Reviews 1717 Broadway; tel +1 212 324 3774;
www.marriott.co.uk Tom Otley
RESIDENCE INN New York Manhattan/ Central Park
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL OPENED the tallest hotel in North America at the beginning of this year, containing both a 378-room Courtyard by Marriott (floors six to 33) and a 261-suite Residence Inn (levels 37 to 65). The lobby serves both hotels and features William DeBilzan sculptures, and a small shop selling drinks, snacks and meals you can heat up using the in-room microwave.
ROOMS: All the guestroom floors are accessed by key card. The suites come with either a king bed or two doubles, and range from 22 sqm to 30 sqm in size. Views differ depending on the side of the building you are on and how high up you are – the Residence Inn’s rooms generally have better vistas than the Courtyard’s for this reason. Wifi was free, with the option of faster speeds for US$7
per 24 hours and the ability to connect up to three extra devices, though perhaps standard wifi would suffice for many travellers. RESTAURANTS & BARS: The hotels share some facilities, but the third-floor restaurant, where a free buffet breakfast is served, is for Residence Inn guests only – it also has a work zone with computers and printers. One floor up is the Bistro, a similar
HITEC City, near Cyber Towers, Madhapur; tel +91 40 6623 2323;
www.tridenthotels.com
Tom Otley TRIDENT HYDERABAD
INDIA’S TENTH TRIDENT HOTEL opened in September, joining properties in Mumbai (two), Gurgaon (Delhi), Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Cochin, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur. The hotel is in HITEC (Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy City), 35km from the international airport via the outer ring road, which can be very quick, especially if you are on an international flight that arrives or leaves in the early morning.
space where you can order hot food. The fifth floor will house a bar with an outdoor area from April. BUSINESS FACILITIES: Business facilities are on the third and fourth floors, including Go Board, the Courtyard touchscreen concierge, which provides local information and headline news on a 55-inch LCD screen. The two hotels share the meeting
spaces on the lower ground floor. There are seven in total, with the largest holding up to 125 delegates theatre-style. LEISURE FACILITIES: There is a gym and a sun terrace on the 35th floor. VERDICT: It’s wonderful to have a new-build hotel in this location. Technology is at the forefront, but it’s the views from the top floors that make the property special.
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ROOMS: Guestrooms are located on floors 10-21 and offer either a park (Rock Heights) or HITEC city view. All have good soundproofing, with floor-to-ceiling, thermally insulated glass and electric black-out blinds. Entry-level Deluxe rooms (floors ten to 17) are huge, at 41 sqm, and have wired and wifi internet access (£9.70 per day), a good-sized desk and leather chair, a walk-in wardrobe, minibar, tea and coffee facilities, an iPod/ iPad dock, and a glass-walled bathroom with a privacy blind, separate bath and shower, and Kama Ayurveda toiletries. Trident Club rooms (also 41 sqm) are
on the 20th and 21st floors. The top- level Club lounge offers a free breakfast, cocktail hour, and hot and soft drinks throughout the day. Club guests also get a complimentary one-way airport transfer. RESTAURANTS & BARS: On the lobby level, all-day eatery Amara serves Mediterranean and Asian (including Indian) food. Tuscany offers Italian cuisine, and Kanak serves Hyderabadi specialities (spicy vegetarian dishes and delicious marinated meats). There is also the lobby-level Ninety Six bar and a smoking lounge. BUSINESS FACILITIES: As well as a 24-hour business centre, there are eight
meeting rooms each seating 12 people, and the city’s largest hotel ballroom (743 sqm), accommodating 400 guests for a banquet or 800 for a reception. LEISURE FACILITIES: There is a large gym with very good air-conditioning and plenty of natural light – in the morning you could need sunglasses in there. There is also a yoga studio, a spa with four treatment rooms, and a 27-metre, open-air pool. VERDICT: A stunning hotel with very good service, large rooms and tight yet discreet security. Hyderabad is awash with five-star hotels, but the Trident deserves to succeed.
MARCH/APRIL 2014
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