Four Seasons Archives - TravelSkills

Gorgeous new hotels: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Maui, Buffalo

October 12, 2016

The impressive lobby of the new Four Seasons New York Downtown (Image: Four Seasons)

In domestic hotel developments, Four Seasons adds a second Manhattan location; the hotel closest to Los Angeles International Airport gets a makeover and rebranding; Hilton adds a DoubleTree in South Beach; Marriott Rewards members get a new option in Maui; and Starwood opens a Westin in the heart of New York State’s second-largest city.

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Four Seasons Hotels, which has had a flagship property in midtown Manhattan for many years, has now opened a downtown location in the Big Apple. Located at 27 Barclay Street, at the corner of Church Street, The Four Seasons New York Downtown is close to the new World Trade Center and a block from City Hall Park. The property has 189 rooms and suites ranging from 400 to 2,400 square feet, and is home to the first Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Manhattan, called CUT. The hotel has a spa, an indoor lap pool and a 6,000 square foot fitness center. The building housing the hotel also has 157 Four Seasons private residences from one to five bedrooms, with access to hotel facilities. Rates begin at $629.

A refurbished suite at the Hyatt Regency at LAX (Image: Hyatt)

The Concourse Hotel, a block from Los Angeles International Airport at 6225 West Century Blvd., was already a Hyatt affiliate, but now the 580-room property is getting a $75 million overhaul and has been rebranded as the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport. The work should be finished in a few months, equipping all guest rooms with the Hyatt Grand Bed, wall-mounted 55-inch TVs with HDMI streaming, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and rain shower heads in the bathrooms. The redesigned lobby will feature a pair of new eateries: Open Market, with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, soup, noodles, pastries and Illy coffee; and an all-day dining option called Unity LA. Free shuttles for guests depart to LAX every 10 minutes. Rates start around $186 for Gold Passport members.

Hilton’s new DoubleTree in Miami’s South Beach (Image: DoubleTree)

What was once the 1954 Ankara Motel in Miami’s popular South Beach has been rebuilt and is now the newly opened Gates Hotel South Beach-A DoubleTree by Hilton. Located at 2360 Collins Avenue, the 235-room property is a walk away from Ocean Drive and the area’s dining and nightlife options. The hotel has a lobby bar that exits to an outdoor pool with solar-powered device charging stations. There’s a restaurant called The Continental; free Wi-Fi throughout the property; 24-hour business center and fitness center; guest bicycles; and free transportation to the beach. Rates start at $122.

The pool at Marriott’s new Residence Inn in Maui (Image: Marriott)

Marriott Rewards members looking to redeem points for a Hawaii vacation have a new option: the newly-built, newly-opened Residence Inn by Marriott Maui Wailea. The all-suite property has studio, one-, and two-bedroom units with fully equipped kitchens and balconies. Recreational facilities include an outdoor pool and hot tub, putting green and basketball court. Guests get free hot breakfasts, grocery delivery service, and access to a fitness center, Wi-Fi, 24-hour grab-and-go market, and a business center. The hotel is located close to a shopping center, beaches, golf courses and a tennis club. Rates begin at $269.

Buffalo’s new Westin is in the heart of downtown. (Image: Westin)

Got business in Buffalo? As part of an ongoing revival of the city’s downtown, Starwood Hotels has opened the newly-built Westin Buffalo at 250 Delaware Avenue, in the midst of the business and entertainment districts. All 116 rooms and suites have the signature Westin Heavenly Bed and Shower. The Westin offers 7,300 square feet of meeting space and a pair of dining venues: a signature restaurant called Patina 250 and the casual bistro-style Jake’s Café. Guests can take advantage of the WestinWORKOUT fitness center, and can borrow workout gear from New Balance or bicycles from the local Reddy Bikeshare program. Rates start at $166.

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New hotels: Amsterdam, Dubai, Casablanca, Taipei

January 5, 2016

The new Hilton at Schiphol is in the heart of Amsterdam’s airport. (Image: Hilton)

In overseas hotel developments, there’s a new Hilton in the middle of Amsterdam’s airport; Four Seasons breaks into the Morocco market; Starwood cuts the ribbon on a new luxury property in Dubai; and Taipei adds a pair of new hotels.

The old Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which opened in 1972 right in the middle of the airport property, has closed down and been replaced by a brand new property right next door. The new one is also called the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. It has 433 rooms including 12 suites; 96 of them are Executive rooms, with access to an Executive Lounge. And it has 23 meeting rooms, with a ballroom that accommodates up to 640 persons. There’s also a lobby bar, a restaurant called The Bowery, a 24-hour fitness facility, and a spa. Rates start at $235.

Sumptuous guest accommodations at the Four Seasons Casablanca. (Image: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons Hotels recently cut the ribbon on a new property in Casablanca, Morocco. The Four Seasons Casablanca’s oceanside location in the upscale Anfa neighborhood is 10 minutes from the city center and its financial district. The hotel has 186 rooms, 12,400 square feet of flexible meeting space, a French brasserie restaurant called Bleu, a spa and a 1,600 square foot pool. Rates start at $319.

Starwood’s new St. Regis Dubai is modeled after the New York St. Regis. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood’s newest property in the Middle East is The St. Regis Dubai, in the “urban resort” development called Al Habtoor City on Sheikh Zayed Road. The St. Regis will eventually be joined by a W and a Westin in the same location. The architecture and interiors of the 234-room (with 54 suites, including the two-story, thee-bedroom Royal Suite) St. Regis are a tribute to the St. Regis in New York. Dining options include a steakhouse, a brasserie and a cafe. The hotel also has two bars, a spa, 24-houir fitness facility and a pair of rooftop pools. Nightly rates begin at $416.

