SILVER SPRING, Md.,
Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/
-- Hotel de Point opened its doors this summer as the newest
addition to the Ascend Hotel Collection membership program from
Choice Hotels International.
The boutique hotel is located in the heart of the revitalized
College Point neighborhood of
Flushing, Queens, New York, less than ten minutes from
LaGuardia Airport for early morning flights. Hotel de Point is
steps away from shops, restaurants and nightlife. For travelers who
want Manhattan style without the
price tag, this property boasts high design, state-of-the-art green
features, and 114 elegant guestrooms with market-driven opening
rates from an affordable $139 per
night.
Ascend Hotel Collection is a network of more than 75 upscale
independent hotels, each with a singular personality reflecting its
locale. As part of this eclectic network, the property maintains
its independent brand identity. At the same time, it gains access
to the global sales and marketing channels of one of the world's
largest hospitality companies. Ascend Hotel Collection boasts a
total reservation contribution rate from Choice Hotels of more than
58 percent, the highest among the Choice family of brands. Being a
member of the Choice Hotels family, Hotel de Point enjoys
visibility before a network of more than 15 million Choice
Privileges rewards members worldwide. It also acquires a
presence on ChoiceHotels.com, one of the industry's most visited
websites.
Hotel de Point is managed by Real Hospitality Group, based in
Ocean City, Md., and owned by
Queens-based Point 128 LLC, with
award-winning architect Raymond Chan
as the project's managing partner.
"Raymond has designed high-concept hotels and restaurants in
gateway cities around the globe," explains Peter Reyes, the lodging's general manager.
"With Hotel de Point, he wanted to turn his ideas into his own
place.
"Ascend Hotel Collection intrigued us because it has this same
goal," Reyes continues. "It's a simple, straightforward program. We
gain the sales and marketing support of a global hospitality
company, while still staying true to the owners' original
vision."
Chic Retreat
Through the fall of 2012, Hotel de Point introductory rates
start at $139 per night. The property
is housed in a century-old building, originally a factory owned and
operated by the inventor of the shower cap. A major renovation has
transformed this space into a contemporary multi-use complex, home
to the hotel as well as to the new Shops de Point, featuring
upscale shops, restaurants, nightlife, spa, pool, fitness center,
conference facility and more. From the complex's rooftop bar/cafe,
guests take in spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and watch planes arriving
and departing from LaGuardia.
Hotel de Point offers a respite from hectic travel with a
soothing, contemporary design by Mr. Chan. Stepping into the lobby,
guests find a neutral color palette of creams, browns and white,
all bathed in the glow of soft LED lighting. Cream-colored Italian
marble floors are offset by white textured walls with a wave-like
pattern. A 20-foot Italian marble reception desk sits at one end of
the lobby. It faces a custom-designed art wall with ultra-modern
fireplace composed of glass rocks.
The lobby's striking design is nature-inspired. The ceiling, for
example, features a unique, architecturally designed lighting
element in sky-blue embellished with tiny circles, like raindrops,
recalling a fresh rainfall on a bright summer day. There's a
handcrafted central garden. Cushy white leather sofas invite guests
to relax and hang out. The couches are backed by a "living wall"
with slender cutouts, each holding a small vase and fresh flower
with soft LED spotlight for dramatic effect. Complementing the
look, lobby music features light jazz, with the gentle sounds of a
waterfall playing between tracks.
"Every detail is carefully conceived to promote a sense of
serenity," Reyes explains. "Even the lobby scent – Bamboo Green –
is fresh, welcoming and one-of-a-kind."
Guestrooms: Cool and Comforting
The clean, contemporary design continues in guestrooms and suites,
done up in muted greys, creams and white. Bright bursts of color
come from floor-to-ceiling wall art with nature-inspired designs
that differ from room to room. Among the custom furnishings here
are white marble-top bedside tables and minibar with refrigerator
and a comfy cream-colored leather armchair. Beds are plush with
matching leather headboards and pillow-top mattresses draped in
luxurious white triple sheeting and crisp white duvet.
Rooms have everything a tech-savvy traveler needs: fast and
reliable Wi-Fi that's also free, comfortable workstations and
46-inch flat-screen televisions with international channel options
and Internet connectivity. Self-closing draws and cabinet doors
help to assure a peaceful night's sleep. Other comforting touches
include a Keurig coffeemaker and choice of down or hypoallergenic
pillows.
Lined with marble walls and floor, bathrooms exude elegance to
match the rooms. They come equipped rain showerheads, expansive
white marble vanity and generously thick towels.
Earth-Friendly
Hotel de Point celebrates nature not only in its design,
but also with a host of green features. The property uses solar
power; energy-efficient, on-demand water heaters; recycled energy
systems; and low-wattage LED lighting throughout.
