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Hotel Woes / Hotel Key Cards / Manhattan Hotel / New Year's Eve Hotels / → All Tags

Gramercy Park Hotel Jumps On The Malfunctioning Key Card Trend

Where: 2 Lexington Avenue [map], New York, NY, United States, 10010

Woah, we thought one New Year's Eve hotel lockout was bad enough, but this second one is making us super glad we stayed home on Saturday night. And really, the timing couldn't be worse for Gramercy Park Hotel, who narrowly avoided a complete catastrophe in October with the whole plummeting elevator business. Just as they were starting to win back our confidence, their key card system goes and crashes. At midnight. Leaving guests stranded in the hallways for seven hours.

The NY Post reports that 200 guests were shut out on New Year's Eve right after midnight when all of their key cards stopped working. And though the Marriott Denver Tech Center managed to address a similar issue (in that instance, with over 3,000 guests) in under four hours, GPH apparently struggled from around midnight until 7am, having to individually reset each guest's key for the room they'd already checked into.

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Celebrity Scoop / Russell Brand / Katy Perry / Fairmont Hotels / London Hotels / New Year's Eve Hotels / Divorce Hotels / → All Tags

Every Party Needs A Pooper, That's Why We Invited You, Russell Brand, To the Savoy

Where: The Strand , London, United Kingdom, WC2R 0EU

Celebrating New Year's Eve as a newly single man, Russell Brand wasn't exactly his usual cheery self as he struggled to come to terms with his divorce, alone in London. The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star attempted to get as far away as possible from ex-wife Katy Perry—over 5,000 miles, to be exact—who meanwhile was partying it up at Soho House in West Hollywood.

According to The Mirror, Russell moped around The Savoy, ordering room service (meal for one), offsetting it with some time at the gym, and generally spreading his misery around the place like a bad smell. When one guest went up to him to wish him a happy New Year, Brand responded: "Here's hoping it gets happier." Or should we call him Eeyore.

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Hotel Woes / Tech Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Denver Hotels / Hotel Key Cards / Hotel Parties / New Year's Eve Hotels / → All Tags

New Year's Eve at Marriott Denver Tech Center Ends In Major Technology Fail

Where: 4900 S Syracuse St [map], Denver, CO, United States, 80237

Of all the New Year's Eve parties that took place in hotels on Saturday night, this might be the most action-packed one we've heard about so far. Spread out across two neighboring hotels, the Hyatt Denver Tech Center's "White Rose Gala" and the Marriott Denver Tech Center's "Champagne Hotel" attracted thousands of midnight revelers. And for a while, it was smooth, champagne-fueled sailing.

Until midnight struck, and over 3,000 inebriated Marriott guests tried heading back to their rooms—only to discover they were all locked out! According to MSNBC, a computer error apparently crashed the hotel's entire key card database, and though pretty much everyone was drunk as a bicycle, and ready to collapse into their beds, they all had to wait until 3am to be let back into their rooms.

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Jaunted / VegasChatter / New Year's Eve Hotels / → All Tags

Whether You're In Melbourne Or Las Vegas, Let's Make This New Year's Eve A Winner

Finding a hotel is often only one part of your trip. The other half is getting there. And our bro Jaunted does a bang-up job of covering the latest news and trends in the travel world. Out in Vegas, VegasChatter is keeping us informed on what's going down in Sin City.

Jaunted
· Jaunted makes its own New Year's travel resolutions
· How do Australians celebrate New Year's, anyway?
· TSA makes a music video, and it's kinda good
· Tuk-Tuk Taxis in Paris!

VegasChatter
· Never spent a New Year's Eve in Vegas? This guide shows you how
· VegasChatter braves the nightclub scene at Cosmopolitan
· Moms and daughters compete on a new VH1 reality show
· Reviewing the Ovtavius app at Caesars Palace

Miami Hotel Mambo / New Year's Eve Hotels / Hotel Renovations / TripAdvisor / Menin Hotels / Hotel Cabanas / Hotel Design / → All Tags

A Look at Shelborne South Beach's Renovated Rooms

Where: 1801 Collins Ave [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139

Hotel makeovers: fun when they're finished but hell in the meantime? That may have been the case for the Shelborne South Beach, but the hotel has almost finished its massive overhaul, with 50 of its guest rooms now renovated to look like this.

As one commenter pointed out last time we got an update, the hotel's TripAdvisor reviews have not been kind during the construction phase. Not having stayed at the hotel, we can't speak for the service, but we can say that if the photos of the new rooms and the poolside cabanas are true to life, then the new Shelborne is nothing if not pretty. If you want to book a room that pleases the eye, though, make sure you ask for a Premiere Room (above). These are the renovated rooms.

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New Year's Eve Hotels / W Hotels / DC Hotels / Hotel Parties / Hotel Concerts / → All Tags

Doug E. Fresh to Break It Down at The W DC on New Year's Eve

Where: 515 15th St. NW [map], Washington, D.C., United States, 20004

Hip-hop heads who weren't lucky enough to reserve the New Year's Eve package to see Jay-Z at Vegas' Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino have the chance to see an old school performer instead.

Doug E. Fresh will headline the NYE party at the W Washington DC. Maybe he'll even teach you how to Dougie.

