By Bill Parry
A new Hilton Garden Inn opened last Friday on Queens Plaza North, becoming the 25th hotel in Long Island City, according to the Queens Tourism Council. Just seven years ago there was only one hotel in LIC.
There are now 3,000 hotel rooms in the neighborhood with many more on the way. A report issued by the LIC Partnership just last week said that 26 more hotels are in the planning or construction phase in the area.
“We’re excited to provide guests the option to stay in Long Island City, a rapidly growing community only minutes from Manhattan,” Hilton Garden Inn Global Head Adrian Kurre said. “Our brand’s strategic expansion into this market is a major contribution to Hilton Garden Inn’s diversity in providing urban and suburban locations for guests.”
The 17-story hotel, located at 29-21 41st Ave., has 183 guest rooms with four meeting rooms and 1,410-square-feet of flexible meeting space. It also features a presidential suite with a prime view of the Manhattan skyline.
“This isn’t just another hotel; this is a high-quality inn that’s part of an international chain,” Queens Tourism Council Director Rob MacKay said. “Thus, it’s proof that the hospitality industry is focused on western Queens. The hotel boom has been unprecedented in Queens over the past five years, and it shows no signs of letting up.”
