Hotels in Albany, New York

A little about Albany...

Albany is the capital of the State of New York and the county seat of Albany County. Albany lies 136 miles (219 km) north of New York City, and slightly to the south of the juncture of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. The city's estimated 2006 population was 95,995.

Albany has close ties with the nearby cities of Troy and Schenectady, forming a region called the Capital District. This area makes up the bulk of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) with a population of 850,957, making it the fourth largest urban area in New York State, and the 56th largest MSA in the United States.

The Albany-Schenectady-Amsterdam, NY CSA, consists of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy MSA, the Glens Falls MSA, and the Amsterdam MSA. Using this definition, the area has a population (as of 2006) of 1,147,850, making it the third largest metropolitan area in New York State and aside from New York City CSA the only area that has shown any population growth.[citation needed] The Albany-Schenectady-Amsterdam, NY CSA is also the 36th largest in the nation.

Albany is built on the site of the Dutch Fort Orange and its surrounding community of Beverwyck. The English acquired the site from the Dutch in 1664 and renamed it Albany, in honor of James II, Duke of Albany. A 1686 document issued by Thomas Dongan granted Albany its official charter.

Today, the city is a major center for government and education.

Colleges and Universities:
Albany include Albany College of Pharmacy; Albany Law School; Albany Medical College; College of Saint Rose; Excelsior College; Maria College of Albany; Sage College of Albany; and the University at Albany, part of the State University of New York system. Siena College is located two miles north of the downtown area in Loudonville.

Festivals:
The Tulip Festival, or the Tulip Fest as it is locally known, is set in Albany’s Washington Park. This traditional Albany event marks the beginning of spring as thousands of tulips bloom in the Park in early May. Tulip Fest is a celebration of Albany’s rich Dutch heritage, and draws both local and regional attendance.
Lark Fest is an annual community festival that includes painters, photographers, jewelers, sculptors, ceramicists, glass artists and live shows on several stages. The event has an average attendance of 55,000 people, with peak attendance of 80,000 in 2006.
Alive at Five is a concert series held downtown on Thursdays throughout the summer.
Latin Fest offers Latin music, food and crafts every year in Washington Park.
The Albany Jazz Festival is held at the end of summer every year in the the Albany Riverfront Park Amphitheater.

Albany's geographic situation as a "Crossroads City" (roughly equidistant between New York, Montreal, Syracuse and Boston) also makes it a convenient stop for nationally touring artists and acts. The Palace Theatre and the The Egg provide mid-sized forums for music, theatre and spoken word performances. The Tunter (full name: Times Union Center, previously the Knickerbocker Arena ["The Knick"] and later Pepsi Arena ["The Pepsi"]) serves as the city's largest musical venue for nationally and internationally prominent bands, as well as trade shows, sporting events and other large-scale community gatherings. The New York State Museum is a major cultural draw in Albany, focusing on fine arts, natural history, and New York's economic, political and social histories.

Last call is at 4:00 AM in Albany, unlike the earlier 2:00 AM in most areas of the nation. This is often attributed to the historically high density of industrial facilities and the demand of second and third shift patrons.