10004 Travel Guide
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Toast to Lady Liberty at Ritz-Carlton Battery Park
This morning, the Obama administration announced to the world that the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be open to tourists again on July 4th after being closed since September 11, 2001.
If you've never had the chance to see — or go inside — the Statue of Liberty, your chance is a-comin' this summer, finally, so why not do it up right? The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park — which, we promise, has some fabulous views of Lady Libs from the property — is celebrating its relative viewliciousness and the re-opening of the crown with the Liberty For All package:
· Overnight luxury accommodations in a newly renovated Harbor View room with views of the Statue of Liberty (includes in-room telescope for enhanced viewing)
· Two ferry tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
· Handmade chocolate Statue of Liberty in-room amenity
· American breakfast for two in 2 West Restaurant
The package starts at $375 per couple on weekdays and weekends starting May 11 (so, um, you may have to take a few less liberties on your splurge-y spending to save up), but there's one more thing to entice you and it involves booze: a new cocktail!
In conjunction with the launch of the package and the re-opening of the crown, the hotel has rolled out a new cocktail called The Libertini and they're touting it as the hotel's signature cocktail: a "sea-green martini garnished by a home-made Statue of Liberty candy swizzle stick."
Tags: Hotel Hype / Hotel News / Robert DeNiro / Nobu Hotel / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
Plans for Nobu Hotels Are Being Defrosted, Reheated
Is the world still game for a Nobu Hotel from Robert DeNiro and star chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa? Ever since plans for the first Nobu Hotel in New York's Financial District were announced last May, we've kept our ears wide open for any other tidbits on the topic only to see it disappear quietly into the history of funky hotel rumors.
Now nearly a year later, The Telegraph UK has resurrected the concept of a Nobu Hotel by explaining the delay (issues with a 50 percent sale of the company) and assuring the world that "plans are currently being drawn up." We're assuming then that their plans to commandeer the building at 50 Broad Street are off, since still being "in the planning stages" can't possibly mean there will be any actual Nobu-branded places to lay our heads until at least 2013.
Until then, however, you can still catch some raw fish in one of Nobu's 20 worldwide restaurants, with newest additions in Dubai (in Atlantis Palm Jumeirah) and Cape Town (in the One & Only Resort).
Tags: Hotel Rumors / The Jane Hotel / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
No Pool or Rooftop Bar for The Jane Hotel?
The rumor mill is a-churnin' with some bad news for Sean MacPherson's Jane Hotel. If you'll recall, before the property even opened, we'd heard all about an awesome rooftop bar and an indoor pool area that were both supposed to be coming to the property in the near future — the rooftop was meant to be the hotel's central social scene, while the pool was headed to the basement for some year-round swimming action.
But commenter Laksmi Devi dropped by yesterday to say:
Last week community Board #2 unanimously voted against a rooftop terrace at the jane hotel unless the owners can furnish proof (original plans) showing that such a terrace existed when the jane was first designed and built. They asked Mcpherson why he didn't just refurbish the pool instead of sink all of this money into the rooftop terrace and hestted that the hotel did not have the money to renovate the pool. Business is so bad that they are renting rooms for $75 a night and most rooms are vacant on a nightly basis.
Wait, so, no more pool in the basement at all? And now no more rooftop bar? Sadly, this is the second tip we've gotten with the same info (another wrote in to tell us that the rooftop terrace/bar was unanimously vetoed by all community board members at the end of March). Sad! Say it ain't so!
Got any more dirt on the Jane? Tell us what's up.
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Ritz Battery Park's Bachelorette Party Doesn't Include a Stripper
The Liberty Suite; your Bachelorette Party digs.
So, your BFF asked you to be a bridesmaid at her wedding and has designated you as the Official Bachelorette Party Planner (which, let's face it, is usually better than the Official Invitation Stuffer or the Official Keeper of the Dress — you're lucky she has sisters). But you're not quite sure what she wants, where she wants to go, how much booze she wants involved and how raunchy she wants things to get.
Solution: you can never, ever go wrong with going luxe. And believe it or not, Ritz-Carlton Battery Park actually offers an all-inclusive Bachelorette Party package (who knew, right?)
Tags: Hotel Nightclubs / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel News / Sean MacPherson / → All Tags
Is The Jane Hotel About to Get a Lot Less Social?
Take this with a grain of salt: Page Six has declared Socialista "over." The exclusive restaurant/lounge in the The Jane Hotel's building — which the hotel was sort of banking on to make the hotel a bit more of a trendy, social place, though the two establishments were not affiliated at all — has had almost as many troubles as the hotel upstairs, but this may be the end of the road for Socialista.
A bit of background before we get to this gossip: at the end of the year, the sudden closing of Socialista brought even more drama to to the ever-growing list of issues at The Jane, the "micro-luxury" Manhattan hotel that has been plagued with controversy since its opening last fall. A little bit later on, we found out the sudden shuttering of the lounge was due to some issues with the health department (some rather unsavory things were, er, "dropped" on the floor, including ciggie butts) — but apparently the violation was no biggie and could have been fixed with a little cash fine and an apology.