The lobby of the new Courtyard by Marriott in Taipei. (Image: Marriott)

There’s a new Courtyard by Marriott in Taipei, Taiwan: The 465-room property occupies the seventh through 30th floors of a skyscraper above the CityLink Shopping Mall, the Nangang metro station and Taiwan High-Speed Rail station. Rooms start at 36 square meters, and the hotel offers an all-day dining restaurant with international cuisine, a Cantonese restaurant, a tea/cocktail lounge and a fitness center. Rates start at $140.

The distinctive profile of Starwood’s new Aloft in Taipei. (Image; Starwood)

Another newly opened hotel in Taipei is Starwood’s Aloft Taipei Zhongshan, the first Aloft in Taiwan. Ten minutes from Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA), it’s in the city’s northeast downtown area, close to the Zhongshan Elementary School metro station. The new 88-room Aloft offers SPG Keyless room entry, and rooms come with free Wi-Fi and 42-inch LCD TVs with plug and play connectivity. The Aloft also offers its signature WXYZ bar, and Re:Fuel grab-and-go market. Introductory rates start at $163 including breakfast.

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Brand new hotels: NYC, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis & more

November 25, 2015

InterContinental's new EVEN hotel in New York has mood lighting in guest rooms. (Image: InterContiental Hotels Group)

InterContinental’s new EVEN hotel in New York has mood lighting in guest rooms. (Image: IHG)

In U.S. hotel news, InterContinental Hotels Group has cut the ribbon on a pair of new hotels from its newest brands in Manhattan; Hyatt opens a dual-branded hotel in the heart of Denver as well as new properties in New Orleans and near Miami’s airport; Marriott adds a big extended-stay option in Chicago’s Loop along with an upscale JW property in the Twin Cities; and Four Seasons has started taking reservations for a renovated Hawaii resort.

InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) new EVEN Hotels brand — designed to appeal to “wellness-minded travelers” — has opened its third U.S. property, this one in the middle of Manhattan. The new EVEN Hotel New York-Times Square South is at 321 W. 35th Street. It offers healthy eating options in its Cork & Kale Market; sleep aids like mood lighting in guest rooms; a fitness center plus in-room workout items; and ergonomic work spaces (you can even get a stand-up desk in your room). A rate search finds rooms in mid-January for as little as $151.

The bar in New York's new Indigo hHotel has sweeping city views. (Image: InterContinental Hotels Group)

The bar in New York’s new Indigo Hotel has sweeping city views. (Image: InterContinental Hotels Group)

In lower Manhattan, meanwhile, IHG has also cut the ribbon on a new hotel in its Indigo brand. The 293-room Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York is at 171 Ludlow Street, with a design that preserves elements of that historic neighborhood. The lobby, with floor-to-ceiling city views, is on the 14th floor; an outdoor terrace, pool, bar and restaurant are on the 15th floor. The hotel also has a fitness center and four suites, including a duplex penthouse loft on the 25th-26th floors. Rates start at $225.

Downtown Denver’s new dual-branded Hyatt Place/House is near the convention center. (Image: Hyatt)

The Hyatt Regency Denver in the heart of that city has been joined by a new Hyatt property — the dual-branded, 361-room Hyatt Place/Hyatt House Denver Downtown. It’s located at 440 14th Street, a block and a half east of the city’s convention center. Hyatt Place is the company’s brand for “tech-savvy travelers,” with free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food options, while Hyatt House is its extended-stay product with apartment-style, kitchen-equipped accommodations. Rates begin around $192 at the Hyatt House, $184 at Hyatt Place.

A unit with kitchen in New Orleans’ new Hyatt House. (Image: Hyatt)

There’s also a new Hyatt House in New Orleans, at 1250 Poydras Street, in the city’s downtown BioDistrict. The Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown has 114 studio and one-bedroom accommodations, all with kitchens, and 80 “Den” guestrooms without kitchens. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, a bar, workout room, and 24-hour market. Rates start at $243.

The coffee-to-cocktails lounge at the new Hyatt Place Miami Airport East. (Image: Hyatt)

And there’s a new Hyatt Place in Miami at 3549 LeJeune Road, just south of the Airport Expressway and just east of Miami International. The 135-room Hyatt Place Miami Airport-East has free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, a “coffee to cocktails” bar, and 24-hour meal service and market. Rates start at $234.

Chicago’s newest Residence Inn occupies an historic building in the financial district. (Image: Marriott)

The largest property in Marriott’s Residence Inn brand has opened in downtown Chicago. The 380-unit Residence Inn Chicago Downtown/Loop is inside a 100-year-old landmark structure, the Roanoke Building, at Madison and LaSalle Street in the city’s financial district. The property’s accommodations offer 10-foot ceilings, 55-inch TVs, free Wi-Fi, kitchen, and ergonomic work spaces, and free breakfast is included. Rate start at $169.

A King Suite at the Mall of America’s new JW Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

The newest upscale JW Marriott hotel from Marriott is at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., just south of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and 11 miles from downtown Minneapolis. With 342 rooms and a soaring three-story-high lobby area, the hotel has a signature restaurant called Cedar+Stone, Urban Table where all the ingredients are locally sourced, i.e., from no more than 200 miles away. The lobby bar also carries a big selection of local craft beers. The JW has an indoor pool, fitness center, Executive Lounge and meeting rooms Rates start at $289.

An outdoor terrace at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. (Image: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons Hotels has started accepting reservations for stays March 1 or later at its Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii. The property has undergone a multi-million dollar, floor-to-ceiling overhaul that includes all 217 guest rooms and suites. Accommodations now offer 75-inch LED TVs, wearable key wristbands, BluRay players, in-room iPad Airs, and a new mobile app linked to hotel services. The resort also got new restaurants (including a Nobu), a renovated spa, and an updated pro shop at its signature golf course. Rates start at a cool $960 a night.

