soho

Five Ways to Protect Yourself From a Poor Luxury Experience

I'm sure you'd love to believe that your concerns are being heard. At an airport, restaurant, hotel or any other place where you're parting with your hard-earned cash, you expect a certain level of service. When you don't get it, you expect management to give a damn. Shocking, I know, but sometimes even this second part doesn't happen.

Gone are the days when even the risk of a customer complaint struck horror in the eyes of a hospitality manager. Close to a decade ago, I emailed a gripe to Kelly's Roast Beef in Massachusetts. Within 24 hours, I had a call from the manager who as horrified, embarrassed and eager to make things right. I didn't care about the free meal offer – in fact, I turned it down twice before giving in – it was the attitude that made the difference. He was genuinely upset that he was losing a single customer, and the prospect of that didn't sit well with him. Now, so many years later, this remains my go-to story about customer service perfection.

Today, that seems to be gone – or at least scarcer. For some restaurants and other hospitality companies, even in the luxury space, it's the belief that a certain amount customer churn is to be expected. Or that brand is irrelevant. Or that intermediaries (such as online booking sites) have made price the motivator, obviating the need for a commitment to customer service excellence. In a recent case for me, at The Mercer Kitchen, in the Mercer Hotel, it was clear that brand was the problem – namely that a cool, upscale spot didn't need to worry about customer satisfaction.

Using this experience, let's take a look at five things you should be wary of when expressing your concerns to a hospitality manager; they indicate that your complaint isn't being handled properly:

Tags: customer satisfaction, customer service, hotel, hotels, manhattan, mercer hotel, new york, new york city, restaurants, service, soho

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Barbour Opens New Outpost in NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Classic British outwear company Barbour is opening a new outpost in New York on Wooster St. in Soho's historic Cast Iron District. The new space will be open briefly to feature the Barbour Autumn / Winter 2010 Heritage Collection through the holidays, and will the reopen in early spring with a complete collection of Spring / Summer 2011 Barbour apparel and accessories.

"We are very excited to expand our New York presence with a new store in Soho," notes Jamie Millar, Head of Retail for Barbour Inc., North America. "The neighborhood is steeped in history and culture, but is constantly evolving and remains one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in the country. With Barbour's strong heritage and growing popularity among the fashion-forward, SoHo was a natural fit for Barbour. We are very excited to be joining such a prestigious shopping district." Other Barbour retail store locations include Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side; Boston, Mass; Ardmore, PA; M Street in Georgetown; and the Barbour by David Wood boutique in Portland, Maine.

Gallery: Barbour Opens in Soho

Tags: Barbour, boutiques, mens style, New York, New York shopping, SoHo

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Holiday Guides

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

The Daily News reported that a lot in the heart of SoHo is selling jumbo-sized Christmas trees at prices to match. Scott Lechner, 53, charges as much as $900 for trees he ships from the Blue Mountains in North Carolina to his temporary business on Sixth Avenue and Spring Street. "A regular tree is beautiful, but one of our jumbos is majestic," Lechner says in the News. "It's not just a tree, it's an experience. And it's worth every penny."

Not all the trees are as much as $900. A 12-foot Fraser fir retails for about $400; it's a 17-footer that goes for $900. Lechner claims his clients have been celebrities, a Facebook executive, and SoHo residents. He notes that his prices are high because the trees come to his lot within 96 hours of being cut. But the News reports -- fueling the fire in the battle of the boroughs -- that the same types of trees can be found at a fraction of the price in Brooklyn.

The question that still nags at me is this: Who in New York has space for a 17-foot tree? I mean, obviously not counting the celebs, execs, and SoHo folks. I guess they all own two-floor apartments where the lower-level apartment ceiling has been removed, or the elusive brownstone.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas trees, holiday, holidays, New York, New York City, SoHo

The James Hotel Opens Second Outpost in SoHo

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Long beloved by residents of the Windy City, The James Hotel brings its unique blend of residential cool to SoHo with the opening of its first New York City property. Anchoring the southwest corner of Soho at Grand and Thompson Streets, The James is currently accepting reservations at its 114 guestrooms and suites.

