Tag Archives: Hotels

Room service not included

By April 15 2013, 9:31 am Leave a comment

Often when you think of hotels, you think of the staff: the uniformed doorman, the dapper concierge, the service with a professional smile. But a hip new Parisian hotel, created by French designer Matali Crasset, has done away with something so gauche as employees. (Tx Jamie)

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Flat pack hotels

By March 15 2013, 9:57 am Leave a comment

IKEA’s real estate branch Inter Hospitality and Marriott International Inc have partnered to create and launch a brand new economy-class hotel brand called MOXY.

Surprisingly, the hotels won’t be stocked with IKEA furniture – but the company has developed a number of innovative construction techniques to keep costs down. Created for the ‘next generation traveller’, the hotels will be popping up in or around office parks, airports and train stations, many of them featuring a neutral ‘eco-style’ theme.

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Deluxe unplugged

By September 9 2011, 10:28 am Leave a comment

Marriott’s Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel is helping people unplug and recharge with their “Zen and the Art of Detox” weekend package.

At check-in, participating guests surrender their laptop, iPhone and other digital devices for safekeeping until departure. Literary classics and other forms of analog entertainment fill the digital void inside deluxe king rooms. Package rates vary between $199 – 399 per night.

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Business nomads

By August 31 2011, 2:16 pm Leave a comment

Citizen M, the Dutch hotel group, has introduced a concept business club in their newly opened Glasgow hotel – the first outside Holland. (Tx to Mr Glagow, Elliot)

Dubbed Society M, the club provides a base of operations for small businesses to gain access to city centre accommodation within stylish contemporary surrounds. Boasting a design driven concept, the club offers members a creative space for working and relaxing within the hotel basement.

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Property playlist

By June 30 2011, 8:50 am Leave a comment

Morgans Hotel Group is giving away downloadable music and playlists via scannable QR codes on guests’ keycards. Launched through a partnership with music download site RCRD LBL, the initiative serves up 20-song playlists compiled to suit the unique feel of each property.

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Bag Bot

By May 25 2011, 3:02 pm Leave a comment

The Yotel New York hotel’s new front-desk employee is turning heads. Yobot is the world’s first luggage-toting robot, who stores and retrieves guests’ baggage before a street-level window near Times Square. Yobot’s work is quick, efficient and entertaining.

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Minibar for the mind

By February 25 2011, 3:38 pm Leave a comment

Trading overpriced nuts for inspiration, Minibar for the Mind offers a thought-provoking alternative to the usual fare in Morgans hotel minibars.

 

Created by The School of Life, the set includes a box of 250 conversation starters, a volume of columns written by faculty at The School of Life, “Reading Prescriptions” to suit every mood, and a notebook and pencil for when the inspiration hits.  

Via. http://weallneedwords.com/andanotherthing/showing-off/minibar-for-the-mind.html

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A little give and take

By November 17 2010, 2:32 pm Leave a comment

For a week in November, thousands of Italian bed and breakfast establishments will encourage guests to barter for their stay. 

 

Marking the second annual Settimana del Baratto, or Barter Week, run by the Italian Bed and Breakfast Association, 15-21 November will give cash-strapped people a chance to enjoy time away from home without breaking the bank.

Last year’s event was wildly successful with around 12,000 fans registering to participate on Facebook, and several B&Bs continuing to offer barter arrangements throughout the year. The most common payments were accommodation swaps, live music performances and website translations.

The recession may have officially ended, but that doesn’t mean consumers are flush with cash. How can brands offer them a little financial breathing room?

Via. http://www.springwise.com/tourism_travel/settimanadelbaratto/

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Ask the locals

By March 11 2010, 1:32 pm 2 Comments

Alex Calderwood, a founder of the Ace Hotel chain (and named as ‘the next wave’ of hoteliers in Time magazine’s list of top 100 business innovators) is a strong believer in asking the locals what they think.

He says, ‘I’ve always been drawn to the sense of community that develops around a project. We started in Seattle then we went to Portland and New York and Palm Springs. When you’re coming to a new city you want to create a sense of emotional and creative involvement from different people in the community. For example, in New York we collaborated with a New York firm to help us develop the hotel design. And when we went out to California, we chose some friends of ours and some people in LA to get involved, who we felt really represented the right kind of California experience.’

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Imperfect is the new perfect

By January 14 2010, 9:59 am Leave a comment

Tom Michelberger’s concept for his new hotel is based on his notion that ‘perfection doesn’t create memories because memories only result from movement, from a lively experience of interaction – with people, the surroundings and atmosphere.’

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