In guestrooms, motion sensors automatically adjust lighting,
heating and air conditioning when guests enter or leave the room.
An air injection system for showers maintains water pressure, while
reducing consumption. To further lighten their carbon footprint,
guestrooms are outfitted with low-flush toilets and organic 100%
Pure bath amenities in biodegradable bottles. Even the Do Not
Disturb sign takes a back seat to sustainability. In its place
comes a color-coded lighting system for guestroom doors; red
signals privacy, and green gives a go-ahead for housekeeping
services.
Close To The Action
Guests find scores of things to do steps from the hotel at
the complex' Shops de Point. Savor sushi at The Buffet, a
fashionable Asian fusion restaurant serving up lunch and dinner
along with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. Sip drinks in a lush garden
setting at the View de Point rooftop bar/cafe, presenting
additional opportunities to take in the famous skyline while
watching arrivals and departures from LaGuardia. Explore the unique
blend of specialty items that showcase the rich neighborhood
culture at the 30,000 square-foot Kam Man Supermarket. Choose
here from Asian, Italian and continental spices, fresh produce,
organic products, meats, cheeses and more. Top off your day with a
treatment at the full-service Lemon Tree Spa. Opening in September
at Shops de Point, a salinated indoor swimming pool available for a
nominal fee to guests and the community. With its lack of harsh
chemicals and use of reclaimed energy, the pool echoes Hotel de
Point's focus on environmental stewardship.
Beyond Shops de Point, catch a Mets game at Citi Field, less
than three miles from the hotel. Or, visit Flushing's Chinatown, perhaps not as well
known as Manhattan's, but just as
bustling and diverse. Midtown Manhattan is easily accessible too.
The Hotel de Point shuttle provides complimentary service to the
train station two miles away. From there, the Long Island Railroad
and the New York City Subway's No. 7 Line whisk guests to Grand
Central Station and Times Square. Catch a Broadway show. Browse in
the SoHo boutiques and Chelsea galleries. Take in a Knicks game or
concert at Madison Square Garden. Visit world-class museums like
the Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art. Then, return to
Hotel de Point for a peaceful night's sleep and wake up refreshed
for your early morning flight.
Choice Hotels added several other boutique properties to Ascend
Hotel Collection this summer, including The Blake Hotel,
New Orleans; enVision Hotel
Boston; and Federal Pointe Inn, Gettysburg, bordering the National
Military Park.
Membership in Ascend Hotel Collection grew 35 percent in 2011.
The network made its debut in late 2008. Today, it presents a
curated lineup of more than 75 upscale, independent hotels in
the United States, Canada, Costa
Rica, Scandinavia and the Caribbean. For more information about Hotel de
Point and Ascend Hotel Collection, visit
www.ascendcollection.com.
About Ascend Collection
The Ascend Hotel Collection membership program made its
debut in late 2008 and now has hotels open and under development
throughout the United States,
Canada, Costa Rica, Scandinavia and the Caribbean. The network appeals to the growing
number of travelers who like to live like the locals when visiting
new places. Member properties include The GEM Hotels with three
boutique hotels in New York City;
Zona Hotel and Suites Scottsdale in Ariz; Nordic Light Hotel,
Stockholm; Grand Hotel Costa Rica,
San Jose; and Hotel Royal William
in the stylish New St. Rock district of downtown Quebec City. For
more information, visit www.ascendcollection.com.
About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises approximately
6,200 hotels, representing more than 495,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other
countries and territories. As of June 30,
2012, more than 375 hotels were under construction, awaiting
conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than
30,000 rooms, and approximately 75 hotels, representing
approximately 6,700 rooms, were under construction, awaiting
conversion or approved for development in approximately 15 other
countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort
Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay
Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn
brands, as well as its Ascend Hotel Collection membership program,
serve guests worldwide.
Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice
Hotels International, Inc. website, which may be accessed at
www.choicehotels.com.
Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort
Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay
Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and
Ascend Hotel Collection are proprietary trademarks and service
marks of Choice Hotels International.
© 2012 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights
reserved.
About Real Hospitality Group
Real Hospitality Group (RHG) is headquartered in
Ocean City, Md., and comprises a
team with more than 150 years of combined hospitality and travel
industry experience. The Real Hospitality Group portfolio includes
30 hotel properties with an inventory of more than 4,000 rooms in
gateway cities that include New
York, Philadelphia and
locations in Morgantown, West
Virginia as well as Glens
Falls, Montauk, New York
and Ocean City, MD. The company is
a recognized service provider for major franchises as well as a
collection of unique independent hotels. RHG focuses on total
service property management, revenue performance and business
development for hotels, resorts and investment ownership
groups. For more information, please visit the company
website at www.realhospitalitygroup.com.
SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.