...Had to find out more about Andaz, the hotel/condo combo at the former JP Morgan Chase HQ on Wall and Pearl Street... been reading a little bit about this for the last three years .... now to some excerpts from the surefire candidate for the News Release Hall of Fame...
Andaz Wall Street, the only hotel situated on Wall Street, will set a new tone of style and optimism in Lower Manhattan when it officially opens on January 18, 2010. Andaz, Hyatt’s newest brand, is devoted to providing simplified, spot-on service and indulgent amenities for its guests.
And!
The 253 guestrooms start at a generous 345 square feet, making them some of the largest hotel rooms in New York City. A celebration of light and reflectivity, they feature loft-like ceilings and seven-foot windows. The rooms have a simple aesthetic of contemporary luxury, boasting dark stained oak floors, buttery brown leather headboards and benches, and lavender and camel sitting chairs. Other modern details include textured walls, bleached wood accents, and locally crafted, stenciled metal artwork designed by a Brussels-based artist.
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Set in a room that stretches the full-length of the hotel, the restaurant, Wall & Water, which opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner on January 25, features seasonal cuisine with ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley. Large windows open onto striking views of the East River. The main dining area is furnished with live-edge wooden tables and beautiful glass and iron lighting fixtures. At one end, a 12-guest chef’s table is sheltered behind the open kitchen, and at the opposite end a private dining and meeting room, with views of the garden below, is ideal for entertaining. Bar Seven Five, named for its 75 Wall Street address, will serve classic American cocktails and artisanal appetizers prepared and served in glass jars.
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At all Andaz properties, the check-in and service are simplified. Without the doorman, bellhop, and concierge staff at the desk, there is one “host” for each incoming guest. Hosts are steeped in traditional hospitality training as well as a less conventional approach. Andaz understands that the staff at a hotel must be able to field questions and scenarios that one cannot always anticipate, and improvisational skills come in handy. Design house Theory has designed chic separates for the staff uniforms.
Let's just hope the market doesn't tumble 500 points on Tuesday ... that can be so awkward on a grand opening...
I work in the area, and one thing I've noticed over the years is the big increase in tourists. Its still not as bad as in Times Square area, but just bad enough that I've changed my commute, partly to avoid having to wait while the tour busses pass down Broadway and to avoid the bottleneck around the Stock Exchange.
ReplyDeleteFunctional places of business don't mix well with large numbers of tourists, at least not the particularly slow moving type we get from certain parts of this country. I've noticed that in San Francisco they've managed to herd them to Fisherman's Wharf, well away from downtown where the offices area.
I lost it early with the phrase "will set a new tone of style and optimism in Lower Manhattan." I see this all the time with PR and other pronouncements, the great presumption that the new thing will save the neighborhood from its assumed lack of style and pessimism (two values I often embrace).
ReplyDeleteWhat appetizer is served in a glass jar - pickled eggs and pig's feet?
ReplyDeleteStay at the Andaz in London regularly. Great staff, good sized rooms, free wine and snacks available in the lobby late in the afternoon. Would recommend the hotel w/o hesitation.
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