HotelChatter

Hotel Openings / Odd Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Sheraton Hotels / → All Tags

The Financial District Will Soon Have Its Own Themed Hotel

Where: 6 Platt St [map], New York, NY, United States, 10038

Just the other day, we thought to ourselves how Manhattan—despite its wealth of boutique and chain hotels to please even the most discerning traveler—suffers from a distinct lack of themed hotels.

Neuwid's got its Food Hotel. Portland's got the Kennedy School House. And now the Financial District will have a Wall Street-themed hotel, with stock ticker-inspired light displays in the lobby and plenty of local iconography. We first heard the news in April that Four Points by Sheraton would be taking over a location in the Financial District. However, details have now been released on the hotel's look and feel.

According to DNAinfo, the moola-obsessed design is the work of Glen Coben (who was in charge of NYC's Flatotel and the now-Hilton-owned-Fashion 26):

"The clearest statement of the theme is in the lobby, which is lined from floor to ceiling with recycled safety deposit boxes. The lobby also features artwork made from LED light displays inspired by stock tickers.

Coben also drew inspiration from pie charts and the jagged graphs of stock prices, using sharp angles to create the outlines of furniture and the streaks of color that break up the rooms' floors and ceilings.

more ›

Snapshot / Hotel Games / Manhattan Hotels / Chess Hotels / New York Hotels / Thompson Hotels / Gay Hotels / → All Tags

Calling In Early In Manhattan? Stay Up For a Game of Chess at Gild Hall

We can always count on Thompson Hotels for true customer service. As if designer condoms weren't enough, Gild Hall has chosen to satisfy that eternal hotel guest need to play a game of chess. Indeed, scattered throughout the ski-lodge style lobby are several chess boards, available to anyone at (literally) any time of the night. A spontaneous-chess-player's paradise. "I actually competed in the Kansas state nationals for chess when I was a kid," one recent lobby visitor enthused as he was in the middle of a game with his friend. I mean, what are the odds?

more ›

Room Rate Drop Watch / Thompson Hotels / Hotel Deals / → All Tags

Gild Hall for As Low As $160 on Quikbook

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

Quikbook has scored yet another great deal at a new Thompson Hotel in New York.

This time it's at Gild Hall in the Financial District. For 48 hours only, Quikbook is offering 20 percent off room rates from now through March 31, 2009. Rates are starting as low as $160 (that's with the discount included.) While that's not as low as the soft-opening rates of $117 a night from last year, it does beat the $350+ the hotel has recently been commanding. But remember, you must book by December 5th at 5pm EST.

And if you want to save even more money, you should skip the dinner at Todd English's Libertine and make it yo'self.

Hotel Restaurants / Todd English / Thompson Hotels / → All Tags

Todd English Makes Us a Gild Hall Hotel Meal for $8

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

We caught chef Todd English's cooking segment on this morning's Today Show and — surprise! — he taught us (and the rest of America) how to make a dish from his brand new Gild Hall restaurant, Libertine ... for less than $8.00! It's a holiday miracle!

We always knew the prices of hotel meals were kicked up, but dayum! According to a Gild Hall staffer we spoke to, this entree sells for $22.00 on the restaurant's dinner menu ($16.00 for the lunch portion).

more ›

Hotel Uniforms / Designer Hotel Uniforms / Thompson Hotels / Hotel News / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

Gild Hall Gussies Up With Steven Alan-Designed Uniforms

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

Our hotel fashion expert JetSetCD reports on the latest in hotel uniforms.

Thompson Hotels' Gild Hall at Wall Street seems to be weathering the economic downturn just fine; Libertine, their musky and manly Todd English-helmed restaurant successfully opened last month, and now the hotel staff gets to dress up in designer duds. Bringing a sliver of his classic, messy-refined style to the lodge atmosphere of Gild Hall, New York clothier Steven Alan will provide male and female uniforms for the first time in his history. He's no Gwen Stefani, but Steven's functional outfits will be able to stand up to her W Hotel designs any day. About the Steven Alan for Gild Hall line:

He riffed on the financiers who populate the neighborhood in creating a men’s ensemble of a worsted wool blazer, button-down vest and slacks with a reverse seam. The woman’s look is the so-called 'Banker’s Dress,' and everyone dons a silk skinny tie.

We admittedly have no idea what a "banker's dress" is, but we're sure it will look great with the backdrop of Gild Hall's faux library lobby. No word on if hotel rates in the Financial District will be dropping in time with the Dow, but at least the hotel staff will be dressed like money.

[Images via Thompson Hotels/Steven Alan]

Hotel News / Hotel Restaurants / GQ / Todd English / Jason Pomeranc / Thompson Hotels / → All Tags

Todd English's Restaurant in Gild Hall is Seriously Bromantic

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

Our dream team: Todd English and Jason Pomeranc.

GQ -- the dude magazine for dudely dudes -- went inside The Libertine Restaurant, Todd English's brand new outpost in NYC's Gild Hall, and found it to be the perfect spot for a lovely, unusual romantic bromantic dinner. Plus, the reporter saw dead people and himself some fried chicken.

Right then!