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Shiny new hotels in: London, Munich, Taipei, India +

October 9, 2015

The Distillery Bar at Hilton’s new London Bankside hotel. (Image: Hilton)

In overseas hotel news, Hilton adds another property in London; Starwood debuts a pair of Alofts in Germany; there’s a new Marriott in Taipei; Marriott and Shangri-La have openings in India; China gets a new Marriott; and Bogota adds a new property from Four Seasons.

The new Hilton Bankside in London. (Image: Hilton)

The newest Hilton property in London is the 292-room Hilton London Bankside, in the Bankside district near the Tate Modern gallery. it offers executive-level rooms with access to an Executive Lounge; a restaurant called OXBO Bankside, and a bar called The Distillery, as well as a pool and fitness center. Rates range from $228 to $527.

The new Aloft in Munich has a new sister property in Stuttgart. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood’s fast-growing Aloft brand, aimed at younger, tech-savvy business travelers, has added a pair of locations in Germany. The new 184-room Aloft Munich is across the street from the city’s central train station, not far from the Pinakothek Museum and the Oktoberfest grounds. In Stuttgart, the new 165-room Aloft is located in the Milaneo mixed-use project, within walking distance of the main train station and the Schlossgarten park. Both properties offer SPG Keyless mobile room access, free Wi-Fi and the usual Aloft signature features, like a WXYZ Bar, Re:fuel grab-and-go market, and a 24-hour fitness center. Rates at both hotels start around $180 a night.

A guest room at the Taipei Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

Marriott International has cut the ribbon on the 320-room Taipei Marriott in Taiwan, in the city’s new Dazhi commercial area. It’s about 10 minutes from Songshan Airport and five minutes by car from the Neihu Technology Park. Guestroom sizes start at a generous 430 square feet, and function rooms include the largest ballroom in Taipei. The hotel has five restaurants and a lobby lounge with free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness center, and a spa. Rates start at $213.

A panorama-view room at the Shangri-La in Bengaluru. (Image: Shangri-La)

The newest hotel in India’s tech mecca of Bengaluru (Bangalore) is the 397-room Shangri-La. The 19-story property is located in between the business center and the city’s upscale suburbs, with views of Bangalore Palace. The Shangri-La offers six food and beverage outlets, along with a lobby lounge, an outdoor pool, a health club and spa facilities, and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 900 persons. Introductory rates start at $150.

Lobby lounge at the new Renaissance in Lucknow, India. (Image: Marriott)

In the northern Indian city of Lucknow, Marriott has opened a new Renaissance hotel — only the second Renaissance in India. Located in the city center, the 112-room Renaissance has 26,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a rooftop infinity pool with poolside bar, a fitness center, Jacuzzi, and even a yoga studio, as well as two restaurants and a pastry shop. Rates begin at $131.

Executive lounge at the Chongqing Marriott. (Image: Marriott)

In the heart of Chongqing, China — near the Nanping business district — is the newly opened Chongqing Marriott, occupying the 30th to the 48th floors of the city’s landmark Guorui Centre. The 341-room Marriott offers three restaurants, considerable meeting and ballroom space, a heated indoor pool and 24-hour gym, and guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views, as well as a 47th-floor Executive Lounge with concierge services. Rates start around $110.

A suite at Four Seasons’ new hotel in Bogota. (Image: Four Seasons)

In Colombia, an October 15 opening is set for the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota. It’s a restoration of a 1940s-era building with modern technology installed throughout its 62 rooms and suites. The hotel has a Spanish-cuisine restaurant, a 24-hour fitness area and a full-service spa, along with meeting space for up to 200 persons. Rates begin at $399.

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New hotels: London, Amsterdam, Budapest, Seoul, Riyadh

September 2, 2015

London’s Great Northern Hotel is now part of Starwood’s Tribute Portfolio. (Image: Starwood)

Starwood takes on the first European property in its newest brand; Amsterdam gets a new W Hotel this month; Marriott adds a Ritz-Carlton in Budapest; Four Seasons sets the opening date for a new hotel in South Korea; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia gets a new luxury property.

Starwood Hotels’ new Tribute Portfolio is a collection of independently owned and operated hotels that will use the Tribute affiliation to participate in Starwood Preferred Guest program and reservations system — much like Hilton’s Curio and Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The company describes Tribute members as “four star, upper upscale hotels with an indie spirit.” And the first European property to join is London’s Great Northern Hotel, located at King’s Cross railway station and a short walk from the terminus for Eurostar trains at St. Pancras International. The original hotel dates back to 1854, but it was relaunched in 2013 as one of the city’s top boutique properties. Rates start around $396.

A signatrure WOW Suite at the new W Hotel Amsterdam. (Image: Starwood)

September 21 is the planned opening date for Starwood’s new W Amsterdam, located in the heart of the city between the Royal Palace and the Singel Canal. The 238-room hotel’s signature W Lounge overlooks Dam Square. It offers free high-speed Wi-Fi in all guest rooms; a business center; a restaurant called Duchess with Mediterranean cuisine; and a FIT gym that will debut in December. Rates start at $417.

Ritz-Carlton’s new Budapest property has views of St. Stephen’s Basilica. (Image: Ritz-Carlton)

Marriott’s Ritz-Carlton brand has taken over management of the Elizabeth Park Hotel in Budapest, and will undertake a “comprehensive renovation” of the property before re-launching it next spring as The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest. (Until then, it’s the Elizabeth Park Hotel, Budapest, a Ritz-Carlton Partner Hotel.) Located on St. Erzsebet Square with views of St. Stephen’s Basilica, the 198-room hotel will be enhanced with the addition of a Ritz-Carlton Club, new suites and an overhaul of its restaurants. Rates currently start at $250.

