zipcar
Contact: Caroline Kerrigan, Quinn & Co., 212-868-1900 x253; ckerrigan@quinnandco.com
AKA Hands Over the Keys:
Extended-Stay Brand Extends City Limits
For Guests with Zipcar Partnership
Complimentary Subscription To World’s Largest Car Share Service
Gives Travelers Freedom to Explore Outer Limits of NYC, Philly & DC
Plymouth Meeting, PA – February 28, 2008 – This March, AKA guests will receive a new set of keys upon check-in…car keys! In an exclusive partnership, a first for both companies, AKA is putting guests in the driver’s seat with a complimentary one-year membership to Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing company (a $50 value).* AKA is enabling guests to have a luxury nearly unheard of in populated cities such as New York, unlimited access to a car, for as little as an hour at a time. By providing guests with turn-key access to a vehicle on demand, this extended stay brand is giving travelers the freedom to explore beyond city limits at all of its properties in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. With AKA’s target clientele staying 30 days or longer, there is plenty of time to adventure out beyond the city limits in some of the country’s most popular locations.
Approval is fast and easy with a quick online application; then guests simply pick up the digital key-card to their Zipcar at the front desk of any of the nine AKA properties. For road trip suggestions and inspiration, each property will arm drivers with a list of the best local, seasonal getaways such as apple picking in the fall, outlet shopping during the holidays, skiing in the winter, lazy days at the beach during summer, to name a few. AKA will also provide GPS units for those directionally-challenged guests and picnic baskets and other car-appropriate amenities can be arranged by the concierge. Available at a moment’s notice, with rentals by day or by hour, Zipcars are strategically parked in garages within walking distance of each AKA location. All fuel, insurance and reserved parking spaces are included in Zipcar rates, which start as low as $7 per hour. In New York City a five minute taxi ride can cost more than that.
“Our guests are away from home for extended periods of time,” said Larry Korman, AKA co-president and director of general operations. “At AKA we are continually looking to provide travelers with comforts and conveniences they would associate with home. Having access to a car on a moment’s notice gives our guests the freedom to go beyond their suites and the cities they are in. This exclusive partnership further embodies AKA’s commitment go above and beyond in the amenities we provide our long-term stay guests.”
Nightly rates for a 30-day stay at AKA properties start at $245 for New York, $150 for Philadelphia and $175 for the Washington, D.C. area.** For reservations or additional information, please visit www.stay-aka.com or call (866) AKA-9999.
AKA, a division of Korman Communities, is an innovative, new and growing collection of luxury extended-stay properties in prime urban locations. Current AKA residences are in: New York City (4); Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., White Plains, NY, and Arlington and Herndon, VA, with plans to own and operate 20 properties worldwide by 2010. Across the brand, architecturally inspired spacious accommodations, which range from studios to two-bedroom penthouse suites, offer the privacy of contemporary apartments infused with hotel services. While each property is unique and has distinct guest offerings, all properties feature the AKA brand standards and amenities of: fitness centers; full-service business centers with meetings space and complimentary high-speed Internet access; complimentary weekday club breakfasts with La Colombe coffee, yogurt, fruit and baked goods; en-suite dining; same-day, valet dry-cleaning and laundry service; 24-hour front desk assistance; dedicated doormen, concierge services and full-time, on-site management and maintenance. All suites include top-of the-line kitchens, contemporary furnishings, luxurious bathrooms, meticulous housekeeping; extended digital cable with HBO, DVD players, and complimentary Wi-Fi access. Personalized service is a hallmark of AKA. For reservations and information, please visit www.stay-aka.com or call (866) AKA-999.
Zipcar is the world's leading car share service, with more than 180,000 members and vehicles in major metropolitan areas and colleges campuses in more than 50 cities, including Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Vancouver, Toronto and London, England. As a leading urban lifestyle brand, Zipcar provides a convenient, environmentally friendly and cost effective transportation alternative for individuals, businesses and universities throughout the United Kingdom and 18 North American states and provinces. For more information, visit www.zipcar.com.
*Zipcar memberships valid for one year from date of stay. Membership will be granted upon confirming a person’s valid driving license and approved driving history.
**Rates subject to change and based on availability. Taxes and surcharges not included.