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Tags: Party Dispatch Report / W Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Parties / Santiago Hotels / → All Tags
Inside The W Santiago's Grand Opening Party
For the opening of the W Santiago Chile we were fortunate to have Jonathan Franklin and photographer Morten Andersen, the guys behind Addict Village attend the party and report back to us on what they saw. We know, we know, what a tough assignment. Enjoy.
W chose Santiago as its first ever South American location roughly five years ago. Finally on Tuesday, The W Hotel Santiago held its official opening party, a trademark WOW experience that included a rooftop pool adorned with three female synchronized swimmers in body gripping silver suits, live bands on various stages and the constant buzz from the estimated 1,200 guests.
Beginning at 8pm, paparazzi stalked the entrance as a virtual "Who’s Who" of Southern Cone businessmen, artists, models (lots), and a few Trustafarians gathered for a summit of a globalized tribe, a roving band of creatives. It felt like an art festival as painters, jewelry designers and Google nerds mixed with surfers and journalists.
W Hotels often brag about their "cool" but we have to admit, even the public spaces off the parking garage where the hotel's opening party was held, are cool. Three floors underground in "Great Room 2", hundreds of hotel guests listened to a rocking Argentine band. As the guests wandered amidst candlelit tables, they were tempted by Roman Empire-sized offering of cheese and wine. The wheels of cheese were the size of basketballs.
Fountains of chocolates and trays of oysters competed for attention. A migrating flock of waiters and hostesses swooped in to remove empty glasses, fill empty plates as they deliver a W trademark: friendly, worldy staff.
Where else does the elevator guy answer the question ‘where you from?’ with, “Born in Chile, raised in Belgium but lived in Singapore for a long time.”
Tags: Digital Nomad Hotels / Hotel WiFi / Hotel Lobbies / Fort Lauderdale Hotel Reviews / W Hotels / → All Tags
Digital Nomad Lobbies: WiFi By The Beach At W FLL
There has been a lot of talk recently about the lifestyle of digital nomads -- folks who work from wherever they might roam. HotelChatter has been covering hotel wifi since the beginning, but as we cited in our 2009 annual hotel wifi report times they are a changin'.
Hotel: W Fort Lauderdale
Location Layout: There are three main lobby, or living room levels and the pool/patio area. The property is vast, which is great for a digital nomad because you can tuck yourself away and bother no one.
Outlets: Peppered around the lobby. Get this, at Steak 954, the onsite restaurant they actually offered to move me with a seat near an outlet.
Furniture: Couches, chairs, stools, you name it you can find it.
Digital Nomad Tolerance: High. You can move from floor one to floor two, even outdoors to the patio where you will find plenty of shade that allows you to read your screen with ease.
Phone Calls: Not a problem, pick a quiet spot and go for it.
Overall Mood: Business at the beach.
Digital Nomad Grade: A
Tons of furniture choices, the inside outside option, enough outlets, other business meetings going on, and, they offer free wireless internet in the lobby if you don't have a broadband card.
Tags: Hotel Construction / W Hotels / Hotel Delays / Hollywood Hotels / Wollywood / → All Tags
The W Hollywood Gets Pushed Back To January 15th; Will Still Be Paparazzi Central
On our way back home from Los Feliz last night, we were cruising down Hollywood Boulevard and noticed a giant gleaming W sign in the distance. It could only mean one thing--W Hollywood Hotel and Residences is getting close to opening.
The official opening date is not until January 15, 2010 (pushed back from December 3 and reservations don't start until January 28) but the hotel is nearing completion, at least on the exterior.
We took some late-night shots for you which you can peruse in our gallery here. The place is going to be massive, especially since there are residences attached to the building and a Red Line metro stop that runs through the building.
The location is proper Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard, between Vine and Argyle with the Pantages Theater directly across the street with plenty of nightclubs as well as the Hollywood and Highland complex within walking distance.
Tags: Twilight Hotels / Hotel Cocktails / W Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Bars / → All Tags
Attention Tweens Over 21: Celebrate Twilight's 'New Moon' at Whiskey Blue Nola
Do you love, like really love "Twilight"? Have you read all the books front to back, twice? Are you holding countdown parties to the "New Moon" movie at your house? Would you turn immortal forever for Edward Cullen? And more importantly, are you over the age of 21?
Because that's how old you will need to be to attend the New Moon mania that's going on at Whiskey Blue New Orleans inside the W Hotel. All week long the trendy hotel bar will unabashedly embrace the "Twilight" craze and it's not entirely about Edward, Bella, and Jacob. There is an actual new moon happening on November 16th.
Tags: W Hotels / South American Hotels / Chile Hotels / → All Tags
Santiago Gets a Touch of W Cool
Give us two weeks off and 50,000 frequent flyer miles and we'd high-tail it south of the equator to Chile – especially since the dreary winter season is about to cast its Vitamin D deficient pall upon us until April, at least. Note to self: when it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, it’s always summer somewhere else.
In our Chilean travels, we’ve had our way from Calama to Cape Horn, but have yet to spend more than an overnight and a few in and out flights from Aeropuerto de Santiago in Chile’s fine capital city.
For such excursions, we really dig the Holiday Inn Santiago directly across the street from the airport ticketing gate, but are excited to expand our city wide explorations now that W Hotels has opened its first-ever South American hotel, The W Santiago.
Tags: HotelChatter Reviews / Boston Hotel Reviews / W Hotels / → All Tags
Should You Stay At W Boston?
Topline:
Clean crisp W rooms
Cool new interior room concepts (phone charger dongle station)
Friendly, Helpful Staff (yes at a boutique hotel)
Central Boston Location (if you don't drive)
Priced too high
Some in-room fixtures seem a bit low quality
Restaurant forget our mushroom side, gave us fries instead
Tags: Art Basel Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / W Hotels / Gansevoort Hotels / → All Tags
What You Get for Art Basel at the W South Beach and Gansevoort South
Even though Art Basel is a busy time in Miami, both the art world and the hospitality industry have seen better times. Cue the scramble to fill those hotel rooms! Most of the properties in Miami Beach are rolling out special Art Basel promotions, and today we take a look at two big hotels right next door to each other: the W South Beach and the Gansevoort South.
W South Beach
Still riding its “hot new property” buzz, the W South Beach is bound to host its fair share of art-world scenesters who want to be seen. Its special Art Basel “Arrive to Escape” package features the following:
* A four-night stay in a Fantastic suite with an ocean view and private balcony
* VIP transportation from the airport to the hotel
* Two tickets to Art Basel’s invite-only Vernissage party
* Complimentary Acura car service to South Beach Art Basel shows (subject to availability
* Two cool cocktails upon arrival
Tags: Hotel Video Tours / Hotel Openings / W Hotels / Boston Hotels / → All Tags
Guess the Hotel Revealed: Hot W Boston Room Video
The ambitious ground up W Boston, full of 235 guest rooms and approximately that many future residences opened earlier this month, and of course, we have already checked in and checked out.
We requested the highest floor possible, which landed us in room 1206. For those of you still wondering, yes, this is the answer to last Friday's Guess the Hotel. We will get to our thoughts on the W Boston experience later this week, but for now we direct your attention to the video above, in which you will notice some sort of poem written on the bathroom mirror, a view of Boston's theatre district at night, and a couple of other small fixtures details that surprised us -- see if you can pick them out.
Tags: Hotel Cars / Hotel Amenities / Hotel Services / W Hotels / Starwood Hotels / → All Tags
What It's Like Riding Around in The W Hotel's Free Car Service
When you stay at one of the W Hotels, take advantage of its Acura Experience, a complimentary car service. Of course, there are limitations; the car will only bring you within a five-mile radius of the hotel. That may not seem like a lot, but if you are directionally challenged, it's helpful to have someone drive you to a destination. And if you're arranging for a rehearsal dinner, you can save money on renting a trolley and instead transport your wedding party in the free seven-seat vehicles instead.
We tried out the car service for ourselves at the W Chicago - City Center at an opportune time, when it was raining. Our ride was silver with a black interior and it wasn't too flashy with its Acura-W signage, which was nice, since you don't necessarily want to announce to the city that you're a tourist. The car had some techie details like a built-in GPS with on-demand Zagat reviews. As far as amenities, our driver offered us free water and towels. Although the car can hold seven, it would be a tight squeeze. But if you're traveling less than five miles, the ride should be bearable.
Tags: Hotel Packages / W Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Parties / → All Tags
Party with Beyonce Courtesy of the W Times Square
If you want to party like a rock star, the W New York-Times Square offers a VIP package that'll get you into Esquire's seventh annual Signature Space Cocktail Party to get your hands up with the single-ladies queen Beyonce herself and other stars. But this last-minute deal is for one night only, November 5.
You'll party with celebs like Jamie Foxx, Chris Webber, Gavin DeGraw, Ne-Yo, Johnny Rzeznik, Natasha Bedingfield, The Fray, Tamia, 3 Doors Down, Venus Williams, who are all hosting the bash. OneRepublic will perform some acoustic tunes. The Rock Star Package includes two tickets to the partay, two cocktails in The Living Room bar to kick off the night and a "Fantastic Suite" for the after-party. The one-bedroom suite will offer views of hopping Times Square or Broadway, a voyeuristic shower and a floating bed.
Tags: Hotel Renovations / W Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
Inside the New Room at The W Chicago-City Center
Since the W considers itself the purveyor of cool, it makes sense that the chain would decide to redo the W Chicago-City Center. It was the first W hotel to come to the city in 2001 and it was looking a little shabby.
The $35 million makeover targeted the W Living Room, a.k.a. the lobby, and the hotel's 235 guestrooms and suites. What was hot back in '01, aside from 'N Sync, was dark decor with oversized furniture. The hotel tried to get away from that dated look throughout the hotel with bright, airy spaces.
Tags: Hotel Opening Rates / W Hotels / Boston Hotels / Cynthia Rowley / Fashion Hotels / → All Tags
Book a Room at the W Boston, Get a Limited Edition Cynthia Rowley Scarf
We told you yesterday how the W Boston would be opening tomorrow but that rooms were unavailable for this upcoming weekend. Bummer (Are they not quite finished or sold-out? That is still the question.) However, rooms were open for next weekend at $260 a night for a Wonderful room.
But now it looks like the hotel has an opening "offer" that gives you some perks beyond just a room for the night. The W Boston Opening Experience includes in-room welcome cocktails; a chef-selected dessert at Market by Jean-Georges, a limited edition Cynthia Rowley scarf (exclusive to the W Boston) and a VIP Insider discount card to Cynthia Rowley that gives you 20 percent off all purchases at all Cynthia Rowley stores, even the ones in your hometown.
It's a great opening offer, if you happen to be Blair Waldorf from "Gossip Girl." So maybe it's a better Girls Weekend hotel than a Boys Weekend one. Rates start at $259 a night. The special offers link on the hotel's website is down right now but you can call the hotel directly to book. (617) 261-8700. Ask for the Opening Experience.
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