Hotel Le Bleu Opening Still Stalled

Am I being too prudish, or is that bathroom set-up (or lack thereof) a bit too "en plein air" for most travelers? Particularly those looking for a "deal" in Gowanus...

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 10:58 AM

Call it Gowanus or whatever you want - it's one block from 5th Ave and that's all that matters.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 10:59 AM

Call 5th Ave whatever you want - It's on 4th Ave and that matters too.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:04 AM

I dont see tourists going to park slope when manhattan is next door where there are similar priced hotels.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:05 AM

condos within a year

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:06 AM

I agree 11:06: Definately condos in a year!

If I need a hotel in park slope area I'll stay at the Holiday Inn on Union for less money and closer to the subway.

For the money Le Bleu is charging I'll stay in downtown Manhattan or Grammecy.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:22 AM

I think the rooms will make nice studios for $400 - $500K

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:24 AM

Does anyone have any news about the owner of Hotel Le Blue's next project, a condo on 4th Ave and Warren Street? The foundation is in but there doesn't seem to be any work going on. I'd love to see a pic or a drawing of the planned building.

Jen KG

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:29 AM

I live between 4th and 5th Avenues and am a big fan of the recent changes to 4th Ave and hope they continue. But this just seems totally out of sync with the reality of the street, both in terms of cost and style. Anyone who books this place without any idea of what the surrounding area looks like is not going to be happy...

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:38 AM

You cannot sell condos here, it is zoned for manufacturing and commercial uses. So if this tanks, which seems very likely, the owners don't have many options but to sell the building and will probably have to be at a loss.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:42 AM

Hmmm, Excellent point 11:42 - Must be true otherwise there would probably be alot of other condo developement over there.

I am rooting for them not to "Tank", but it does seem likely given the price point and surrounding area. Who would buy an unsucessful hotel in a residential restricted area?

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:46 AM

By the way, the developer, Dominick Tonachio is probably one of the shadiest and unscrupulous characters. He's really not so much of a developer, but because of Katan, whose coattails he's riding, he's managed to build some crap! I don't think he ever bothered to learn anything about construction and hires the cheapest labor, the piece of shit building we bought in on Bergen Street had so many violations and leaks and mold, such a horrible person to deal with. It's people like this who have no taste and build crap, who I'm hoping lose their shirt in the downmarket so we can be rid of them for good!

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:50 AM

Where is the "this will be worthless/irrelevant/a blip on the radar once Atlantic Yards is built" post?

I miss that.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:53 AM

RE: 11:42
They'll seek a zoning variance on the grounds of an unreasonalbe economic hardship. If they can make the case that the current zoning has erased all economic value from the property... they'll be granted the variance. We'll also have to see what type of political environment emerges around the Gowanus Rezoning.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 11:59 AM

has anyone actually tried to get a hotel room in manhattan for $300 a night? Good luck and I hope you don't care about quality.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 12:04 PM

SOHO GRAND!

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 12:10 PM

um. if they don't get those rates, they'll lower them.

are you people insane? or just so pessimistic that you are unable to see two feet in front of you?

you act as if you wish the place will tank.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 12:18 PM

Hotel le Doom. I love the total disconnect between the fantasy tree-dotted image on the official website, and the utter wastelend that is the current reality of that stretch of 4th Avenue. They should install a webcam just to catch the cretfallen faces of customers as they get out of the cab.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 1:35 PM

Hotel this worthless Atlantic will built once Yards be is the.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 2:23 PM

Well, I don't know about you "slick", but for folks like my parents, the difference between $218 for the Holiday Inn on Union and $359 for Hotel Le Bleu is significant. And as someone else noted, I think the peekaboo bathroom would be a turnoff. They'll opt for the cheaper room at the Holiday Inn. Or spend $300+ and stat in Manhattan. Then again, they aren't the target audience for a boutique hotel. On the other hand, this is truly not the location for a boutique hotel. Maybe in 10 years when the transformation of Fourth Avenue has progressed a bit further or been declared a failed notion.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 3:10 PM

Here's a tidbit. *If* the hotel tanks and gets a hardship exemption to go residential--that block is zoned for PS 321, even though it's on the west side of 4th Avenue.

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 3:13 PM

3:13 - And being zoned for PS321 is useful because of all the children you will be raising IN A CONVERTED HOTEL ROOM?

Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 3:19 PM

Yes, 1:29, there are plenty grandparents that need a hotel nearby. But as someone else pointed out - with a peek-a-boo bathroom? GUFFAW!

My parents would never ever ever go for that. Ever. These first-time hoteliers do not know their market. They wasted a lot of time and money trying to make the place look hip to 20-somethings, when they should be marketing to 50+ year old parents and grandparents.

Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 9:18 AM

Hello? This hotel is not for your stupid Parents it is for all the Euro trash coming here and SLUMMING it in Brooklyn, Duh.

Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 12:05 PM

Clearly this place is out of context, but if there is a niche to fill, we'll know soon enough. I guess all the internal amenities are a plus, or a must have, given that who would want to go walking directly outside, to see what? The Staples next door, or the superfast roadway, or the pretty yellow taxi cabs lines up everywhere. There are always people who want to waste money just to tell people how much they in fact wasted, in all places, at all times. We shall see.

Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 1:05 AM

Actually 12:05, all the hotels on 4th Ave really are going to be for parents. Sorry to crush your dreams of picking up Euro trash chicks at the hotel bar over there. Those ladies like the Manhattan scene better. Why? Most of the men in Park Slope are married, carrying babies.

Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 11:34 AM

"Most of the men in Park Slope are married, carrying babies."

And the rest of us are gay. On that note, I'd bet my last nickel that the visiting Eurobois are going to stay in Manhattan.

Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 12:17 PM

If this abortion of a hotel lasts a year, I will EAT MY OWN STOOL on the 4th ave neutral ground.

Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 10:19 PM

It's seems crazy to even have a conversation about whether or not the hotel is viable. It's ill-conceived- a terrible design in a terrible location for a customer that doesn't exist at a price that is ubsurd.

Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 2:42 PM

While I agree that the design of this hotel is absurd, one thing we fail to consider is how "hipster brooklyn" is being marketed or at least 'hyped' in Europe. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if this succeeded given how pricey brooklyn B&B's are in comparison. If the dollar continues to tank against the euro, it is still a good deal for visiting foreign tourists. And, nicer than staying in either the Marriott or the Holiday Inn Express without even considering service (which is extremely lacking in both).

Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 3:21 PM

That place is more "Dumpster" than "Hipster".

Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 9:08 PM

"Hipster Brooklyn" marketing in Europe or no, this piece of trash is a dead duck. It'll be a crack house by the time AY is built, which would have made it worthless btw.

The only thing that can save it now is to turn it into an Asian hand job parlor. Happy Endings all around!!!

Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 11:01 PM

If 11:01 is correct, then I'm gonna buy a 4th Ave-facing unit in Novo with a terrace. The webcasts will pay for my mortgage, woohoo!

Posted by: guest at September 11, 2007 11:04 PM

No entiendo como puede haber idiotas que dedican su tiempo a criticar proyectos, gente o neiborhoods.
Gente que probabolemente lo unico que hace de su vida culpar al mundo por su propio fracaso.
Que carajo si Andres escobar es gay, homofobico de mierda # 13. Y lo peor de todo es que hacen comentarios sin tener nocion de lo uqe estan hablanda. Simplemente ignorantes.
PD el mensaje es en espanol para que se jodan y se rompan las apelotas tratando de desifrar que carajo dije....
Imbeciles

Posted by: guest at September 20, 2007 10:30 PM

Hello? This hotel is not for your stupid Parents it is for all the Euro trash coming here and SLUMMING it in Brooklyn, Duh.

NOW THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND!

Posted by: guest at October 17, 2007 10:03 AM

I can't wait to take my girl here. With a bathroom like the one shown above I'll be like, "hey honey look over here, you can watch me taking a dump".

Posted by: guest at October 23, 2007 10:04 PM

Don't get your panties all in a bunch, 9/20/07 10:30. And dude, you're speaking Spanish, not Swahili; I don't think anybody's gonna be tearing their hair out, unable to figure out what "idiotas" and "imbeciles" could possibly mean.

Posted by: guest at October 30, 2007 1:02 AM

I have just returned to the UK after spending 6 nights at Hotel Le Bleu. I was duped not only by the website and the promises made at the time of booking but throughout my stay. Comments about the Euro trash staying in the US (bear in mind the US's current economical status before biting the hand that feeds you).
In relation to the hotel or brothel as it appeared to be, due to the comings and goings, cool and chic are not words that I would consider to describe this place. It has unprofessional, discourteous, inexperienced and unscrupulous staff, the local industrial area are okay if that is what you are expecting, the promised views of Manhattan’s skyline were in fact of U-Haul's depot, the taxi rank, the hotel's trash or the hotel's car park, the weird bathrooms (you have to be in a secure relationship to use it not ideal for honeymooners or those of a squeamish nature), no guest facilities (no room service, concierge, no breakfast, the adequately stocked mini bar etc.. consisted of two bottles of water), the promised fancy restaurant which is only just starting to be built and will not open for at least another 6 months according to the contractors, doors that are broken (one to our tiny balcony the handle was loose and shook when it was windy and the door couldn't be opened and the wardrobe door did not close) paying through the nose for a room and not then getting the room you paid for, This hotel is horrendous, the manager is an incompetent liar and a bully, he does not like to be challenged. Ensure you pay by cash for the security deposit otherwise he tells you that you can't have your money back (a public discussion and refusal to take no for an answer, taking photos of the things that you are not happy with, resolved this), no room rates are displayed in the lobby, sadly I could continue about this bad experience. I was not able to find another hotel for the length of my stay as everywhere else was booked. I also had paid up front for this hotel as I did not book with the hotel directly; this is the nightmare and reality for overseas travellers.
I love Brooklyn having lived in Garfield Place and 7th Ave, 10 yrs ago. I have come away from the US still loving Brooklyn, and the character of the borough. Manhattan with all it new builds seems to have lost the soul that Brooklyn and Park Slope have maintained. Development is required for future success but it needs to be done in a thoughtful and responsible manner to reflect what currently exists in a neighbourhood. Hotel Le Bleu not only has got it wrong, but also the way in which it deals with its guests will have a truly negative impact not only on the hotel but also the surrounding area as bad experiences inevitably do. It would be a real shame if guests come away from Brooklyn and Park Slope with only opinions of Hotel Le Bleu and not that of the vibrant community from 5th Avenue and beyond.

Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 2:19 AM