The Maru Lounge at the new Four Seasons Seoul. (Image: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons Hotels is now taking bookings for stays starting October 15 at its newest property, The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. The 317-room hotel is located in the central business district; it offers round-the-clock business services, an Executive Club lounge and a team of multilingual concierges. Restaurant options include Italian (Boccalino), Chinese (Yu Yuan) and Japanese (Kioku), as well as The Market Kitchen, with a series of live cooking stations and gourmet spreads. Guests can also use the Four Seasons Club Seoul, a huge fitness, health and socializing facility. Introductory rates start at $377.

The lobby at the new Movenpick Hotel Riyadh. (Image: Movenpick)

In Saudi Arabia, Swiss lodging group Movenpick has cut the ribbon on the 438-room Movenpick Hotel Riyadh. The five-star property is located along the capital city’s King Fahad Road, just opposite the Ministry of the Interior. The French Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire directs the cuisine at its Acacia restaurant; other dining options include Indian and Lebanese restaurants. The hotel also has a spa, fitness center and a dozen meeting rooms. Introductory rates start at $426.

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Brand new hotels in Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle

June 11, 2015

The new Hyatt Centric South Beach in Florida. (Image: Hyatt)

In news of new business class hotels, two new brands debut in Miami; a luxury Philadelphia property will become affiliated with Hilton; Hilton grows its Curio Collection and overhauls its San Francisco Union Square property; and Seattle adds a pair of new hotels.

Recent openings in Miami include Hyatt’s recently-launched Hyatt Centric brand and a new AC Hotel from Marriott. The Hyatt Centric South Beach, a 105-room “lifestyle hotel,” occupies a 10-story glass tower at 1600 Collins Avenue. it has a library, an open-air deck and pool, a Spanish-Mediterranean restaurant and a fitness center.

Marriott’s new AC Hotel Miami Beach, at 2912 Collins Avenue, “is designed for those creative, well-traveled, entrepreneurial spirits who are constantly on the go and who appreciate the oasis of a well-designed hotel,” the company said. The seven-story, 150-room AC Hotel has a library, a rooftop pool and bar, fitness center, and “communal spaces that offer state-of-the-art technology and complimentary Wi-Fi.”

Rates start at around $200 at both Miami Beach hotels.

The big hotel news in Philadelphia is that the Logan Square Four Seasons has shut down, and when it reopens it won’t be a Four Seasons any more. After renovation work this summer, it will reopen in the fall as The Logan, a member of Curio-A Collection by Hilton. That’s the new Hilton-affiliated group of independent properties that take part in the Hilton reservations network and the HHonors program.

Hilton also announced the signing of several other properties to join its Curio group, including the Sam Houston in Houston; The Juniper Hotel in Cupertino, Calif.; The Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Mich.; The Hoodoo Moab in Moab, Utah; The Partridge Inn Augusta in Augusta, Ga.; and the historic Redmont Hotel in Birmingham, Ala.

Renovated guest room at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco. (Image: Hilton)

In San Francisco, the landmark Hilton San Francisco Union Square just wrapped up a multi-million dollar renovation of 575 guest rooms in Tower 1, and added 11 new rooms, giving the hotel a total of 1,919 and helping it retain its title as the city’s largest hotel. The rooms got new doors, soundproofing, digital thermostats that show local weather, and Internet service that offers “the most bandwidth and fastest connectivity in the city,” among other improvements, Hilton said.

In Seattle, Hyatt has cut the ribbon on the Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown, located next to Seattle Center (home of the iconic Space Needle), offering 172 residential-style accommodations. And InterContinental Hotels Group has opened the Staybridge Suites-Seattle-Fremont, at 3926 Aurora Ave. North. in a neighborhood close to the University of Washington, new Facebook offices, and tech firms like Adobe and Google.

The new Hyatt House in Seattle sits in the shadow of the Sapce Needle. (Image: Hyatt)

The new Hyatt House in Seattle sits in the shadow of the Space Needle. (Image: Hyatt)]

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5 shiny new hotels in Washington, DC

May 4, 2015

The new Capella Washington DC in Georgetown faces the C&O canal and towpath (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Only a handful of big new hotels have opened in Washington in recent years and the most outstanding of the bunch is the ultra-luxe ~~Capella Washington DC.~~ UPDATE: THIS IS NOW THE ROSEWOOD WASHINGTON DC. The hotel’s unique five-story, red brick building, which once housed the American Bar Association, is sandwiched a few blocks between Georgetown’s two other pleasure palaces, the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown and the Four Seasons Washington. One of the hotel’s key attributes is its location– within walking distance of many of the city’s most popular restaurants and shops.

Staying over at the Capella sort of feels like you are staying at a very classy friend’s gorgeous home– for example, there are only 49 rooms and suites in the hotel, and you check in at the hotel’s posh “living room.” The “best” rooms in the house are the 900 square foot, two-room, corner executive suites on each floor.

Corner suites at the Capella are the best rooms in the house (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are no concierges like you’d expect to find at a luxury hotel– instead, each guest’s needs are attended to by “personal assistants” that are on duty 24 hours a day. The hotel’s popular Rye Bar is cozy and friendly– knowledgeable bartenders cheerfully serve solo guests popping in for a cocktail (I enjoyed a perfect barrel-aged manhattan.) During warmer months, a tranquil rooftop bar overlooking the neighborhood and the Potomac River attracts a tony after-work crowd of hotel guests and colleagues, only.

