10021 Travel Guide
Retro Hotels / Hotel Postcards / Vintage NYC Hotels / Luxury Hotels / Rosewood Hotels / → All Tags
A Time When The Carlyle Offered 'Transient and Residential Accommodations'
The Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan is one of our favorite "old luxury" hotels and today we stumbled upon something from its heyday--a postcard. You know, the kind that hotels used to stash in the desks so that you could send your friends smarmy "Wish You Were Here" notes?
Sure, lots of hotels are still doing the postcard and stationary thing--probably even the Carlyle still--but in these green days where hotels are eliminating paper waste at every turn (even check-in and check-out!), hotel postcards are a dying breed.
And we're pretty sure that today's modern postcards don't say things like, "Transient and Residential Accommodations" and "Telex" numbers. (For the record, the Carlyle still takes transients, aka hotel guests, and very well-to-do folks still live there.)
Also missing? A website address. These days, that's how you know something is retro.
Click "MORE" to see the back of the Carlyle's old-timey postcard!
Hotel Gyms / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Fitness / Hotel Activities / → All Tags
Now You Can Hone Your Boxing Skills At The Mark New York
New York has really cleaned up its act since the 80s, and the likelihood of getting mugged on the Upper East Side is pretty much slim to none. However! If you happen to be staying at The Mark New York, and are looking to beef up your self-defense skills, a good place to start might be the hotel's new martial arts and kickboxing studio, Punch Fitness Center.
The studio, which opened in November, and its owner, Adelino Da Costa, were profiled by the NY Times back in 2008 for introducing the world of boxing to the affluent Upper East Side neighborhood—and with great success. Now, Da Costa has set up on the hotel's second floor to offer his unique blend of Thai boxing, boxing, kickboxing and martial arts conditioning to guests whenever they want it.
Hotel Woes / Hotel Art / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Theft / → All Tags
While The Carlyle Wasn't Looking...
2011 hasn't been a good year for California-based wine steward Mark Lugo. After serving four months for robbing a $275,000 Picasso off the walls of a San Francisco art gallery, Lugo now has been caught stealing yet more art out of two Manhattan hotels: the Carlyle and the Chambers.
Throwing caution to the wind, Lugo apparently walked straight out of the buildings with the artworks in hand—and in broad daylight, according to District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. When police finally tracked him down at his house, they turned up nineteen total pieces, including another Picasso. What we wanna know is, what were those hotel doormen up to when all this was happening? Walking into a gallery is one thing (those places can be deader than graveyards sometimes), but a hotel? It's not like Lugo was robbing the Chelsea Hotel.
Thanksgiving Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Loews Hotels / Hotel Food / Hotel Freebies / → All Tags
Turkey Leftovers and Free Hot Chocolate In New York This Weekend
The turkey is dead! Long live the turkey sandwich!
Sure, Thanksgiving only lasts for a day; but that doesn't mean we can't keep stuffing our faces with turkey all weekend long! Appropriately, the food-loving Loews Hotels are planning a week-long turkey sandwich menu addition for all of their properties—starting right now!
Through Sunday evening, each hotel across the country will be serving up a local spin on the traditional leftover turkey meat sandwich. From turkey sushi rolls at Loews Lake Las Vegas to Loews Miami Beach's Cuban-style sandwich, the creations will be diverse and delicious.
In New York's Loews Regency, keep an eye out for the chef's trio of sliders, served on different artisan breads with gravy and stone-ground mustard-cranberry mayonnaise. Yum!
What Is This / Hotel Design / Disabled Access Hotels / Wheelchair Accessible Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
What Is This At The Mark New York?
We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look as if they serve only a decorative purpose. But everything happens for a reason, right? And we're here to tell you what these things really do.
This mystery appliance had us stumped when we first walked up to the Front Desk at The Mark New York. As we chatted with the friendly concierges, we kept glancing over our shoulder at this bizarre pull-out fixture that's built into the middle of the wall next to the Front Desk, all the while trying not to interrupt the conversation. But, as usual, our curiosity got the better of us.
Before we reveal the faux desk drawer's actual function, here's what it's not: a desk drawer. A diaper changing station. An ironing board. A sex toy.
Give up? Click below to see what it is!
Guess The Hotel / Hotel Furniture / Manhattan Hotels / Creepy Hotels / Hotel Design / Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Suites / → All Tags
Guess The Creepy Hotel Vase: Revealed!
On Friday, we had you guessing which hotel was giving guests the pre-Halloween heebie-jeebies with this crazy-lookin vase. Interestingly, several people guessed the Mondrian South Beach (for obvious reasons), but the correct hotel is actually in a completely separate state!
However, those who pointed out that this face is reminiscent of the wallpaper found inside closets at The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas were definitely onto something. The image is actually a motif of the acclaimed Milanese design shop Fornasetti, whose founder, Piero Fornasetti, came across a photo of opera singer Lina Cavalieri in a 19th century French magazine, and decided there and then that she would become his "muse." This explains why the above vase would strike anyone who has seen a Fornasetti rug or piece of furniture before.
But the hotel? Read on below to find out more!
