Hotel Redesign to Create NY "Pied-à-Terre Experience"

Robert Doyle READ TIME: 4 MIN.

New York, NY - Old world charm and sophisticated modern style: When it reopens later this year, The Tuscany, A St Giles Grand Hotel, one of two side-by-side hotels in Murray Hill owned and operated by St Giles Hotel Group, will celebrate its heritage with a decidedly modern point of view.

Newly revealed design plans for the completely renovated historic landmark put an emphasis on classic themes, strongly textured materials and artistic innovation to create what interior designer Jeff Lincoln, of Jeff Lincoln Interiors, describes as "a luxurious residential sensibility, a contemporary New York pied-�-terre experience." The Tuscany will offer 123 guest rooms, suites and a penthouse suite when it re-opens this November 2012.

As part of The Tuscany's opening, the hotel is featuring an introductory offer which includes a special rate of $269 per night (rates will increase after this special offer ends) and a limited edition Molton Brown pamper pack (Ambiente sleep spray derived from yuan zhi root with vanilla and ylang ylang, vitamin lip saver made from French honey, beeswax and vitamin E).

St Giles Be Rewarded members will also earn 500 bonus VOIL� points as part of this package. For more information on St Giles Be Rewarded, part of the global VOIL� loyalty program, please visit www.stgilesberewarded.com. Book early as introductory offer will only be available for a limited time and subject to availability.

Molton Brown, the London-based maker of top quality luxury bath and beauty products is The Tuscany's official bath amenities provider.

The Tuscany and its sister, The Court, previously W Hotels, were acquired in 2010 by the St Giles Hotel Group from Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Originally an apartment building, The Tuscany was the inspiration of Henry Mandel, one of the many brilliant, ambitious Russian immigrants of the 19th century who helped build New York. It opened in 1928 at a cost of $500,000 with 14 floors of apartments and a round-arched ornamental Tuscan style, later becoming the first hotel in the city to have telephones in every bathroom and the first in the world to introduce color televisions.

According to Lincoln, the newly renovated hotel evokes the best of the past and present: "While maintaining The Tuscany's Old World charm, the new design is visited with a modern eye for a sophisticated presence. The dynamic lobby features strongly textured materials - from wide-plank reclaimed oak floors to a rare Tuscan travertine marble - which are combined with contemporary design themes. The large guest rooms respect that most valuable New York commodity of all - space."

Fabrics and lighting fixtures are from the venerable Italian company Fortuny and help establish The Tuscany's past, while a custom-designed polyhedral lacquered desk in the lobby is an example of the best in modern design. Further evoking a "sophisticated urban/rural ambiance is a wall of specially hand-blown glass panels juxtaposed against spectacular custom wrought iron railings.

Guest rooms are furnished in custom oak and leather wall panel systems evoking the craftsmanship of fine Italian leather goods while other custom-designed and fabricated furnishings combining hand wrought iron elements impart a residential feel. Intelligently designed bathrooms feature glass tile walls and Duravit vanities, providing classic contemporary luxury.

Innovative large suites at The Tuscany are designed around the prestigious company Maharam's Digital Projects artistic mural program. Each one features a large wall mural made by a famous artist or designer ranging from the hot modern artist Sarah Morris whose recent MOMA show was a brilliant success, to the quintessentially sophisticated English designer Paul Smith. Unique and vibrant, these accommodations represent "artistic experience in the capital of the art world," says Lincoln.

St Giles Hotel New York is comprised of two side-by-side properties, The Tuscany and The Court, which were acquired last year from Starwood Hotels & Resorts and were previously flagged as W Hotels. The Court features 199 guestrooms and suites, with some of the largest guestrooms in New York City measuring 350 to 1,000 square feet of space.

Its sister property next door, The Tuscany offers 123 residential-style guestrooms and suites, some with terraces and patios that look out onto landmark sites, along with oversized living areas, and spacious baths. The hotels have enjoyed a long-standing history in the heart of historic Murray Hill, recently making New York Magazine's 'the best place to live in New York' list. The hotels were originally built in 1927 as apartments and later converted to hotels in the 1950s.

Both hotels are centrally located in Midtown Manhattan, nearby iconic New York landmarks such as Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the 5th Avenue retail district.

St Giles Hotel New York - The Tuscany and The Court are owned and managed by its parent company, St Giles Hotel LLC. Headquartered in London, England, St Giles Hotel, LLC and St Giles Hotels are affiliates of Cititel Hotel Management or CHM-Hotels.

The company's hospitality portfolio consists of 'express', three, four, and five-star luxury hotels and is known for its collection of centrally located hotels. CHM-Hotels operates a diverse range of hotels and resorts globally including MiCasa, an all-suite hotel in Kuala Lumpur; the Cititel Express - Kota Kinabalu; St Giles Kuala Lumpur; St Giles Makati, Metro-Manila; St Giles Hotel Central London; and the St Giles Hotel Feltham Heathrow in the U.K. Future St Giles projects include properties in Penang, Malaysia; London; and Sydney with the aim to have 20 St Giles branded hotels by 2015.

For more information visit www.stgiles.com

For more information visit www.stgilesnewyork.com

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by Robert Doyle

Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.

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