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The Brand-New And Verbose W New York Downtown

Where: 123 Washington Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10006

Our very own hotel Agent Zero returns with yet another review. Her not-real name is Myra Ellen and she's our version of Alex Goran who travels once a week for business, usually along the Eastern seaboard. Every so often, she'll be dropping in with her latest hotel and travel observations. In this episode, she's going all Gordon Gekko on us.

In the time that it will take a Hotelchatterer to read this review, the staff at the new W New York Downtown will still be reciting their W-mandated greeting, that run-on greeting/question filled with queries about your wishes and their ability to do whatever. It is perhaps the single most annoying thing about the hotel.

Here's some advice to the Starwood folks: frequent guests of W Hotels should have a live-action option of "press * to skip this greeting". It would save many from the embarrassment of repeatedly being on either the giving or receiving end of that monologue.

The brand-new 58-story property is located as equidistant to Ground Zero as the political football Park51 project (aka Cordoba House, aka Ground Zero Mosque, aka former Burlington Coat Factory), a fact worth noting if only to highlight that the area is being decidedly developed.

The hotel is also located on a short, hard to find block just south of Ground Zero. Its entrance is actually on a different street (Albany Street) than its listed address (Washington Street). Calling the hotel to clarify the directions takes five times longer than it should, for the reason mentioned in the above paragraph.

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Hotel Opening Rates / W Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Wall Street Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Wanna Stay at the W New York Downtown? Do It Over the Weekend

Where: 123 Washington St. [map], New York, NY, United States, 10016

As regular readers of HotelChatter know, we've been keeping our eyes on the W New York Downtown for quite some time and that includes obsessively, compulsively checking out those room rates. Today, we finally found something we can book at the hotel, which is opening on August 16.

Last month we analyzed the hotel's Grand Opening Specials and were disappointed to see that regular room rates were going for $399 a night, while the "Who Put the W in Wall Street?" opening package was a hefty $559 a night.

But in looking at the hotel's reservations system today, we see that rates for August 20-22, the first weekend the hotel is open are actually more affordable at $242 a night for a wonderful room (before taxes and fees.) That's a fully pre-paid rate and no changes are allowed but that's over a $150 less than what we anticipated.

Best available rates, which are changeable, start at just $269. Still good!

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Hotel Openings / Andaz Hotels / Wall Street Hotels / Hotel News / 10 Hot NYC Hotel Openings / → All Tags

Andaz Wall Street Will Open in January 2010

Where: 75 Wall Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 1005

It looks like we have to add one more to our Top 10 NYC Hotel Openings List. We've just heard that The Andaz Wall Street will open January 2010. Yes! January! So exciting, we know.

HotelChatter has spent the night at both the Andaz London and the Andaz West Hollywood and the crazysexycool experience of this new boutique brand from Hyatt has left us chomping at the bit for more locations to open up. And in just four months, we shall be able to experience Andaz on the East Coast.

From to the hotel's website (yes, they even have a website!):

The Andaz experience begins the moment a guest arrives at the hotel and is greeted by an Andaz host. Guests can enjoy complimentary welcome beverages while being checked in via handheld PC in the Andaz Lounge, or simply en-route to the guestroom. The Andaz Lounge – an open, communal space replacing the traditional lobby – is perfect for a quick coffee in the morning or impromptu drinks in the evenings.

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