EC2M 7QA Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Parties / Andaz Hotels / London Hotels / → All Tags
Hitting the Andaz Summer Garden Might Get You a Love Match
Calling all outdoor-phobic/allergy-ridden/lazy people! London may have just officially entered a heatwave this week, but you don’t need to go outside to enjoy the, um, outside. Because the Andaz opened its “Summer Garden” on Friday.
The Summer Garden is just that – a garden for summer. They’ve taken the huge atrium in the hotel (rising from the first floor up (or second, to Americans), and added fake grass, fake flowers and silk butterflies to all that natural sunlight flooding in. Even more importantly, they’ve thrown in a huge TV and a bar. Which means you can drink al fresco while watching Wimbledon/the Ashes/your favourite TV soap without having your style cramped by grass stains and toilet rushes, all summer long. Perfect.
The Garden opened Friday night with screenings of Wimbledon and a singles night. We were there (as the jerky video will show you, the drinks were free-flowing).
As for ourselves, we were too busy grappling with the Pimm’s to attempt making any singles moves, but of those that did (150 of them turned up, plus 100 hangers on), five couples declared a love match and were promptly swept downstairs for dinner/drinks on the house. Rumour even has it that one couple were so blown away by the garden/Pimm’s/each other that they decided to take a room then and there. Modern romance eh? Next time we have a hot date, we’re so going to take them to the Summer Garden.
[Front Door Photo: Marianne Taylor]
Tags: Hotel Parties / Andaz Hotels / Hotel Bars / Wimbledon Hotels / → All Tags
Singles, Bring Your A-Game to 'Singledon' at Andaz London
Ha! The dating game. So tough. But when you're victorious, you feel like you just won Wimbledon. Or maybe we could make some sort of analogy about mixed doubles and double mixed drinks or something here?
Onward: The Hyatt Andaz London is hosting a free singles event this summer (June 28th) in their Gallery space — which will be converted to an English country garden (indoor grass, flowers, trees, etc.) — for "Singledon." You know, like Wimbledon. For singles. Ha!
Tags: Andaz Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / London Hotels / Hotel Services / Hotel Staff / → All Tags
The Reader In Residence is Back at Andaz London
He’s back! We’ve written before about how much we loved Damian Barr and his Reader in Residence service at Andaz London, where he lived in the hotel for two weeks and simply read to guests in their rooms. We were very sad when his term of office finished last year, and he left Andaz to reside and read around the rest of the world.
So we had a little squeal of delight when an email popped up from the Andaz saying that Damian was back from April 17th (though sadly for one week only) to coincide with London Book Fair. We don’t know much about the London Book Fair, but we do know that we’ll be hanging round the Andaz in the hope of a read-in.
Tags: Andaz Hotels / London Hotels / Hotel Services / → All Tags
Hyatt Andaz Reads You A Bedtime Story
We have to admit to some bookish tendencies at times. But this is the ultimate book lover's hotel happening: the Hyatt Andaz London is going to have a reader-in-residence.
Yep, we are pretty excited about this. And wait until you hear all of the stuff a hotel reader-in-residence does. First, we should tell you that the Andaz's reader, from April 14 to 28, is Damian Barr, a not especially famous Times journalist who wrote a book about the "quarterlife crisis". He's also the one who came up with the idea of a reader-in-residence position.
His duties will include reading aloud to guests (you choose what you want him to read from a special book menu), going to lunch with you to talk books, and giving you "bibliotherapy", that is, diagnosing your reading needs and prescribing some appropriate books.
To coincide with the London Book Fair, Damian will hold a "read-in" (a la Lennon and Oko's sleep-in), on Sunday, April 27. It'll be held in the cosy side of the hotel pub, and everyone can bring a book along and read together between 11am and 2pm.
The first reader-in-residence opens up all kinds of possibilities. Any hotels out there looking for a blogger-in-residence?
[Photo: Skrewtape]
Tags: Andaz Hotels / Hotel Hype / Hotel Openings / → All Tags
HotelChatter @ Openings: Andaz London Revealed
We sent our London correspondent, Annabel Ross, to Hyatt Andaz to get a first hand look at the hype. Enjoy.
Stepping into Liverpool Street 's newly refurbished Andaz London for the opening of the Eastern Thinking exhibition, I knew I was in for a treat.
Like a scene from a modern-day Walt Whitman film, the adjacent bar, Aurora, was decked out with gorgeous chandeliers and sumptuous stylised décor evoking the feel of an upmarket nightclub. After gorging ourselves on the provided oysters, sushi and champagne, we took a grand tour of the new Andaz and permanent installations comprising works from some of the East end's most exciting modern artists.
The Guggenheim-inspired staircase is to-die-for whilst the softly-lit etched bridge is subtly effective. Each installation features a quote that each artist has carefully selected based on personal engagements and experience of living or working within the EC and E2 postcodes.
Tags: Andaz Hotels / Hotel Debates / London Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Hotel Andaz London Ghost Town or Weekend Bargain?
HotelChatter readers are in the midst of picking sides on the following issue:
Hotel in Question:
Hyatt Andaz London
Hotly Debated Issue:
Is the new Hyatt Andaz, and the area around the hotel, a ghost town on weekends? Or is the rate of under $300/night a steal for London?
Background:
Andaz, the brand spankin' new boutique brand from Hyatt, will debut in London November 15. The first Andaz is a renovation of the old Great Eastern Hyatt Hotel. While opening rates seemed to sit squarely around a lofty $800 a night, we were able to find rates for under $300 a night on weekend nights.
We are a Bunch of Idiots Side (added 3.13.08)
The idiots on one website who started a thread about London's Andaz Hotel being far away from the action at the weekend: in fact it's in Shoreditch, home of the capitals best nightlife.
So says our favorite travel glossy, who seem to agree with HotelChatter member digid, and well, you heard them call everyone else a bunch of Johnny Damons.
Ghost Town Side:
langrty says:
Having stayed at The Great Eastern I can tell you why the rates are so much lower on the weekends: The City, where Andaz is located, is a ghost town.
All of the restaurants in the hotel (including the Pub) are closed on the weekend, with exception of the casual place where your included breakfast is served. Other than the McDonald's outside Liverpool Street Station, and the M&S Simply Food inside, there's no place to get something to eat or drink on Saturdays and Sundays. Spend a Friday at the hotel and you'll see just how isolated and lonely it is in London's business and financial district when the markets are closed.
Bargain Side:
andyabramson says:
If you get a deal on a rate like I did, then its a steal in London (I paid under $350 for two nights)
The Liverpool train and Tube stop is 100 yards away, open on weekends and has fast food. Granted some shopping is closed and so are the shops, but by tube, walking or taxi you can find plenty.
What is your take on the new Hyatt Andaz? Become a member and leave it here.
Related Stories:
· Hyatt Andaz Coverage [HotelChatter]
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