At TravelSkills, we love new hotels. They smell better, work better, feel better, and are usually bigger, brighter and hipper than others. But new can also have its downside: Construction noise, service issues, and/or locations in sketchy or “upcoming” neighborhoods. Some are so new that TripAdvisor reviews are scant compared to more established hotels. In an ongoing feature, TravelSkills reports on the newest hotels in the world’s most important cities. When we say “newest” we have certain criteria around that: The hotels have to be brand new or deeply renovated within the last few years, 3+ stars and appropriate venues for business travel.

Who stays at the Capella’s 5 hotels? Big shots. Here’s what the hotel website says about its guests: “Our customer no longer has a psychological need to associate with aspirational brands that helped define their earlier economic lifestyle ascendancy. When traveling for business, they have few budgetary restrictions to follow since they are usually the ultimate decision-makers within their organization or are traveling using their own discretionary income.”

Midweek rates at the Capella start at around $600 per night. Those corner executive suites start at about $1200 per night. Details

The shiny new Hyatt Place is a standout in DC’s transitional NOMA neighbhorhood (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

At the other end of the spectrum (and of the city) lies the brand new 200-room Hyatt Place Washington DC, located on the district’s eastern side in the up-and-coming NoMa neighborhood. (NoMa is short for “north of Massachusetts Ave)

This new live-work-play area (north of Union Station) centers around the new NoMa/Gallaudet U Metro stop, and is home to many of DC’s startups, new media companies, plus (of course) government– the ATF, GSA and DOJ all have big offices in the vicinity. The Metro station is an easy two block walk from the hotel.

Rooms are big, bright and modern– ask for one on an upper floor for expansive views across town to the capitol and above all the nearby construction and road noise. The 14-story hotel stands along a somewhat gritty strip of New York Avenue and if you don’t feel like venturing out, there’s plenty to do inside the hotel– a big bright lobby attracts a busy, buzzy crowd of guests.

A big hearty and free breakfast served each morning in the Hyatt Place lobby.

There’s a hot complimentary breakfast served each morning, plus the hotel’s Gallery Kitchen serves up full meals which you can eat in the lobby or bring up to your room. Wi-fi is super fast and free, plus there’s an outdoor pool and gym if you don’t feel like jogging in the neighborhood.

Rates at this Hyatt Place start in the $200-$300 range this summer. Details

NOTE: Since my visit to the Hyatt Place in NoMa, a brand new Hyatt Place has opened on K Street near the White House. Details.

A room at the new AC Hotel Washington DC at National Harbor (Image: Marriott)

Last May, The 1,175-room Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, finally opened and is now the largest hotel in town. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue, on the northern edge of the city core, adjacent to the huge Washington Convention Center. Here are 5 cool things you should know about this hotel. Rates range from $250 to $350 per night in May and June.

Also brand new: Marriott’s trendy new AC Hotel Washington DC at National Harbor about 20 minutes south of downtown in National Harbor, Maryland. I’ve not visited this hotel, but here’s a link.

–Chris McGinnis

Disclosure: I was a guest at the Capella for one night and received a 50% media rate discount at the Hyatt Place

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Ritz-Carlton Chicago becomes a … Ritz-Carlton

April 28, 2015

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago has a spectacular lobby

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (a Four Seasons hotel) has a spectacular lobby

If you ever looked closely at the formal name of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, located on the top floors of Michigan Avenue’s Water Tower Place, you would have noticed it was “The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel).”

Confusing, right? Especially since the Four Seasons Chicago is right up the street.

But the confusion will end in August, when The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago drops its Four Seasons affiliation and becomes a full member of Ritz-Carlton, which is a subsidiary of Marriott. After the change is made in August, guests will be able to book the hotel through the Ritz-Carlton website, and will be able to earn points in the Ritz-Carlton Rewards program.

Although Ritz-Carlton has its own loyalty plan, it is partnered with Marriott Rewards, so that guests can earn and redeem points in either program.

The hotel will also get an “extensive renovation” over the next two years, Marriott said. Rates at the hotel start around $500.

How did the confusing affiliation start? According to Wikipedia, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago licensed the Ritz name when it opened in 1975, but there was no Ritz-Carlton chain at the time, so it joined the Four Seasons group — which started in the early 1960s — where it remains today.

Have you ever stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago? What did you think?

Take a look at what you may have missed on TravelSkills this week! Here’s the full rundown of posts

Delta hubs suffer + Shuttle moves at LGA + Oakland BART connection + Double Hilton points

November 2, 2014

The long awaited BART link to Oakland airport expected to open this month (Photo: BART)

AIRLINES

Demand keeps driving fares upward. When the price of oil goes up, air fares go up. So when oil prices fall as much as they have in recent months, air fares go down, right? Not in a period of strong demand for air travel. Jet fuel prices are down 22 percent this year, but an ongoing series of small increases has kept air fares above 2013 levels. According to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ latest report (for the second quarter of 2014), the average U.S. air fare rose 2.5 percent year-over-year to $396. Delta is a big beneficiary of the higher fares; Its Cincinnati hub once again had the highest average domestic fare at $523, and its Atlanta hub recorded the biggest average fare increase of any major airport — up 11.3 percent to $435. Have you noticed? Please leave your comments below– what’s the most painfully high fare you’ve paid this year?

Delta Shuttle moves at LGA. A reminder to frequent flyers in the Northeast Corridor: Sunday (November 2) is moving day for Delta’s New York-Boston Shuttle flights at LaGuardia. The hourly LGA-BOS flights will move from LGA’s remote Marine Air Terminal to Delta’s recently-renovated Terminal C. The airline has also switched the flights to two-class 717 aircraft with 12 First Class, 15 Economy Comfort and 83 economy seats. Delta’s Chicago and Washington Reagan National Shuttle flights continue to use LGA’s Marine Air Terminal with Delta Connection/Shuttle America E-175s.

