Mystery Surrounds Name Change at Nyack Hotel

STORY AND PHOTO BY JANIE ROSMAN

UPDATED June 1, 2015

NYLO Hotels has handed its Nyack keys to new management.

The property at 400 High Avenue will open as Time Hotel with 132 rooms, a restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, and fitness facilities. Developer WY Management is billing the hotel as a getaway destination where visitors can take advantage of the scenic and cultural amenities of the area.

Its website refers to the property as NYLO Nyack even though Hampshire Hotels Management LLC is now in charge.

Earlier this year (January 2015) HHM launched Début Hotel Group led by recently-appointed (April 2014) President and CEO Eric A. Danziger. The five-brand group — August Hotels, Time Hotels, Dream Hotels, Unscripted Hotels and Night Hotels — encompasses five tiers of lifestyles.

Nyack was to have been NYLO’s sixth property (others are in Texas, Rhode Island and New York City). Each offers travelers a unique experience in design, art, music, energy and comfort and combines urban loft-style living with best-in-industry services and amenities in a boutique setting.

“NYLO is actually no longer affiliated with the Nyack property, so I do not have any pricing information to share with you,” Corporate Director of Sales & Revenue Management Alexis Shreffler said apologetically via email last weekend.

“Unfortunately at this time, I do not have a contact to provide to you,” Shreffer apologized again when asked who is handling events.

Application was made at the May 20 Architectural Review Board meeting for a larger freestanding sign at 400 High Avenue (formerly NYLO Nyack). The Zoning Board will also have to approve a variance since the new “Time Hotel” sign is larger.

Last Friday NYLO Nyack’s management and public relations companies were tight-lipped. Tanner Thurman at MCA Public Relations in Dallas, Texas, said the agency no longer represents NYLO Hotels because the contract expired, and the agency was told not to renew it.

When asked Friday about the property’s change of management and public relations companies, WY Management office manager Alicia Boudreau said, “I can’t tell you any more. I don’t know. You’ll have to talk to them.”

This morning Boudreau responded to an email request for information regarding booking an event and rooms.

“Thank you for your interest in our Hotel,” she said in an email. “I have forwarded this to the person in charge of these types of bookings and she will be in touch with you in the near future.”

It remains to be seen why the developer is being cagey. WY Management principal Michael Yanko was unavailable for comment on Friday.

Former NYLO Hotels President and CEO Mike Mueller sold his interest in NYLO and stepped down as the CEO in December 2014.

“Since the NYLO sale I have been exploring hotel opportunities via my company Archtower Capital LLC (www.archtower.com),” Mueller said in an email to the Rockland County Times. “Archtower is a boutique real estate investment and advisory firm specializing in the hospitality industry and was the seed investor in NYLO hotels.”

He added, “I am looking forward to seeing the successful completion of the NYLO Nyack and visiting Nyack to stay at the hotel upon its completion!”

Mueller grew NYLO into a top U.S. boutique hotel companies with $55 million in revenues, $20 million of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), more than 200 employees and a brand revenue per available room (RevPAR) penetration of 110%.