Hotels go like hotcakes

A water-skiing accident that wrecked his left leg led hotelier André

Balazs (inset) to simplify his life by selling off a portion of his hotel empire.

Balazs wiped out in August as he was water skiing in front of his house on Shelter Island, suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, as well as a fractured tibia and ankle.

His surgeon, who used Kevlar tape and titanium screws, warned him not to put weight on the leg for six weeks.

While enjoying the enforced tranquility, Balazs managed to extricate himself entirely from the Standard, selling his remaining 20 percent stake in the management company, as well as selling the High Line building he developed for $340 million.

Balazs had stepped down as chairman of the Standard hotel chain in March, but retained a 20 percent shareholding stake in Standard International and stakes in some of the individual hotels under its brand, including the Standard, East Village.

Now he can concentrate on the ultraluxury end of the market represented by four properties — the Mercer in Soho, Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, the Chateau Marmont in LA, and Chiltern Firehouse in London. Balazs — whose son Ivo Vesey was born on July 9 to London aristocrat Cosima Vesey — made the move to divest while under strict orders to keep his repaired leg elevated 24 inches above his heart to aid circulation. In e-mails, Balazs told associates, “In order to find the tranquility and personal interaction I need at this time of physical healing, I would appreciate it if you e-mail only documents you believe I must review.”