On Episode 3 of Hotel Impossible, host Anthony Melchiorri took on his toughest challenge yet: the run-down New Yorker Motel of Miami. Calling itself a motel itself was inherently a problem: Did you know that people will pay up to three times more per night just to stay at a hotel over its poor cousin, the motel? However, the moniker was only the beginning of this Miami boutique’s problems. Poop in the toilet (seriously), a poorly designed billing system and a plethora of competition plagued the owners of the New Yorker — who better to whip a motel into a sleek Miami boutique hotel than the boss himself?! Check out the best moments from last night’s episode after the jump!
1. Renovating the New Yorker was a family affair.
Melchiorri showed us his sensitive side when working with the owners of the New Yorker — the family biz is over a million bucks in debt and are showing no signs of climbing out of that hole anytime soon. However, by putting his team to task — and souping up the family van — Melchiorri managed to help a family come together that was torn apart by its business woes.
2. Anthony provided amazing tips, as usual. Like using a metal luggage rack as opposed to a wooden one.
Melchiorri says bug beds live in the wood. Note to self: Replace anything wooden with metal if possible. Immediately. Bugs skeeve me out. Also learned this week: A space filled with varying heights, like the hotel’s patio was prior to the renovation, creates a cluttered area with no sense of calm — exactly what someone isn’t looking for on vacation. Keeping things uniform, as designer Blanche Garcia did with the paper lanterns above, offers up a Zen-like atmosphere that may keep guests from trekking the additional 20 minutes to South Beach.
3. Your best advertisement may be your cheapest.
As a favor to the family, Melchiorri stole dad Walter’s whip (and by whip, we mean multi-functional family van/airport shuttle) and got it a fresh paint job, complete with the hotel’s signage and logo. And since this van travelers to and from Miami International Airport at least once a day, hundreds of eyeballs will see “The New Yorker Boutique Hotel” every day. Although Walter didn’t pay for the fix-up, we can guarantee it would cost far less then say, purchasing a billboard on I-95.
4. Despite originally being dubbed a motel, the New Yorker Boutique Hotel has offered — and continues to offer — free Wi-Fi.
According to Melchiorri, paying for internet access is the most common complaint amongst business travelers. And with so many corporate travelers racking up miles on a daily basis, it’s imperative to keep this clientele happy — and wanting to return. Many of the hotels we review here on Oyster don’t provide free Wi-Fi, which in our books, isn’t a major don’t.
5. Poop in the toilet.
Although gross, it was still pretty hilarious. ‘Nuff said.
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