Rebranded Hilton near U.N. one of many hotel updates
Formerly known as the ONE UN New York, the hotel has joined the Hilton Hotels and Resorts network. It is Hilton’s seventh property in New York.
The U.S. hotel industry reported positive year-over-year results in three key areas from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2.
Occupancy rates were up 2.2% to 65.9%, compared with the week of Aug. 28 through Sept. 3 last year. The average daily rate reached $121.76, an increase of 2.1% over the same time last year. And revenue per available room was up 4.3% to $80.22.
That’s all based on the latest data from research firm STR.
Hoteliers have responded to the positive trajectory with a slate of new openings, renovations and other updates. Here are some notable ones.
MARRIOTT’S MOXY PREPARES FOR TIMES SQUARE
Marriott International, the largest hotel company in the world, is designing hotels for a new generation of younger travelers.
One of its newest brands, Moxy, is set to open in Times Square on Sept. 21. Moxy Times Square is the first of five Moxy hotels planned for New York.
Moxy launched in Milan in September 2014. There are 12 now in Europe and Asia. In the USA, there are two others: one in New Orleans and one in Tempe, Ariz. Another 90 Moxy deals have been approved worldwide in cities such as Paris, London, Miami and Los Angeles.
The new Moxy Times Square, developed by real estate company Lightstone, has 612 guest rooms and more than 22,000 square feet of event space. It is located in a building on West 36th Street and Seventh Avenue that opened in 1906 and operated as the Mills Hotel in the 1950s.
Guest rooms have flexible furniture including a chair, stool and table that can be hung up on a peg wall when not in use.
The beds have cubbies underneath for storage. Bathrooms have walk-in rain showers. Some rooms have twin bunk beds.
The company has partnered with the TAO Group, known for nightlife and dining venues throughout the city, to create three eating and drinking establishments: Egghead, an egg-centric sandwich shop; LEGASEA, a seafood brasserie; and the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge.
Rather than have a traditional lobby with a front desk, guests can check in at a kiosk or on their mobile phones.
Prices for rooms will range from $150 to $250 a night.
“It will provide an experience which is both very alive and current and shareable and fun and a good value in the city,” says Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson. “We’ve got great momentum with the brand.”
Sorenson says that while the brand attracts younger travelers, it also has wider appeal. “There is a risk when we throw Millennials into the same bucket and say they are monolithic and they all think the same way,” he says. “Our experience in this area is that not just Millennials but many customers want a little bit more variety in their hotel experience.
“They want to have value but they also want to have something memorable and fun.”
HOLIDAY INN HOTELS ADOPT NEW DESIGN
InterContinental Hotels Group’s overhaul of its popular Holiday Inn brand is well underway.
So far, the company has more than 20 hotels open or under renovation with the new H4 design. More than 100 hotels will be scheduled to open or under renovation to adopt the new look by the end of 2018.
Among the cities that have Holiday Inn properties with the new look: New York; Cape Cod; Asheville, N.C.; and Bellingham, Wash. The H4 design is meant to be flexible enough to adapt to the changing needs of business and leisure travelers. Its features include:
A welcome nook where guests can hang their coat, drop their keys and personal belongings and plug in their devices.
A new room type called the King Bed with Comfort Hideaway. It features a trundle-type bed which doubles as a sofa during the day and can pull out into two twin beds at night. It was designed for the business traveler who wants a separate place to work or relax and families with kids who need the extra beds.
A moveable desk and more than five dedicated points of power throughout the room.
All new and renovated Holiday Inn hotels will eventually adopt the new design.
HOTELTONIGHT TO ALLOW BOOKINGS ALMOST ANYTIME
HotelTonight, which started out as a last-minute hotel-booking mobile app, will soon start letting customers book anytime within 100 days of staying at a property.
The move puts the San Francisco-based company in direct competition with online travel agencies such as Expedia and Priceline.
U.N. GETS A NEW, RE-BRANDED HILTON NEARBY
The rebranded Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza is part renovation, part new hotel opening.
Formerly known as the ONE UN New York, the hotel has joined the Hilton Hotels and Resorts network.
It is now Hilton’s seventh property in New York.
The property, located alongside the United Nations headquarters, has completed a $68 million phased renovation since 2012.
It has 439 guest rooms and suites, meetings and event spaces, and three food and beverage options. The property has about 7,500 square feet of meeting space and six adaptable meeting, function and exhibit spaces with panoramic views of New York City.