room service

Grand Hyatt New York Reinvents Room Service

Ever wish the luxury of chowing down in your hotel room didn't involve dialing room service, waiting an hour, paying 50 percent more than the food's worth plus tip and sometimes a room service fee? Well, the Grand Hyatt New York has a new concept that might pique your interest: their very own Market, which just opened on April 5.

Not just an average grocery store aisle; Market features locally sourced foods and brands from the Grand Central neighborhood like Roasting Plant, Tisserie, Chickalicious and Macaron Café NYC. It's located right in the lobby and you can conveniently charge your items to your room, sans waiting or fee.

"Market is truly changing the concept of hotel room service. It was conceived for our busy guests and travelers looking for quick, high-quality food with a sense of New York style and an eye toward healthy living," said Matthew Adams, Vice President / Managing Director. "With competitive pricing based on local markets rather than room service, Market will not only be accessible, but affordable."

Traditional room service for the purists among you will still be available, but for instant gratification, this idea, which we've only seen before in extensive resorts, seems long overdue. Well done, Grand Hyatt New York.

Tags: grand hyatt new york, GrandHyattNewYork, hotel amenities, hyatt, new york, new york city, NewYork, room service

Where to Get the World's Best Room Service

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Room service is getting an upgrade from the days of a steak served lukewarm with soggy fries and a flat soda. Go to the right place and you can get whatever you want, on the menu or not, whenever you want, at any hour of the day or night, and it'll be served like it would be in a fine restaurant, 7 courses and all.

Of course not all room services are created equal, so knowing where to go to get the best is key. The Four Seasons in Washington D.C. will serve your meal course by individual course, whereas the Ritz Carlton in Chicago will make you whatever you want at any hour. And beyond that it's really about your personal preferences -- want a $53 burger? Head to The Peninsula in Hong Kong. Have kids to worry about? Awesome kids menu at Rosewood Hotels. See the rest of this slide show for even more great ideas, like the healthiest room service menu and the best room-service breakfast. Sounds good to me!

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Tags: dining, food, hotel, hotels, journeys, room service, RoomService

Luxury Tipping Guide

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services

Forbes has answered a very interesting question pertaining to tipping. With all the luxury services that new hotels offer, there are many more people that you will come into contact with than just the porter and the maid. How do you know who to tip and - more importantly - how much to tip?

The first lesson is that some resorts are all-inclusive and will have a "resort fee" added to the bill (15-20% against the room rate) that is to be distributed as tips for the employees; no additional tipping is necessary here, and many employees will not accept them. If this is not the case at your hotel, employees who should be tipped include the concierge, doormen, drivers, pool attendant and those who offer special services, like masseurs. See the full guide for details on who gets a dollar, who gets 20% and what you should expect in return.

And don't forget the maid. Leave a few dollars a day, depending on the size of the room and the size of your mess.

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Tags: employees, forbes, hotel, hotels, luxury hotels, room service, staff, tip, tipping, travel