"The stylish and culturally rich neighborhood of Soho is the ideal home for The James New York," said Brooke Barrett, co-CEO of Denihan Hospitality Group, owners and operators of The James brand.

In homage to the creative neighborhood it calls home, The James New York will feature a mix of local and international artists, both prominent and up-and-coming. In an effort to be both child and pet-friendly, the hotel will offer both pajama sets and Paul Frank coloring sheets. Dog beds and doggy bowls will be provided by Soho-based pet retail shop Doggystyle, along with a specially-created amenity treat bag.

Tags: hotel opening, new hotels, new york hotel, New york hotels, soho, the james hotel

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Badichi Belts For Personalized Spring Style

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The belt is often an under-appreciated accessory. But in the summer when tops are small and light, rising above jeans and shorts, the belt takes on new prominence. You can make your own unique fashion statement with Badichi Belts, a belt boutique in New York's Soho area. Chose a leather from Badichi's colorful collection and pair it with a distinctive buckle and you've got your new summer staple with your personal style. Belts range from $60 to $400 depending on the leather and the intricacy of the buckle.

Tags: badichi belts, belts, soho

Industrial Design: Reconsidering Former-Factory Chic

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books, Real Estate Developments, By Design

We on Luxist love it when former industrial space is transformed into something luxuriously wonderful, whether it's a hat factory transformed into condos in Connecticut, a jam factory that became a super-cool hotel in Tasmania, or a textile mill that became a unique art and design center in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Recycling space that's just lying fallow makes good sense, but it's easy to forget that this gentrification is part of a larger economic story -- in fact, it's often the epilogue.

Check out The Atlantic Monthly's latest issue for a terrific article on Manhattan's urban landscape, Benjamin Schwarz's "Gentrification and its Discontents". It's mostly a consideration of two newer books, Twenty Minutes in Manhattan by architect Michael Sorkin, and Naked City, by urban sociologist Sharon Zukin, in the light of Jane Jacobs' classic book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities -- but my favorite part is when Schwarz points out that the late, great era of creative foment in lower Manhattan that these authors (and a great many others) lament now that it's been replaced by either hugely expensive housing or international brands, was a product of economic and industrial decline:

For instance, in railing against the passing of SoHo's exhilarating, creative days-characterized by "the mix of artists, crafts-people, small manufacturers, researchers [!], as well as of commerce oriented to their needs" (a few funky bars for the artists; places like the collectively run restaurant Food)-Sorkin joins in the lamentation for "the rapid decline of the city's industrial economy." He doesn't recognize that the SoHo he yearns for was precisely the product of that rapid industrial decline, which made economically available to artists and their hangers-on all those cool industrial spaces that in more industrially vibrant times would have been used by, well, industry.

He also points out that those former days of industrial productivity, now steeped in sepia nostalgia, weren't exactly halcyon. (Triangle Factory fire, anyone?) For example, The Henry Jones Art Hotel's pleasant atrium, pictured above, was a former jam factory floor. The original ceiling, though, was the height of that lower cross-beam -- in its original incarnation, it was hardly the light and pleasant space it is today.

Tags: architecture, factories, gentrification, manhattan, manhattan real estate, soho, urbanism

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350 Broadway Opens Model Apartment To Attract Model Buyers

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Decorating model apartments is a challenge, the designer has to create a space inviting enough for potential residents to want to kick off their shoes and move right in but the space also has to have a broad enough appeal to suit many different tastes. Interior designer William T. Georgis designed the lobby at 350 West Broadway, a building of full-floor residences in New York's SoHo and he is behind the new model apartment at the building.

The newly built structure is home to six full floor residences and a duplex penthouse with a private roof. "In order to fully appreciate the elaborate design and custom quality of this building, we waited to unveil our model residence until construction was completed," said Developer Aby Rosen, principal of RFR Holding LLC and a man who knows a thing or two about luxury real estate in New York City.

