Hotels such as Cassa, Setai Fifth Avenue and Andaz opened recently in the area.

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The Andaz West Hollywood, a Sunset Strip landmark for more than 40 years, is a perfect example.

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We visit the first Andaz hotel, formerly the Great Eastern Hotel in London.

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Andaz has made its pricing both transparent and all-inclusive: breakfast, Internet, mini bar, local telephone calls, laundry and unlimited movies.

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The Andaz's new, more upscale identity hasn't changed its Strip location, however.

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Hyatt has introduced a new kind -- 'casual luxury' with Andaz.

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Notable projects like the Andaz 5th Avenue have served as forerunners for booming interest in New York by the largest national chains as well as domestic and foreign investors.

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While some hotels charge a fee for these over-the-top services, many do not, adding it to the lavish perks and anticipated benefit of any stay at an extraordinary hotel, says Jonathan Frolich, general manager of Andaz 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

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And across the Atlantic, the recently opened Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht is now home to what it says is the largest in-hotel video art collection in the world, transforming the property into more than just a hotel -- it's an art gallery now, too.

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