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Left to Right, Tonny Sadha, Designer; Allen Rosenberg, Owner; Mackenzie Allison; Todd Jacobs, Executive Chef |
Ok, I just got back from the Allegria Hotel & Spa event held in the penthouse of Lou Hammond and Associates. I know I mentioned I was obviously running late--one of my biggest pet peeves whenever I venture out of the office for a function. However, to my surprise and delight, other New York journalists were still arriving. In the travel industry, you start to see the same faces over and over again. I caught up with a few aquaintences, one of which just had a baby, while another is planning her wedding this spring. More importantly, I was able to get the scoop on Allegria Hotel & Spa, a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World slated to open in Long Beach, NY this April.
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Touted as the first hotel in the area in years, the 143-room property--a freshman project by real estate developer turned hotelier Allen Rosenberg--was most recently a nursing home. Although the doors haven't officially opened, the hotel still gets calls--for the nursing home. An obvious solution would be to just change the number, but Rosenberg believes it is good luck, saying every person he's met who had relatives in the nursing home thought it was a great facility.
Following positive signs might just work for this optimistic newcomer. A labor of love, the hotel is actually named after his mother--an Italian word meaning joy or happiness. Also keeping it in the family, Allegria's three suites are named after his children.
On the south shore of Long Island, less than an hour from Manhattan, the oceanfront property will cater to couples (I've been told it will be a prime location for weddings), as well as New Yorkers looking for solace from the fast pace of the city.
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Judging from the food at the luncheon (salad with duck to start, followed by tender short ribs and finished with an apple tart), I think Allegria's Atlantica restaurant will be a huge draw. Led by Chef Todd Jacobs, Atlantica will offer cuisine that consists of local and organic ingredients.
The property will also have a rooftop spa, which will debut in July. For more information, visit
www.allegriahotel.com.