Southwest quickly absorbing last remnants of AirTran. This just in from Southwest: “As of today, all flights previously flown by AirTran between seven international destinations and nine domestic gateway cities are now flown exclusively by Southwest. Additionally, Southwest is proud to announce that we have finalized the integration of Southwest.com and AirTran.com. Effective today, Customers attempting to access AirTran.com will be routed to an informational page on Southwest.com where they can book travel, view integration-related FAQs, and find loyalty program information.”

Air Canada changes loyalty plan. Air Canada is the latest major carrier tighten up the rules of its frequent flyer program. For 2015, the minimum flight requirement to reach Altitude status levels is increasing and the minimum 500-mile earning per flight will end. On March 15, the number of eUpgrade credits to upgrade to business class will rise, but members will also be able to use those credits to upgrade to Premium Economy.

Some say that business class on American's B777-300ER is the best in the US. What do you think? (Photo: American Airlines)

Some say that business class on American’s B777-300ER is the best among US carriers. What do you think? (Photo: American Airlines)

Route news: AA, JetBlue, Alaska. Faced with new competition from Delta between Los Angeles and London Heathrow, American said it will add a second daily non-stop on the route in March, using another of its popular 777-300ERs (giving it a total of four a day in combination with joint venture partner British Airways) … JetBlue keeps growing at Ft. Lauderdale. In its latest expansion last week, it added flights to Cartagena, Jacksonville, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh … On March 5, Alaska Airlines will begin service three times a week between San Diego and Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island.

AIRPORTS

Oakland prepares for BART launch. An extension of Bay Area Rapid Transit rail service to Oakland International Airport is expected to start passenger service sometime this month, and testing of the trains is already under way. The 3.2-mile extension will link Oakland’s Coliseum Station to the airport, and will replace the buses currently used for that purpose, with trains running every four to five minutes. Here’s a video of the pre-launch testing of the new OAK trains. In typical municipal fashion, BART is not willing to offer up a hard date for opening…but says it might be up and running before the holidays. (See photo above.)

DOT probes ‘interference’ in new Georgia airport. The Transportation Department is looking into a complaint that Delta may have interfered in efforts to develop a second Atlanta-area airport. The complaint was filed by county commissioners in Paulding County, who said they want to see commercial low-cost air service at Silver Comet Field, about 40 miles northwest of Atlanta. Atlanta is the only one of the 10 largest U.S. metro areas that doesn’t have a secondary airport. UPDATE: DOT is not investigating Delta per se, according to FORBES.

Customs kiosks come to Denver. Denver International is the latest U.S. airport to install Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks for U.S. citizens returning from international trips. The 16 new BorderXPress APCs — which passengers can use to provide passport and customs declaration information and to verify identities — are expected to speed up processing, especially during the busy 4-7 p.m. period. The APCs are now in 17 U.S. airports.

POPULAR this week: How often do planes get washed? Surprising answer

TRENDS

Do your eyes glaze over when you hear or read about yet another report, panel discussion or product launch focusing on millennial travelers? This young demographic cohort is getting so much attention that other important segments of the population might be getting overlooked. In this post for the Switchfly blog, Chris examines the full spectrum of US generations and exposes their traits when it comes to travel. First of all, he labels them. (Age ranges are estimations.)

GenZ or iGen (under 15)
Millennial or Gen Y (14-34)
GenX (35-49)
Boomer (50-69)
Silent (70-84)
Greatest (85+)

CARS

Uber wins a legal round in Las Vegas. A Nevada judge last week turned down the state attorney general’s request for a temporary restraining order to block ride-sharing service Uber from launching service in Las Vegas. The operation is being opposed by the Nevada Taxicab Authority and the state transportation authority. It’s just the beginning of the legal battle; a hearing on a requested preliminary injunction is set for November 14. But in the meantime, Uber is operating in Las Vegas. Viva!

HOTELS

The Grand Premier Suite at the new Moskva hotel in Moscow

The Grand Premier Suite at the new Four Seasons Hotel Moscow (Photo: Four Seasons)

Four Seasons debuts in Moscow. The old Hotel Moskva, located close to Red Square on central Moscow’s Manezhnaya Square, was reborn last week as the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow. The historic facade was preserved, but the interior was remade, including the hotel’s 180 rooms and suites. It has a 24-hour business center, a fleet of Wi-Fi-equipped BMWs, and a signature Italian restaurant; a spa will open early next year.

Double points at Hilton. Last week, Hilton unveiled a new promotion for HHonors members who sign up online: They can earn double points from now through January 31, beginning with their second stay.

Have you voted in our hotel wi-fi speed poll yet? Read our post about Marriott’s big move this week… Check out the results below after you vote!

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In Case You Missed It…

Look closely and you’ll see the “space ship” part of this aircraft in the middle– it detaches from the larger aircraft to shoot into space. That’s the part that crashed on Friday. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

>Our disturbingly up-close-and-personal photos & video of Virgin Galactic’s spaceship that crashed on Friday.

>Marriott is expanding free basic Wi-Fi for Rewards members who book direct.

>American Airlines revealed plans for merging frequent flyer programs with US Airways.

>JetBlue’s new Mint service drives down JFK-SFO premium fares.

>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<

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Lanai: A billionaire’s work in progress

September 1, 2014

Chris arriving at Lanai’s little airport (with wi-fi provided by Four Seasons)

By now you’ve likely heard that billionaire Oracle CEO Larry Ellison recently paid an estimated $300 million for 98% of the Hawaiian Island of Lanai.

Included in that sale were two Four Seasons resorts and nearly all the land on the tiny (140 square mile) island.

What’s been going on since the transaction closed in 2012? A lot!

While on a business trip to Hawaii last week, Four Seasons invited me over for a stay and a look-see at the progress. (See photos below.)

