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.)
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“Sounds like Japan. There’s lots of “women only”, “men only” type stuff there, like “women only” train cars. I once used ther internet at a net cafe that charged men 50% more than women to use the computers.”
Ah - the Grope Free zone. :)
My fiancee is going to India this summer to do rural medical work and they have woman only train cars there too - same reason.
Bingo! Crypto sharia .....
Does Grand Rapids qualify?
Masking one’s scent is not “baiting.” Words mean things. Baiting is illegal in PA.
I suppose the toilet seats are glued down.
I hate it when I feel like I’m getting hit on. Of course, I’m not necessarily BEING hit on . . . I just feel like I am. And feelings are what counts. (/dee dee dee)
Sheesh. Is it any wonder I’m usually ashamed of my gender?
They’re setting themselves up for a lawsuit.
Many a recent law has been passed based on just such a principle. ;)
Marriots are Mormon owned and operated, fwiw.
Well, did you guess? Were you right?
I would love to get a call like that. I’d assume a little-girl voice and yell, “Daddy!”
When I am trying to unwind I can get a bit testy when don juan slithers up beside me and puts his hand on my knee. I have found that keeping a nail file in my lap and gently placing the tip against the offending appendage gets the point across nicely but the other point is that I should not be driven to such lengths just to be allowed to sit in a public area in peace.
Cue the bomp-chicka-wow-wow!
Holy cat, Ms. West was just beautiful.
“Another sure sign you don’t know anything about PA. We use blaze orange, not camo.”
Do you wear a blaze orange bathrobe in the hotel, too? Funny that you picked this side point to pick on, not the gist of my argument - going hunting and staying in a hotel... kind of sissified.
” No, you just sound like an unpleasant asshole talking shit behind the anonymity of the net. I meet them from time to time, they’re never so tough in person.”
Who is the one talking tough and cussing on the forum?
That would be you.
I guess they have a lot of old smoking rooms left over that they can’t sell. That has not worked out like they liked so now they will try another tactic.
I know some of the Marriotts and they are outstanding. Naval Academy types!!!!
Yes just make it easier for the rapists to find the woman...just crazy. Do people in business think anymore???
Chris Matthews’ wife, Kathleen, just left her long time local news anchor job here in DC to become an asst VP for something at Marriott Corp.
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