Tags: 350 broadway, aby rosen, new york city, new york city condos, new york condos, soho, william t georgis

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Trump Hotel Collection Opens Newest Property, Trump SoHo New York

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

Rising above the city skyline in a dramatic 46-story melding of steel and glass sits the Trump SoHo hotel, New York's newest luxury property and the latest from the Trump Hotel Collection. The 391-room hotel offers classic décor (sans typical Trump gilding) featuring Fendi Casa furniture, Bellino custom bedding and guest concierge services by Trump Attaché. Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city in these peaceful retreats – with just 12 rooms per floor, the hotel features an intimate, boutique feel. This spring, the place to be is the hotel's Kastel lounge and seasonal Bar d'Eau, located on the 6,000-square-foot pool deck. April showers keeping you inside? Never fear, guests and visitors alike can catch up or sip cocktails in The Library, outfitted with luxury books by TASCHEN.

Meeting and event spaces total 12,000 square feet, including the 46^th floor ballroom, aptly titled SoHi, accommodating crowds of up to 150. Gastronomes can enjoy dining at Quattro Gastronomia Italiana and spa services from The Spa at Trump, opening this summer and featuring the city's only authentic luxury hammam. Until summer, guests can enjoy select spa treatments in their guestrooms and suites. Guests visiting the hotel before September 6 will also have access to exclusive shopping discounts courtesy of the Trump Shopping Card, offering discounts at stores including La Perla, Longchamp and Bloomingdales. Looks like the king of "you're fired," will be helping the economy with a hiring buzz. Now let's just see if he can do something about that hair .... 246 Spring Street. 877.828.7080. www.trumpsohohotel.com. Rates start at $389, $489 for suites.

Tags: hotel, hotels, new york city, new york city hotels, openings, soho, trump, trump new york, trump soho

For Valentine's Day Tie Your Love Up In Pearls

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Some people have very romantic ideas about Valentine's Day. Notions that involve flowers, chocolates, a dinner at a fancy restaurant and love poems while others wishes are of a more carnal nature.

There has often been a correlation between the stores that sell intimate products and the seedier neighborhoods of any given town. Kiki de Montparnasse has always made sure that sexy and sensual does not have to mean low end and trashy. The flagship stores are located in New York's SoHo on Greene Street and in Los Angeles on Melrose Avenue and feature beautiful lingerie, jewelry and other objects of desire. The Las Vegas store located at Crystals in the MGM CityCenter is slightly more steamy, as befits sin city, with a Couples Dressing Room and Portrait Booth so customers can turn elegant shopping into foreplay. The company also features a well designed web-site which sells their products.

If you'd like to have a naughty Valentine's Day but still want to do it in luxury and style there are several products from Kiki de Montparnasse that might pique your interest. One is the Pearl Restraints, ten feet of strung pearls handmade by the craftsmen of E.R. Butler & Co. Each strand is finished with metal signature loops, can be worn as a necklace or full body jewelry, or just pull the pearls through the metal loops to create very fancy restraint cuffs. This item is a Kiki exclusive and sells for $2,400. They also offer regulation handcuffs covered in 24k gold with the key on a separate gold chain for $350.

If you'd like to invest in something a little tamer, they carry a large selection of body oils, scented candles and pretty lingerie including panties with a satin heart on the rear.

Gallery: Kiki de Montparnasse For Valentine's Day

Tags: handcuffs, kiki de montparnasse, KikiDeMontparnasse, Pearl, pearls, romance, sensual, soho, valentines day, ValentinesDay

Mackage Opens Second Pop-Up Boutique in NYC

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping, Men's Style

Mackage Opens Second Pop-Up Boutique in NYC

Mackage is so pleased with sales in its first NYC pop-up boutique, in the Meatpacking District, that it has opened a second, this time in SoHo. Open through December, the store will carry the Canadian company's Fall/Winter '09 collection for men and women including butter-soft leather bombers, shearling styles, and its ever-popular Puffy down-filled winter coats. The line is popular with such celebrities as Hilary Duff, Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Hurley, Eva Mendes, Kristen Bell, Will.I.Am. and John Legend, to name a few. And a non-celebrity -- me. The coats are beautiful, practical, and better-priced than I expected for such style and quality. The SoHo store's details can be found in the photo above.

