Volume 23, Number 11 | The Newspaper of Lower Manhattan | July 21 – 27, 2010
Conrad Hotels to replace Embassy Suites in BPC
Hilton will be swapping hotels at 102 North End Avenue on Vesey Street, in Battery Park City, to introduce the first Conrad Hotels and Resorts to Manhattan.
Conrad Hotels, the fifth to open in the U.S., will replace Embassy Suites in late 2011. “The lease of the Embassy Suites New York was up, and noting the relatively low supply of luxury hotel rooms and the concurrent revitalization of Lower Manhattan, Hilton and the [building’s owner Goldman Sachs] wanted to bring a luxury [flagship] to the area while keeping within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands,” said Mark Ricci, director of corporate communications at Hilton.
The new hotel will have 463 available rooms averaging more than 550 square feet each and will feature a 15-story atrium lobby. There will be more than 17,000 square feet of meeting room space, along with a 6,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom designed for conferences and social gatherings.
“The Conrad New York marks the brand’s entry into Manhattan and is an important strategic milestone for us as we continue to grow this brand,” said John T. A. Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands for Hilton Worldwide.
The Conrad will join 20 other hotels, already-existing and planned for construction, south of Chambers Street, many of which are high-end and cater to corporate travelers. Since 9/11, Lower Manhattan has seen an overall increase of 60 percent in hotel rooms.
“The Conrad will provide an impeccable luxury experience to the most discerning business and leisure travelers,” said Vanderslice.
President of the Alliance for Downtown New York Elizabeth Berger said she is happy Goldman Sachs is “making an investment in the community.”
And while Berger said the Conrad would make Lower Manhattan more competitive in luxury market, she stressed that the downtown hotel market has “something for every traveler at every budget.”
— Aline Reynolds
