Whom You Know: Haute Hotels: Here's Looking at You Kid-If You Want to Stay in Times Square in Manhattan, The Casablanca is a Fabulous Choice, Recommended by Whom You Know

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Haute Hotels: Here's Looking at You Kid-If You Want to Stay in Times Square in Manhattan, The Casablanca is a Fabulous Choice, Recommended by Whom You Know

Previously we featured The Casablanca in Big Apple Business:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/03/big-apple-business-casablanca-hotel.html
That includes all kind of background information that you should read, and in Haute Hotels, we tell you what we think.

We are pleased to announce it has graduated to Haute Hotels! A little bit of Morrocco in Times Square, it brings a unique sophistication in an area of the city that is overcommercialized, over-"tourist"ed, and truly needs it. When you "round up the usual suspects" among hotels in this part of town, you will find there is nothing more charming than The Casablanca. If you as discriminating in a good way as we are at Whom You Know, you will find The Casablanca will not disappoint you one bit.

Celebrated as one of New York City's most popular boutique hotels, the Casablanca Hotel is a hidden gem, located just steps away from vibrant Times Square, in Midtown Manhattan. The charming boutique hotel was inspired by the romance of the movie "Casablanca." This oasis of luminous Moroccan glamour and hospitality is only outshined by the talented and eager to please staff. The Casablanca Hotel is an intimate European-style family-owned boutique hotel in midtown Manhattan where guests can relax in front of a fireplace at Rick's Café, featuring an upstairs club room.

We were pleased to see our Mover and Shaker, Garret Corcoran during our stay:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2009/09/movers-and-shakers-garret-corcoran-vice.html

The Casablanca is the second HK Hotel we have recommended. It joins Hotel Elysee, which we absolutely loved:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/03/haute-hotels-hidden-gem-on-east-54th.html

We arrived and found our room to be clean, pleasant and sophisticated. We definitely felt as though we were on a vacation far away from Manhattan, which was quite nice! As Rick says in the movie, "There are certain sections of New York I wouldn't advise you to try to invade," we will say in return that The Casablanca Hotel is a section of New York you SHOULD invade!

The bathroom was fabulously clean, uber-important in our book. In particular this bathroom was great because it had a window out to 43rd Street. For those of you reading this that don't live here, windows in Manhattan bathrooms are not regular; they are a luxury. Also quite smart was the shower rod. It had a curve to it which prevented the shower curtain flowing into you during the shower. We wish all hotels did this that used curtains instead of a glass door.

When you walk in, you do feel as though you're entering the movie! The stairway is quite gracious and the imagination of those involved with The Casablanca is wonderful, as the spirit of the movie transcends into all components of the hotel. The front desk even has copies of the movie Casablanca that you can watch during your stay, and we do recommend that. Make sure your tv is set to AV2 for the movie-there are excellent new flat screens! We did see many couples here so it is known as a romantic getaway but it is also enjoyed by business travelers who want a nice home to return to after a crazed Manhattan day, which we'd say is about every day.

The Whom You Know Haute Hotel panel commented:

A hidden gem of a boutique hotel. The Casablanca Hotel really is located at the cross roads of the world! Right in the middle of the vibrant Times Square in New York City. This wonderfully quaint boutique hotel was inspired by the Casablanca movie. Be sure to ask for a copy of the movie when you check in, it really will put you in the mood of the whole hotel.

As a guest of the Casablanca Hotel, I was invited to check out Rick’s Café located on the second floor of the hotel. Rick’s Café serves complimentary refreshments 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I thoroughly enjoyed lounging on the sofa prior to dinner enjoying complimentary fine wine and cheese. Every evening from 5pm to 8pm, guest can enjoy complimentary Processo, fine wines and cheeses. You could see this was a hit with the other guests of the hotel, by the number of people enjoying Rick’s Café. A lavish complimentary Euro style breakfast and newspapers are available there in the morning. The open space is so inviting and warm; cozy up to the fireplace is a real treat.

The Casablanca has only 48 luxury rooms, so your time feels very intimate and romantic. You are not treated as a number, I felt like a valued guest. The rooms are very comfortable with meticulous attention to detail throughout. The unique archways, the beautiful bedroom ceiling fan and the paintings are just some of the unique detail you will remember and enjoy during and after your luxurious stay.

The bedrooms take their inspiration from Morocco. Color, color, color! The essential soundproof windows made it easy to have a quiet restful night in one of the noisiest areas of the city. Our mini suite was just perfect for a getaway home from home.

As a guest you are welcome to enjoy complimentary wireless internet, you are able to utilize the hotel computer.

If you haven’t walked around Manhattan enough during your stay, you are welcome to have a complimentary work out at the nearby New York Sports Club.

All the complimentary facilities mentioned are exactly that, complimentary. This is not the norm in New York City; you can only imagine the great savings from having all of this offered to you.

The Casablanca Hotel employees were all exceptional and eager for me to enjoy my entire stay. Thank you to the doorman who always so graciously greeted and assisted me, the entire hotel team makes the Casablanca Hotel such a wonderful enjoyable place to stay!!

Shown below: Rick's Cafe

Whom You Know recommends the Casablanca!

Play it again, Sam.

This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Casablanca Hotel

147 West 43^rd Street

New York, NY 10036

Telephone (212) 869-1212

Facsimile (212) 391-7585

E-mail rooms@casablancahotel.com

Website www.casablancahotel.com

US toll-free (888) 922-7225

Owner HKHotels/ Henry Kallan

General Manager John Taboada

Director Sales & Marketing Adele Gutman
For reservations, call Casablanca Hotel at (212) 869-1212 or visit www.casablancahotel.com

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