Gallery: Mackage Coats, Fall/Winter 2009

Tags: apparel, Canada, coat, coats, Mackage, mens fashion, MensFashion, New York, New York City, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NYC, SoHo, winter

Dry Ice: A New Exhibit of Alaska Native Art in Soho

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art, Green

With last week's publication of Sarah Palin's new book, Going Rogue, Alaska is once again in the headlines, so it's easy to forget that there's far more to our 49th state than its red-suited former governor. I've been working on a book project in the Bering Strait of Alaska sporadically for the past few years -- above is a photo from Shishmaref, Alaska. These are places where you really can see Russia. And while these locales aren't much for luxury in the traditional sense, they are the places where simply astonishing Alaska Native art is produced -- where artists utilize the landscape to create everything from delicately carved bracelets to bold mobiles, traditional masks to photographs, amber-jewel like kayaks to paintings.

Alaska's natural resources aren't just used for art, of course -- many Native Alaskans still live at least partially off the land and sea. In part, this is to preserve a traditional way of life, but it's also because the price of basic necessities is so high: a dozen eggs can cost as much as $22. In addition to the challenges of preserving tradition that are faced by native communities everywhere, the raw materials of life are in jeopardy because of global warming. This is the part of the United States that is the most dramatically affected by climate change: The state's wintertime climate has warmed by 40 degrees since 1950, sea ice has thinned by 60 percent since the 1960s.

Nine Native Alaskan artists have produced works in response to this fraught landscape, which opens at the Alaska House New York gallery in Soho on December 10th. Working in a variety of media, ranging from mask-making, to skin sewing, to photography, Brian Adams, Susie Bevins, Perry Eaton, Nicholas Galanin, Anna Hoover, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Erica Lord, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, and Larry McNeil create works that capture this particularly delicate moment for Alaska -- and works that are certainly highly collectible. Check out the preview below to get just a sample of this extraordinary art.

If Dry Ice inspires you to travel to the places where these works are created, Alaska House New York (which is as much of an "embassy" for Alaska as it is an art gallery) has many resources to guide you through the parts of the state that you're unlikely to see on your own. And if you're more of an armchair traveler, check out this thoughtfully curated selection of books about Alaska -- a good place to start is 50 Miles from Tomorrow, by William L. Iggiagruk Hensley. You'll also find a list of online resources, including the very entertaining online newspaper, Alaska Dispatch.

Gallery: Dry Ice: Art Exhibit at Alaska House New York

Tags: alaska, art, native americans, NativeAmericans, soho

Crosby Street Hotel Now Open in NYC

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Firmdale Hotels, privately owned by husband and wife team Tim and Kit Kemp, opened its first hotel in the United States this fall in New York City's SoHo. The Crosby Street Hotel is located in the heart of SoHo between Prince, Spring and Lafayette streets and is bringing the duo's famous luxurious European style and long standing reputation for world class personal service to this side of the Atlantic. Their London properties are consistently on the Conde Nast Traveller's hot list for both the US and UK.

The interiors of the hotel are designed by Kit Kemp who has been responsible for the luxury group's design since its inception. She recently won the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year award and House & Garden Hotel Designer of the Year for her work on their Haymarket Hotel in London. She has brought her trademark quirky London style to the Crosby Street Hotel which was built from the ground up on the site of a vacant parking lot.

