By Edward Victor
More than forty years after the building of a skyscraper hotel in one of the world’s capitals comes a novel about hotel living: “The Dream of the Decade – The London Novels” by Afshin Rattansi, former BBC Today Programme Producer.
The location of novel is the London Hilton skyscraper in Park Lane, finished in 1963 and designed by William B. Tabler Architects. The protagonist, a 1980s working-class-man made-good is a millionaire – but what about others who have chosen to live in hotels instead of buying property?
In New York: The Carlyle – “Though hotel residents come in varied shapes, sizes and ages, the population tends to skew older and toward a high tax bracket, said Marcie Lieberman, hotel manager at The Carlyle. "It's usually an upper-echelon person. People who have gotten used to a certain convenience and who like living in an environment where those things are available," she said.
Combine that with the right amount of pampering, and you've got the answer to a hotel dweller's prayers - all ending in amenity. The Ritz-Carlton on Central Park South, for example, offers inclusive and a la carte services for any situation from wanting a massage to needing diamonds at a moment's notice.” (Daniel Bubbeo, Newsday)
In London: “John Petch, sales director of boutique hotel group, GLA Hotels (owners of the Lancaster in Paris and the Cadogan Hotel in London) began his career with the Savoy group in the early 1980s. Back then, the fifth floor at Claridges was reserved for long-term guests. But by the early 1990s, he says, hotel residency was dying out. Even the wealthy regarded long stays as uneconomical and turned their attention to affordable second-home investment opportunities.
But the tide is turning; both the Lancaster and Cadogan have three long-stay residents who use the hotels as their city bases. "People are moving back into hotels because of the security and service," says Petch. Boutique hotels also excel at providing a home- from-home atmosphere backed up with personalised service. "If you have a flat, you might have one person to look after you," he says. "Here you have all of our staff on call."” (Tracy Hoffman, Financial Times)
Hotel-living Names: Geri Halliwell – The Lanesborough, LondonBobby Hashemi, founder of Coffee Republic – Claridge’s, LondonRuud Gullit – Malmaison, LondonChris Evans - Langham Hilton, LondonRichard Harris - Savoy, LondonRupert Murdoch's courtship with Wendi Deng - The Mercer Hotel, New YorkKen Hom - The Dorchester, LondonPeter Sellers and Britt Ekland; Richard Burton and Liz Taylor - The Dorchester, London. Coco Chanel – Ritz, ParisMarlene Dietrich - Hotel Lancaster, ParisGreta Garbo, - Fairmont Miramar, Los AngelesHoward Hughes - Desert Inn, Las VegasSalvador Dali - Hotel Meurice, ParisPeter Bogdanovich - Stanhope Hotel, New YorkClaude Monet - Savoy, LondonCate Blanchett – Covent Garden Hotel, LondonChristina Ricci - Covent Garden Hotel, LondonDiane Von Furstenberg – Carlyle, New YorkFrank Sinatra - The Waldorf Towers, New YorkCole Porter - The Waldorf Towers, New YorkScott and Zelda Fitzgerald - Lowell Hotel, New YorkMadonna – Carlyle, New YorkMadonna – Home House, LondonWilliam Burroughs – Beat Hotel, ParisWilliam Burroughs – Chelsea Hotel, New YorkSid Vicious - Chelsea Hotel, New YorkDylan Thomas - Chelsea Hotel, New YorkArthur C Clarke - Chelsea Hotel, New YorkBob Dylan - Chelsea Hotel, New YorkTim Burton – Portobello Hotel, LondonFrancis Ford Coppola - Portobello Hotel, LondonJohn Lennon – Hilton, Amsterdam
The title novel in the quartet, The Dream of the Decade, may end in disquieting circumstances but one only has to look at the tragedies of the famous who have died in hotels to know it isn’t uncommon. ends
Article Source: www.ArticlesBase.com
Edward Victor is a London-based agent.www.zen13743.zen.co.uk/novels.htmlPUBLISHED IN THE UK IN MARCH 2006AVAILABLE VIA AMAZON.COM IN JANUARY 2006
