In what no doubt qualifies as one of the most low key hotel revamps in memory — no marquee unveilings, no press releases — Denihan Hospitality Group’s six Affinia hotels have quietly changed their names. Read more
Midtown Manhattan isn’t known for its residential ambience. So cheers to Affinia 50, fresh from a $19 million renovation, for offering a taste of apartment living this side of Airbnb.
To be fair, hominess is in the Affinia’s DNA. The 250-room building started out in 1959 as a residential hotel. There’s no restaurant, but two enormous lounges eat up the second floor. And all 100 suites, from studios to one-bedrooms, come with kitchenettes. Read more
In with the new: wall sofas and mirrors.
What did the management of the Affinia Manhattan request when they hired Rottet Studio to redesign the lobby of their 1929 midtown hotel?
Lighten up was my verdict the first time I saw the smartly renovated lobby.
The walls and ceiling are the color of whipped cream. Enormous mirrors paned in black offer a clever take on industrial loft windows — and double the space, visually at least. And the rectangular chandelier hugging the ceiling looks like it was formed from crystal icicles. Read more