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Inside the Chocolate Bar at The Ritz-Carlton Battery Park
Last night, we hit up a preview tasting party to sample Ritz-Carlton Battery Park's 2009 Chocolate Bar menu. We still have a bit of a sugar hangover and a tummy-ache because we did our best to taste a bit of everything (it's a tough job), but we came, we ate, and we conquered.
The Sweet Scoop
From February 6th to February 28th, the hotel hosts an all-you-can-eat chocolate bar, which includes a bottomless glass of champagne, in its 14th-floor Rise Bar on Friday and Saturday nights. For $75 per person (includes tax and tip), you can indulge in this feast of chocolate goodies until you can't take it anymore while enjoying some of the best views in the city (Hello Statue of Liberty!).
This year's theme is "The Chocolate Bar: A Carnival of Chocolate" and even though it's executed in a bit of a cheesy way — think ferris wheels and roller coasters painted to look like chocolate — Pastry Chef Laurent Richard's killer chocolate menu will make you forget about all about it.
Tags: The Jane Hotel / Hotel News / Sneak Peek / Hotel Hype / Hotel Openings / Sean MacPherson / Hotel Construction / → All Tags
Sneak Peek, Part Two :: What Else is Going to Be Inside The Jane Hotel
In our story yesterday about the upcoming Jane Hotel from hoteliers Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode, we largely focused on the micro-rooms that would be opening up in mid-August (does that qualify as an oxymoron? Anything with the word "large" next to "micro-rooms" must be.)
However, you aren't going to want to hole up in your room here--not when there will be so much action going on downstairs, upstairs and below stairs.
Tags: Hotel Packages / Fourth of July Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / NYC Watefalls Hotel Packages / → All Tags
The Ritz-Carlton Battery Park Gets You Up Close to the NYC "Waterfalls"
July 4th in New York City draws thousands of people to the banks of its city rivers to watch the fireworks displays. But this year, Manhattan is gearing up for its most unusual river display yet--The New York City Waterfalls, a temporary series of four man-made waterfalls, ranging in height from 90 to 120 feet, to be situated along the East River in various spots.
Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, along with the Public Art Fund, will roll out these eye-popping "installations" beginning in late June through October -- undoubtedly the coolest outdoor art project to grace Gotham since Christo's "Gates" in Central Park.
The Ritz Carlton Battery Park offers a sweet package that will get you up close and personal for a river-water rush.
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Iranian President Shacks Up at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park
UPDATE: A representative for the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park wrote to us to say that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is NOT staying there. In her words: Just wanted to let you know that the New York Post erroneously reported the President of Iran was staying at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park. They revised the story and admitted the mistake. The President of Iran is not staying at the hotel.
Phew, that's a good thing because it's one of our fave Manhattan spots.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Manhattan this week (why and how??) and the NY Post reports that he has decided to shack up at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park. Aside from the fact that we really liked this hotel and we hate the thought of him being there, the hotel is an especially bad choice for Ahmadinejad because it's located so close to Ground Zero and a Holocaust memorial. Fortunately, we hear Ahmadinejad won't be allowed near either of those spots.
Related Stories:
· Madman Iran Prez Defends Nation's Human Rights Record [NYPost]
· Vietnam's President Likes St. Regis Monarch Beach, But Nobody Likes Him [HotelChatter]
· Even Dictators Love Hotels [HotelChatter]
Tags: HotelChatter Reviews / Downtown Manhattan Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / → All Tags
Inside the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park
The other week, we spent two nights in the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park where the hotel surprised us with a romantic treat. But rose petals aside, the Ritz was one of our best hotel stays in the U.S. in recent memories. Check out our full review after the jump.
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Snapshot :: Rose Petals on the Bed
So we've moved on to the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park. This hotel has far exceeded our expectations all across the board and for $305 a night, it's a total steal. Plus we have amazing views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and our motherland, New Jersey.
As if that weren't enough to like the place, somehow the hotel has gotten the idea that we are here on our honeymoon. We returned to our room last night to find rose petals placed in a heart shape on the bed. Awww....Even though our real honeymoon was six months ago, we're not complaining.
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Jay Cooke Hearts The Wall Street Inn
National Geographic Traveler lists The Wall Street Inn as one of Jay Cooke's (editor of Lonely Planet) choices when staying in NYC.
This hotel sounded interesting, so despite the pitiful nine-word description in NG, we dug a little deeper. One recent guest said:
"This is an exquisite little European-owned hotel tucked into a winding back street. It is a former bank and my corner room had mullioned windows almost floor to ceiling and wrapped around the room."
Great for business travelers and probably for those leisure travelers who still gawk at Ground Zero, the hotel was voted one of New York's 100 Best Little Hotels.
In addition, since the Suits leave downtown on the weekends, Friday and Saturday nights deliver peaceful sleeping.
The hotel makes up for its lack of a restaurant by providing take-out menus from various nearby places.
and naturally, they deliver the Wall Street Journal to your door each day.
Related Stories:
· Wall Street Inn Reviews [TripAdvisor]
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