Millennium Hotels & Resorts Announces a New Era at Iconic North American Address

NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium Hotels & Resorts announced its North American iconic property will re-open as ONE UN New York in September with the launch of the hotel's new luxury West Tower. Formerly Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, ONE UN will offer guests a singular experience in its West Tower, the first phase in a comprehensive three-part renovation of the striking two-tower building.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120905/NY67711LOGO)

The Millennium property's re-branding as ONE UN will mark not only the completion of a more than $30-million West Tower renovation, but also a new era for both the hotel and its neighborhood, historically underserved by the luxury hotel market. Located on East 44th Street between First and Second Avenues, ONE UN will set the standard for a series of enhancements at other iconic Millennium sister properties around the world that fully embrace their locality and characteristics, including the Biltmore in Los Angeles, the Knickerbocker in Chicago, and the Mayfair and the Baileys in London.

"As an owner and operator of hotels in major gateway cities around the world, it is necessary for us to revitalize our business and re-invent ourselves geared towards our global clientele. We feel this is the perfect time to re-brand this unique hotel with the launch of the West Tower. ONE UN–a name inspired by the hotel's illustrious neighbor, and physical address at One United Nations Plaza–is a distinctive landmark in the city of New York, home to the UN Headquarters. The hotel's significant location is reflected in its new name," says Mr. Kwek Leng Beng, Chairman of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc. "The completely gutted interior renovation was achieved within an unprecedented nine-month period, thanks to our projects team, including GLA, our architects, and our hotel management.  We are excited to showcase this elegant and sophisticated new product to the world." 

Capturing the couture spirit of New York and Paris, the West Tower's 154 fully renovated deluxe guest rooms and suites boast plush interiors to complement breathtaking skyline views. With rooms starting on the 29th floor of the 40-floor, Kevin Roche-designed building, guests can enjoy views all the way from the Chrysler Building to the under-construction Freedom Tower at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.

Starting at 367 square feet, spacious guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and stylish, warm interiors in bronze and taupe hues that combine understated luxury with modern amenities to ensure a seamless work environment with all the comforts of home. Exclusive to West Tower guests, state-of-the-art technology includes touch-screen environment controls, iPod docking stations, NESPRESSO® machines, and complimentary high-speed WiFi. A private Skyline Club on the 30th-floor provides personalized concierge services, continental breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres.

"This iconic structure deserved a transformation of great distinction, far beyond a standard hotel renovation," states Grace Leo, a global hospitality positioning expert who has been a consultant for the project, given her visionary design approach and luxury lifestyle expertise. "ONE UN New York will provide a truly memorable guest experience and will invigorate a desirable Manhattan neighborhood, offering a setting for New Yorkers to gather and enjoy."

Signature amenities will include high-end toiletries by Chinese luxury lifestyle brand Shanghai Tang and a global Millennium family program with children's concierge services. East Tower and West Tower guests alike can take advantage of ONE UN's rare facilities, such as a swimming pool and a 24-hour fitness center with river views, and the only indoor tennis court in any New York City hotel, located on the 39th floor.

The completion of Phase I renovation will see the opening of a brand-new cafe in the refurbished ONE UN lobby, featuring fresh-brewed Illy coffee, a globally inspired food menu, and wine service in the evenings. Cafe refreshments can also be enjoyed in a piazza-style outdoor area by the front of the hotel.

Scheduled for 2013, Phase II of ONE UN's renovation will focus on a new restaurant concept and bar, and full lobby renovations. Phase III will see an upgrade of the East Tower, which will remain open throughout ONE UN's transformation.

ONE UN has been the preferred choice for some of the world's greatest leaders and dignitaries since the property opened in 1976. "With the opening of this year's United Nations General Assembly on September 24, we are proud to welcome and receive our most distinguished guests with a completely new, luxurious experience", says ONE UN General Manager Wanda Chan. "Few New York hotels can compete with our location–close to the action, yet outside the frenetic currents of the city. ONE UN will be more than a great hotel; it will be a unique international sanctuary where one comes back to time after time."

And with a hotel staff that speaks more than 30 languages, ONE UN will host guests from around the world with a singular experience that has all the comforts of home.

About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc (M&C), listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1996, is a dynamic, global hotel company, which owns, asset manages and/or operates a worldwide portfolio of over 100 hotels across seven distinct global brands–Grand Millennium, Millennium, Grand Copthorne, Copthorne, M Hotel, Studio M and Kingsgate –throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and North America.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) was established as a global brand by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc to provide a common marketing and operating platform across its entire portfolio. Founded on the philosophy of genuine hospitality, this dynamic hospitality group has an outstanding reputation for excellence, taking pride in exceeding the needs of its business and leisure travelers. The strategic locality of its properties in gateway cities such as London, Paris, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok makes MHR the perfect address to conduct your business or indulge yourself while on holiday.

Established in the United States in 2000, the North American arm of MHR includes a portfolio 14 hotels in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Anchorage, Boulder, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Durham, Minneapolis, Nashville, Scottsdale, and St Louis. www.millenniumhotels.com

For more information on ONE UN New York, visit http://www.millenniumhotels.com/oneunnewyork and follow @ONE_UNNewYork on Twitter.

About Grace Leo and G.L.A. Hotels
As CEO and founder of G.L.A. Hotels, a management and consultancy firm with clients around the world, Grace uses design as a tool for repositioning hotels. A touch of Grace can transform a hotel into a legend. The Montalembert in Paris put Grace on the design map. When she opened it in 1990, the first luxury hotel on the Left Bank with a mix of traditional and contemporary elements, she launched the boutique hotel movement across Europe.  On the Right Bank, she re-designed Hotel Lancaster by juxtaposing a Zen garden with Louis XV antiques.  She's consulted with rock band U2 on the stylish Irish Clarence hotel in Dublin, brought the century-old Vidago Palace in Portugal back to life, re-positioned two unknown boutique hotels in Paris into neighborhood personalities known as Hotel Jules and Hotel Beauchamps, and just opened Hotel Selman, a petite palace in Marrakech. http://www.glahotels.com/

SOURCE Millennium Hotels and Resorts