Travel Agent - August 20, 2007 - (Page 12)

Vital Signs The New Yorker’s $65 Million Renovation Adding to the new builds and renovations springing up throughout New York City, the New Yorker Hotel is embarking on a $65 million renovation and remodeling project, which is scheduled for completion in August 2008. This iconic hotel, which opened in 1930 and at the time was the largest hotel in New York, will receive such upgrades as an installation of a new heating and air-conditioning system for the entire hotel; total overhaul of furniture, carpets, wallpaper and fixtures in both guest rooms and the hallways of guest floors; complete redesign of the lobby to recapture the hotel’s original Art Deco feel; facelift of its entire Eighth Avenue façade; guest service enhancements; and upgrades and refurbishments of the hotel’s two restaurants. Although 80 rooms will be converted into 40 rooms because of market demand for more double-doubles, the hotel’s room count will actually increase from 860 to 910 because several floors that are currently being occupied by commercial tenants will be put back into hotel room inventory. is as follows: in April, work began on the new HVAC heat and air-conditioning system, and the first 150 rooms were put out for renovation (starting from the top floors down). This fall the hotel is expected to have 200 fully renovated rooms. In February of next year, work will start on the second floor ballrooms; in March and April 2008 the lobby will begin its transformation. Regarding the hotel exterior, the pointing work will be completed this fall and the rest of the façade work will be finished by the spring of 2008. The Tick Tock Diner has almost completed renovations; La Vigna Ristorante & Bar closed on August 15 and will reopen with a different, to-bedetermined name. Holy Spirit Association will remain the owners of the hotel and NYC-based Stonehill & Taylor will conduct the architectural and interior design. Travel agents sending clients to the New Yorker hotel should contact Susan Majoris, the hotel’s director of tour and travel sales, at 212-244-0719 or susan@nyhotel.com. News You Can Use A sample renovated room at the New Yorker Hotel. By this fall, the hotel expects 200 rooms to be completed Timeline for Renovations The timeline of the renovation process Resources I I I I I I I I The Jumeirah Essex House is one of many other New York City hotels to be undergoing renovations 6 Columbus Circle www.sixcolumbus.com Fitzpatrick Hotels www.fitzpatrickhotels.com Hotel Mela www.hotelmela.com Jumeirah Essex House www.jumeirahessexhouse.com The London NYC www.thelondonnyc.com The New Yorker Hotel www.newyorkerhotel.com The Pierre www.tajhotels.com The Plaza www.theplazaresidences.com Other NYC Renovations and Openings of Note The Plaza will reopen its doors in October with 282 hotel rooms and 152 condo hotel units after an extensive renovation. The Essex House is now operated by Jumeirah and is undergoing a renovation. The rooms should be ready by the end of this month and the restaurants by November. The Pierre hotel has completed its first phase of renovations, which includes the second floor banquet space. LXR Luxury Resorts unveiled The London NYC this fall. Formerly the RIHGA Royal Hotel, this property underwent a comprehensive redesign by David Collins and rooms had complete renovations. Hotel Mela opened in January, 6 Columbus Circle is slated to open this summer, The Lamb’s Club will open in fall 2008, the Fitzpatrick Grand Central recently underwent renovations and the Fitzpatrick Manhattan is undergoing a refurbishment. For more detailed information on NYC hotels, refer to the July 2 issue of Travel Agent at www.travelagent central.com. — Mackenzie Allison 12 TravelAgent August 20, 2007 http://www.sixcolumbus.com http://www.fitzpatrickhotels.com http://www.hotelmela.com http://www.jumeirahessexhouse.com http://www.thelondonnyc.com http://www.newyorkerhotel.com http://www.tajhotels.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com http://www.theplazaresidences.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - August 20, 2007

Contents Editor's Letter News You Can Use Agenda: Fam Trips, Calendar of Events, Deal of the Week Cover Story: Hot Cruise Ports: 2008 and Beyond Central & South America: Costa Rica’s New Resort Europe: Heathrow Upgrades Hawaii: Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa Caribbean: Westin’s Plans in the D.R. Still on Track Africa: Pacific Delight Tours’ South Africa Itinerary Hotels: West Virginia Icon Gets Makeover Tech Advisor: Search Engine Optimization 101 Spa Luxury Travel Expo Update Advertisers’ Information Classified Marketplace People & Places

Travel Agent - August 20, 2007

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