A New Name for a New(ish) Hotel: Good Bye, Fashion 26 — Hello, Hilton New York Fashion District

Fashion is fickle — even, apparently, when it comes to hotels.

Consider the newly flagged Hilton New York/Fashion District. This fashion-themed high rise – so close to the Fashion Institute of Technology you can teeter over in mile-high Louboutins — opened officially April 5, 2010 as Fashion 26 — A Wyndham Hotel.

Wyndham, which has four other New York City properties including the newly flagged Dream and Night hotels, reveled in the hotel’s singular, theme-conscious look (mannequins in the window, side tables shaped like gigantic metal spools). “As we got into the development process, we realized we wanted something a little more unique,” Wyndham president Jeff Wagoner said a while back.

But sometime over the summer, the Wyndham name came down, and the hotel became just plain Fashion 26, an independent property managed by Highgate Hospitality.

That status ended on February 15.  At the stroke of 7 a.m., the hotel morphed into Hilton’s fifth New York City property. Three names, and the hotel isn’t even a year old.

I stopped by to see if anything looked different. The short answer: not much, aside from the sign over the marquee and a placard with the new name next to the front door. The mannequins sported the same stylish Valentine’s Day red dresses as on February 14, and the lobby looked very Fashion 26.

Of course, you can book a room using Hilton’s sophisticated reservations system. Hilton membership points add up when you stay as well. I wanted to know about the cupcakes; under Wyndham, guests received a mini Crumbs cupcake at check-in. The tradition continued under Highgate with a different baker. I didn’t see any cupcakes on the front desk, but a desk attendant assured me the agreeable custom would continue. Whew!