Tag: Public Hotels
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Public Chicago's One Dollar Sale Sells Out in 5 Minutes
Perhaps we shouldn't have vigorously cheered on the Public Chicago's One Dollar Sale because rooms sold-out today in just FIVE MINUTES.
But as we've seen with other gimmicky hotel sales (see: LHW and Copley Square), the Public's sale did not go off without a few hitches.
For starters, some folks, including us, never got an email from Public Hotels announcing the start of the sale. This is pretty crappy as signing up for the email was the preferred way of learning about the sale.
Yet even the folks who did receive the email and clicked the link to the sale ended up losing their rooms during the checkout process. Like our own contributor Juliab who tweeted:
Yup, i got a room for 1 date, gave them my card details and get an error message.
Meanwhile inside HotelChatter's HQ ASchechter had three separate reservations go through but each time was thwarted by an "Error!" message at the end.
Public Hotels / Hotel Deals / Room Rate Gimmicks / Ian Schrager / Chicago Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
Hold the Phone: The Public Chicago Will Be Offering Rooms for Just a $1
We never once thought the rooms at the hot new award-winning Public Hotel in Chicago were too pricey (we stayed there on opening night for $135 and have recently seen specials for $100 a night) but it looks like hotelier Ian Schrager is staying true to his promise to make Public available to the public--because he's just announced the hotel's first ever ONE DOLLAR SALE.
For a 90-day period starting on a secret date, Public will offer three special guest rooms per night, each with a rate of just $1. Not $10, not $5, ONE DOLLAR.
Once the sale goes live, prospective guests have 48 hours to book a room for $1 within the 90-day booking period (meaning you can book your stay either 10 days or 90 days in advance.)
It is first come, first served so there is no time to think it over, text with your boyfriend, DM your roommate or ask your friends on Facebook if you think you should book it. You just book it. Right there, right away. And then you can use the savings to have a seriously gluttonous meal down at The Pump Room.
HotelChatter 2011 Awards / Chicago Hotels / Public Hotels / Radisson Blu Hotels / Virgin Hotels / JDV Hotels / Waldorf-Astoria Collection / Hotel Openings / Hotel Art / → All Tags
Best Hotel Scene of 2011: Chicago Is Having a Bit of a Hotel Renaissance
It's what you've been waiting all year for--The 2011 HotelChatter Awards! We'll be bringing you the best and worst of the year all day today and part of tomorrow. Agree or disagree with our picks? Air your thoughts in the comments below.
This year marked the introduction of not one but three major hotel brands to the good ol' US of A. And the midwestern city they all chose as a launching pad? Why, Chicago! Where else?
After Radisson Blu Aqua Chicago and Public Chicago opened literally within a month of each other, we then got sideblinded by the news that, when it debuts in 2013, Virgin Hotels' first location will be Chicago (specifically, in the North Loop, next to The Wit and Trump Chicago). We wondered for a minute whether this had been Virgin's plan all along, or if they simply got wind of the burgeoning hotel scene going on in Chicago right now, and decided to forgo the coastal cities like New York and LA.
Either way, we see this as the city to watch in 2012, and we can hardly wait for 2013 to come so we can get inside the world's first Virgin Hotel. Until then, however, there will be plenty going on in this city—we're looking at you, Waldorf-Astoria and JDV!—to keep us distracted.
HotelChatter 2011 Awards / Hotel Services / Public Hotels / → All Tags
Best New Hotel Service of 2011: Public Express
It's what you've been waiting all year for--The 2011 HotelChatter Awards! We'll be bringing you the best and worst of the year all day today and part of tomorrow. Agree or disagree with our picks? Air your thoughts in comments below.
We already gave Public Chicago an award for Best Hotel Opening this year but when we combed through all the new services that hotels introduced this year--like cookies and lullaby, BMW bikes at Fairmont Hotels or the OCD coin-washing at the Westin St. Francis--we couldn't stop thinking about the "game-changing" room service option, called Public Express.
HotelChatter 2011 Awards / Public Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Best Hotel Opening of 2011: Public Chicago
It's what you've been waiting all year for--The 2011 HotelChatter Awards! We'll be bringing you the best and worst of the year all day today and part of tomorrow. Agree or disagree with our picks? Air your thoughts in comments below.
Going by our 2011 Master List of Hotel Openings, there were quite a few hotels that we were excited to see open but the one that lived up to our (admittedly low) expectations and more was Ian Schrager's newest hotel brand, The Public Chicago.
We weren't quite sure what to expect when we arrived on opening day to check-in but every nook and cranny in the hotel surprised us from the simple yet stylish rooms and public spaces to the complimentary bikes and the newfangled room service option, Public Express. And we can't forget about the delicious but quite affordable Pump Room restaurant.
Hotel History / Hotel Secret Tunnels / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
What Happened to the Ambassador East's Secret Tunnel?
A few weeks ago we were chatting with a fellow hotel nerd about the new Public Hotel in Chicago, formerly known as the Ambassador East, when the topic of a secret tunnel came up. Yes, we were instantly hooked. Here's what we found out:
Way back when there was an Ambassador West which is the building across the street from Ambassador East/Public. At the turn of the new millennium, the building was still a hotel, a Wyndham Hotel, but today it's been turned into luxury condos worth well over a million bucks a piece. But back to the secret tunnel.
