Calling all bookworms, art lovers, and movie buffs: thanks to new hotel programs, staying in just got three times more enjoyable.
Then: Libraries filled with classics
Now: Hot off the press: exclusive copies of major titles
Rosewood resorts has partnered with Random House, HarperCollins, and other publishers to give guests access to new books up to six months before they hit shelves. Recent offerings: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson and Beautiful Maria of My Soul by Oscar Hijuelos. 888/767-3966; rosewoodhotels.com.
Then: In-house art collections
Now: Cutting-edge, in-room video art
Standard Hotels’ StandART channel is dedicated to avant-garde video art exhibits, plus films such as L’Eau de Vie, a tribute to Jean-Luc Godard by Bruce High Quality Foundation. 877/550-4646; standardhotels.com.
Then: On-demand movies
Now: Private theaters
The dinner-and-a-movie program at the Crosby Street Hotel’s sleek new screening room is a hit among guests and New Yorkers (The Hurt Locker was screened right after the Oscars).
