Gadlinks for Monday 7.27.09

by Brenda Yun on


A glorious Monday here in California! I hope you are all enjoying the last month of summer. Live it up — and maybe browse some of these travel reads while you’re at it.

‘Til tomorrow, have a great evening!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Some hotel futures at risk

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The number of hotels defaulting on their loans surged 125 percent in May and June this year. Travel is down (no shit), which has an obvious effect on the top line. When there’s no money coming in, it’s hard to send cash out to meet some pretty hefty obligations. So, if none comes in, none can go out … and defaults start to rise.

Some high-profile properties have defaulted already, including the Four Seasons and Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel – both in San Francisco – and the W Hotel in San Diego. Nobody’s safe in this market. Outside California, 13 hotel loans adding up to $596 million became delinquent in June alone. Most of the carnage came from Phoenix, Las Vegas and New York City.

Of course, the defaults don’t spell the end for these properties. There is always the chance that the loan terms can be changed or the hotels can be sold. There’s a long way between defaulting loans and closed doors.

Cap off your summer in style at the Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Manhattan‘s rarely cheap. So, even if you can get a kickass flight, you’re still stuck lamenting the hotel rates and dinner prices – not to mention spending a fortune on cabs. The Kimberly Hotel is about to make this easier. If you’re looking to get your kids to the top of the Empire State Building before school starts, you still have time to squeeze in a trip this summer with a nice discount to make it a bit easier for you.

Until August 31, 2009, the Kimberly Hotel is cutting its rates by up to 40 percent on one- and two-bedroom luxury suites (might as well give the kids a taste of the good life before returning to the daily grind of the school year, right?). One-bedroom suites normally go for $299 a night, but you can book one for $100 less this summer. If you value elbow room, shell out $299 for a two-bedroom suite: they usually cost $449 a night.

Or, you can pick up a package built around the Intrepid Museum (that’s on the aircraft carrier parked in the Hudson River). For $459 a night ($829 for two), the “Welcome Aboard” package includes discount admission coupons for four to the museum, daily breakfast in the hotel and a free in-room movie with your choice of popcorn.

If you want your summer to end with a cymbal crash, this is the way to do it. Fight the oppressive New York heat (it’s part of the experience), and make sure your kids have some great stories to tell on the first day of school.

The Parker Meridien NYC knows how to serve a cheeseburger

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I know I’ve written a lot about hotdogs, but I’m also a big fan of burgers. I guess my true affinity is for anything that’s bad for you. Nothing beats a great dog, but I have room for variety and sometimes crave an amazing burger. In Manhattan, you should look no further than the Parker Meridien on W. 56th St. (or W. 57th St., you can enter from either side).

You’re probably thinking about a $20 hamburger (more with cheese), because nothing’s cheap at a Parker Meridien. Well, for this burger, you’ll have to pass Norma’s (which is a great brunch spot, but far from cheap) and look for the neon cheeseburger on the wall. Welcome to the Burger Joint! It’s hidden in a hallway next to the concierge desk, and if you ask for directions, the staff will direct you easily. They know what you’re looking for.

During most peak dining hours, though, the location will be obvious. Look for the incredibly long line and be prepared to wait.

When you finally do reach the Burger Joint, you’ll notice a substantial shift in the décor. Scrawled between the many posters on the walls are light attempts at graffiti (but lots of them). The signs are handwritten in magic marker. The upscale uniforms visible in the rest of the hotel are eschewed for attire that’s considerably more laid back. The restaurant’s name says it all. It’s a burger joint, nothing more. But, it excels at its one mission – putting an amazing hamburger between your teeth.

Read the menu before you get to the cash register, or you’ll probably be sent to the back of the line. Demand for the product will force you to wait for a while, so there’s no reason to make it worse by screwing up at the moment of truth. The sign provides strict (but easy to follow) instructions on how to order. Speak loudly and confidently.

The restaurant itself is usually crowded. It’s tough to get a seat, and there’s always an asshole or two who lingers after finishing. So, you’ll be crammed shoulder-to-shoulder while waiting for your grub to be cooked, bagged and handed to you. Deal with it; there’s no alternative. From time to time, one of the cooks will step from behind the counter and scream at loiterers to get the hell out. It’s not done delicately … and it shouldn’t be.

If the dining area is full, or you just don’t want to mess with the crowds, there’s a great inter-block alley between W. 54th St. and W. 55th St., and it has tables and benches. This is a great dining spot when the weather is favorable. Also, you’re only a short walk from Central Park.

So, what about the food? You can’t go wrong with the burgers and fries, which comprise the entirety of the menu. The burgers are tasty, but do benefit from a bit of ketchup. I’d be happier if they were larger. The fries are thin-cut and the best (of this style) in the city. I haven’t tried the shakes (not really my thing), but I can tell from how many have been ordered that they must be good.

The total cost for all this isn’t absurd. For three cheeseburgers, two generously-sized orders of fries and a drink, I dropped $31.50. You’re going to have a bitch of a time finding a deal like this anywhere else in the city, I assure you.

Plane sheets: Make that flight clean and cozy

by Jamie Rhein on

We’ve written about urine on plane seats. We’ve written about finding a hypodermic needle under a plane seat and an empty vial nearby. We’ve also written about things left behind in seat pockets–unpleasant things. To read such stories, one might think that plane seats are a bio hazard. One might be tempted to suit up in a hazmat suit like Mike did for his stay at the Hotel Carter in New York City.

If you’re one of those people who is a bit concerned about what you’ll catch when you travel with people who are crammed into a cylinder shape for a trip that may or may not get there on time, here’s a possible solution.

Plane Sheets. They come in two sizes, and according to the Web site, are a great way to personalize and tidy up your allotted space.

Of course, there’s no guarantee about what the people you’re wedged between will be up to or how they’ll feel when you cover up your plane seat. They might think you’re a weirdo. Or, perhaps, they might make you an offer.