Apparently, the place has a men's room and not a ladies' room immediately accessible. Whatevs. But it seems he wasn't quite expecting something so...over-the-top and seriously Thompson-esque with the ambiance.

more ›

Thompson Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Todd English / Jaunted / → All Tags

Gild Hall Hotel's New Restaurant is Finally Open

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

While Gild Hall, Thompson Hotels's financial district property, has been open since March, guests have had to make do without an on-site restaurant. Until now.

Finally, Todd English's new venture inside the hotel has opened--The Libertine. Here's what our little bro Jaunted had to say:

The book-lined, wood-paneled restaurant looks like the study in Clue, and the creative menu is just as comforting.

For brunch there's the "NY Bene," an unlikely but totally necessary combo of poached eggs and pastrami sandwich. Lunch brings the "Adult PB&J": almond butter and Cabernet jelly on whole grain bread, with a banana milk shake shot.

There's also a raw bar, and dinner goes a little more traditional, with steak tartare and rack of lamb.

We attribute the decor to the hotel's location in the financial district. In other words, it is perfectly suited for country-clubbing, brandy-drinking suits. We can practically see Don Draper and Roger Sterling here now.

[Photo: The Libertine]

NYC Waterfalls Packages / Thompson Hotels / Hotel Packages / NYC Hotels / → All Tags

Even More NYC Waterfalls Packages :: Gild Hall

All summer long, Manhattan hotels have been capitalizing on artist Olafur Eliasson's man-made waterfalls installed along Manhattan's East River -- and the hype doesn't seem to be slowing down.

If you're late to the party on this one, maybe a Thompson hotel would be your best bet (get it? Because Thompson hotels always open late? Ha!)

If you associate waterfalls with cabins (and not so much with concrete and taxicabs), perhaps you'd enjoy checking out the waterfalls and calling the cozy, cabin-y feel of Thompson Hotels' Gild Hall your temporary HQ.

more ›

Thompson Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Gild Hall / Hotel Hype / Todd English / → All Tags

Still Waiting on Todd English at Gild Hall; Now Set to Open in August

Where: 15 Gold St. [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

Way back in November, we heard that the new Todd English restaurant at Gild Hall would debut in April. Now that it's almost the end of May, how's that coming along? We called up to find out:

HotelChatter: Is your restaurant open yet?

Gild Hall: Not yet. It's gonna be August.

HotelChatter: OK. Thanks!

Thompson Hotels, kids: Leading the way in slow to open restaurants.

Related Stories:
· Thompson Hotels coverage [HotelChatter]

Thompson Hotels / Hotel Hype / Hotel Openings / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

A Charming Gild Hall on Gold Street, If You Can Find It

Where: 15 Gold Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

Everyone's been talking about it, so we finally went to look at Gild Hall, the new boutique property from Thompson Hotels, tucked away on an oblique corner in the historic Wall Street district. Hard to find even for those who live there, out-of-town guests might need GPS to check in.

The lobby is a "wow." Like a charming cozy little cabin retreat, it features interior wood accents, comfy leather couches, chairs, and bench seating, a knock out chandelier (either mock-wood branches or deer antlers, we weren't sure), table-top games, and a tiny but ultra-friendly front desk. The leather rhino in one corner was a real conversation piece.

more ›

Gild Hall / Thompson Hotels / Jason Pomeranc / Hotel Openings / New York Hotels / Downtown Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

Gild Hall Still in Soft-Opening/Construction Phase

Where: 15 Gold St. [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

We have to give Thompson Hotels credit for getting their latest property, Gild Hall, open without epic delays. But were they able to get it open simply because it's not actually finished? Yes, says one prolific Yelp user:

*This hotel is currently under MAJOR construction.* If you were like us and can literally sleep through jackhammers, then stay here. They DO jackhammer at 9am, but are done around 4-5pm. So if you are in the Financial District and will be out of the room early and out late, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO STAY.

Because of the renovation, there is no lobby, no restaurant, no room service, no gym, no bar, no gift shop, no business center, no periodical and CD lending libraries, on-demand movies, no video games and no coffee makers.

Despite all this, I would totally stay here again.

That speaks volumes for the service and the handy location in the Financial District. Maybe there is something to that manifesto.

Gild Hall / Thompson Hotels / Jason Pomeranc / Hotel Restaurants / Todd English / Hotel Openings / → All Tags

Gild Hall's Todd English Restaurant Will Open in April

Where: 15 Gold St [map], New York, ny, United States, 10038

The latest Thompson Hotel, Gild Hall, is officially in a soft-opening phase at $309 a night and a few days early at that too. But should you book there expecting a 60 Thompson or a Six Columbus-type of experience, most of the public spaces including the restaurant won't be open until March. A source tells us that a temporary front desk is up but there is no lobby so to speak.

We also got word on the hotel's restaurant which will come from famed chef Todd English. However, don't expect another Olive's (his restaurant inside the W Union Square as well as in other U.S. cities.) Our source says this will be a new creation from Todd English and will open no earlier than April 1.

Thompson Hotels is on fire this year (unlike 2006), even Ian Schrager has complemented Jason Pomeranc's hotelier skills. So there's little doubt Gild Hall will be a stinker. With rooms at flagship hotel 60 Thompson going for over $700 most nights, even a $400 room at a half-finished Gild Hall is a deal.

Related Stories:
· Gild Hall Soft Opening Set for December 1 [HotelChatter]
· Todd English [Official Site]