The Peninsula New York Hosts Open Studio And Exhibit With Acclaimed Dutch Artist Peter Riezebos

The Peninsula New York, a heritage Fifth Avenue property long affiliated with the international art world, will welcome renowned Dutch artist Peter Riezebos for a series of immersive and interactive events beginning November 8.

Riezebos's two-week sojourn at The Peninsula New York – during which he will set up a temporary painting studio in the hotel's Gotham Lounge, give talks, engage in Q&A sessions, and sign copies of his new book – is the latest iteration of The Peninsula Hotels' dedicated art immersion program, Art in Resonance. The program, which facilitates partnerships between ground-breaking contemporary artists and Peninsula properties around the world, offers both inspiring experiences for hotel guests and a spotlight for creators pushing the boundaries of their mediums.

While in residence at The Peninsula New York, Riezebos will create three specially commissioned paintings in his characteristic neo-expressionist style, whose bold dynamism and use of rebus evoke the work of Basquiat and de Kooning. During a two-day open studio period, he will also engage in discussion with visitors – including a class of art students from a local middle school – as he paints. Discussions, filmed interviews for an upcoming documentary about Riezebos, and a signing of the artist's latest book, Plus Ultra, will follow. The events will culminate with the installation of his paintings in the hotel's Palm Court, where they will remain through spring of 2022, along with a celebratory cocktail reception on November 19.

"We are delighted to have Peter join us for Art in Resonance – especially as both New York and other parts of the world reopen to visitors," said Jonathan Crook, General Manager at The Peninsula New York. "By showcasing Peter's vibrant artwork, and fostering creative exchange for our guests, we are celebrating the world's return to vital, full-spirited life."

About Peter Riezebos

Dutch-born artist Peter Riezebos is known for his powerful, charismatic, and deeply interactive artworks. His large-scale paintings, employing bold color and neo-expressionist composition, command the attention and the engagement of the viewer. His work has been exhibited at preeminent galleries in Shanghai, New York, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam, and features in some of the world's most significant private art collections. Although he paints on location all over the world, he is primarily based in Shanghai and Amsterdam.

For more details, please visit: https://www.peninsula.com/en/new-york/5-star-luxury-hotel-midtown-nyc

The Peninsula Hotels Reopen In The U.S. With Tantalizing New Art, Culinary, And Wellness Offers

The Peninsula Hotels is delighted to announce the long-anticipated reopening of its iconic New York City hotel – a heritage property that has hosted discerning world travelers since 1988. In celebration of its guests' return, the hotel is unveiling a series of exquisite new art, culinary, and wellness experiences for visitors to enjoy.

Occupying one of the most prestigious addresses in Manhattan, just steps from Central Park along the cultural nexus of Fifth Avenue, The Peninsula New York marks its reopening today with a dynamic new art installation, Life en Route. The exhibit, which includes multimedia works from a group of renowned international artists, immerses viewers in the sensory pleasures of travel and cross-cultural experiences. Several of the works on display will be available for sale to benefit The Peninsula New York's cultural partners. The hotel will also host Dutch neo-expressionist painter Peter Riezebos this summer as part of the group's global Art in Resonance program. While he is in residence in one of the hotel's suites, guests can visit with Mr. Riezebos and watch as he creates artwork especially inspired by the city of New York.

Two exclusive promotions will also be available for guests returning to The Peninsula New York. The Rediscover Manhattan offer (starting at $745 per night) includes daily breakfast, complimentary parking, and tickets to a distinctively New York cultural experience such as Top of the Rock or The Museum of Modern Art. The Suite Escape offer (starting at $1,945) includes daily breakfast, a New York-themed welcome amenity, and complimentary parking or roundtrip airport transfer in the hotel's Mercedes S500 sedan.

Revel in the return of iconic city views and a bubbly party atmosphere by joining Salon de Ning's rooftop to enjoy the tunes of the hotel's DJ series: guests will be able to take in New York City's famed skyline while enjoying tunes curated by top female DJs every Thursday night through July.

The Peninsula Chicago is commemorating its 20th anniversary this June as an acclaimed Windy City landmark. In honor of its vicennial, the hotel is debuting three special offers for guests who appreciate its gracious Far East-meets-Midwest hospitality. First, the hotel's top-rated, refined Cantonese restaurant, Shanghai Terrace, and The Lobby restaurant will debut a special menu of favorites from the last two decades, including Szechwan prawns, Pierrot gourmet chicken salad, rice noodles with shrimp and tenderloin, and a special rainbow patterned veggie dumpling. For every purchase of these Culinary Classics Revived through the end of 2021, The Peninsula Chicago will be donating a meal to The Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Throughout the month, The Spa at The Peninsula Chicago will also extend a 20% discount off all treatments booked on Tuesdays, as well as purchases of Subtle Energies beauty products. Guests arranging a stay during June can additionally enjoy the 20th Anniversary Special package, which includes a 20% discount on rooms and suites, a chocolate amenity, and a Peter Bear with a special anniversary medallion for kids.

