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Whatever They're Planning, It Better Not Be Another Westin Times Square Eyesore
Two weeks ago, we learned that Host Hotels had purchased the New York Helmsley and was planning on re-making it into a Westin. Now, we find out that $65 million is being poured into the building for what they're calling an "extensive re-branding initiative."
Fine. The part that gets us, though, is when they mention that the entire facade of the building is gonna be transformed as well. Ah, real monsters! We desperately hope Westin isn't sketching out a repeat of their purple-and-blue stripey Times Square mess (which we once upon a time dubbed one of the ugliest hotels alive). For a 774-room hotel in midtown Manhattan, we're not sure what kind of "statement" Westin will be going for, but hopefully nothing big. A nice scrub-down and maybe some window replacements should do the trick nicely.
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Now You Can Try Stinky Kombucha On Tap At Hyatt 48Lex
What is kombucha, you ask? It's that fermented, sparkling, slightly vinegar-y drink that everyone's obsessed with lately (brands like Synergy and Wonder Drink are the ones most commonly found in stores). Because it's made with live cultures, the health benefits—digestion, immune system boost, energy boost—are supposedly out of this world.
And now, Hyatt 48Lex guests can get it whenever they want. Lexington Brass, the hotel's ground-floor, mirror-walled eatery, is serving kombucha on tap, and it seems like people are kinda into it. Lexington Brass' manager, Todd Enany, said the drink is popular during the breakfast crowds, and they've been averaging about 100 glasses per week.
We just hope that fermented smell stays put in the restaurant, and doesn't start wafting up into the rooms!
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Grand Hyatt's Club Lounge Goes Au Naturel
It's time to reveal the identity of the butterfly Club Lounge! And if you guessed Grand Hyatt New York (which two people did), then you're right!
For an extra $100 per night, guests can bump up to a Grand Club King (starting at around $299), which allows them access into the Grand Club's sprawling, beige-accented lounge area. Like in other club lounges, breakfast is laid out here every morning, snacks are available all day, and the whole space has a feeling of peace and quiet. It helps that it's way up on the sixteenth floor. And yes, nature is kind of a theme here, with those dried butterflies, and a piled rock sculpture (which is actually made of wood), and bright bursts of greenery coming from the terrace outside.
For a full photo gallery, see below!
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Grand Hyatt Wants You To Join The Dream
It's been six months since Spanish artist Jaume Plensa wowed New Yorkers by placing a 44 ft tall, elongated fiberglass female head smack in the middle of Madison Square Park. Those who saw the piece, titled "Echo," will undoubtedly notice the resemblance in Plensa's new twin sculptures, located inside the recently-renovated Grand Hyatt.
For the renovations, which happened in multiple phases, and only yesterday were fully unveiled to the public, the hotel has gone a little gaga over its art collection.
For starters, there's the twin "Awilda" and "Chloe" sculptures by Plensa, which hang out in the lobby. Their material is apparently the same white macael marble used in ancient Rome. Try walking by these ladies without stopping to stare, at least for a little while. Go on, we dare you...
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The Fitzpatrick Tries Out A New Kind Of Lobby
We recommended the FItzpatrick Grand Central back in 2008 for its warm, Irish flavor (it comes with a built-in Irish pub!), Wi-Fi, and general bang-for-your-buck service. Now, two long years, plus $3.5 million in renovation costs later, the hotel is finally ready to show off its new digs.
Owners have worked on freshening up the old lady with warmer lighting, new artwork, and a re-arranged lobby that completely does away with the Reception counter (who needs it?). Instead, upon arrival, guests are greeted at the door, invited to plop down in front of a "large desk" (pictured), and converse with a hotel staff member in a more personal setting. You know, true Irish style—a glass of Jameson, a bowl of Lucky Charms, and a shower of four-leaf clovers.
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Which Hotel Chef Is Making Jelly Doughnut Pancakes?
Few things excite us more than a delicious hotel breakfast. Sometimes, we wish we could just spend the whole day inside a swanky brasserie, gazing out the window, eating omelets and sipping tea. Chef Franklin Becker's new joint Lexington Brass, located inside Hyatt 48Lex, might be just the place for it.
The menu's winning item, no doubt, are the jelly doughnut pancakes, which borrow the concept of a baked, jelly-filled doughnut and impose it onto a regular old pancake. The result is thick, fluffy, jelly-filled and awesome. You might call it a dough-cake. Either way, it's served with berries and lemon cream, costs $17, and is the most delicious-sounding breakfast we've ever encountered.