Hotel Amenities / Hotel Shoes / Manhattan Hotels / Upper East Side Hotels / → All Tags
It's A Wonderful Time To Own Leather Shoes In New York
Yesterday, we were a little conflicted. On the one hand, we felt lucky to get to explore The Mark New York's brand new shoe shine kiosk. On the other, we showed up like idiots without any leather shoes to get shined! Drat! Fortunately, local gallerist (and three-time repeat customer) Ryan was already in the chair getting his shined, so we just photographed him.
Located on the ground floor of the hotel, adjacent to the lobby, The Mark Shine by John Lobb is a quaint, yellow-and-brown-themed room—with a big Hermès leather armchair smack in the middle of it. Asked if locals have been responding well to the neighborhood addition, shoe shiner Jamel responded: "A lot of people do double-takes. They walk by, see it, make a mental note, and then come back later in the week.". Mind you, the shop's only been open since August, but people seem to like what they're doing.
Sweet Suites / Hotel Art / Hotel Drinking / Presidential Suites / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Furniture / → All Tags
Want To Learn How To Make A Manhattan? Sit Here
If you had to name one essential component of a Presidential Suite, what would it be? A dining room table? Piano? Great views? According to The Surrey, it would have to be a graffiti-covered leather chaise lounge with detailed instructions on how to make a Manhattan cocktail.
Stashed away on the fourteenth floor, the Surrey's $7,000-a-night Presidential Suite is not the kind of room you sit around and play cards in. With its huge terrace, baby grand piano, and separate kitchen, the space was simply built for lavish parties straight out of a Fitzgerald novel. And in the event you should forget how to prepare Manhattan's eponymous cocktail, the recipe is conveniently written onto the furniture.
Hotel Jewelry / Padma Lakshmi / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Swag / Hotel News / → All Tags
Padma Lakshmi Picks Her Fave Hotel, The Surrey, to Sell Her New Jewels
We already knew that hottie "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi was a former supermodel who was once married to controversial author Salman Rushdie but we had no idea that she was dabbling in the jewelry design business. Yet lo and behold, The Padma Collection is now for sale at our fave NYC hotel, The Surrey. Apparently, it's Padma's fave NYC hotel too.
The Fall/Winter 2010 jewelry collection was inspired by her international travels and will be on sale in the Surrey's centerpiece armoire in the lobby through March 2011. The collection includes necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings with prices ranging in the low hundreds up to $6,000.
Celebrity Scoop / Victoria Beckham / Posh Spice / Fashion Week Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Pet-Friendly Hotels / → All Tags
Victoria Beckham in 'Love and Light' at The Carlyle
Victoria Beckham's ridiculous airport fashions and singing career may come and go but one thing remains a constant for her in New York--The Carlyle Hotel (Perhaps she's picking up some hotel design hints here?)
Posh was spotted leaving the hotel yesterday, after having made a rather good showing at New York Fashion Week with her namesake fashion line this year. Could the Carlyle be providing her with all those "in love and light" vibes she keeps tweeting about? (Also, who stole this light from who--Posh or Danielle Staub from RHONJ?)
Aside from twittering up a storm during Fashion Week, Posh recently tweeted a picture of her bulldog, Coco, with painted nails. We tried to suss out if this was taken at the Carlyle but alas it looks like it was done at her home.
Yet if you need to bring your own Coco along with you for fashion week, you're in luck as the hotel is pet-friendly.
Mad Men Hotels / Hotel Packages / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
Maybe Don Draper Could Use the 'Mad Men' Package at The Pierre to Cheer Himself Up
Yes, this looks pretty much like a room belonging to Don Draper.
We were all excited for the fourth season of Mad Men but now that it's here, we're feeling a little blue--or rather brown and yellow, the main colors of Don Draper's depressing bachelor apartment.
Perhaps what we need (and Don Draper too) is a night in a suite at The Pierre in New York complete with a bottle of champagne, a $150 credit for the Two E bar/lounge or in-room dining, along with the first two seasons of "Mad Men" so we can relive the good old days.
"A Mad Affair at The Pierre" runs until September 6 and starts at $970 a night, a price that Lane Pryce would have issues with. If you don't care what Lane says, have Joanie call 1-800-743-7734 to make a reservation. Good news for Don? The Pierre does have smoking rooms available.
Want a Mad Men themed stay in New York that's a little more affordable. The Carlton on Madison and 29th has a "Mad About NYC" package for $180 a night. Read the detes here.
Hotel Restaurants / Luxury Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Taj Hotels / → All Tags
Lunch is Now Only $24 at New York's Swank Pierre Hotel
Two E: where you'll be drinking your iced tea
When we first got word of the Pierre’s new $24 prix-fixe lunch, we thought maybe they’d missed a zero off the price. But on inspection, it’s all good. Even better, according to the hotel, it’s officially Iced Tea Month – and a better excuse to go to the Pierre and drink iced tea we have yet to hear.
The $24 menu is served at bar-lounge Two E on weekdays from 10.30am-3pm. For your moneys, you open with an iced tea (posh iced tea, though - mango passion black, organic peppermint or mountain berry), progress to a main (grilled cheddar panini with a gazpacho shot or lobster or nicoise salad), and finish off with a dessert of either fruit tart or sorbet.
No, it's hardly Le Caprice, but it's summer and it's $24. Plus, you get to spread the iced tea gospel afterwards. Sorted!
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