Cost-conscious leisure and business travelers visiting Manhattan have a new place to rest their heads. Today, Apple Core Hotels, a group of five moderately priced hotels run in collaboration with nationwide chains, officially opened New York City�s first-ever La Quinta property, the La Quinta Inn Manhattan at 17 West 32nd Street. Having completed a $2.5 million renovation, the 182-room hotel has rates starting at $89, including complimentary continental breakfast, and hi-speed, wireless Internet service (Wi-Fi) available in all guest rooms and public spaces. �In the past, traveling to New York City meant spending at least $200 per night for a hotel room, unless the traveler was willing to sacrifice amenities, services or location,� said Vijay Dandapani, COO of Apple Core Hotels. �The La Quinta Inn Manhattan, like its four sister properties, provides all the essentials business and leisure travelers demand, while maintaining affordability and a location in the heart of the city,� he continued.

Formerly The Aberdeen and most recently the Best Western Manhattan, the building was built in 1904 by renowned architect Harry B. Mulliken and features a landmark Beaux Arts fa�ade. Designer Hyun Kim of HK International Design, Potomac, Md., has transformed the venerable building into a contemporary boutique hotel. The renovation included all public spaces, guest rooms and the lobby, as well as the expansion of the on-site fitness center on the lower level. Modernizing existing hotel properties, as opposed to building from the ground up, allows Apple Core Hotels to operate affordably priced accommodations in prime Manhattan locations. In the last three years, Apple Core Hotels has significantly augmented Manhattan�s mid-scale lodging landscape by introducing three top hotel brands - Super 8, Red Roof Inns and La Quinta.

In addition to Wi-Fi and breakfast, the La Quinta Inn Manhattan provides an on-site fitness center; in-room hair dryers, coffee makers, irons and ironing boards; telephones with data port and voice mail; and cable television with Web TV, on-demand movies and video games. Additionally, children under 13 stay free when sharing their parents� room, making a large room with two double beds an economical choice for families.

For light dining, drinks and/or breakout business meetings, the hotel�s Sky Bar, an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar on the penthouse level, offers cocktails and a light menu, along with a great view of The Empire State Building towering above. Off the lobby is the eclectic Asian Dae Dong restaurant, one of many fine restaurants located on 32nd Street between 5th Avenue and Broadway, also known as �Korean Restaurant Row.�

About La Quinta Corporation Dallas-based La Quinta Corporation (NYSE: LQI), a limited-service lodging company, owns, operates or franchises more than 300 La Quinta Inns and La Quinta Inn & Suites in 33 states. For more information about La Quinta, please visit its Web site at www.LQ.com, or for reservations at any La Quinta hotel call (800) 531-5900.

About Apple Core Hotels Apple Core Hotels properties include the new La Quinta Inn Manhattan (17 West 32nd Street), Red Roof Inn Manhattan (6 West 32nd Street), the smoke-free Comfort Inn Midtown (129 West 46th Street), Super 8 Hotel Times Square (59 West 46th Street), and the Ramada Inn East Side (161 Lexington Avenue). All rates are exclusive of tax and subject to availability. For information or reservations, contact Apple Core Hotels at (800) 567-7720 or (212) 790-2710. For real-time reservations, log on to Apple Core Hotels� new interactive Web site, www.applecorehotels.com.

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Media Contact: Doug Greenberg +1 212-228-1500 doug@njfpr.com