Here’s what I saw:

The Four Seasons Lanai at Manele Bay has a spectacular position on a secluded white sand beach. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

First off, big changes are underway at the Four Seasons secluded Manele Bay property. As soon at the deal closed, renovations of public areas began. The dramatic lobby is now sheathed in rich wood paneling and stark white furniture with views out to an aquamarine pool deck that spills down to the hotel’s almost private white sand beach.

There are only two other hotels on the island, the homey, high-country Four Seasons Lodge at Koele in the cool uplands– with a revamped grand lobby and famous golf course awaiting a makeover by Jack Nicklaus (opening date unknown), and the rustic 10-room Hotel Lanai, recently purchased by Ellison.

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At Manele Bay, a hotel staffer told me that, “Mr. Murdock’s style is a lot different from Mr. Ellison’s.” Hearing that, I assumed that the previous owner was billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch, but soon found out that it was actually David Murdock, the head of Hawaiian conglomerate Castle & Cooke, which owns Dole Foods, and the 98% of Lanai that Ellison recently bought.

How different are the the two owners’ styles? Very different! Check out the lobby chinoiserie before the recent design changes.

Major room revamp hidden behind temporary walls at Four Seasons Manele Bay (Chris McGinnis)

In addition to the modern Hawaiian look in the lobby, a new Nobu restaurant is under construction. When I was there, about half of the hotel’s 217 rooms were closed for a major revamp, which will bring them up to global five-star resort standards with see through glass balconies, hardwood and slate flooring, 75-inch LED flat screen TVs and big bright modern bathrooms. The current plan is to open the new rooms by this October and have both old and new rooms open for the holiday season.

Here’s a peek at the chic new look of renovated rooms at Manele Bay available this October (Four Seasons)

When the holidays are over, the rest of the rooms will close down for their revamp. The entire resort will look and feel brand new (sans construction noise) by the end of 2015. During the transition, guests who opt for the older rooms get a “third night free” deal. Guests who reserve the new rooms (which command a $200 premium over the older ones) get a $100 resort credit for stays of four or more nights. The older rooms are comfortable with outstanding views, but pale in comparison to the new designs. Current rates for early November are about $530 per night.

Wild turkeys roam freely on golf courses & elsewhere on Lanai. This is a view from the recently revamped Views restaurant (Chris McGinnis)

Leave it to me to find the only other person on a “real” business trip on this tiny Hawaiian island. At the general manager’s reception at Views, the hotel’s striking new restaurant overlooking golf courses with views out to neighboring islands, I met Erik Barnes who works in sales for Algae Aqua-Culture Technology, Inc. His company builds power plants that utilize sustainable and green methods to produce electricity. He was there to promote his company’s wares on an island that Ellison envisions as a sustainable, self sufficient eco-topia that includes transforming old pineapple fields into organic farms and greenhouses, doubling the population (from the current 3,000 to 6,000), adding desalinization plants for fresh water, a new satellite campus for the University of Hawaii and much more.

Check out the colorful plumage of Ohana by Hawaiian’s ATR fleet. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

With all the new focus and activity on Lanai, getting there is getting a makeover, too. In February 2013, Ellison purchased Island Air, which now offers 5 ATR flights per day to and from Lanai City (LNY) from a newly refurbished, club-like terminal at Honolulu airport. Hawaiian Air’s new inter-island operation, Ohana by Hawaiian offers three flights per day on a colorful fleet designed by Sig Zane. Both airlines use new ATR turboprops for the 25-minute flight. Fares from Honolulu are currently about $70 each way (there is no nonstop service to Lanai from the mainland). Nice: Free, fast wifi is provided at Lanai City Airport by Four Seasons.

— Chris McGinnis

Disclosure: Four Seasons paid for my two-night stay at the Manele Bay property

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4 fabulous 5-star hotels in London worth checking into

March 22, 2012

The view across the Thames from London’s new Corinthia Hotel– that pointy building surrounded by cranes in the background is The Shard, Europe’s newest, tallest building. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I love London for many reasons, most of which revolve around my career in the travel biz. To me, the city just feels like the center of the universe, so every time London calls, I answer!

The dynamic London hotel scene is endlessly fascinating. There is always plenty of experimentation, unusual quirks and something new or unusual to check out.

In preparation for the visitor onslaught brought on by they upcoming Summer Olympics, I recently took off across the pond for a peek at the London hotel scene, and found four fabulous new (or newly renovated) five-star properties worth checking into.

Even if you can’t spend the night, it’s worth stopping by their lively lobbies to have a drink and a gawk at the cool design, have a meal or just to sit and enjoy the outstanding people watching.

A two-ton, LED illuminated Baccarat crystal chandelier sparkles in the lobby of London’s brand new Corinthia Hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Corinthia Hotel London:

Wow! London’s not seen a stunner like this since the much anticipated re-opening of Fairmont’s Savoy Hotel in 2010. Just walking into the big, bright and airy lobby takes your breath away.

This magnificent 294-room newcomer is housed in a gorgeous, historic Victorian-era building that’s been so deeply renovated that it feels brand new. There’s none of the creaky floors, noisy plumbing or mustiness found in some of the capital’s finest grand dames. Rooms are modern, clean, and very big by London standards.

But it’s the big, bright, and buzzy lobby that really wowed me. In the center of the space is a soaring dome adorned with a giant, two-ton, globe-shaped Baccarat crystal chandelier composed of 1,001 grapefruit-sized crystal baubles—each illuminated from within with a tiny white LED light. Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, it’s worth walking through the lobby just to see this gorgeous work. While you are at it, pop in for a meal at one of the hotel’s two popular restaurants, The Northall (traditional British fare with a fresh twist) or Massimo’s (Italian seafood).

