Morgans Hotel Group Unveils New Website

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Morgans Hotel Group today announced the launch of their new website, designed to bring the magic of the boutique hotel portfolio to the digital booking experience. On the heels of the successful launch of Back of House, the company's online culture and lifestyle magazine, Morgans Hotel Group will unveil an enhanced website that features a sleek new design, improved functionality and a seamless booking process that takes the guest through the reservation process in less than four clicks. The site also debuts Morgans Hotel Group's curated Google Maps that provide interactive guides to top attractions and destinations around each hotel. New York-based digital agency Firstborn was selected to conceptualize, design and build the dynamic new website.

The following new features will provide Morgans Hotel Group guests with an enhanced online experience:

• Booking Functionality: Guests are now able to book multiple rooms at one time, view hotels by brand or location, compare rates and availability at properties within the same city all on one screen, and convert rates to more than 160 different currencies.
• Interactive Google Maps: Guests can now interact with the city they're looking to visit through the website's new curated Google Maps. These maps highlight points of interest around the hotel including museums, restaurants, nightlife destinations and shops and provide step-by-step directions to and from the hotel. The list will range from key local landmarks to hidden gems hand-selected by our expert concierges.
• Back of House Content: Content from Morgans Hotel Group's online culture magazine, Back of House, has been seamlessly integrated into the new website. Tastemakers, influencers, artists and celebrities contribute exclusive content, including interviews, expert tips, behind the scenes footage and playlists. The website also integrates Back of House's dedicated nightlife calendar which showcases the hottest events in each city taking place during your stay.
• Social Media Integration: With one click, guests can instantly post their travel plans on any of their social media platforms. In addition, the website features photos from Morgans Hotel Group's Instagram feed as well as guest-generated photos for added inspiration.

"We spent months analyzing guest feedback and researching digital preferences with a focus on online retail. Our vision for the new site was to create a user experience that is not only streamlined but also immersive and interactive," said Kim Walker, Senior Vice President of Brand and Marketing and Creative Director at Morgans Hotel Group. "Morgans Hotel Group brings together the creative power of many—designers, artists, musicians—to constantly push the boundaries of what a hotel can be and the goal was for our new website to reflect this. By integrating curated Google Maps, tailored local content and social media assets, our guests can not only make reservations with ease and simplicity, but they can further engage with our brands and culture throughout the booking process."

Morgans Hotel Group selected Firstborn for the project based on their digital expertise and their joint vision of translating the company's brand values into experiences that touch both the digital and physical worlds. "Morgans Hotel Group was looking to build a global online experience that would not only act as the central place for booking rooms but also as the core destination for people to experience what the brand and its properties were all about," remarks Dan LaCivita, President of Firstborn. "Creating a captivating digital experience for Morgans Hotel Group, while executing a highly-transactional booking site, was an incredible opportunity for Firstborn and we are thrilled with the end result. We look forward to future projects together, and continuing our collaboration through mobile and on-property initiatives to create a truly integrated and unique experience for guests, both online and off."

The new website has been optimized to create the same user experience across all platforms including desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices. You can visit Morgans Hotel Group's new website at www.morganshotelgroup.com.

About Morgans Hotel Group

Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first "boutique" hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry's boutique sector. Morgans Hotel Group operates Delano in South Beach and Marrakech, Mondrian in Los Angeles, South Beach and New York, Hudson in New York, Morgans and Royalton in New York, Shore Club in South Beach, Clift in San Francisco and Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London. Morgans Hotel Group has ownership interests or owns several of these hotels. Morgans Hotel Group has other property transactions in various stages of completion, including Delano properties in Las Vegas, Nevada; Cesme, Turkey; Moscow, Russia; and Cartagena, Colombia; Mondrian properties in London, England; Istanbul, Turkey; Doha, Qatar and Baha Mar in Nassau, The Bahamas; and a Hudson in London, England. Morgans Hotel Group also owns a 90% controlling interest in The Light Group, a leading lifestyle food and beverage company. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.

SOURCE Morgans Hotel Group Co.