The new JW Marriott hotel under construction in Grand Rapids, Mich., center, will feature a 19th floor and lounge exclusively for female clientele. (Photo by Noel A. Webley II)
Posted on 05/17/2007 10:55:54 AM PDT by Incorrigible
By CHRIS KNAPE
| The new JW Marriott hotel under construction in Grand Rapids, Mich., center, will feature a 19th floor and lounge exclusively for female clientele. (Photo by Noel A. Webley II) |
|
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Among the amenities planned for this city's new JW Marriott hotel, one might be a first in America.
The Alticor Inc.-owned riverfront hotel is reserving its 19th floor and a lounge exclusively for female clientele when it opens Sept. 19.
Andrea Groom, a spokeswoman for the 24-story, 340-room hotel, said the idea recognizes more than half of all business travelers are women.
"A lot of women are saying they're not feeling like they're safe when they're traveling to a strange city,'' Groom said. "They don't necessarily want to go down to a lounge and feel like they are getting hit on by guys.''
The women-only rooms also will have amenities not found in other rooms, such as chenille throw blankets, ionic hair dryers, jewelry holders and special bath products.
Access to those rooms will come at a $25 to $30 per night premium over standard rates of about $229.
Is it legal?
Harold Core, a spokesman for the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, said he wasn't sure.
"You cannot deny a person services just because they are male or female,'' Core said. "In a lot of cases, there could be a nondiscriminatory reason where a hotel would have that kind of set-up or policy. But I can't speak to what that reasoning would be.''
He cited restrooms and locker rooms as examples of gender-specific amenities that are legal.
"I can imagine if this is something they're announcing publicly, it is something that will either come to a court or come to our commission,'' he said.
George Aquino, general manager of the hotel, said with only a small percentage of women-only rooms, he doesn't expect it to become an issue.
News of the women-only floor and lounge emerged Tuesday as the company announced a Sept. 19 grand opening gala. The hotel's restaurant and other amenities will be open Sept. 21.
Regular room reservations will be taken via Marriott's reservation system beginning in June.
The hotel will include a restaurant called six.one.six featuring "regional American fare with global influences.''
A special technology package in each room will allow guests to plug in laptops and music players and utilize the in-room speakers and 32-inch plasma TV.
(Chris Knape is a reporter for the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press. He can be contacted at cknape(at)grpress.com.)
Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.
Grownups learn how to handle that by age 19 or so. ;)
OK, let’s see just what would happen if they reserved a floor for just Men.
It’s not for women. Its for female Muslims,.
This is in Michiganstan...
I wouldn’t WANT to be ona floor just for men...it might attract too many....shall we say....San Franciscan-types?
From what I have seen, Marriott seems to be a well-run corporation. If the management thinks this will be a moneymaker, then I think it is a good business decision on their part.
How about a special room service menu that only has salads and the only dressing is a raspberry-walnut viniagrette?
Now they can get hit on by gays.
Heck why not one for muslims and another for blacks.
This is being done because the men don't feel comfortable with traveling business women on the same floor as Deer Camp, and might otherwise be inhibited from their natural enjoyment of walking about in ones long johns, farting without shame, drinking beer, smoking cigars, loud laughter, and talking about killing Bambi's descendants.... :)
Separate but Equal?
The creepiest thing that ever happened to me in a hotel was some jerk calling at 3 am and saying “Guess who?” in this I-know-you voice. That problem would be solved if the desk wouldn’t put through a caller who just asks for a room number.
As for dealing with that, or whatever, by the age of 19, there are days when you just don’t want to, and you shouldn’t have to.
Mrs VS
In the New World Order, all comrades are equal; some comrades are a little more equal.
>>The hotel will include a restaurant called six.one.six featuring “regional American fare with global influences.’’<<
You got it!
I want a White Male only floor!!!
Wow, I could have lived a long time without seeing that. Thanks for THAT visual. That’s even worse than a Helen Thomas picture. At least it’s helping my diet because I just lost my lunch.
The Lesbian Lounge?
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