Tag: morgans hotels

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Hotels to Follow Right Now on Instagram

December 27, 2011 at 5:31 PM | by | Comments (0)

Know what's crazy boring and frustrating? Trying to decide whether or not to stay at a hotel by looking at their tiny, staged room photos on a website. This is why we do our best to get in and give you some massive photo galleries to flip through, but now hotels are taking it upon themselves to get creative by using the iPhone photo sharing app Instagram.

To put it plainly, Instagram allows its users to post their own shots (most taken on the fly, via iPhone) applied (or not) with filters to jazz it up the visual oomph. The community is crawling with design, travel, architecture, photography and foodie geeks, which makes it a perfect place to show off your property if you're a hotel.

We've recently joined Instagram ourselves (search hotelchatter & jaunted in the app to find our photostreams) and we're sharing original snaps from our own hotel stays. Still, we searched to find the hotel accounts on Instagram to follow right now:

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Demi And Ashton Dwell On Divorce In Different Hotels

Where: HI, United States
November 22, 2011 at 9:25 AM | by | Comments (0)

The couple were seen together several weeks ago on an emergency reconciliation camping trip near Santa Barbara.

Now that their divorce news has come and gone, Demi and Ashton are planning their next moves carefully—well, mostly Demi. While much of Ashton's time is devoted to his new role on the hit TV show Two And A Half Men, Demi is doing the only thing she knows how to do in times of duress: seek refuge in a hotel. The NY Post reports that Moore hopped a plane to Hawaii to do "some soul-searching."

The name of the hotel has not yet been released, but we're guessing she's staying well away from The Waikiki Edition. Too many unhappy marriage associations, you know? Plus, we know Demi likes her privacy. More likely than not, she's pitched a tent in the forest just to keep away those pesky hotel maids.

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Closings at the Delano, The Dutch at W South Beach and a Stupid Thief at The Fontainebleau

October 12, 2011 at 11:08 AM | by | Comment (1)

As the high season gets closer in Miami Beach, there's been a hurricane (too soon?) of activities happening around the hottest hotels.

For starters, The Delano is apparently closing both their Blue Door Fish and Lenny Kravitz's Florida Room, even though both are fairly new to the property.

Miami New Times reports that Blue Door Fish will close sometime after Art Basel and will reopen as something called, Bianca. Brian Massie, a chef from the nightlife and resto outfit in Las Vegas, The Light Group, will take over the cuisine.

There's no word on what's replacing The Florida Room just that it will close at the end of December but reopen sometime before New Year's as whatever new club it's going to be.

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Fashion Week Means New Toys In The Vending Machine

Go To The Hotel's Web 
  Site Where: 356 West 58th Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10019
September 9, 2011 at 8:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

Fashion week doesn't all have to be about VIP appearances, plus-ones, and cramming sixteen shows into one lunch break. It can also be fun! Take the vending machine at Hudson Hotel, which elevates the concept of the gift bag to a whole new level—though the stuff isn't actually free, any fashion hound with some extra cash is going to want to buy this stuff.

$14 copies of Catcher In the Rye have been switched out for items like a Ruby Kobo diamond-and-wood bracelet, a SANG A python clutch (above), Public School hand-made wool ties, and a Jolibe rabbit fur jacket. So, really, something for everyone here. And if you happen to like Tumblr (the easy-to-use digital media platform used by millions of musicians, artists, photographers and fashion writers), there's something here for you too.

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We Take a Design Nerd Stroll Through The Delano

Go To The Hotel's Web 
  Site Where: 1685 Collins Avenue [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139
August 31, 2011 at 12:30 PM | by | Comments (0)

Since it opened in 1994, the Delano Hotel has defined what it means to be a chic, South Beach boutique hotel.

Next year, its creative guru Philippe Starck will give the beach a new vision, with his work on SLS South Beach--mere steps away from the hotel that started it all. But can he top the ground-breaking work he produced for Ian Schrager at Delano?

After we took an 'ethos tour' with Delano GM Steven Hiblum, who pointed out the little quirks we'd missed on previous strolls through the lobby, and told us all about Starck's inspiration for his designs, we're not sure he can.

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Morgans Hotel Group To Install The Mondrian Brand in London

August 23, 2011 at 12:25 PM | by | Comments (0)

Morgans Hotel Group has already had an established presence in London with their Sanderson and St. Martins Lane hotels but now it looks like they are taking their Mondrian Hotels brand across the pond as well.

Property Week reports that Morgans will turn the Sea Containers House along the Thames into a 358-room hotel. Interestingly enough, when the Sea Containers was first built in the 1970s it was intended to be a hotel but that plan was scratched at the last-minute and office space was built instead.

Now, the property's developer is itching to turn the place back into a mixed-use project which will include not just the Mondrian but offices, restaurants and retail space as well.

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Who's That Chick on the Wall at the Mondrian South Beach?

