Affinia Manhattan Begins $24 Million Redesign

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. November 24, 2010

New York, NY - November 23, 2010 - Affinia Manhattan hotel is embarking on a $24 million renovation this month with the internationally acclaimed Rockwell Group. The new design will expand the hotel's inventory with 89 additional rooms, for a total of 615 guestrooms, including 151 one- and two-bedroom suites, several featuring terraces and kitchens. The hotel will remain open during the redesign, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2011 and will encompass all guestrooms, corridors and meeting rooms.

The Rockwell Group, which designed the hotel's New York City-centric lobby in 2008, was commissioned to renovate the historic hotel and to create an urban retreat that reflects the hotel's playground, New York City, and casual, comfortable lifestyle of Affinia Manhattan's guests.

“The Rockwell Group immersed themselves in Affinia Manhattan's legacy and location, creating concepts that will enhance the guest experience, by creating a comfortable and relaxing oasis in the center of New York City's most vibrant neighborhood,” said Steven Kipnis, general manager.

Juxtaposing New York's reputation as “the city that never sleeps” with the ultimate in relaxation, the new rooms are inspired by art studios, featuring a crisp white and gray color palette with green and orange accents. Rooms and suites will be spacious, some as large as 1,123 square feet, with ample sitting areas. Delicate touches, such as an architect's light on the plush head board and Lutron light switches, offering advanced dimming technology throughout the room, emphasize the studio-like feel. The furniture, including a glass artist's table, was custom-designed by the Rockwell Group for the hotel and all rooms will be equipped with new technology such as flat screen televisions, MP3 players and wireless Internet.

“The Affinia Manhattan renovation gave us the opportunity to bring the vibe of New York City into the hotel,” said Gregory Stanford, principal at Rockwell Group. “We've combined the liveliness of the city with the comforts of Affinia Hotels, and the end result makes guests feel at home in the Big Apple.”

From the guestrooms to the corridors, the renovation brings the New York City ambiance to life. Eclectic photos featuring views from Affinia Manhattan, taken by Blandon Belushin, are showcased with pin-spot lighting throughout hallways, drawing focus to the “center of it all” feel of the neighborhood and local attractions. The carpet throughout the corridors is accented with bright gold lines, symbolizing the energy of the city and the streets below.

Opened in 1929 as the Governor Clinton Hotel, the Affinia Manhattan evokes classic New York City charm with a grand ballroom overlooking 31st Street and 7th Avenue, bronze-relief elevator doors, and a number of terrace suites with Manhattan's most iconic city views. Conveniently located adjacent to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, the hotel gives guests convenient access to the Empire State Building, shopping in Herald Square, Chelsea art galleries, and more. Guests can take advantage of the Metro Concierge in the hotel lobby to plan their days in the city, and the popular onsite restaurant and bar, Niles New York City, is open late for sophisticated cuisine and the occasional celebrity sighting.

About Affinia Hotels (www.affinia.com)
Affinia Hotels, with prime boutique hotels in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., are designed to provide business and leisure guests with an experience of total customized comfort. Affinia Hotels is operated by Denihan Hospitality Group, a privately-owned company with more than 40 years of hospitality management expertise.

About Denihan Hospitality Group (www.denihan.com)
New York based Denihan Hospitality Group, one of the nation's fastest growing owner/operators of stylish boutique hotels, draws upon a 50-year family legacy of providing guests with highly individualized service. Denihan's portfolio includes the upper upscale and luxury brands Affinia Hotels and James Hotels, as well as luxury independent properties The Surrey and The Benjamin, and other independent affiliate hotels. A full-service management and development company, Denihan's properties are located in some of the most sought after U.S. locations: New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Miami.

About Rockwell Group (www.rockwellgroup.com)
Rockwell Group, based in New York City, is an innovative, internationally acclaimed architecture and design firm specializing in hospitality, cultural, healthcare, educational, product, and theater and film design. Crafting a unique and individual narrative concept for each project is fundamental to Rockwell Group's successful design approach. With dozens of high-profile projects to their credit, some of the most noteworthy include: set design for the 2009 and 2010 Academy Awards; Nobu restaurants worldwide including New York, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and Dubai; Hotel Bel Air in California; and the Elinor Bunin-Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center.