New York, NY (June 21, 2012) — HKHotels, the boutique hotel group which has earned a unique distinction for having its four New York City properties rank in the top four slots on TripAdvisor at one time, has changed its name to Library Hotel Collection , it was announced today by Henry Kallan, President.

The current members of the Library Hotel Collection include the Library Hotel, Hotel Giraffe, Hotel Elysée, and Casablanca Hotel.  To celebrate the launch of the new name as well as the debut of a new website for the brand and the four properties, the company is giving a free "Welcome to LHC Package" trio of amenities available to consumers who book a room through the new websites by July 31, 2012. The Library Hotel Collection will also make a $1 donation for every "Welcome to LHC Package" given away during this promotion at its hotels to The Center for Fiction's Books for NYC Schools/KidsRead program, which provides books to schools and students in low-income areas in NYC.

According to Mr. Kallan, the name change was implemented for the sheer sake of brand recognition.  "HKHotels was purely a business entity umbrella for the collection, but it didn't properly express the unique character of our company.  As our portfolio continues to grow, we decided that we needed a name for our hotel group that truly represents what we stand for — a novel approach to hospitality.  Thus we decided to use the Library Hotel Collection because so many travelers recognize the Library Hotel name or know someone who has stayed at the property."

The company has decided to undertake the brand repositioning now, because it will be opening two new properties outside of New York over the next three years.  Mr. Kallan reports that in September of 2013, the company will introduce the 52-room Aria Hotel in Budapest.  It will have a similar concept as the Library Hotel; however, instead of rooms dedicated to different book themes, the rooms will be dedicated to different artists or composers. The four wings of Aria Hotel will each be dedicated to Jazz, Opera, Classical, or Contemporary music, plus the Aria will feature an incredible music library of books, videos, and CDs for the guests' exploration and enjoyment. Henry Kallan previously launched the music themed Aria Hotel in Prague but sold his interests in that property years ago.

In 2015, the Library Hotel Collection will open Hotel X at Exhibition Place in Toronto which will also have a unique themed concept. Construction is set to begin on this property some time in 2013.

Henry Kallan's hotels stand apart from most properties in New York City because of the value-added amenities that are the hallmarks of his brand of hospitality.  These include private club rooms with books, newspapers, magazines, free Wi-Fi, and computer stations; complimentary refreshments throughout the day including Continental breakfast each morning and wine and cheese receptions, evenings from 5 to 8 p.m., complimentary bottles of water in the room, and many other thoughtful touches.

The Library Hotel Collection is also distinctive in today's business landscape because it does not do any traditional advertising. Approximately eight years ago, Mr. Kallan and his management team made a concerted effort to embrace social media platforms and set out to enhance the services and facilities at the hotels based upon feedback from guests on TripAdvisor.  They read each review carefully, implemented changes whenever possible, and in September of 2010, Mr. Kallan saw his four properties ranked in the top four spots on TripAdvisor in New York City — edging out hotels that were more opulent, better known, and commanded a higher rate.

"We took the time to listen to what the guests had to say about what was truly most important to them and we adjusted our services to accommodate those needs and desires," added Mr. Kallan.  "It isn’t rocket science, but it is challenging because so many people are involved. The real art is to be able to lead, train, empower, and inspire every member of the company to truly put the guests’ happiness first.”  As a result, the former HKHotels has become the industry authority on social media marketing and the company has won numerous awards for its digital marketing success.


The new websites for the Library Hotel Collection and the four hotels have been designed to provide visitors with streamlined navigation.  According to Adele Gutman, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Revenue, "The sites load so much faster, there are state-of-the-art image galleries to show visitors the properties rather than explain them, and there are a lot of little details incorporated to reflect the level of service in the hotels thereby making the individual sites as user-friendly as possible."  The sites were designed by WIHP of Paris, France.

Casablanca Hotel, now ranked as #1 on TripAdvisor, has a Moroccan motif inspired by the romance of the movie, “Casablanca” and is situated at Broadway on West 43rd Street, just steps from Times Square.

Library Hotel, currently ranked #2 on TripAdvisor, features 6,000 books organized throughout the hotel based on the Dewey Decimal System, and is located at Madison and East 41st Street.

Hotel Elysée, currently ranked #4 on TripAdvisor, features the romantic ambiance of a private country inn and is located on East 54th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues.

Hotel Giraffe, currently ranked #8 on TripAdvisor, offers an urban oasis of sophisticated style and is situated at Park Avenue South and East 26th Street.

For additional information about Library Hotel Collection or any of these properties, contact Adele Gutman, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Revenue, at [email protected] or 212-201-1153.