Yotel hotel pods coming to New York

by Melanie Nayer on

Hotels come in all shapes and sizes. From luxury suites to standard rooms to hostels, there’s a hotel room for all sizes and budgets. Now, for those needing a quick nap on a dime, one more hotel type makes its way to the states: the pod.

The Yotel – a brand of sleeping pod hotels – will open a 669-room in New York City in 2011. The pod hotel will be located 42nd street and 10th and rooms will go for $200- to $250-per-night. According to a press release, the room are almost twice the size as its U.K. counterparts and will be called “cabins” instead of “pods.” The purpose, however, remains the same.

Yotel was established by YO! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe and his partner Gerard Greene. Popular in the U.K., the Yotel charges £25 for 4-hour stays in their hotel cabins in Europe, as they are made to be a resting place for travelers who are waiting for flights.

But is it a good deal? At $200-$250 a night you could easily find another hotel room in New York, but location will be your concern. If you’re looking for midtown or Times Square, but don’t want a hostel, the Yotel might work. A press release said the Yotel cabins will have “relaxing purple mood lighting, rejuvenating monsoon rain showers, luxury bedding, complimentary Wi-Fi and a flat screen television.” There will also be a restaurant and bar, an outside terrace and business lounges at the hotel.

Before you go, be sure to check out Gadling’s Travel Talk TV!

Visa adds hotels to their luxury brand portfolio

by Melanie Nayer on

Visa is expanding their travel offerings. The credit card company announced the launch of the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection (VSLHC), allowing Visa Signature cardholders to find and book luxury hotels around the world.

According to a press release from Visa, “The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection offers cardholders access to a host of perks, which may include the best available rate, a room upgrade, VIP guest status, complimentary valet parking or internet access, a food and beverage voucher, complimentary continental breakfast, and late checkout privileges.”

Visa wasted no time setting up the luxury hotels for availability. The Visa Luxury Hotel Collection is managed by Kiwi Collection, and includes hotels such as the Burj al Arab in Dubai, Amanpuri in Thailand, The Setai in Miami and The Pierre in New York.

For more information on the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and specific benefits, Visa Signature cardholders can visit www.visasignaturehotels.com.

A new way to find a spa in New York

by Tom Johansmeyer on

When you go to a resort, the spa decision is pretty easy to make. The resort is the main draw, so you just go with the spa that’s on property. If your trip involves a major city, though, you’d be nuts not to spread around your experiences a bit. Mix up your hotel, restaurants and spa choices: one-stop shopping isn’t always your best bet. So, I was thrilled to hear about SpaDealsNYC.com, which celebrated its official launch last week. In addition to finding the best spa for your tight muscles and weary spirit, you’ll score some great deals, too – no need to break the bank when you’re looking for a bit of relaxation.

SpaDealsNYC.com is the creation of Richard Cacace, owner of Body Beautiful Spa & Laser Center in the East Village. He wanted to give consumers a new way to find the right treatments and spas … and pick up a few discounts along the way. He says, “Given the situation with the economy and prioritizing how people spend their hard earned money, this site will be a way for people to receive a beauty service that they may have always gotten, but now forgo, due to financial reasons. It allows them to get that service again for a great discount.”

St. Pat’s Day starts early in East Hampton

by Melanie Nayer on

It’s time to get your green on.

The Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton New York has had it with the snow and is prepping for summer weather by opening the resort a few weeks early. The Long Island resort has decided to open its doors on St. Patrick’s Day, a few weeks before its normal opening season and just over a month from now.

If you’ve always wanted to party like P-Diddy in the Hamptons, but you don’t have Diddy-dollars, this is your deal. To celebrate the signaling of Spring, the Montauk is hosting a lucky break rate starting at $109/night (promo code: GREEN), and the resort will offer free shuttles to the Montauk St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 22, 2010 from 12:30pm-4pm.

The Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina is located on 35-acres of waterfront property at the East End of Long Island, New York. The see-and-be-seen celebs converge during the summer season and guests can stay at one of the 107 guest rooms, 23 villas or dock at one of the 232-slips in the yacht marina.

InterContinental New York Times Square sets sights on LEED certification

by Melanie Nayer on


It’s already the largest new-build hotel in New York City, and now the InterContinental New York Times Square sets its sights on being the largest hotel to achieve LEED status.

Slated to open in July, the InterContinental New York Times Square will debut as the newest InterContinental Hotel in the city. Located on 44th Street just west of Times Square, the new-build hotel’s claim to fame is its size – the36-story hotel has 607 guestrooms each averaging 350 square feet, including an oversized bathroom complete with walk-in rain showers. There are 29 corner suites and a 2,700 square foot duplex Presidential Suite. It boasts 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space and 4,000 square foot ballroom.

Simply put, this hotel is huge.

But despite its size, the InterContinental New York Times Square hopes to make a difference. According to a release from the hotel, “The hotel will be one of the most environmentally responsible hotels in New York City and the largest new-build hotel to achieve LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Counsel (USGBC).” The hotel’s LEED certification was based on its use of sustainable materials such as solar panels, green roofs with drought-tolerant, plants, large windows, and an energy-generating elevator system.

The InterContinental New York Times Square’s sister property, the InterContinental Barclay, has been a New York hotel staple for years. If green is your game, this hotel is worth a look for your next New York trip.