Loews Metropolitan Renting Out Guestrooms As Offices

NEW YORK— The Loews Metropolitan hotel at Lexington Ave. and East 51st St. is trying to rent out guestrooms as offices for companies displaced by the World Trade Center disaster, in an effort to fill hundreds of empty rooms and stem losses. According to a report on crainsny.com, the 722-room hotel— currently in the midst of a $17 million facelift— was nearly filled to capacity a year ago, with occupancy at 92%. Now, only 30% of the rooms have guests. “In past years, hotel rooms were really needed in the city, and now they are not,” a spokeswoman to crainsny.com. “Now hotels will take whatever business they can get.” Rates, typically $200 per night, havent been established for this new use, she says. Other hotels are trying the same strategy.