Round Table Tunes In

by Shannon Maughan -- Publishers Weekly, 4/25/2005

New York City's Algonquin Hotel, long a storied gathering place for literati, is fast-forwarding into the high-tech age with a hip, word-centric twist. Beginning in May, the hotel will offer its guests, free of charge, the use of an iPod that has been filled not with tunes, but with a selection of bestselling audiobooks.

Each iPod will contain a random lineup of such hot titles as The Da Vinci Code, The Purpose-Driven Life, Saturdayand Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The hotel is working independently on this amenity and has no affiliation with a particular audio publisher or with Apple. Algonquin general manager Anthony Melchiorri came up with the idea, noting, "with all our services and amenities, we try to marry what's fresh and new with our distinct literary history. And this seemed like a perfect service to fit the spirit of who we are."

The iPods will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis for use in the hotel's lobby or guest rooms. And if the listening library isn't just right, guests may request additional downloads or switch out the ones they originally receive.

After an $8-million face-lift last fall, the Algonquin is plugged in—and wireless—in all the right places. Flat-screen TVs have been installed in many guest rooms, and complimentary wi-fi is available in the lobby. Budding authors still have a home there, too. The hotel offers a discounted lunch menu to writers (who can show some sort of credential) and a cocktail called the Slush Pile Martini is available for a pick-me-up—perhaps a tonic after reading rejection letters.