The Marcel at Gramercy, a chic boutique nestled amidst NYC’s stylish (but relatively straight-laced) Gramercy and Murray Hill hoods (and extensively redesigned last year) today announced it will play host to the world’s first ever “tattoo artist in residence.” On November 15-24, LA-based Mister Cartoon (famous for inking celebs like Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Eminem, and Ryan Phillippe) will kick off stint #1 of a temporary two-part stay at The Marcel, offering his body art expertise exclusively to hotel guests, who are granted an automatic line jump in the in-demand inker’s year-long wait list (though not exempt from his normal rates, which start at $3,000 a tat).

Mr. Cartoon’s two-week return visit in early February 2010 is set to coincide with the debut of the hotel’s new earmark, the Marcel Original Art on Rotation (M.O.A.R), which will commission and display the works of a cadre of progressive artists within a 40 x 20-foot gold frame on the hotel’s façade.  In addition, the artists will provide “unique exclusive experiences” available only to hotel guests. The works will be shown in revolving three-month stints, and, to keep things even more interesting, adhere to annually-changing themes. Mister Cartoon’s art and talents will be the first on display, with “Concrete Jungle” the theme for 2010.

West Coast-bound? Click here to “Ink & Stay” in L.A.

To book a room at The Marcel (and an appointment with Mister Cartoon) call 917-600-5554 or email MOARMARCEL@mistercartoon.com.