The Corinthia also earns high marks from business travelers because it’s one of the few five-star London hotels that include high-speed wi-fi in the nightly rate. Another big selling point for Americans is its liberal no-restrictions check-in and check-out policy—if you are arriving on an early morning flight, just let the hotel know beforehand, and your room will be ready when you arrive—no interminable wait in the lobby while your room is made up

The imposing, yellow sandstone building in Whitehall previously housed Britain’s Ministry of Defense. Malta-based Corinthia Hotels reportedly bought the building and restored it to the tune of about $550 million. Construction began in 2008, and the hotel opened in April 2011. See www.corinthia.com/London

Hipster doormen in rolled jeans and flannels set the scene at London’s new bohemian chic Belgraves hotel

Belgraves

If your business is showbiz, fashion, tech, PR or advertising, the brand new Belgraves hotel is custom-made just for you. It’s the first British outpost of the popular NYC-based Thompson Hotels Group (which recently merged with SF-base Joie de Vivre hotels), and inserts a bit bohemian Americana to its buttoned-up Belgravia neighborhood near Sloane Square. The 85-room hotel, which opened on February 1, is located in the shell of the old Sheraton Belgravia hotel—but there’s nothing Sheraton about this place anymore.

American touches abound– Check out the jeans-and-flannel-clad hipster doormen, or the US flag art behind the front desk. The mid-century modern furnishings in the cozy lobby conversation nooks are straight out of Mad Men.

Comfy-mod rooms have smallish bay windows with plush jewel-toned velvet love seats, and big bright marble bathrooms with tubs that overlook a leafy square across the street. Nice touch: Bedside docking stations can accommodate either an iPad or iPhone. See http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/london/belgraves

Spectacular city views from the glass-walled 10th floor spa atop London’s recently renovated Four Seasons Park Lane Hotel. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Four Seasons Park Lane

The Four Seasons on Park Lane oozes opulence as soon as you step out of your black London taxi in the porte cochere. Handsome doormen in knee length brown jackets and snappy English Trilby hats greet you by name (by sneaking a look at the tag on your bag). Well-heeled guests in finely tailored suits, Italian shoes and horn rimmed specs float through the lobby on their way to their rooms or to the hotel’s popular Amaranto restaurant.

Originally built in 1970, the hotel closed in 2008 for a complete makeover, and re-opened in January 2011. The sumptuous lobby is now bathed in sexy white streaked Italian black marble and mahogany paneling, trimmed in red leather and spritzed with hundreds of white orchids.

Room design is mostly masculine—reds, browns and wood paneling. Black leather covered desks. Light brown and orange wool tartan curtains, big walk in closets. There are even 32 rooms with working fireplaces.

During the recent re-do, the nine story, 217-room hotel got a tenth floor—housing a gorgeous light and airy spa, gym with views across Mayfair to the London Eye, the new Shard and the City. This aerie also serves as a day lounge where early arriving guests can set up shop while waiting for their rooms.

Nice: The hotel also has two big black Rolls-Royces on hand to shuttle guests to points within central London. See www.fourseasons.com/london/ Note: There are two Four Seasons in London—the other is located in Canary Wharf on the city’s eastern edge.

Gothic architecture looms over London’s fab new Renaissance St Pancras hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Renaissance St Pancras

When my cab pulled up to the front of this north-central London hotel, I felt like I was arriving at Hogwarts with its ominous clock tower, gothic arches, spires, red brick and wrought iron. The hotel is actually part of the London St Pancras International train station, built over 150 years ago, but redeveloped in the last decade.

The old hotel part of the station had fallen into disrepair, and was nearly demolished when developers swooped in and returned the space to its former glory as a very unique luxury hotel—unlike any Marriott-branded hotel I’ve ever stayed in.

For instance, developers transformed the station’s old iron and glass porte cochere into a lively, bright lobby area. The adjacent ticketing office is now a warm and clubby lobby restaurant and bar—packed with locals as well as passengers waiting to board the Eurostar trains that depart St Pancras for Paris or Brussels.

In addition to historic (and more expensive) “chambers” rooms in the old building, a modern Marriott-style 200-room wing was added out back— not as unique, but probably better suited for business travelers who prefer to spend most of their free time in public spaces and work in their rooms. See http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lonpr-st-pancras-renaissance-london-hotel

Disclosure: McGinnis was a guest of the house at some of the hotels mentioned in this post.

4 fabulous new 5-star hotels in London worth checking into

March 22, 2012

The view across the Thames from London's new Corinthia Hotel-- that pointy building surrounded by cranes in the background is The Shard, Europe's newest, tallest building. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I love London for many reasons, most of which revolve around my career in the travel biz. To me, the city just feels like the center of the universe, so every time London calls, I answer!

The dynamic London hotel scene is endlessly fascinating. There is always plenty of experimentation, unusual quirks and something new or unusual to check out.

Even if you can’t spend the night, it’s worth stopping by their lively lobbies to have a drink and a gawk at the cool design, have a meal or just to sit and enjoy the outstanding people watching.

A two-ton, LED illuminated Baccarat crystal chandelier sparkles in the lobby of London's brand new Corinthia Hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Corinthia Hotel London:

Wow! London’s not seen a stunner like this since the much anticipated re-opening of Fairmont’s Savoy Hotel in 2010. Just walking into the big, bright and airy lobby takes your breath away.

Hipster doormen in rolled jeans and flannels set the scene at London's new bohemian chic Belgraves hotel

Belgraves

Spectacular city views from the glass-walled 10th floor spa atop London's recently renovated Four Seasons Park Lane Hotel. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Four Seasons Park Lane

Gothic architecture looms over London's fab new Renaissance St Pancras hotel (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Renaissance St Pancras

Disclosure: McGinnis was a guest of the house at some of the hotels mentioned in this post.