NYC'S HKHotels Rank High in TripAdvisor.com

Company's Commitment To Service Wins Out Over Hip Gimmicks

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. October 14, 2008

NEW YORK, NY, February 28, 2006. New York City hotels appear to be in a fierce, unspoken competition - which can offer the trendiest, hippest amenity first? The designer brands are all scrambling to offer the highest thread count sheets or some quirky amenity like a pot of grass you can trim yourself or an insomnia guide, but are guests really happier?

Consider the fact that according to Trip Advisor's new Popularity Index, it isn't the trendiest designer hotels making the A list, but rather small hotels with a reputation for comfort, value, and a "no attitude" approach to customer service that are getting top marks from travelers.

Independent hotelier Henry Kallan's HKHotels - comprised of the Library Hotel, the Hotel Giraffe, the Hotel Elysee, and the Casablanca Hotel - are all in the top 10% of Trip Advisor's list, and two - the 48-room Moroccan motif Casablanca and the 101-room country French style Hotel Elysee both rank in the top ten.

John Avina, General Manager of The Hotel Elysee says, "In addition to the joy of finding our hotel in 5th place on Trip Advisor, our entire staff was so honored and thrilled to see the Hotel Elysee along with our sister HKHotels recognized by the new Michelin guide for New York City. It really lets us know that all the time we spend looking for small ways to please our guests each day is noticed and truly appreciated."

Additionally, Denihan Hospitality Group, another local family run hotel company, has three of its Affinia Hotel branded properties ranked in the top 10, and another two affiliated hotels including the Beekman and the Benjamin in the top 10%. Other small independent hotels that consistently dominate the list include The Kimberly, The Blakely, and the Plaza Athenee.

TripAdvisor.com is the leading global travel information and advice site, with more than 3 million unbiased reviews and opinions and covering 200,000+ hotels and attractions.

According to Henry Kallan, President of HKHotels, "The secret to our success is to surround ourselves with the kind of people who genuinely enjoy looking after our hotel guests, simply because it makes them feel happy to do so. Guests sense that positive energy and they respond not only by coming back but by wanting to share the good news of what they have discovered with their friends and fellow travelers. At HKHotels, We have been so fortunate with the great loyalty and word of mouth that we have never had to do pay for advertising."

HKHotels also succeeds because it does the basics well. It offers properties in prime locations and features excellent value for the dollar including complimentary breakfast, complimentary wine and cheese each evening, no-charge Internet and WiFi access, and complimentary bottled water.

According to Peter Jurecka, General Manager of the Casablanca Hotel, "Most of our guests at the Casablanca are either returning guests or they have been recommended to us by past guests. I am always visiting with the guests in Rick's Caf'e during our complimentary evening receptions and when I ask new visitors how they found the Casablanca, it is clear that the #1 source of new business, other than direct guest referrals, are referrals from websites which feature reviews from past guests, such as tripadvisor.com."