Terry Trucco

Now You Can Use Your Apple Watch to Check Into a Marriott Hotel

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Add Marriott to the short (but no doubt growing) list of hotels to declare themselves Apple Watch friendly.

Just in time for today’s debut of the shiny new wrist device, Marriott announced that Marriott Rewards members can check in and out of their rooms at 4,100 hotels using an Apple Watch, provided they download Marriott’s mobile app. The app also provides automatic receipt of room ready alerts, booking and review of reservations and detailed directions to the hotel. Read more

Terry Trucco

Good Looks: Checking out the Standard High Line from the New Whitney Museum Roof

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Here’s a brand new perspective on the Standard High Line. The vantage point is a roof deck at the Whitney Museum of American Art, opening May 1.

The museum, a magnificent eight-story creation from architect Renzo Piano, boasts three terraces looking directly onto the Standard (and into its infamous windows). The roof of Hotel Gansevoort Meatpacking District is also visible in a supporting role.
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Terry Trucco

Eco-Friendly in New York: Which Hotels are Greenest?

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It’s Earth Day, which means it’s time for our annual honor roll of New York City’s green hotels.

As always, the greenest of the green are those with LEED certification — third party proof of adherence to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Once again, California leads the national pack with 25 LEED certified hotels, but New York comes in second with 12, one more than last year.

While the vaunted Platinum level remains elusive, five New York hotels own Gold level status — Conrad New York, the Crosby Street Hotel, Element New York Times Square west, the Intercontinental New York Times Square and NoMad. Read more

Terry Trucco

Tribute Portfolio Becomes Starwood’s Newest Brand, But When Will They Add a New York Hotel?

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New York is not among the five American cities with hotels included in Tribute Portfolio, the new collection of independent four-star hotels announced this week by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. But give it time. Read more

Terry Trucco

A Glamorous Parade of Easter Bonnets — In Chocolate! — At The Peninsula New York

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Spring and its holidays are about new beginnings, and what’s more renewing than a new hat?

Three fetching Easter bonnets perch on a flower-garnished hat rack atop a table on the mezzanine landing at the Peninsula New York, located (aptly) on Fifth Avenue for all you fans of the Irving Berlin movie and song “Easter Parade.”

They look good enough to wear. But the twist is they’re good enough to eat, created from 25 lbs. of chocolate and 12 lbs. of sugar pastilage by Executive Pastry Chef Deden Putra and his able team. Read more

Terry Trucco

Introducing Hudson Brooklyn, New York’s Newest Organic Everything Hotel!

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We just received an intriguing online announcement. Hudson, the midtown west hotel with the chartreuse space capsule entry, is opening a new hotel in Brooklyn (in Bushwick, natch).

Billed as the first farm-to-factory hotel, Hudson Brooklyn promises “a new view on gluten” and offers reclaimed hay bedding, cold brew coffee imported daily from Japan and organic eggs from the rooftop coop. But wait, there’s more: an introductory offer of 40 percent off all room bookings. Yowzah! Read more