Go To The Hotel's Web 
  Site Where: 1100 West Ave [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139
August 15, 2011 at 5:10 PM | by | Comment (1)

Hotel art. It can be beautiful, weird and—sometimes—stolen. But nothing we've seen has quite topped the computer-generated lady heads that currently greet guests at the Mondrian South Beach.

We first encountered these bug-eyed chicks when we stayed at the hotel two years ago. We loved everything about the Alice-in-white-Wonderland decor. Except maybe these blown-up doll heads. The more we stared at the one in our room (above), the creepier she seemed, and the more the question bumped around in the back of our brains: Who is she and why is she staring at us all the time?

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5 Hotels That Are Celebrating Gay Marriage

July 27, 2011 at 9:35 AM | by | Comments (2)

Gay couples across the state of New York married for the first time on Monday—an event so huge, Niagra Falls suddenly became rainbow-colored! Now that ceremonies can legally take place, hotel geeks around the state will be seeking out the best venues for their ceremonies, honeymoons, and receptions. Here are five of our top picks:

For a tropical escape—How about some breakfast in bed? It's all included in the "Love And Equality" package at Costa Rica's 125-acre Monte Azul Boutique Hotel. All couples, gay or straight, who were married after January 1, 2011, are entitled to four nights for the price of three ($570 plus tax) in one of the hotel's signature casitas. Rooms come with a chef's welcome platter, free wifi and a personal garden.

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SPIN Ping Pong Club Has Closed at The Mondrian

Go To The Hotel's Web 
  Site Where: 8440 W Sunset Blvd [map], West Hollywood, CA, United States, 90069
June 27, 2011 at 1:45 PM | by | Comments (0)

The fun is done at the Mondrian Los Angeles as the SPIN Ping Pong Club has closed.

The NYC-based ping pong venture (run by Susan Sarandon, her boyfriend Jonathan Bricklin and partner Franck Raharinosy) opened its first outpost at the hotel last July and set up two ping pong tables in the lobby (with a third one out on the deck at SkyBar reserved for special events).

When we attended SPIN LA's opening party, we were all sorts of giddy about having ping pong in the hotel. But word is after a while, the cramped lobby got too crazy with ping pong balls flying everywhere. We guess SPIN won't be branching out to other Morgans Hotels then.

Life at the Mondrian has since returned to its usual minimalist vibe but we hear there might be something new in the works for the space. We'll keep you posted as soon as we find out.

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Sky Terrace Launches This Summer With Organic Vodka and Foursquare

Where: 356 West 58 St [map], New York, NY, United States, 10019
June 1, 2011 at 11:42 AM | by | Comments (0)

 In January, we gasped about the Hudson Hotel room that squeezed in up to 20 people for a mini production of the Tennessee Williams play Green Eyes. Today, we're focusing on another of their ample spaces—the exclusive, guests-only, fifteenth-floor Sky Terrace. Yes, it is quite large. And yes, the vibe is a little high-flown. But, no, we're not just telling you all this to make you jealous! It turns out that Sky Terrace, which launched its summer event series last Thursday, has chosen to open up their sought-after venue to Foursquare and Twitter enthusiasts. Because, as we have shown before, if you're not racing to reward your guests through social media promotions and contests, be assured that another equally-suitable hotel will.

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The Minibar at St. Martins Lane Hotel is Playing Tricks on You

March 30, 2011 at 10:26 AM | by | Comments (0)

The St Martins Lane hotel is far too cool for tacky Royal Wedding packages but they have been coming up with some alternative hip ideas to attract guests.

Last year it was an uber fash vending machine dispensing goodies from Selfridges and their latest offering is just as trendy. The hotel has created The Vinyl Factory, a pop up shop selling limited edition vinyl records and art from Grace Jones, Massive Attack, Brian Ferry, Pet Shop Boys and various other big artists. The Vinyl Factory Concept Store will be open until May 29th so if spinning discs is your thing this is where it’s at.

But it’s not all music and fun, the hotel also caters for thinkers, with its Minibar for the Mind.

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Morgans Hotel Group is Getting a Little Dose of (Gasp!) Marriott

March 23, 2011 at 9:37 AM | by | Comments (0)

There's been some interesting new developments over at Morgans Hotel Group. Billionaire investor Ron Burkle has joined the board, about two years after his Yucaipa Cos., invested $75 million in the company. The hotel group has also appointed a new CEO, Michael Gross, to succeed Fred Kleisner.

This comes as no surprise since Morgans has been struggling with debt after attempting to expand its high-design boutique hotel brand and its management operations with limited success. The Hard Rock in Las Vegas was run by Morgans who has also had a minority ownership stake in the property but it has since been taken over by a lender.

And now the flagship hotel, Morgans and recently revamped Royalton are up for sale. However, a Morgans rep told us that the two hotels will still be managed by Morgans going forward.

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