10036 Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Packages / W Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Hotel Parties / → All Tags
Party with Beyonce Courtesy of the W Times Square
If you want to party like a rock star, the W New York-Times Square offers a VIP package that'll get you into Esquire's seventh annual Signature Space Cocktail Party to get your hands up with the single-ladies queen Beyonce herself and other stars. But this last-minute deal is for one night only, November 5.
You'll party with celebs like Jamie Foxx, Chris Webber, Gavin DeGraw, Ne-Yo, Johnny Rzeznik, Natasha Bedingfield, The Fray, Tamia, 3 Doors Down, Venus Williams, who are all hosting the bash. OneRepublic will perform some acoustic tunes. The Rock Star Package includes two tickets to the partay, two cocktails in The Living Room bar to kick off the night and a "Fantastic Suite" for the after-party. The one-bedroom suite will offer views of hopping Times Square or Broadway, a voyeuristic shower and a floating bed.
Tags: Pitch Your Hotel / Historic Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
What Makes The Algonquin Stand Out on 'Hotel Row'?
Welcome to our regular Monday feature, Pitch Your Hotel, where we let hoteliers, general managers and other hotel execs tell us on-camera what makes their hotels so different from all the rest. And believe us, the competition is fierce these days. So sit back, relax and listen to them explain why their hotels are worthy of your hard-earned dollars or rewards points.
If you've ever strolled down West 44th Avenue in New York between Sixth and Fifth Avenues, you will find it to be a sort of Hotel Row, a block that's home to such popular hotels like The Royalton, City Club, The Sofitel, The Mansfield and The Algonquin.
With all these great options for travelers on a single block, we asked the Gary Budge, the general manager of the Algonquin, what made his hotel stand out? His answer has nothing to do with the cute little kitty, Matilda*, that hangs out in the lobby and everything to do with the hotel's individualized service.
The Algonquin has been serving guests in New York City for 107 years and its style remains traditional. You will not find aspiring models in Converse sneakers wearing earpieces here. Instead, you'll find knowledgeable staffers behind the front and concierge desks and helpful and happy bellmen opening the door for you. And yes, some are in formal wear.
But just because the hotel has been around for over 100 years doesn't mean it can't keep up with the times.
Tags: HotelChatter Reader Deals / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
The Sanctuary Hotel Wants You to Peek In On Their Dress Rehearsal (at $159 a night)
Manhattan is a hotbed of hotel openings right now so if a trip to New York is on your agenda this fall, there are plenty of new hotels to try out. But some of them might be a little out of your budget like The Crosby Street Hotel at $459 a night and Ink48 at $269 a night. So to get a deal, you might need to try a hotel that's not quite all the way open yet, like The Sanctuary Hotel.
This is a hotel that we've been waiting a long time to see (like since 2006). Located in Times Square, the hotel is still known as The Portland Square Hotel but the Impulsive Group is in the process of giving it a multi-million dollar facelift to transform it into The Sanctuary. As of now, only nine of the hotel's 122 rooms have been completed renovated and updated. But they look pretty cute, even if the rest of the hotel still needs some work.
Guestrooms feature plush beds with European linens as well as 32- to 42-inch plasma televisions and iPod docking stations. The bathrooms boast a unique open design featuring quarried marble as well as a glass enclosure with a rain showerhead surrounded by adjustable drapery to create an intimate bath experience. Several of the guestrooms also showcase the original structure of the hotel with exposed brick or metal beams adorning the ceiling.
Tags: Pitch Your Hotel / Westin Hotels / Times Square Hotels / → All Tags
The Westin New York's GM Takes Us Inside His 'Healthy Hotel'
Welcome to our regular Monday feature, Pitch Your Hotel, where we let hoteliers, general managers and other hotel execs tell us on-camera what makes their hotels so different from all the rest. And believe us, the competition is fierce these days. So sit back, relax and listen to them explain why their hotels are worthy of your hard-earned dollars or rewards points.
We popped into the Westin New York so that we could ask Gerard Widder, the hotel's general manager, about what makes his hotel so great. But instead of just giving us a stand-up pitch, Gerard took us along on a tour of his hotel--showing off the hotel's fitness center, spa, new executive guest rooms and the lobby bar, Bar 10. (We have to give him major props for filming all of this on the fly and while running on the treadmill too!)
Westin Hotels really need no introduction but Widder wanted to show us that despite being located amidst the frenetic pace of Times Square--which is where tourists and business travelers alike converge--the Westin Times Square goes to great lengths to offer a respite from the mad world below.
Tags: Snapshot / Hotel Bathrooms / Hotel Openings / Kimpton Hotels / → All Tags
The Vu Hotel Lives On at Ink48...on The Bath Towels
Yes, we spent the night at Ink48 and our in-depth review will be coming on Monday but we just had to show you this snapshot of the towels inside the bathrooms at the hotel. What do they say? VU. As in The Vu Hotel, the hotel's original name.
We've inquired about this embroidery mishap and we're waiting to hear back. But we have to say, we really loved the VU name and it was very apropro. The windows in the rooms (which look pretty much identical to what you see on the website) really do offer up some great Manhattan views.
Ink48 is a cute name and is also a shout-out to the building's history as a former printing warehouse but we were a little disappointed there were no ink blotters on the desk.
All the juicy detes on what is at Ink48 will come on Monday so tune in then.
