LONG ISLAND CITY — Z NYC, a Long Island City boutique hotel with a rooftop bar and a limo service to and from Manhattan, is now offering a less luxurious amenity: complimentary bikes.
The Z — which opened in July 2011 and is one of more than dozen hotels that have recently been built in Long Island City — is starting its bike initiative just a few weeks before the city plans to launch its own bike share program in Long Island City.
“There is so much in Long Island City and a lot of people aren’t aware of it,” said Lisa Gneo, director of sales for the Z Hotel. “So maybe the best way for our customers to really get familiar with it, is to be on a bike.”
The inspiration for both the hotel and the city came from Europe, where bikes are increasingly popular, Gneo noted.
She said the neighborhood, which has been experiencing rapid growth, and has itself become a tourist attraction, has many restaurants, art galleries, museums, and parks, including Socrates Sculpture Park and Gantry Plaza State Park, both of which offer spectacular views of Manhattan.
Guests, who also get a helmet, a basket and a lock, are required to sign a waiver before getting a bike. The hotel said in the near future it will offer maps with points of interests in the area.
