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5 Brand Spanking New NYC Hotels

Dan Allen — 2011-03-29T10:00:00+00:00

Wyndham Hotel Group

2010 brought a bumper crop of impressive properties onto New York City's hotel scene, and 2011 has already given us the fabulous Mondrian SoHo. Gotham accommodation options keep on coming with these five on-the-horizon hotels, spanning NYC visitor-favorite neighborhoods from central Midtown to downtown Brooklyn. Here are the hottest of the new NYC hotels.

Dream Downtown

A dreamy pool at the Dream Downtown; Vikram Chatwal Hotels

The latest Dream property, Dream Downtown, from the Vikram Chatwal hotel family (now part of the Wyndham group), this multi-million dollar renovation of a Maritime Hotel-adjacent Albert Ledner building -- with a unique facade that's been likened to a cheese grater -- will bring 316 new whimsically glamorous Dream-styled rooms to the Chelsea/Meatpacking borderlands.

Projected opening date: Early summer
What's nearby: Chelsea (including the West Chelsea arts district), the Meatpacking District, the High Line, the West Village
Rooms will be: "Imaginative, expansive, loft-inspired"
Notable perks: Fully stocked private bars, Etro bath products, state-of-the-art fitness center, massage treatment rooms, MSR (a concept restaurant by "highly acclaimed neurologist-chef" Dr. Miguel Sánchez Romera), heated pool with translucent bottom (visible from the ceiling of the lobby lounge), large rooftop lounge offering dramatic NYC skyline views
Rates: From $395
Address and Tel:349 West 16th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues), Chelsea/Meatpacking, Tel., 800-336-4110

Aloft Brooklyn

Example Aloft Lobby; Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Hot on the heels of the Harlem Aloft that just opened at 2010's tail end, this Brooklyn incarnation marks the 50th member of Starwood's growing Aloft collection, which was launched in 2005 as a more laid-back and affordable version of the group's more upscale W brand. The downtown Brooklyn branch will offer 176 rooms, in a trademark decor that's been called "colorful industrial" and "tech-boutique."

Projected opening date: May 5
What's nearby: BAM (the Brooklyn Academy of Music), Prospect Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Rooms will be: "Bright and breezy"
Notable perks: Free Wi-Fi, 42" LCD TVs, Bliss Spa bath products, Aloft pet beds, a hip w xyz bar
Rates: Intro rates from $99, though nearly doubling by June
Address and Tel:216 Duffield Street (between Fulton & Willoughby Streets), Brooklyn, Tel., 718-256-3833

The Nolitan

The Nolitan Hotel

The first boutique hotel in Nolita (the area NOrth of Little ITAly), the 55-room Nolitan will offer easy access to one of the city's trendiest shopping and dining areas. An added bonus? You'll even be able to maneuver about the 'hood on a complimentary skateboard.

Projected opening date: May 11 (first web booking currently available)
What's nearby: Excellent Nolita shopping, Little Italy, Chinatown, SoHo, the Lower East Side
Rooms will be: "Sophisticated in design, yet comfortable so that you feel at home"
Notable perks: 2pm checkout, free Wi-Fi, 37" plasma TVs, Equinox Fitness access, complimentary skateboards and bicycles, rain showerheads, Red Flower bath products, round-the-clock concierge services, We (heart) T. A. I. L. S. (Treating Animals In Luxurious Style) pet amenities program
Rates: Intro rates from $285, moving up to $375 by July (less if pre-paying)
Address and Tel: 30 Kenmare Street (at Elizabeth Street), Nolita, Tel., 212-925-2555

Sanctuary Hotel New York

Sanctuary Hotel

NYC hotelier Hank Freid presents an oasis of European-inspired boutique hospitality, via 115 stylish rooms at the heart of one of the city's most popular and exciting tourist areas. Formerly the Portland Square Hotel, the completely renovated Sanctuary has already hosted The Feast, a pop art-inspired pop-up restaurant.

Projected opening date: End of spring
What's nearby: Broadway, Times Square, Restaurant Row, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall
Rooms will be: "Stylish; meticulously crafted with luxurious finishes"
Notable perks: Frette linens, leather headboards, 32" or 42" LCD HDTVs, crystal chandeliers, large glass showers, marble vanities, floor-to-ceiling leather tiles, trendy lobby lounge with fireplace and illuminated glass floor
Rates: From $295
Address and Tel: 132 West 47th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues), Midtown
212-382-0600

TRYP New York City - Times Square South

TRYP Lobby Rendering; Wyndham Hotel Group

This will mark the first U.S. TRYP property to appear following Wyndham's acquisition of the previously Sol Meliá-owned Euro-and-South-American TRYP chain. Designer Glen Coben is creating Mediterranean-cum-Gotham interiors for the hotel's 173 rooms and social spaces.

Projected opening date: July
What's nearby: Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Chelsea, Times Square, Empire State Building
Rooms will be: "Spacious; infused Mediterranean elements and New York City style"
Notable perks: TRYP's signature accommodations, which include Fitness rooms (featuring a private fitness machine and complimentary fitness attire) and Family rooms (featuring a large bed for parents and bunk beds for children)
Rates: Not yet announced
Address:345 West 35th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues), Midtown South

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World's Quirkiest Contests

Dan Allen — 2011-03-07T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Weird, Best Of

Robert F. Bukaty, AP

Not content to simply be the World's Greatest Mom or Dad anymore? Ever tried your hand at worm charming? Bog snorkeling? Cow chip throwing? Surely you've hollered, or lied, or napped in your day, and you've even gurned, whether you know it or not.
Not content to simply be the World's Greatest Mom or Dad anymore? Ever tried your hand at worm charming? Bog snorkeling? Cow chip throwing? Surely you've hollered, or lied, or napped in your day, and you've even gurned, whether you know it or not.

These wackiest of annual title bouts are open to all comers, so start practicing now, and maybe you too can be an international champion. After all, someone has to be.

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Top Celebrity Wedding Hotels: Where the Stars Get Married

Dan Allen — 2011-03-04T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Hotel, Celebrity, Luxury

Four Seasons

They may not exactly be our Prince William and Kate Middleton, but last month the suddenly-in-the-news-again Kelsey Grammar married Kayte Walsh at New York's Plaza Hotel. When celebs get hitched, they often choose private homes and estates to keep security tight and the paparazzi out. But many of the world's finest hotels have proven they can perform these functions just as well, while at the same time offering readymade luxurious ballrooms and top-end services. Here's a rundown of some of the world's most popular properties for superstar unions. See the hotels.

They may not exactly be our Prince William and Kate Middleton, but last month the suddenly-in-the-news-again Kelsey Grammar married Kayte Walsh at New York's Plaza Hotel. When celebs get hitched, they often choose private homes and estates to keep security tight and the paparazzi out. But many of the world's finest hotels have proven they can perform these functions just as well, while at the same time offering readymade luxurious ballrooms and top-end services. Here's a rundown of some of the world's most popular properties for superstar unions.
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Find Cheap Airport Parking on the Web

Dan Allen — 2011-02-18T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel, Tips & Tricks

Alamy

For any number of reasons - fear of cabs, lack of reliable nearby friends or family, etc. - sometimes it's just not possible to leave the car at home when taking an air trip. Indeed, for street-parking New Yorkers, ignoring the car while traveling simply isn't an option, since alternate side of the street parking laws require auto-shifting to facilitate street cleaning four times every week. But with the exorbitant prices of on-site airport lots - seven days at most of LaGuardia runs a staggering $231 - parking can easily cost more than airfare.

