the Renaissance Chicago Hotel had a soft opening for its new upscale Bar Novo on Sept. 17 and the lounge will post an official "open" sign on Oct. 1. And like any good business these days, the Bar even has its own Twitter page.
Formerly a stodgy cigar bar—hello, the Chicago smoking ban made cigar bars so 2007—the new space is warm and inviting with reds and deep wood. But the pièce de résistance of the decor is an open chef's station that's the hub of the bar. The station uses an special induction style cook-top that eliminates the use of open flames and bulky hood systems so that you can watch the chef, who has traded in his tired toque for a sleek fedora.
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