NEW YORK--The "Manhattan East Suite Hotels" name officially retires today as the company unveils its new brand, name, logo, and signature features. Affinia Hospitality, a distinctive collection of luxury and business suite hotels, will continue to uphold the company's reputation for superior service while setting new standards in total guest comfort.

The announcement comes in conjunction with the unveiling of the company's first Signature Series hotel, the Affinia Dumont, New York's first and only Executive Fitness Suite Hotel, at 150 East 34th Street. Formerly known as Manhattan East's Dumont Plaza, the hotel has undergone a $15-million renovation to meet the new Affinia product and service standards. Affinia Hospitality owns and operates nine properties in New York City, including the Affinia Dumont, and is the city's largest all-suite hotel company.

"The Affinia brand will help us realize our vision for the future and allow us to expand our presence in and outside of New York. Our core values have not changed, and our essence of spacious accommodations, gracious service and uncommon value remains the same, but this new brand better represents the company's aspirations and direction," commented Patrick Denihan, Executive Director of Affinia Hospitality.

The Fitness Solution for Travelers - The Affinia Dumont is designed to meet the needs of today's active and health-conscious business traveler, and at the center of this concept are the Affinia Fitness Spa, an urban fitness center and spa for health and life balance, and on-site Fitness Concierge to make it easy for guests to successfully balance "work and wellness."

Special fitness services offered at the Affinia Dumont are: the Fitness Concierge with her "Black Book" of NYC Fitness Resources; Fit Kits for personalized work-outs; Fitness Locker service to launder, freshen and store guests work-out clothes and shoes during their stay and for return visits; Affinia Wellness Library of books, CDs and videos; an 1100-square-foot Fitness Suite with a private Fitness Studio and dry sauna; Healthy Mini-bar and in-room dining options and more.

Affinia Hospitality owns and operates nine properties in three categories, each one reflecting a particular level of product and service standards. The categories include The Signature Series, with the Affinia Dumont; The Luxury Series featuring The Benjamin, rated one of the top 100 hotels in the Continental U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards readers' poll; and The Manhattan Series, comprised of the remaining seven properties in the portfolio.

Affinia Hospitality began operation as Manhattan East Suite Hotels in 1962 with the 131-suite Lyden Gardens, and has since grown to a collection of nine properties, with the addition of The Benjamin, An Executive Suite Hotel, in April 1999.

With nine hotels, more than 2,000 rooms, and 1,000 employees, Affinia Hospitality, a distinctive collection of luxury and business suite hotels, is New York's largest all-suite hotel company. Providing spacious accommodations, gracious service and uncommon value, Affinia Hospitality's portfolio includes the Affinia Dumont, Beekman Tower Hotel, Eastgate Tower, Lyden Gardens, Plaza Fifty, Shelburne Murray Hill, Southgate Tower, Surrey Hotel and The Benjamin. Additional information or reservations for any Affinia hotel may be obtained by calling a travel consultant or 1-866-AFFINIA. Take a virtual tour at .

Maria Andriano
212/229-0119
Affinia Hospitality