Fortunately, several websites now make it easy to find and reserve safe and reliable off-airport parking at substantially discounted rates. An ever-growing number of individual lots have entered the airport parking game in recent years, be they local hotels, car rental companies, or dedicated parking operations. "Cheap airport parking" websites, in turn, help would-be parkers navigate through what would otherwise be a bewildering array of options. The best sites even offer frank reviews from actual previous lot users, allowing easy weeding out of any possibly sketchy outfits.

We put the web's five main discount airport parking sites to the test to see who delivers. Using the popular week of Easter/Spring Break 2011 as a sample, we sought out parking from April 17 to 24 at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Chicago's O'Hare (ORD), and Los Angeles International (LAX). Taxes and fees have been included in all rates, and all lots mentioned offer free shuttle buses. By way of comparison, the cheapest parking on offer for the period at any of the airports' official lots is $156 at LGA (Long Term Lot 3), $63 at ORD (Economy Lot E), and $84 at LAX (Lot C).

BestParking.com
Coverage: 79 airports and 18 cities in the U.S. and Canada
Media hype: Recent shout-outs by both New York Times and New York Post
Field test: $120.92 at LGA (Clarion Hotel at LaGuardia), $54.50 at ORD (Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare), $53.65 at LAX (Johnny Park)
Pros: The most tech-forward of the bunch, BestParking.com has free mobile apps for iPhone, Android and Blackberry; search results are shown with rates on Google maps, making it very easy to instantly see how close lots actually are to the airport in question; wide selection of lots at each airport; space availability constantly updated.
Cons: Payment of first day required to secure reservation, though this is refundable with 48 hours notice prior to departure (a $5 service fee is non-refundable); rates slightly higher than those found at About Airport Parking.

About Airport Parking
Coverage: More than 400 lots at 100+ airports in the U.S. and Canada
Media hype: Travel+Leisure named it one of their Top Travel Websites for 2008
Field test: $109.28 at LGA (U-Save, which showed as sold out for the period on BestParking.com), $41.34 at ORD (Days Inn O'Hare), $46.41 at LAX (LAX Airport Parking Center)
Pros: In all three field test cities, About Airport Parking returned the best rates; easy-to-see user ratings and full reviews for each lot; search results can be listed in order of lowest price, highest rated, or distance from airport; searches can be refined to include only those lots that are valet serviced, self serviced, covered, or those offering oil changes or car washes; wide selection of lots at each airport.
Cons: It's a small gripe, but since weekly rates aren't factored into the main results page, actual reservation rates can differ slightly; deposit required for reservation, but fully refundable if cancelled 24 hours prior to departure.

ParkRideFlyUSA.com
Coverage: 57 airports around the U.S.
Field test: $119.89 at LGA (U-Save), $66.24 at ORD (Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare), $49.80 at LAX (Fox Auto Parks)
Pros: None discernable, other than a rewards program that offers one free rental day after ten paid rentals.
Cons: Full payment required at time of reservation, though fully refundable with 24 hours notice prior to departure; higher rates than available elsewhere for same locations.

AirportParkingReservations.com
Coverage: 73 airports around the U.S. and Canada
Field test: $120.92 at LGA (Clarion Hotel at LaGuardia), $54.50 at ORD (Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare), $53.65 at LAX (Johnny Park)
Pros: The groundbreaker in the field, AirportParkingReservations.com offers exactly the same rates available at BestParking.com. A sister site, ParkSleepFly.com, offers special parking deals at many airport hotels nationwide. (At least two other sites, AirportParking.com and ParkingAccess.com, also loop back to the AirportParkingReservations.com system.)
Cons: For now, there's no accompanying mobile app or user reviews, though both are reportedly on the way.

LongtermParking.com
Coverage: 130 airport lots around the U.S.
Field test: $129.11 at LGA (Dollar Car Rentals Parking Service), $77.27 at ORD (AviStar), $53.52 at LAX (Fox Auto Parks)
Pros: No deposit required
Cons: Very small selection of lots per airport; no prices given with search results, making comparison extremely time consuming; coupons required for lowest rates, and even with coupons, rates are higher than elsewhere for same lots.

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