Night at the (Guggenheim) Museum

Next week, the Guggenheim Museum will kick off its first venture in the
hospitality industry. Starting Oct. 25, the New York art institution
becomes a makeshift hotel with the opening of the "Revolving Hotel Room," an installation by Belgian-born artist Carsten Höller.

The furniture--a bed, mirror, desk, and dresser--sits on four glass discs that
rotate in slow motion. It's part of "theanyspacewhatever" exhibition, which
features ten artists using the museum as a medium.

The hotel's reservation line opened today and, according to Guggenheim
spokesperson Claire Laporte, interest has been strong. "We're trying to
figure out how to handle the onslaught," she says. "The phone is only
accepting voicemails."

That demand matches the overall trend for New York City. Despite the
economic downturn, the city's hotel occupancy increased to 92.4 percent in August, up 2 percent from the same time last year.

And how much does it cost to sleep amid priceless art? The nightly rate starts at $259 for students on Monday nights. Holiday weekends such as Thanksgiving cost $799 per night. That's not much different from the nearby Carlyle hotel, where a room costs about $800 a night during the holiday season.

While the Carlyle offers amenities like a mini-bar stocked with champagne and chocolate, the Guggenheim isn't devoid of perks. A night at the museum includes a continental breakfast, a robe, and "access to a bathroom and shower."

And did we mention, the floor spins?

Mary Bridges

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