Fresh, who was hip-hop's first human beatbox, will tear up the hotel's rooftop party. The P.O.V. bash will also include three DJs, five violin percussionists, an open bar from 8 to 10 p.m., and some gourmet bar bites from Jean-Georges.

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New Year's Eve Hotels / Hotel Parties / Miami Hotel Mambo / Last Minute Room Rates / → All Tags

Everyone is Partying in Miami This New Year's Eve, Judging By Hotel Room Rates

Yesterday we noticed that room rates in New York City for New Year's Eve were still rather doable, even finding three hotels under $250 for the weekend.

But when we looked today at the hotel rates for Miami Beach, things were far less do-able. Yes, we know that Miami Beach has fewer hotels than NYC but these prices are steep! We tried our best to find fun hotels near the action for somewhat doable prices. Still, you better round-up your best friends, acquaintances, Twitter followers, Facebook fans, Jersey Shore housemates, whathaveyou to split the room costs here.

We searched HotelRates.HotelChatter.com for December 31-January 2nd (because we don't expect you to shake off that hangover before checkout at 11am) and found the following hotels and their planned New Year's Eve events (all rates listed pre-taxes):

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New Year's Eve Hotels / Trump Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags

The Trump Chicago Chugs into '11 with an Orient Express-Theme Dinner

Where: 401 N. Wabash Ave. [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60611

Foodies have been eager to chow down at Sixteen at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago ever since it earned a coveted Michelin star, but its travel-themed New Year's Eve package is good excuse to give the restaurant a go.

Sixteen will offer an Orient Express-themed spread so you can eat your way to the new year through upscale European fare.

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New Year's Eve Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Last Minute Room Rates / → All Tags

Is the Snow Keeping Hotel Rates Down for New Year's Eve in NYC?

The snow as seen from Morgans Hotel

While Snurricane 2010 aka Snowmaggedon aka Snowpacolypse has wreaked havoc on travel plans across the U.S., hotel rates in New York City as we head into New Year's Eve are looking rather reasonable...for New Year's Eve in New York City that is.

Is the snow to thank/blame? We're not sure but for those of you who are able to get to NYC by NYE, you best take advantage of these deals!

Here are some of the doable rates on New Year's Eve at HotelRates.HotelChatter.com. Searching for December 31-January 2nd (because we don't expect you to shake off that hangover before checkout at 11am), we found the following (all rates listed pre-taxes):

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Lists / New Year's Eve Hotels / Hotel Resolutions / Hotel Trends / → All Tags

10 New Year's Resolutions We'd Like Hotels to Stick To in 2011

The New Year is practically upon us and while we are furiously scribbling our own list of New Year's Resolutions (#1. Take down the Justin Bieber poster, #2. Learn to interact with people IRL, not just on Twitter) we thought we'd lend a helping hand to hotels with their own list of New Year's Resolutions. We know, we're too kind!

10 Resolutions We'd Like Hotels To Stick To in 2011

Free hotel WiFi on our iPad (#hotelgeekwetdream)

1. Free WiFi: You know how we feel about free WiFi--it should be free in all hotels, not just the budget motels, and it should be working. There's nothing we hate more than booking a hotel because it has free WiFi, only to find out it doesn't work. (Ugh and don't even get us started on pay-for WiFi that doesn't work.)

2. Reasonable Rates: There's been a lot of talk lately about hotel rates creeping back up after the economic crash down of 2008/2009 but we're hoping that hotels can restrain themselves from overeager price-gouging. After all, we've been having so much fun staying in hotels the past two years because rates were so doable. Please don't take that away from us!

3. Clean Rooms: Because we're getting tired of finding dark hairs in the bathtub. Really.

Keep reading for more New Year's Resolutions for Hotels!

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New Year's Eve Hotels / Honolulu Hotels / Landmark Hotels / → All Tags

Ring in 2011 in Honolulu with the Kahala's First Pineapple Drop

Where: 5000 Kahala Ave. [map], Honolulu, HI, United States, 96816

The ball drop in Times Square is so last decade—you know it's true when it's all about gimmicks like putting Jersey Shore guidette Snooki inside of the lit-up ball, hamster-style. The New Year's Eve tradition that's fistpump-free for 2011 is the first-time pineapple drop at the Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu.

The only celeb who might make an appearance is President Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii with his family.

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Hotel Concerts / New Year's Eve Hotels / Gansevoort Hotels / Lauryn Hill / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Lauryn Hill to Sing at Gansevoort Park This New Year's Eve

The NY Post reports today that singer/part-time recluse Lauryn Hill will do a rare, live set at the Gansevoort Park's rooftop this New Year's Eve as the kick-off to their new music series "Live at Gansevoort Park." (See what you have reaped Rose Bar Sessions!

Yet while Hill's "Ex-Factor" might be, without a doubt, one of the best songs in the entire universe of music, we're a little surprised that the Gansevoort has gone with Lauryn for such a big night considering that she hasn't been so reliable in recent years regarding live performances.

But with Gansevoort expecting to live-stream the concert, we guess we can see for ourselves how she fares, without ever having to leave our home. You can do it girl!

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