During the heydey of Ambassador East, the tunnel was use to spirit its rich and famous guests to safety away from the paparazzi. But the secret tunnel was initially created so that guests could go back and forth between the hotels without having to cross the busy street. Which is kind of laughable today because the Gold Coast nabe is very residential.
Hotel News / Public Hotels / Ian Schrager / Hotel Hype / Herald Square Hotels / → All Tags
Public New York Will Go Public in Three Years
Good news for people who love the Public Chicago hotel. Ian Schrager is officially bringing his new Public Hotels brand to the Big Apple. The WSJ reports that Schrager has teamed up with developer Douglas Durst to put in a 250-room Public Hotel in the lower 16 floors of a 56-story residential building in Manhattan's hottest new hotel nabe, Herald Square.
Much of what we found (and loved) at the Public Chicago--simple but stylish rooms, the Public Express room service, a happening restaurant and bar scene (over 10,000-sq.ft)--will be at the Public New York but along with a nightclub, a health club, pool and an outdoor garden. And for what it's worth, residential tenants in the building will also have access to the hotel amenities including room service. (Rents for a one-bedroom unit will start at $4,500 if you're interested.)
Hotel Openings / Ian Schrager / Public Hotels / Hotel Parties / Chicago Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
All You Need To Know About The Public Chicago
Ian Schrager is hosting the official grand opening for his new Public Chicago today and as much as we'd like to be there (yes, we were actually invited) we've got other hotel business to attend to.
That said, since we visited Public Chicago last month and practically made out with it, allow us to show you all around the property...virtually. After you're done reading through our online diary and want to book a room, rates are currently hovering at $195 a night this weekend for a standard king.
If you're not in Chicago or don't have plans to go to Chicago, don't fret. Schrager is serious about his Public expansion plans as Business Week reports that he has acquired land in both London and New York for his next Public Hotels......aakdj;OIEU8920[paksjfal;wieu0[23prw;/. Sorry, we just passed out on our keyboard from excitement. Public is going worldwide! Shots for everyone!
We'll have more on the Public developments tomorrow but until then, here's all you need to know about the Public Chicago:
What is This / Hotel Furniture / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
What is This at The Public Chicago?
We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look as if they serve only a decorative purpose. But everything happens for a reason, right? And we're here to tell you what these things really do.
The other week during our stay at Public Chicago we found a plethora of goodies in our hotel room but this leather pull near at the top of the nightstand had us perplexed as we've never seen anything like this before, just hanging out all by its lonesom. What is this, we asked?
There was only way to find out--by pulling it.
And when we did, a backlight lit up behind the bed. Here, allow us to show you some before and after pictures below.
Checking In On / TripAdvisor / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Ian Schrager / → All Tags
What Does The Public Think of Public?
We gave you the complete lowdown on Ian Schrager's brand new Public Chicago hotel the other week but today we decided to check in with the rest of the general public on TripAdvisor to see what their reactions are. And so far, so good. Or as good as it can be with just three reviews.
The first reviewer claimed to stumble across the hotel by accident but is now a devoted fan, especially of the delicious The Pump Room: The other thing...I don't often eat in hotel restaurants, and I've NEVER done this before but I stayed two nights and ate lunch and dinner in the hotel both days. The Pump Room may very well be my favorite restaurant, so even if you aren't staying there definitely go for lunch or dinner. There's a great bar on the other side of the lobby too where you can get some some of the lunch entrees.
Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Openings / Hotel News / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Jean-Georges Vongerichten / Ian Schrager / → All Tags
Inside The (New!) Pump Room at Public Chicago
As with any good meal, we saved the best for last. And we're talking about the revamped legendary Pump Room restaurant from Jean-Georges Vongerichten inside Ian Schrager's new hotel, Public Chicago.
Ok, now that we've got that loaded introduction (Pump Room! Vongerichten! Schrager!) out of the way, onto the good stuff. Oh but first, to be fair, while JGV designed the menu concept, the chef hard at work in the restaurant is chef Bradford Phillips, an Indiana native whose resume includes NoMI at The Park Hyatt Chicago. Now, onto the food!
So we actually took a seat in the hotel's Library Bar on the other side of the lobby hoping to sip a drink and eat some food away from the Pump Room scene. (It was opening night so there was lots of backslapping going on and PYTs clogging up the bar.) But a hostess told us that while they would usually serve food in the bar area, that was not happening tonight. There were, however, some cancellations for dinner and she could seat us in the Pump Room instead.
Eeeee, we hesitated because we were dining by our lonesome. But faced with the possibility of not having tasted the Pump Room before checking out, we said, F it and followed the hostess to a table along the windows and overlooking the hubub in the middle of the restaurant.
Killer View / Public Hotels / Chicago Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
Day or Night, The View from Public is Killer
Are you sick of our reports from the just-opened Public Chicago? Well, too bad! We've got some more photos to show you right here! Starting off with the amazing view from our room.
We were placed in room 1612, a superior king for which we paid the special opening rate of just $135 a night. That's it! For this room and that view! Which is why sometimes it's so worth it to stay at a hotel on opening night.
And actually, Public had its opening act very together. There wasn't anything we noticed that wasn't open to guests or was still under construction, save for a few workers here and there adjusting things. The staff were all super excited to welcome guests and have them explore the hotel. Which we did.
Enjoy the latest photo gallery of the lobby and library bar from Public below!