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Actually, the President of Sierra Leone Needed Only Two Hotel Floors, Not Three
President Ernest Bai Koroma, center
When we learned the particular hotel used by the President of Sierra Leone during the United Nations General Assembly in NYC, of course, we figured it was worth sharing. And even more so when we found out that the four-year official had supposedly taken up three floors of the hotel.
But in fact, as we learned from a rather petulant email we received at the beginning of the weekend (from the Sierra Leone embassy, no less), the President and his entourage only took up two floors of Hyatt 48Lex—the penthouse floor and the one below. Phew. Well, that really clears things up. Between $16 muffins and this, we were seriously considering a saucy little email of our own denouncing extravagant spending by governments in hotels. But for now, we'll just downgrade that to a warning.
To read a portion of the email, which doesn't exactly present the hotel in the most favorable light, click below.
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Flyin' High Inside a Penthouse At 48Lex
Remember when we showed you a snapshot of a Hyatt 48Lex conference room that had been converted into a makeshift clothing boutique? Well, the real reason we were there that day was to tour one of the Hyatt's 23rd-floor penthouse suites. And boy, are they looking good.
Space is not one of the hotel's assets (consistently a problem in New York)—at 116 rooms, the lean glass tower is more efficient than luxuriant in that sense. But the feel, in both the standard rooms, the suites, and the Lexicon Lounge, is very distinctly New York: compact, sleek, and sturdy.
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At Hyatt 48Lex, They Whistle While They Work
Sometimes they're chic. Sometimes they reflect the local vibe. Sometimes they're super sexed-up. But in the hands of Hyatt 48Lex, hotel uniforms are a little like fast-food: served up quick, hot, and made-to-order.
We were touring the newly-opened hotel (and President of Sierra Leone's pied-à-terre), when we happened to pass by one of the conference rooms located off of the Lexicon Lounge on the second floor. Now, we pride ourselves on being eagle-eyed when it comes to hotel oddities, but it didn't take a detective to realize that something looked a little out of place here.
Instead of the usual orderly scene of business suits, laptops, and PowerPoint presentations, we found the tables strewn with fabric, measuring tape and sewing machines. Was Cinderella in town? No, it turns out the entire space had been converted into a fitting room and production center for hotel staff uniforms! And they (very kindly) allowed us to take this photograph of the seamstresses hard at work.
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The Roger Smith Does Bingo Night A Little Differently
Though summer's not quite over, the days of idly cracking lobsters and nibbling corn under the stars has passed. So instead, the ever-imaginative Roger Smith Hotel has thought up a newer, more seasonal way to pass the time (and get drunk): Bingo, Bourbon, and Brownies Night.
Yes, you read that correctly. Coming up on October 12, the RS team is inviting bingo enthusiasts (that means YOU) to get cozy in the hotel's Starlight Room for a few friendly rounds, plus homemade brownies and Bourbon. Unlike other events of theirs, which tend to directly promote in-house exhibits at The LAB Gallery, the theme here is the season two premier of Bravo's hit show Work Of Art, which will be screened publicly.
The trick here is to distract your bingo partners by pointing repeatedly at the TV, so they won't be paying attention when their numbers are called out. There are legit prizes at stake here!
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Marriott Knows The Way To Your Heart...Is Through Your Stomach
Valentine's Day is still five months away, but Marriott is clearly in the mood for love. Yesterday, the company announced two new promotions—"More Love In The World" and "Cake From Buddy"—that not only let couples indulge in a little suite-snuggling, but also ply them with cake! Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro will welcome guest couples to his New Jersey facilities to discuss their dream wedding cake; and then, he'll bake it for them.
Can't make it to Jersey? That's OK, Valastro is open to video conferencing too. The point is, Marriott seems to be really enjoying playing Cupid.
In order to choose from the 24 custom cake designs, all you have to do is book your wedding or another "qualifying event" at a Marriott in the tri-state area between now and February 29. What qualifies as an event on par with a wedding? Well, hopefully, dessert.
Hotel Renovations / Manhattan Hotels / Historic Hotels / Hotel Design / → All Tags
The Roosevelt New York Wants To Become Chic All Over Again
Out with the old...
Above is a shot from one of the current rooms at the Roosevelt New York. Get a good look at it now, because in a few months, everything will be different.
Like certain other large Manhattan antiquities, the Roosevelt is benefitting from a major facelift across its 1,015 rooms. The work will be done floor by floor, so as not to disturb guests, and the finished product "will reflect the chic, NYC lifestyle." Um, OK?
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