Tech Event at Grand Hall at the Priory

We were pleased to host recently the Design Art Technology Awards (DATA Awards) sponsored by the Pittsburgh Technology Council.  The Awards event was a first for us in the futuristic design that the PTC envisioned for our space.  The installation, lights and sound was by Hughies Audio Visual.  

Here's a link to the Techburgher Blog describing the festivities.

Exploring the Reuse of the Westinghouse Electric Plant

I had occasion to visit an office/ manufacturing complex in East Pittsburgh called Keystone Commons.  What I was very pleasantly surprised to find, during my visit, is that Keystone Commons is the former Westinghouse Electric plant.  In its heyday, this plant was a behemoth, making massive turbines for electric generators.  The plant closed in the 1980's, and was resurrected by the Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) as a small manufacturing and office center.  The Commons is made up of multiple buildings.  In this one, you can look down on what had been the manufacturing floor.  On either side are offices now, and you can drive right up and park your car in front of it.  Above, you can see the huge gantry cranes used in moving the turbines about the floor.  This is one of Pittsburgh's many hidden gems -- a reflection of its manufacturing past in the garb of a modern day use.

Priory July Wine Tasting - Wines from Veneto

Join us for our July Al Fresco Wine Tasting on  July 19!:

“Veni, Vidi, Vici”…Veneto Vino!  - "I came, I saw, I conquered"...Venetian Wines!

Our next courtyard Wine Tasting will be held Thursday, July 19th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. We will feature wines from Allegrini Estates in Italy, located in Fumane di Valpolicella, who have been making wine since the 16th Century. 

Our Special Host Milko Miladinov of Winebow will present four delicious selections served with our famous 3-finger pour!

OUR FEATURED WINES:

.

Palazzo della Torre IGT Veronese '08

Deep ruby red in color, this wine is brimming with notes of dark, dried cherries, blackberries and hints of dates and mocha.

.

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT '11

 Bright straw-yellow in color, with delicate aromas of lemon citrus and acacia flowers. Fresh and well-balanced with good depth and a long, attractive finish.

.

Valpolicella Classico DOC '10

Vibrant ruby red in color with fresh cherry and plum aromas.

.

Soave DOC '10

Bright straw-yellow in color with aromas of wildflowers, white peach, and grapefruit.

The mouthfeel is supple and elegant with a touch of minerality on the palate.

Wines will be paired with light hors d'oeuvres from Priory 
Executive Chefs Mike Henney and Pete Phillipy.

And, you'll enjoy Italian American music performed by 
Egidio 'Jimmy' Faiella on his Mandolino (http://tinyurl.com/7mkpl7o) whose performances include TV/Film credits on the Sopranos (http://tinyurl.com/74qbzq2). 

Tickets are $55. To purchase, email Gene Lucente (mailto:gene@thepriory.com) or call 412.224.6302. Also, keep in mind our elegant Wine Tastings Overnight Package (http://tinyurl.com/6mh4nly) - includes two tickets to the Wine Tasting and a stay in one of our fabulous guest rooms!

We hope to see you here July 19!   

Priory Hotel Receives Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2012

From TripAdvisor Press Release:

Pittsburgh, PA  – June 26, 2012 –  The Priory Hotel today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award for 2012-13. The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.  The Priory Hotel has consistently maintained a rating of 4.5 out of a total of 5 over the past three years.  

“We at the Priory Hotel are very pleased to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Rebecca Lazeration, General Manager of the Priory Hotel.  “We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.”

“TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travelers on the site,” said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve. From exceptional accommodations in Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience.”

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 50 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 60 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors.

Priory Sponsors Car Free Friday

Our Priory Hospitality Group was proud to be a sponsor of Bike Pittsburgh's Car Free Friday program on Friday, May 18, which was also National Bike to Work Day.  Our Assistant Operations Manager, Jeff Pozzuto took the lead o this project as he spent the morning by PNC Park handing out water and refreshments to participants who are biking to work.  This is part of our commitment to promoting wellness and physical fitness both for our employees and guests, which led to our being recognized by Bike Pittsburgh as a Bike Friendly Employer, and in receiving a Bronze Award as a Bicycle Friendly Business by the national League of American Bicyclists.

That's Jeff with the blue shirt and blue cap on the left, in the third picture down, along with Deutschtown neighbor George Heer.

Package Specials through June 10

Be sure to check out our specials through June 10, in particular our "Find Your Muse" special package, which combines tickets to your choice of the Andy Warhol or Mattress Factory museums, as well as transportation to and from the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Point Park from June 1 - June 10).  It's a great value, so check us out!

New Free Shuttle Service is Here!

We unveiled our new free shuttle service for hotel guests last week.  We see this as being a real convenience for our guests, and a nice add on for guests taking advantage of our various packages (Cultural District, Discover the Strip, Rivers Casino, for instance).  The shuttle will run from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  The shuttle will be on demand, and will deliver our guests to destinations Downtown (as far uptown as the Consol Center), Strip District (as far East as the Church Brew Works), North Shore (as far South as the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and as far North as Sampsonia Street), and Station Square.  There's no charge for the shuttle, so stay with us at the Priory and let us deliver you to your destination - no muss, no fuss.