Inside guests will have their choice of 86 individually designed rooms and suites spread over 11 floors, each featuring floor-to-ceiling warehouse windows, a rarity in New York City. The hotel is also one of the most environmentally friendly hotels built in the United States and hopes to be one of the very first certified GOLD LEED hotels in New York. Guest rooms provide all the usual amenities found in a deluxe hotel including luxury linens, WiFi, flat screen tv and i-pod docking station. The public rooms of the hotel have there own unique features including:

The Crosby Bar which stretches an entire city block
A state of the art 99 seat screening room with orange leather Poltrona Frau chairs
A private courtyard garden
A personally selected art collection featuring a 10 foot high Juame Plensa sculpture, Peter Clark dog collage, mixed media pieces by Justine Smith and Jack Milroy, and oil paintings by Francois Bard

There is even a bespoke fragrance created for the hotel by acclaimed British perfumer Lyn Harris. The scent will be featured in all the hotel's toiletries free of charge to guests and available for purchase in the form of a scented candle.

Prices start at $525 a night but they are offering a special opening rate of $495 and up.

Gallery: Crosby Street Hotel

Tags: Crosby Street Hotel, CrosbyStreetHotel, Firmdale Hotels, FirmdaleHotels, Haymarket Hotel, HaymarketHotel, hotel, LEED, new york city, NewYorkCity, Poltrona Frau, PoltronaFrau, SoHo

Whoopi Goldberg In New York City, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Whoopi Goldberg is taking advantage of "The View" summer break to put her New York City co-op up for sale. The NY Post's Cindy Adams dished that Goldberg has is selling her two-bedroom loft in SoHo. The home on Wooster Street takes up a full floor. Goldberg is a collector, perhaps even a little bit of a packrat but the result is a home that must be fascinating to wander in person. She has covered the long white walls of the main space with paintings. The kitchen is open and faces a long plank dining table. Even the ceiling fans are distinctive. The space has an unfinished look with pipes overhead, exposed brick and a few columns. The loft has a second kitchen area that seems to be used as an open laundry room. The co-op shares a common roof deck and there are two private storage bins in the basement. It is listed at $3.9 million with a monthly maintenance of $3,522.

[via Cityfile]

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Whoopi Goldberg In New York City

Source

Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, new york city, NewYorkCity, soho, whopi goldberg, WhopiGoldberg

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Do the U.S. Open In Style

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The U.S. Open just came to an end out on Long Island, drawing enormous crowds of fans who were undeterred by the unfavorable weather. Even if it hadn't rained, they would have struggled to enjoy the experience, as the event's organizers designed it in a way that made attendees earn their pleasure. And, the complaints were many. I heard one guy complain about $9 hot dogs, and the lines were awful. Trying to drive to the Bethpage golf course was a nightmare, as some had to park up to half an hour away and take buses to the tournament.

Many mused that there had to be a better way. And, there was. If you want to enjoy the U.S. Open next year, keep the following tips in mind. Plan ahead, and you can engineer a fantastic experience, even if the United States Golf Association is trying to prevent it.

1. Stay in the city
This may not be applicable next year, since the open isn't held at the same golf course every year. But, if the event is taking place on Long Island (and this goes for anything, not just golf), stay in Manhattan. You will have a bit of a hike in front of you in the morning and evening, but you'll also have the city at your disposal – which is definitely worth the trouble. I stayed at 60 Thompson down in SoHo, and I'm now more than happy to recommend it. The stylish hotel offers a great contrast to the attire worn by golfers (and golf enthusiasts).

Tags: bethpage, bethpage black, BethpageBlack, golf, golfing, lexus, long island, LongIsland, soho, us open, us open golf, UsOpen, UsOpenGolf

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Rihanna Chooses SoHo For The Summer

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

As my colleague Jared Paul Stern reported back in March, Rihanna has done some major house hunting in Los Angeles. But according to Jennifer Gould Keil of the NY Post's Gimme Shelter, the young star is settling in SoHo for the summer. She is said to be close to inking a deal on a three-bedroom apartment on Greene Street. The listing has it at $22,000 a month but Rihanna is said to only be spending $18,000. Most scurry away from the city once summer hits but Rihanna is currently taking acting classes to prepare for her first movie. At least the apartment comes with a decent-sized terrace so that she can relax in the sun while learning her lines.

Gallery: Rihanna in Soho