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The Hotel Carter: A short trip from wherever you are!
Photo credit: Urbanite
In the strange event that the Joe Buck character from "Midnight Cowboy" needed a place to stay in Times Square again, he'd be delighted to find the Hotel Carter is still catering to the budget-minded.
Now, we don't want to knock the Carter too much. We rather appreciate its throwback qualities. Its marquee carries the razzle dazzle of an old-school Times Square spectacular. The cursive Carter has a graphical quality seemingly inspired by the Castro Convertible or Canadian Club logos. Its massive neon sign lends a spooky glow to the stone facade. A unique mix of humanity shuffles through its lobby.
We could go on, but let's just cut to the chase. What ultimately inspired this post is the hotel's two bizarre slogans.
Here's the first, which you see on the east side of the marquee: A short trip from wherever you are.
Possibly translation: The Carter is in the heart of it all or "Everything in New York is a short trip away."
Or perhaps another meaning is intended. The Hotel Carter is a state of mind, easily summoned no matter where you are. Yes, that's got to be it.
OK, onto our second mystery phrase: You always wanted in Time Square, and less.
Let's see. This kind of reminds us of the old Miller slogan. "Everything you wanted in a beer, and less," and seems to date to the same period.
Clearly, they are telling us that you'll get a sweet deal if you stay the night at the Hotel Carter ... in "Time," not Times Square.
Or something.
-- Rolando Pujol
MORE:
A fantastic New York Times appreciation from 2005.
The hotel's Web site, where the language mangling continues. The hotel is "The Pleasure of Budgeting New York City"
More pictures after the jump
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