Tags: Hotel Openings / Kimpton Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / 10 Hot NYC Hotel Openings / Hotel News / → All Tags
Get Your Advance Copy: Ink48 is Now Open
We love it when hotels open ahead of schedule so a big (Rihanna Bellman's) hat tip to Kimpton's Ink48 Hotel in Manhattan for opening up one day before the scheduled opening date.
Of course, we have been waiting for this hotel to open--way back when it was supposed to be The VU Hotel so we guess Ink48 had to make up for lost time.
Our sources say the hotel actually was open yesterday too. Room rates are currently going for $269 tonight for a total of $312 with taxes.
The hotel is located on 11th Avenue in a former printing house and each room has retained the building's original high ceilings. Guests will get complimentary breakfast (before October 15), a two-hour wine tasting session in the lobby from 5 to 7pm and gourmet honor bar selections in the room.
L'occitane toiletries can be found in the baths, Frette sheets cover the beds and flat-screens and iPod docking stations round out the in-room amenities. We can't wait to check it out!
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
NYC's Marriott Marquis Was The Hotel Piccadilly In 1953
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
Look at how fancy the Hotel Piccadilly is; doesn't it just remind you of London? It's home to the famous Piccadilly Circus Lounge, and "New York's smorgasbord sensation," the Scandia restaurants. 600 rooms with private baths and radios for your glitzy New York stay, and televisions are available. Only $4.50 for a single room and $7 a double means more money for stepping out on Broadway.
The Hotel Piccadilly today...
Tags: Hotel Opening Rates / 10 Hot NYC Hotel Openings / Kimpton Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags
The Ink48 Hotel Will Hand in a 'Rough Draft' on October 1st
Today we have the first update to our September Issue: 10 Hot NYC Hotel Openings and we're pleased to say it's a good one!
Ink48, the new hotel from Kimpton on the west side, will open a "rough draft" of its hotel on October 1. Actually, the hotel will open on September 15 but guests won't be able to stay overnight in the former printing house for another two weeks. When it does open in October, most of the hotel will be finished except for the two restaurants, a three-story rooftop addition and the presidential suite.
24-hour room service will be available and guests will receive a complimentary continental breakfast and an extended wine hour from 5-7pm to go along with their "Rough Draft Rate" which is 48 percent off (get it?) the hotel's rack rate of $429 a night.
Tags: US Open Hotels / Melanie Oudin / Marriott Hotels / Intercontinental Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
US Open 'Savior' Melanie Oudin Booted From The Marriott
Update: We're hearing that Melanie may be back inside a Marriott hotel on the East Side. Developing....
American tennis player Melanie Oudin has brought some much-need young blood to the U.S. Open this year (she's only 17), advancing to the quarter-finals and being heralded by much of the New York press for making tennis exciting again.
But this U.S Open savior apparently can't get any respect from the Marriot Marquis Time Square Marriott East Side Hotel which booted her out of her room on Sunday because her reservation was up.
SportsBusiness Journal reports:
Tags: Hotel Deals / New York Hotels / Morgans Hotels / → All Tags
Reliving the '90s Just Got More Affordable at the Royalton
It’s almost time to give summer the big kiss-off. Wanna party like it’s 1995? Well, you’re in luck: The Morgan Group’s Royalton Hotel in New York is running an “End of Summer” promotion for New York residents, starting at just $199 a night.
Sure, the hotel’s 2007 makeover was met with lackluster reviews from the New York Times not to mention original Morgans gurus Ian Schrager and Phillipe Starck, but is it really the Royalton’s fault that it launched an endless parade of copycat boutique hotels all jostling to be the spot du jour for Manhattan’s it boys and girls?
Tags: Digital Nomad Hotels / Hotel WiFi / Hotel Lobbies / Manhattan Hotel Reviews / Times Square Hotels / → All Tags
Digital Nomad Lobbies: W Times Square
There has been a lot of talk recently about the lifestyle of digital nomads -- folks who work from wherever they might roam. HotelChatter has been covering hotel wifi since the beginning, but as we cited in our 2009 annual hotel wifi report times they are a changin'.
Hotel: W New York Times Square
Location Layout: You enter around the corner from Times Square, but have to get yourself to the 7th floor before you are actually in the lobby. Once there, expect dim lighting, base pumping music, and fembot servers asking you if you want a drink regardless of the time of day.
Outlets: Could not find one.
Furniture: Low set couches coupled with low set tables make working comfortably difficult. Wheat grass is present, of course. Oh, and there is this cool old typewriter on one of the tables near the back.
Digital Nomad Tolerance: Light. If you are there during non busy hours you stick out like a sore thumb, and if you are there after 6 PM the place turns into a full fledged bar.
Phone Calls: Not recommended, unless you like your conference calls set to drum and base backgrounds.
Overall Mood: Millennial shiek.
Digital Nomad Grade: D
Lack of outlets, bad furniture for working, dim lighting loud music -- they don't want digital nomads here and you don't want to be here. Keep searching.
Tags: Hotel Hype / Hotel Openings / Vikram Chatwal / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
The Chatwal's Rooms Will Be '$1 Million a Night'
Hmm. We think something may have gotten lost in translation here. Well, at least we hope it did.
We were poking around the ol' web to see if we could unearth any new info about the supposedly-coming-next-month (but still not taking reservations) Chatwal in NYC, the newest from Vikram Chatwal, when we came upon a new website for the hotel group. Which was neat — but not particularly helpful, as The Chatwal's logo was teensy weensy and unclickable on the bottom of the page, the only evidence of the property's existence.
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