Also celebrating its anniversary later this year, The Peninsula Beverly Hills – whose lush gardenlike property sits adjacent to Century City and the legendary Rodeo Drive – will propose a welcoming special offer to guests who visit the sun-washed location. The Beverly Hills Dreaming package (starting at $715 per night) includes daily Continental breakfast, a $100 credit to be used toward pool cabanas or the hotel's award-winning dining, valet parking, and (for guests booking suites) use of one of the BMW vehicles from the Peninsula Beverly Hills's luxury automotive fleet. Other exciting events and offers will be added as the hotel gets closer to its 30th anniversary date.

At all ten of its properties around the world, The Peninsula Hotels is doubling down on its commitment to service and luxury with The Peninsula Promise. This new portfolio-wide initiative provides guests with enhanced flexibility, comfort, and convenience. The many features of The Peninsula Promise include guaranteed connecting rooms, ensuring shared space for guests to safely enjoy with family and friends; fully flexible check-in and check-out times, allowing guests to have their rooms ready as early as 6:00 a.m. on their arrival date and check out as late as 10:00 p.m. on their departure date; PenChat, a private 24-hour e-concierge service, which lets guests text any request or requirement (from dining and transport reservations to in-room delivery of extra pillows) quickly and securely; and custom-fragranced, environmentally friendly in-room amenities like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and body milk, made with natural ingredients and packaged in recyclable materials.

To learn more about The Peninsula Hotels in New York, Chicago, and Beverly Hills, please visit peninsula.com.

Ring In 2018 On The Rooftop At Salon De Ning At The Peninsula New York

New Year's Eve Rooftop Party Toast to 2018 under a chic sky-lit marquee 23 stories above Fifth Avenue at Salon de Ning! Join us for an evening of dancing, premium open bar, delectable canapes and live music by The Chip Shop Boys, regarded as the UK's best rock and pop cover band, plus a Champagne toast at midnight. 9pm to 2am | $425 per person More Details > Enquires or Reservations: (212) 903 3073 | holidaypny@peninsula.com

The Peninsula New York 700 Fifth Avenue at 55 Street, New York, NY 10019 (212) 956 2888 | pny@peninsula.com | peninsula.com/newyork

Travelore Tips: Stayful.Com Offers Last-Minute Boutique Hotel Deals

Contributed by Scott Mayerwitz, AP.

- Looking to break out of that big, boxy, cookie-cutter hotel for your summer vacation?

Then consider Stayful.com, a website that launched last year offering discounts at hundreds of boutique hotels around the country. The site promises a chance to try hotels and inns with more local character and to save a few bucks along the way.

Stayful only lets you book up to 30 days in advance and once a room is booked it is non-refundable. They aren't all small independent hotels - the Peninsula New York showed up on one search - but most promise to be different than a typical hotel stay.

Some of the better-known properties include the Gansevoort Park Avenue in New York, The Standard Downtown in Los Angeles, Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans and the Viceroy Miami. There are also plenty of lesser-known lodging options.

Right now, the site is limited to 10 cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.

Stayful asks you to bid on a hotel price. Some provide instant answers. Others can take up to a day to reply and once the hotel responds, you have just three hours to complete the booking. But this isn't like Priceline or Hotwire where you are locked into a hotel without knowing all the details. Stayful gives you the specific hotel name and tells you - before a credit card is required - if your bid has been accepted. Room types, however, are assigned at check-in.

In Seattle, a one-night stay at The Belltown Inn was suggested for $128. A bid of $124 was offered and instantly approved. With taxes and fees, it came to $145.34. Booking directly through the hotel's site, the same stay would have come to $192.03 with tax. But the reservation came with a cancellation option and at least guaranteed a queen bed. Note: Expedia wanted $185.80 for that same queen bed that could also be canceled. It sometimes pays to shop around.

For the Standard Downtown LA, Stayful recommended a bid of $184. A lowball bid of $124 was met with a big warning: "Yikes! $124 per night has a slim chance of being accepted." Sure enough it was rejected. The site required a one-day wait before another bid could be offered.

Changing dates, a bid of $169 was suggested for a two-night stay. A bid of $165 wasn't accepted but the hotel came back and said that the room could be had for $169. With taxes and fees, that came to $390.39.

But it turns out that wasn't the cheapest price out there. The Standard's own website was offering a non-refundable nightly rate of $166, or $383.46 with tax for a two-night stay. That was almost $7 cheaper than Stayful, and the exact room type was confirmed.

Since Stayful is designed as a way for hotels to unload their unsold rooms, there tend to be more properties listed for a city the closer to your stay you book. A search for a room in New Orleans four weeks out netted only six properties; but a next-night search provided 20.

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport