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MINIVIEW: Equinox Hotel, New York – the world’s ‘fittest’ hotel

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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MINIVIEW: Equinox Hotel, New York – the world’s ‘fittest’ hotel

The luxury fitness and wellbeing brand Equinox opened its debut hotel to sit proudly in the epicentre of New York City’s Hudson Yards, an iconic architectural marvel that reflects a new style of neighbourhood. Editor Hamish Kilburn explores… 

Until recently, the Equinox brand was limited to the cluster of exceptional fitness and wellbeing clubs in major cities dotted around the world.

However, in June of 2019, the affluent brand hit a major milestone by opening its first ever hotel –not a surprising move considering the link between wellbeing, fitness and hospitality that has strengthened over the years.

The hotel is sheltered within a 14-storey limestone and glass skyscraper designed by architecture firm SOM, and is situated in the heart of Hudson Yards, a major up-and-coming neighbourhood along Manhatten’s westside that is arguably most known for Thomas Heatherwick’s The Vessel, an elaborate honeycomb-like structure that rises 16 stories. Adjacent to the giant public space, Equinox’s new hub has settled in and is setting standards.

Designed by David Rockwell and Joyce Wang to evoke comfort, creativity and focus, the ‘world’s fittest hotel’, as Hotel Designs labelled it ahead of its opening, is an ideal hub to meet, eat, sleep and connect. Extraordinary environments, such as a co-working community space, and thoughtfully chosen elements come together in order to reimagine how people move, eat, sleep, work, and live.

Sunset pool

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

From the moment guests arrive at the 212-key hotel, and throughout their stay, they are immersed in a world that the brand describes as “infinite possibilities”.

When it come to specifying the luxury elements inside, selecting products and materials that fit perfectly with the Equinox aesthetic was paramount. In addition to Zaha Hadid Design sofas in the public areas, all guestrooms feature the brand’s proprietary sleep system that ensures the best quality sleep. Complete with total soundproofing, a total-blackout window system, the areas also include CocoMat all natural fibre mattresses and Scandinavian-style duvets that allow temperature regulation. In true Equinox fashion, each guestroom and suite comes with a foam roller, yoga mat, blocks and straps, whilst the mini bar contains a juice press and magnesium-based sleep supplements.

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

Elsewhere, in the presidential suites, British brand Lusso Stone was chosen by the nominated interior designer to supply its Vetrina stone bath. With an ergonomic design, smooth contours and matte black finish, the timeless piece complements the hotel’s vision of performance and regeneration. “The Equinox project is something we are incredibly proud to be a part of as it allows us to showcase our designs in a truly unique setting in the beautiful and exclusive project in New York,” said Mike Manders from Lusso Stone. “We’re constantly evolving as a company and we make sure that we know exactly what we want to develop next. Whether it’s a new design, expansion or the latest bathroom collection, we want to be leading the charge in design and innovation.”

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

Fresh, seasonal flavours, market-driven menus and dynamic social spaces work in harmony to create modern and clean F&B areas. On the menu, as well as in the architectural design aesthetic, discipline and decadence merge.

The modern and contemporary bar area

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

Upstairs, the iconic rooftop bar operates in an open-air casual setting, and all activity happens around the dramatic Jaume Plensa sculpture, a startling monolith on the terrace’s infinity-edge water feature.

Large structure that sits on rooftop at the edge of an infinity water feature

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

The hotel’s immersive 27,000 square foot spa area, which was the brainchild of Joyce Wang Studio and spa design and consultancy firm TLEE, maximises the most valuable commodity, time. The luxury wellness facilities include tailored treatments, an indoor salt water pool, hot and cold plunge pools, and our E.scape Pods — private relaxation areas that capture unparalleled views of the Hudson River.

Light and bright pool area in the spa

Image credit: Equinox Hotels

The overall design of the brand’s debut hotel transcends hospitality and elevates the art and science of fitness – it is clear why the hotel has been described as an ideal place to meet, connect, train and sleep, with all four of these elements playing a vital role in the overall performance of the design and service.

The arrival of the Equinox Hotel New York, along with a number of luxury boutiques and high-end restaurants that have opened, has given the Hudson Yards life as the neighbourhood continues to evolve and take shape.

Main image credit: Equinox Hotels

Is this the most luxurious hotel suite in New York City?

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Is this the most luxurious hotel suite in New York City?

Capturing unparalleled views of the city below, Park Hyatt New York’s ultra-luxury Manhattan Sky Suite has been unveiled as one of New York’s finest. Hotel Designs got early check-in to take a peek inside…

Park Hyatt New York has unveiled the ultra-luxury Manhattan Sky Suite. Located on the 59th floor of the iconic One57 luxury residential tower above the hotel, the expansive 4,200 square-foot three-bedroom suite literally takes Park Hyatt New York’s renowned suite collection to new heights with the highest Central Park-facing suite on the city’s luxury hotel market.

The hotel suite features 11-foot ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows, a full chef’s kitchen, and its crown jewel: The Grand Salon, a light-filled living and dining space designed with neutral hues and elegant furnishings, placing the unobstructed views of Central Park centre stage.

Designed by Jeffrey Beers International, the Manhattan Sky Suite offers guests a front-row seat to Central Park’s seasonal foliage changes. The suite’s sophisticated and residential approach unlocks a rare, enriching experience for guests with contemporary furnishings, an exclusive Assouline-curated library, and a collection selected by the hotel’s art curator, Erica Samuels of Samuels Creative & Co. Accessed via private elevator from the hotel lobby, the suite draws inspiration from the Upper East Side’s chicly appointed penthouses and is truly a remarkable suite in the sky for one-of-a-kind stays.

The refined comforts of a home-away-from-home include a spacious living area divided between seating and dining sections by a glass-enclosed three-piece gas fireplace, a full chef’s kitchen with professional-grade Miele appliances, three stylishly appointed bedrooms with Frette linens and breathtaking views and 3.5 bathrooms each arrayed in marble with walk-in rain showers, soaking tubs and Le Labo bath amenities. In collaboration with Nordstrom, the master bedroom’s walk-in closet is personally styled upon arrival for guests, with seasonal clothing and accessories available for purchase from the retailer’s new NYC flagship.

“We’re excited to welcome the most discerning global travelers to the Manhattan Sky Suite. In collaboration with One57, Park Hyatt New York’s new Manhattan Sky Suite serves as a brand extension of the hotel and is an ultimate expression of the exceptional Park Hyatt brand,” said Peter Roth, Area Vice President and General Manager, Park Hyatt New York. “New York City hotels are renowned for their specialty suites, but nothing in the city measures up to this new suite’s overwhelming sense of luxury and unparalleled views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.”

With its award-winning service as a foundation of every stay, the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond Park Hyatt New York stands tall among the leading ultra-luxury hotels in New York City. The debut of its Manhattan Sky Suite secures Park Hyatt New York’s reputation as the destination of choice for the city’s finest suite accommodations.

Main image credit: Park Hyatt New York

The Kixby Hotel opens in New York

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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The Kixby Hotel opens in New York

Rockwell Group completes The Kixby Hotel, which is located in a storied Beaux-arts building in Herald Square, New York…

Rich in history, pulsing with life, and constantly changing, Herald Square feels like the true crossroads of Manhattan — a neighborhood whose often-overlooked architectural splendor reflects its Gilded Age roots.

Now, with the rebirth of one of its storied buildings, Herald Square is about to get the hotel it deserves.

Kixby reclaims the stunning 1901 building that housed a legendary luxury hotel, the Collingwood, a century ago. With public spaces designed by Rockwell Group, Kixby will bring sophistication, history, and wit to Herald Square — along with a sense of intimacy, warmth, and the personal attention of a true boutique hotel.

“Herald Square has always been the heart of New York, and, at this time of resurgence, Kixby will give guests a prime place to experience it,” said co-owner and managing partner Justin Arest, whose family has operated a hotel on the site since 1995. “The area, known to many as being home to the Macy’s flagship and once to the New York Herald, has been reinventing itself over the past two decades.” It has become the ideal mix of history, energy and personality, drawing the best traits from neighboring NoMad and Times Square. Kixby will reintroduce many to the neighborhood that, in the early 1900s, was a stone’s throw to the flagships of Tiffany & Co., B. Altman & Co., and Gimbels.” Today, Kixby’s location puts the Empire State Building, shopping, Broadway theaters, the High Line, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, Hudson Yards and many other attractions within a walk or easy commute.

Black Tap, whose prize-winning burgers and CrazyShake milkshakes have earned raves worldwide, opened the brand’s first flagship location inside Kixby, with their signature NYC-inspired dining room where graffiti and neon meet black and white tiles and exposed brick. Like Kixby, Black Tap offers a smart spin on tradition with inspiration from classic burger joints and an old-school New York vibe. Designed by Rockwell Group, the restaurant features a stand-alone CrazyShake Bar, an installation made of 4,000 custom-designed cassette tapes, and an oversized neon boombox.

On the hotel’s roof with the Empire State Building as its backyard Julie Mulligan and Chris Barish from the Black Tap team partnered with Kixby on The Lookup, a rooftop bar with smart bar bites and cocktails curated by mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer, formerly of the Seamstress and the Dead Rabbit. Both the restaurant and the rooftop lounge mix a playful edge with sophisticated, old-world style that syncs perfectly with Kixby’s spirit.

A green wall with a neon sign greets guests in The Lookup. The three-season space has a summery, crisp, and clean aesthetic, with black and white elements that draw the spirit of Black Tap up to the roof. Tabletops and furniture in bright colors give the space a playful feeling.

Image credit: The Kixby Hotel

In its previous life as the Hotel Metro, the hotel earned a loyal repeat clientele from around the world. Many on the hotel’s team, including its general manager, head of housekeeping and director of sales, have been with the property for 25 years and will stay to welcome guests at Kixby. Arest’s partners in Kixby are Ira Drukier and Richard Born of the renowned BD Hotels, which owns some of New York’s most stylish lodgings.

A namesake character will also animate Kixby. Mr. Kixby is a compilation of the known and imagined characters that have lent themselves to Kixby’s history. He was a resident of the original Collingwood and tended bar there in the early 20th Century. Local lore paints English-born Mr. Kixby as a fabulous raconteur, pioneering artist, and inventive mixologist — a dapper, whimsical, slightly rakish presence.

Kixby takes inspiration from his name and his spirit; its understated luxury blends Beaux-Arts splendor with clean, modern style that embraces and energizes guests from the minute they enter.

Kixby’s fresh, forward-looking spin on history starts in its lobby. Working with Arest, Rockwell Group crafted an atmosphere that has a modernised members-only club feel, with a mix of classic elements, such as rich hardwood floors and fluted dark wood paneling. Modern takes on traditional furniture in plush fabrics like velvet and leather nod to the hotel’s past. A feature wall comprised of bronze screens a latticed work of art inspired by New York’s classic metal elevator gates illuminates the room.

“Rockwell Group had an amazing opportunity to create a collection of spaces that brings a new social experience to the hotel,” says Shawn Sullivan, Partner, Rockwell Group. “Juxtaposing modern and traditional, our design concept embraces the building’s history while adding a contemporary layer that feels vibrant and relevant today.”

Image credit: The Kixby Hotel

Guests are greeted at a front reception desk crafted with warm woods and reflective slatted metal. Kixby associates will be ready with iPads to offer swift check-ins and answer any guest questions. Walking through the lobby, past a curated “book cabinet featuring New York-themed books, leads to the hotel’s cocktail lounge, Lot 15, which is also operated by the Black Tap team, and offers guests and locals a destination to experience old-New York mixed with elegant yet approachable cocktails and delicious fare. Executive Chef Stephen Parker curated a menu that evokes nostalgia through classic dishes with modern-day twists, such as a bite-sized Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Skins and Wagyu Steak Sandwich, as well as a Sweet Tooth section. The cocktail menu by Mixologist Cameron Shaw showcases familiar yet elevated options like a vegan Whiskey Sour with bonded bourbon and aquafaba, and the Airmail, a Daiquiri and French 75 lovechild with honey.

Lot 15 has a gritty, sophisticated feeling, with a dark palette that features gold accents, exposed brick and charred black wood walls in a chevron pattern. With black leather banquettes, high-top seating, custom drapery, art installations by contemporary muralist Fumero, and even its own DJ booth, the space is a destination in itself unlike anything else in the neighborhood.

Guestrooms feature a stylish palette of periwinkle blue and charcoal gray. For the hotel’s clean-lined furniture, Arest sought out a unique source: Amish and Mennonite craftspeople in Ohio, who worked with him to customize the Kixby’s solid oak furniture. The cleverly designed dressers conceal a hotel safe and a mini-fridge. Side tables, next to the hotel’s plush beds outfitted in MATOUK linens, feature two electrical outlets and two USB ports each — a thoughtful detail that’s often overlooked in some hotels. Even the numbers on each room have been hand-selected by Arest; crafted in solid brass, they also capture the hotel’s fusion of classic and modern. Bright, elegant marbled bathrooms feature Brizo fixtures with rain shower heads and hand showers, as well as lighted mirrors, bath amenities by New York-based apothecary MALIN + GOETZ and luxurious bathrobes made by Frette.

Main image credit: The Kixby Hotel

In Conversation With: Britain’s design legend Martin Brudnizki

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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In Conversation With: Britain’s design legend Martin Brudnizki

Last year’s crowned Interior Designer of The Year at The Brit List Awards, Martin Brudnizki, invites editor Hamish Kilburn to his Chelsea London studio to explain some of the major milestones in his career as well as how he logistically manages his time in a truly international market…

Design gems are not hard to come by on the British hotel design scene. You have only to open the pages of last year’s edition of The Brit List – and this year’s shortlist for that matter – to find the top 75 influential designers, architects and hoteliers.

However, design legends are less common. It’s not a question of talent or ability, but more a reflection of style, class, personality and being about to really set oneself aside from others in the heavily congested international hotel design market.

There is only – and will only ever be – one Martin Brudnizki, for example. Last year, Hotel Designs’ The Brit List crowned the acclaimed visionary as its Interior Designer of the Year – and for good reason. “Brudnizki is an international leader, standing as an icon as well as inspiration to so many young aspiring designers,” commented last year’s expert judging panel. “His recent work in University Arms Cambridge is a credit to his studio’s ability to give a building a new lease of life in the most sensitive and creative way.”

Image caption/credit: The Library designed by MBDS/University Arms Cambridge

Almost one year later, while the editorial team at Hotel Designs are gearing up for yet another spectacular awards ceremony, I aptly caught up with the Brudnizki in his Chelsea studio in London to find out more about our ‘poster boy’s’ journey to become one of the world’s most celebrated interior designers of the moment.

“I grew up in Stockholm; my mother was a stylist and my father an engineer and I think this blend of approaches to living and design, in particular, rubbed off on me,” Brudnizki explains. “My mother is incredibly stylish and filled our home with beautiful colours, patterns and objet. My father on the other hand, worked in a very precise and thought-through way. Both aspects of their personality has certainly informed the way I work today.”

Brudnizki’s early career in design saw him working at the likes of David Gill Gallery and David Collins Studio before branching off and putting his own practice in 2000, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS) in 2000. “I learned a lot during my time in other places,” he adds, “which has served me well when establishing my own studio.”

“We have a number of up-coming projects that I also hope shape our studio’s story. It’s an exciting time.” – Martin Brudnizki

Since then, MBDS has become one of the leading international design studios, with bases in London and New York and projects including The Beekman, University Arms and Four Seasons Athens. But, like all designers, Brudnizki remembers the milestone moments; the hotels and buildings that captured his and his team’s incredible imagination, usually sheltered in iconic shells. “All the projects we work on are exciting and help shape the future of the studio however, there are a few that really stick out as being pivotal,” the designer explains. “Scott’s in Mayfair presented us with the opportunity to design our first fine dining restaurant, it also cemented our relationship with Caprice Holdings, who have since become important clients of ours. Working with Nick Jones on Soho Beach House Miami was exciting as this saw us introduce the successful Soho House brand to a new region. The Beekman in New York opened in 2016 and helped stamp our mark on New York. It’s located in a beautiful building and we were lucky to garner a lot of attention from it. Finally, Annabel’s in London has proved incredibly popular for us. It’s such an iconic club so we felt very honoured to be asked to redesign its incarnation. We have a number of up-coming projects that I also hope shape our studio’s story. It’s an exciting time.”

Dividing his time between both London and New York has given Brudnizki the unique freedom to position himself in two of the world’s most respected design hubs. “Both cities have very unique identities,” Brudnizki explains. “They are both are melting pots of culture and excitement and whilst very different, they both present wonderful opportunities to mark your mark.”

“Luxury travel to me is being able to combine a sense of curated experience with spontaneity; finding new places but also the having the flexibility to be adventurous and go off piste.” – Martin Brudnizki

From the outside looking in, the luxury market in hotel design may look like a desirable place to start when setting out to build a reputation as being a leading designer, but it also comes with risk to cater to the ever-changing demand of the modern luxury traveller. For Brudniki, the true art of luxury travel is a reflection of his own experience and personality. “Luxury travel to me is being able to combine a sense of curated experience with spontaneity; finding new places but also the having the flexibility to be adventurous and go off piste,” he defines.

Since winning at The Brit List 2018, Brudnizki’s vision on a new hotel brand has come to life in the shape of Mr C Hotels, which opened in Miami earlier this year – and has, as a result, put him in the running for the second consecutive year for this year’s awards. “Mr C is situated in a modern new build in the green surroundings of Coconut Grove,” he explains. “New builds have many benefits, including up-to-date technology and no listed statuses to content with however, new builds often lack the characterful details of older properties. With this in mind, we often have to dig deeper to find a strong narrative to wrap the hotel’s design in. For Mr. C we looked to the landscape of the region and the glamorous boating heritage and incorporated elements of this into our scheme.”

As well as technology, another area that has peaked recently in popularity among developers as well as designers and architects is the value of sustainability and designing consciously. “I think it depends on the project and the client, Brudnizki admits. “We are working with Six Senses on their new hotel and resort in Kitzbuehel Alps and the whole design is focused on sustainability and using organic and local materials. This is to mirror the brand’s values so we’ve had an interesting time researching new materiality and local artisans who can help reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint and up their sustainability accreditation.”

Quick-fire round

Hamish Kilburn: Where is next on your travel bucket list?
Martin Brudnizki: Portugal.

HK: What is the number one item you simply cannot travel without?
MB: A silk eye mask.

HK: What is the last item that will show up on your bank statement?
MB: Probably food from Bayley & Sage.

HK: What is your favourite place to unwind in London?
MB: My home in Parsons Green. As a travel so much, it’s nice to just come home and relax in the peace and quiet.

HK: What trend do you hope will never return?
MB: International Beige.

HK: Where are you travelling to next?
MB: My New York Studio next week.

Before I leave the designer in peace to create with his team the hotel interiors of the future, which include hotels in London, Austria, LA and Cape Town (among others), I am interested to explore, on the surface at least, new materials that have emerged on the designer’s radar. “I am really interested in straw marquetry at the moment; it’s such a beautiful natural fibre that can be used in the most unusual of places, such as walls and furniture,” Brudnizki says.

MBDS itself is incubating a strong network of talented designers that will further position Britain as a globally regarded leading design hotspot. With his name on the door of two dynamic studios – and also in the minds of I would argue all aspiring interior designers – Brudnizki is leading the ever-evolving industry into new territory.

The shortlisted finalists this year’s The Brit List have been invited to The Brit List Awards 2019, which takes on November 21 at Patch East London (Aldgate). To purchase limited tickets, click here. 

Main image credit: Luca Marziale

Downtown Manhattan inspires new guestrooms inside Andaz Wall Street

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Downtown Manhattan inspires new guestrooms inside Andaz Wall Street

Hospitality-focused architecture and interior design firm Stonehill Taylor recently completed the interior design renovation of the Andaz Wall Street’s 253 guest rooms in Manhattan…

Inspired by downtown Manhattan, the new interior design sheltered within Andaz Wall Street is modern, crisp and includes a number of twists. The designers at Stonewall Taylor contemplated what an artist loft and studio might look like for a Wall Street Executive turned artist.

The design team took great care to inject personal touches into the guestroom design, incorporating art pieces, distinct furniture and lighting, and the space’s signature moment: hand-sketched wall coverings and line work that reflects downtown Manhattan’s evocative and rich architectural forms. Sketched in-house, the overall concept adds a personal touch to the design that seems to come almost from the hands of the creatives who live and work in the neighborhood.

Clean and modern guestroom

Image credit: Andaz Wall Street

Starting at 345-square-feet in size, the guestrooms are among the most spacious in New York City. Each room offers modern design, hardwood floors, walk-in rain showers and 12-foot ceilings with oversized windows to let in ample amounts of light. Each room features veined quartz, end-grain bamboo, and grey wood finishes, plus elegant bay window seating for reading and relaxation.

Main image credit: Andaz Wall Street

Rockwell Group to design theatre-themed hotel in Broadway, New York

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Rockwell Group to design theatre-themed hotel in Broadway, New York

Leading design firm Rockwell Group has announced the design of Olio, a hotel opening May 2020 in the heart of Manhattan’s theatre district of Broadway…

US-based design firm Rockwell Group will design the interiors of Olio, New York City’s highly anticipated hotel that is slated to open in May of 2020. Located in the heart of theatre land, the new hotel concept will bring the behind-the-scenes of Broadway into the spotlight.

It will feature curated art from the district’s designers and photographers as well as a theatre-influenced design and a performance space for emerging artists. Co-curated by renowned theatre creatives, the program will contain permanent and temporary exhibits in the hotel’s public spaces that will rotate every six months.

For the inaugural opening exhibition, Rockwell Group has tapped scenic designer Christine Jones, costume designer Ann Roth, and lighting designer Jules Fisher to co-curate the inaugural exhibition. Costume designer William Ivey Long, scenic designer Robin Wagner, and costume designer Paul Tazewell will serve on the second curatorial committee in early 2021. Selected pieces from each exhibit will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting both the Actors Fund and The American Theatre Wing.

Main image credit: Rockwell Group

Checking in to Moxy Chelsea, New York

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Checking in to Moxy Chelsea, New York

Tucked into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan’s historic Flower District, Moxy Chelsea is an urban design jungle. Journalist Hannah Kaplan checks in to check it out… 

There is nothing quite like the pulse of New York – its heart beat can be felt from miles away. The thump of excitement and possibilities draw the worldly and well-travelled from near and far in search of great opportunities and the prospect of their dreams becoming reality.

The steady stream of humanity to Manhattan brings with it an expectation of all things beautiful. Manhattan’s Chelsea is not only the entry point for floral beauty, but is now home to the 35-floor oasis that shelters Moxy Chelsea.

“It’s often true that many of New York’s best kept secrets are hidden in pockets sometimes so small one could easily walk right by.”

Part of the Marriott International group and designed by the studio Rockwell Group – and developed by Lightstone – this chic new spot opened its doors three months ago and dares its guests to aspire to all things beautiful in a refreshingly modern environment.

It’s often true that many of New York’s best kept secrets are hidden in pockets sometimes so small one could easily walk right by. However, this is one you won’t want to miss. Tightly nuzzled between dozens of flower shops, guests and locals alike enter through the Putnam & Putnam flower shop designed by Yabu Pushelberg. This charming first visual functions as a sort of a botanical library and homage to the Putnam & Putnam flower shop.

If the astonishing arrangement of freshly cut flowers first draws you through the front door, it’s the palpable smell of Moxy’s signature scent that keeps one floating through the interior space. The rose-like aroma creates a unique ambiance that wafts through the lobby and second floor, drawing guests upwards and on.

The lobby entrance where guests check in is very simple and inviting. There are two floating front desk pods that suspend from the ceiling – a subtle effect that creates more space, while simultaneously drawing your gaze up to the electronic display on the ceiling. The attempt here is to play with one’s senses, to have guests stop, pause and merge into the building’s sensory pulse. The digital ceiling boards were designed with a young millennial perspective in mind, with written messages like “You should Instagram This” flashing across the screen. You can even hashtag the #MoxyChelsea and have your image pop up in the lobby area.

Simple and clean check in area with the words 'meet' and 'greet' hanging on the walls in neon lights

Image caption/credit: Minimalist lobby area at the hotel | Moxy Hotels/Marriott International/Michael Kleinberg

The architectural design of the building is very much influenced by its surrounding flower district, but equally important are the playful touches of modernism and hints of Italian romance scattered throughout. The theme trickles out as far as the street-styled Italian Feroce Café and the Feroce Restaurant – both are an extension of the hotel and serve as a sort of love letter to Italy – an important tribute from Italian chef Francesco Panella.

This ode to Italy continues as guests migrate from the lobby area up a set of charming concrete stairs to the second-floor lounge. The floor’s dimly lit ambiance is matched by the sparse yet modern décor and creates a space that begs to be explored.

There are small spots for the solo traveler who need a space to work and cozy corners for groups who need a small couch and a table to place cocktails between whispered conversations. On the wall above, guests can gaze up at the incredible 20-foot-high life-like green wall, reinforcing the idea of an urban jungle – bringing the outside in.

Towards the back there are even private spaces available to rent for events, dinners, or just to lounge in. The idea is to bring guests out of their rooms – socialise, eat, have a drink – and to make sure the multitasking lifestyle is a communal and immersive experience for all.

Subdued meeting studios

Image credit: Moxy Hotels/Marriott International/Michael Kleinberg

For the guests who want to continue their socialising, The Fleur Room is the next destination. Located on the 35th floor, the intimate rooftop bar is open to hotel guests and locals alike, but for the latter you’ll need to make sure your name is on the list. The alluring glow of light and color birth a heightened space of intimacy and mystery. The sofa material is embedded with a floral design and the bronzed furniture surfaces are smooth and polished. Sink back into the comfortable couches and let your eyes settle on an incredible view of one of New York’s most recognisable charms – the Empire State building.

Dark-lit, open-planned room with lavish bar

Image caption/credit: The Fleur Room | Moxy Hotels/ Marriott International/Michael Kleinberg

As one drifts through the lush lounge space, a set of elevator doors appears midway through. Each elevator bank was strategically positioned to run through the center of the building, giving all bedrooms access to large windows and a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline.

The guestrooms are approximately 200-square-feet but equipped with floor to ceiling length windows that compensate for a new trend in hotel rooms – small and efficient living spaces. And for what it may lack in size, it makes up for in appearance. The urban sleekness of the room supports the space efficiency of modern travel. Clothes can be placed on the hooks that run alongside the wall, which conveniently are located next to collapsible furniture (e.g. a small table and chair) hung vertically on the wall to use at one’s leisure – a contemporary take on “glamping,” if you will.

Image credit: Moxy Hotels/ Marriott International/Michael Kleinberg

The compact tiled bathrooms offer quirky sets of phrases like “GET WILD,” giving the room a playful feel and reminding visitors that the pulse of New York City awaits them outside. And to remind guests of the ever-present and rejuvenating floral theme, each sink knob resembles a steel garden hose frame.

The bold and modern design of the Moxy has created a space that endeavors to reform the way we perceive the hospitality industry as a whole — in this case, through the small and efficient styled rooms offset by the thematic design that encourages guests to get out of their rooms. It is also the romantic sense of Italian Café life and the simple love of flowers that Putman and Putnam won’t let us forget; The Moxy Chelsea reminds us that beauty and efficiency can co-exist and serve as portal for everything in New York.

Main image credit: Moxy Hotels/Marriott International/Michael Kleinberg

Moxy NYC Chelsea opens an urban design jungle

 800 533 Hamish Kilburn
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Refined yet playful, hand-crafted yet modern, the 349-key Moxy Chelsea reimagines the urban jungle, blending botanically-inspired design with Italian romance…

Rising 35 stories high into the New York City skyline, Moxy NYC Chelsea, the micro-room, macro-amenity hotel, developed by Lightstone and part of Marriott International’s experiential Moxy Hotels brand, has officially opened. Inspired by the surrounding Flower District, the hotel blends a botanically-influenced design with Italian romance and a touch of playful wit – perfectly timed to welcome guests on Valentine’s Day.

Creating an environment that appeals to both today’s modern traveller and locals, Moxy Chelsea was developed with a collection of public spaces designed to meet the community’s dining, drinking, and co-working needs—while providing guests access to New York City at a neighbourhood level. The 349-room hotel marks the second collaboration between Yabu Pushelberg, Rockwell Group, and architects Stonehill Taylor, the designers behind Moxy Times Square and three of the industry’s most admired firms.

The newly-constructed building’s architecture riffs off the neighborhood’s retro-industrial style and feels harmonious with its location, in the heart of the Chelsea Flower Market. The hotel blends into the lush flower shops that surround it, with a soaring three-story glass atrium revealing the vertical gardens within. Guests enter through the overgrown Putnam & Putnam Flower Shop, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, which is envisioned as a “botanical library,” with planter boxes suspended from the 15-foot wall, reachable by a wheeled ladder. The shop is run by husbands Darroch and Michael Putnam, whose couture approach to floral arrangements over the years has made them a staple at celebrity weddings, including the recent nuptials of Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk.

Image credit: Michael Kleinberg/Moxy Chelsea/Marriott International

The guestrooms are drenched in sunlight and feature floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows. For the design, Yabu Pushelberg replicates the clever functionality they created for Moxy Times Square, leavened with wit and humanised with a sense of craft. In all three room types — King, Double/Double and Quad Bunk — the furniture, which includes a writing desk and chair/luggage rack, can be folded up and hung up on Moxy’s signature peg wall when not in use. Other space-saving gambits include under-bed storage and a lava-stone sink and vanity area placed outside the bathroom. Tiles in the shower stalls are printed with cheeky phrases like “SOME REGRETS” and “WILD THING,” while a bulldog-shaped beer bottle opener hangs on the door. Additional bedroom features nod to the Flower District, like reading lamps that resemble garden lanterns and faucets that recall hose reels. Unique to Moxy Chelsea is the over-the-top MONDO Suite, an entertainment suite located on the 32nd floor. With soaring, double-height 18-foot ceilings and a wall of industrial-style windows looking out onto the Empire State Building, the room is equipped for entertaining and socialising. The suite can be combined with one or two adjoining king rooms to create a place to party and sleep.

The lobby atmosphere is enlivened by a design that reflects Moxy’s trademark cheekiness, such as classically sculpted figurines making unexpected poses, like twerking, taking selfies, and wearing sunglasses. A life-size, toga-clad Roman statue rests on a column, one arm extended so it can hold a guest’s phone and pose with them for a selfie. Throughout the lobby, ample seating options invite co-working and socializing, including modular meeting studios that morph seamlessly from daytime workplace to evening social space.

Decadent rooftop bar

Image caption: The Fleur Room – credit: Michael Kleinberg/Moxy Chelsea/Marriott International

TAO Group and Rockwell also collaborated on The Fleur Room, Moxy Chelsea’s rooftop lounge, topping off the hotel on the 35th floor with panoramic 360-degree views of the Manhattan skyline, from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State building. The design features a copper-clad bar, glass chandeliers that resemble giant water droplets, and a massive disco ball salvaged from the notorious 1980s L.A. nightclub Vertigo. The real showstopper: The lounge’s glass walls descend at the touch of a button, transforming the space into an alfresco sky veranda.

“We’ve all read about how the modern traveller wants to satisfy their curiosity with unique experiences and personalised, insider access,” says Mitchell Hochberg, President of Lightstone. “Nobody really expects that at the Moxy price point. With Moxy Times Square, we proved we could flip the script; and with Moxy Chelsea, we’re taking it to the next level: We’ve doubled down on that formula—affordable rates, rooms with character, distinctive public spaces—and made it even more personal, more local, more genuinely New York.”

“With the opening of Moxy Chelsea, the Moxy Hotels brand continues to boldly reinvent the hospitality scene,” says Toni Stoeckl, Global Brand Leader, Moxy Hotels, and Vice President, Distinctive Select Service Brands, Marriott International. “When you walk into a Moxy, you know you’re getting a killer bar experience with fun, playful programming; an in-the-know Crew; stylish and functional bedrooms; and experiential moments you’ll want to share with friends during your trip. Moxy Chelsea offers all of that, with a distinctly bold, New York twist.”

The Moxy brand now has 30-plus experiential hotels open across North America, Europe and Asia. Moxy is expected to open 20-plus more hotels in 2019*, in destinations including Paris, Nashville and Boston.

*subject to change depending on hospitality landscape and market conditions

Main image credit: Michael Kleinberg/Moxy Chelsea/Marriott International

citizenM opens US flagship hotel this week

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citizenM launches US flagship hotel, kicking off an ambitious rollout plan across America…

citizenM – the pioneer of affordable luxury hotels – is doing what they do best once again: launching a new hotel and causing further disruption in the traditional hotel industry. The award-winning brand is returning to New York City to throw open the doors of citizenM New York Bowery, a 300-room sister hotel to the citizenM New York Times Square open since 2014.

citizenM New York Bowery continues to build on the brand’s presence in New York, where it opened citizenM Times Square in 2014. Continuing the company’s ambitious rollout, by 2020, the brand will have around 40 properties either open or in development globally – more than doubling its current portfolio.  In North America alone, citizenM plans to open a dozen hotels, in major cities that include Seattle, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.

“Even the art we use will be drawn from the local art scene, as well as international contributors.”

Since its founding in 2008, citizenM has upended the rules of traditional hospitality by introducing the concept of ‘affordable luxury for the people’. This starts with selecting well-connected locations in the world’s most popular cities, so business and leisure guests spend the shortest possible time commuting. Each property offers a streamlined, luxury experience – including high-tech amenities, friendly and efficient service, luxury guest rooms, and spacious and inviting living areas filled with contemporary art and iconic 21st century furniture by the likes of Verner Panton, Hella Jongerius and Jasper Morrison from Swiss manufacturer Vitra – all at an affordable price.

“The hotel is designed by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete, a long-time partner of citizenM.”

“When we were looking for our next New York location, it became clear very quickly that Bowery is an exceptional destination,” said Rattan Chadha, the founder of citizenM. “We don’t want to be just another building; we want to become part of the neighbourhood’s fabric while showing New York’s visitors a different side of the city. Even the art we use will be drawn from the local art scene, as well as international contributors.”

The new location, which is now taking reservations from 12th September, will be the tallest building in the neighbourhood, standing 246 feet high on the oldest thoroughfare in Manhattan, with an expansive cloudM rooftop bar, outdoor terrace, and spectacular 360-degree views of New York. Occupying the entire 21st floor, cloudM features oak cabinets, Vitra chairs and couches, and chandeliers so large, they’ll catch the eye of pedestrians on the street.

The hotel is designed by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete, a long-time partner of citizenM. Their design for the Bowery is – as usual – unmistakably citizenM, without duplicating anything they’ve done before.

As guests enter the hotel through the plaza, they will meet citizenM’s ambassadors, and get their key in just one minute at the self check-in/check-out kiosk. A striking spiral staircase leads towards the living room on the lower ground floor, featuring double-height ceilings, bookshelves, and a 24/7 canteenM bar at the heart of it. Glass walls stream in plenty of daylight and open to a view of the park outside, mirrored inside with benches and picnic tables for the same fresh relaxed vibe as the public plaza.

citizenM’s philosophy of ‘affordable luxury’ is best experienced in the guestrooms. They are smartly furnished with everything modern travellers need, and nothing they don’t. Everything in the room is the very best: the bed is XL king-size wall-to-wall with a superb mattress and luxury bedding. An HD TV features a library of on-demand movies, plus streaming options via free superfast Wi-Fi. A powerful shower with full-size shower gel and shampoo (as well as giant fluffy towels) will soothe all long and short-haul travellers. The room ambiance is fully controlled by an iPad – the blinds, the TV, even the lights with changeable colours (and settings like ‘romance’ and ‘movie’).

The hotel draws inspiration from the local community for the hotel’s interior, which will be filled with an eclectic mix of contemporary art, photography, and objects by local artists. citizenM has commissioned the New Museum, and its incubator NEW INC, to supply art for the guest rooms. Known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant art scene – anchored by the New Museum and emerging art galleries – the Bowery is an ideal home for the new citizenM hotel.

citizenM Bowery will be the company’s 13th property globally, and its second in the US. In addition to citizenM’s established pipeline in the US’s largest cities, the company is eyeing further afield, and will consider venturing into new markets such as Toronto, Chicago, Austin, Silicon Valley, Denver, etc.

Stunning conservatory public area

First look: Collaboration is king to open Moxy Chelsea

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Leading firms Lightstone, TAO Group, Rockwell Group and Yabu Pushelberg rejoin forces following the successful launch of Moxy Times Square to deliver Moxy Chelsea…

Said to be New York’s new secret garden, the lifestyle hotel Moxy Chelsea will open this Autumn with inspiration from the urban jungle, blending botanically-inspired design with Italian romance. The hotel, developed by Lightstone and part of Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels brand, will rise 37 stories above New York City and features 349 thoughtfully designed guestrooms that are flooded with natural light and are complete with a touch of wit for good measure.

Designed by architects Stonehill Taylor, the building honours the neighbourhood with its industrial façade and soaring, greenhouse-style atrium. TAO Group will debut brand-new dining and drinking concepts in partnership with Francesco and Lorenzo Panella of the legendary Antica Pesa in Rome and Brooklyn, including a ristorante, caffè, pasticceria, as well as a cocktail bar and lounge offering a gourmet take on Italian street food.

“TAO Group is thrilled to once again partner with Lightstone and introduce brand-new dining and entertainment concepts within Moxy Chelsea,” says Noah Tepperberg, Partner of TAO Group. “After the success of Legasea, Egghead and Magic Hour at Moxy Times Square, we are eager to unveil our new venues at Moxy Chelsea and a very unique collaboration with Italian culinary stars Francesco and Lorenzo Panella.”

Moxy Chelsea marks the second collaboration by Yabu Pushelberg and Rockwell Group, the team behind Moxy Times Square. As guests enter through the fragrant, overgrown flower shop, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, they will be welcomed by four butcher blocks suspended dramatically from the 12-foot ceiling, acting as check-in kiosks, replacing a traditional reception desk. Other characteristically playful entryway design features include a digital word-play LED art installation on the ceiling, flashing phrases like “Good Morning, Stranger” and “You Love Me, You Love Me More” as well as a sculptural wood-cast concrete staircase leading from the check-in area to the lobby lounge.

The ground floor café, ristorante and second-floor lobby, designed by Rockwell Group, unfold as a collection of dining and lounging spaces that transform seamlessly from work to play throughout the day. Tucked into the bustle of Manhattan’s historic Flower District, guests encounter a botanically inspired design and crafted romance seen through a thoroughly modern lens. Spanning the front façade, the glass-enclosed conservatory will envelop guests in sunlight and lush vegetation, with a three-story-high living wall and greenhouse-style windows. Beyond the two meeting studios and co-working lounge will be an outdoor garden terrace with vintage Italian flair complete with a Neapolitan-style pizza oven and made-for-Moxy bocce drinking game.

King guestroom with soft furnishings and quirky lighting

The playful guestrooms, developed by Yabu Pushelberg, are filled with whimsical details, while reflecting a careful consideration of space and functionality. Ten-foot ceilings and full height, wall-to wall windows, drench the rooms with sunlight. A restrained, muted colour palette conveys a feeling of openness—warm, wood-like floors, army-green mosaic tile, striped drapes, and wax-dipped canvas headboards convey notions of hand-wrought craft, honest materials, and nostalgic wit. Each cosy, exceptionally efficient bedroom will include custom-designed, multipurpose, foldaway furniture, which hangs on an open pegboard wall. Bathrooms will feature walk-in rain showers with cheeky phrases printed on its tiles like “Some Regrets” and “Wild Thing.” Room types will include king rooms, double/doubles and quad bunk rooms as well as a hospitality suite with two adjoining king rooms, aptly named the MONDO Suite.

Mondo Suite

Topping off the hotel, on the 35th floor, is a glass-enclosed rooftop lounge designed by Rockwell Group with spectacular, expansive views that stretch from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building. At the touch of a button, a retractable window wall will transform the lounge into an alfresco sky veranda.

Moxy offers a new way of traveling which is smaller in concentration, yet not a reduction in experience. The brand caters to today’s free-spirited traveller who is looking for a hotel with friendly service and premium comforts in an environment that allows them to connect with relevant and authentic local experiences. Moxy’s creative brand identity aims to engage business and leisure travellers with a warm, thoughtful and playful guest experience.

“Moxy colours outside the lines when it comes to the traditional hospitality experience, and working hand-in-hand with Lightstone, we are set to disrupt the New York hotel scene once again with the opening of Moxy Chelsea,” said Vicki Poulos, Senior Global Brand Director, Moxy Hotels. “The combination of best-in-class in design, culture and food & beverage, as well as a killer price point, will no doubt deliver the fun and playful hotel experience guests have come to expect from Moxy Hotels, while reflecting the unique spirit of Manhattan’s Flower District.”

“Moxy Chelsea brings a fresh vibrancy to the historic Flower District, where culture and commerce converge. It’s set to become a destination where visitors and locals can connect in a natural and inclusive way,” says Mitchell Hochberg, President of Lightstone. “Like Moxy Times Square, Moxy Chelsea offers guests affordability, without any sacrifice to style or comfort.”

Lightstone, the hotel’s developer, debuted the Moxy brand in New York with the opening of Moxy Times Square in September 2017 and will be developing four other Moxy properties planned for New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, each with its own unique local spin. “In New York City, people have so many hotel options,” says Hochberg. “You need to give them something more. They’re looking for experiences, but at a reasonable price, and Moxy Chelsea will provide both—a great value and a canvas for exciting, serendipitous moments.”

Moxy Chelsea is located at 105 W 28th Street (at 6th Avenue) and will open this autumn.

 

Embassy Suites by Hilton New York celebrates grand opening

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Buccini/Pollin Group (BPG), Hidrock Properties and Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of the new 310-room Embassy Suites by Hilton New York in Midtown Manhattan.

BPGS Construction oversaw the entitlement and construction of the project, while PM Hotel Group performed technical services during programming, design and construction and manages the hotel.

Campion Platt Interiors was selected to design the hotel’s public areas, while HVS Design was responsible for the guest suite and corridor designs, and PPA provided the architectural plans.

“BPG believes that if we hired a typical commercial hotel designer, we would get a typical commercial hotel design,” said Dave Pollin, co-founder of BPG.

“Many travellers today can’t tell the difference between a hotel located in Cleveland or one in Canberra due to ‘generic hotel aesthetic blur’. We hired Campion Platt to set the tone and lead the design team due to his New York experience and sensibilities; they were apparent at our very first meeting. Campion grasps the city at its DNA level, including a deep historical understanding of the Garment District.”

Based at the crossroads of New York City, the 39-storey building boasts a glass façade and is a quick walk to Times Square, the Empire State Building and 5th Avenue.

Plus, each of the hotel’s studio suites feature Wi-Fi, two 42-inch HDTVs, a spacious work area, mini fridge, microwave and a coffeemaker.

SkyLawn, the hotel’s outdoor venue can host events for up to 300 people, while the Heist Bar & Lounge celebrates the greatest jewel heists in history through inventive cocktails while paying homage to New York’s famed Diamond District.

New York Edition

Project Spotlight: New York Edition by Rockwell Group

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The New York Edition Hotel is a unique luxury hotel designed by Rockwell Group that invites guests to make themselves at home in Manhattan.

Ian Schrager is the owner of the Hotel group and has already presented some of the most welcoming and stylish hotel spaces. For this hotel project, the New York Edition, he looked to hospitality top interior design firm Rockwell Group to create dramatic yet minimal interiors.

The New York Edition Hotel is a unique luxury hotel designed by Rockwell Group that invites guests to make themselves at home in ManhattanThe hotel is located in the 1909 Gothic-style building, also known as the Clock Tower. The architects, Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, modeled it after the Campanile in Venice, Italy. Its 41 storeys look out over leafy Madison Square Park.“space doesn’t feel unapproachably minimal,” says Rockwell Group founder David Rockwell. “And it doesn’t feel kinetic. It feels inviting.”

While respecting and restoring much of the tower’s original character and details, Rockwell Group worked with Schrager’s design team to bring sophisticated and modern design, clean-lined luxury to the lobby, guest rooms, and restaurant.

From the contemporary lobby to the chic guest rooms, Rockwell with Schrager’s help was able to reimagine what a hotel could be. “A goal and a mantra were to create an environment that is both timeless and timely,” says Rockwell.

“The stairs are my favourite. Ascending or descending into a room is very emotional,” he added.

Project Spotlight: New York Edition by Rockwell Group

Contemporary artwork, dramatic lighting, and lush velvet seating invite vibrant conversations and leisurely meals. “The furnishings are distinctly residential, very clean lines. We played up the contrast that exists between the inside and outside of the building.”

Guest rooms have a tone-on-tone palette with dark wood accents, such as walnut headboard evoke the contemporary New York Style.

Original article here

www.editionhotels.com/new-york

ALHI adds new hotels in New York, Texas and Utah

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Associated Luxury Hotels International has expanded its worldwide portfolio and US options with the recent addition of five new member hotels.

This includes: New York City’s renowned InterContinental New York Barclay; the picturesque The Woodlands Resort, situated just 30 minutes from downtown Houston, Texas; the AAA Four-Diamond, all-suite Hotel Contessa in downtown San Antonio, Texas; the Forbes Five-Star Stein Eriksen Lodge in breathtaking Park City, Utah; and the 140-room The Chateaux Deer Valley, also in Park City, Utah, within steps of the world-renowned Deer Valley Resort.

Already one of New York City’s most celebrated hotels, the InterContinental New York Barclay (main image) completed a dramatic $180 million, 20-month renovation and restoration in 2016. Opened in 1926 as part of the Grand Central Terminal expansion, the elegant hotel is ideally located in Midtown Manhattan on East 48th Street. Among its many honours was being named “North America’s Leading Business Hotel in 2017” by the World Travel Awards. The hotel features 702 redesigned guest rooms and suites; 20,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes two large ballrooms and five additional breakout rooms; a 24-hour fitness centre; a 24-hour business centre; and the sophisticated Barclay restaurant.

Conveniently located a short drive from downtown Houston, The Woodlands Resort is situated within the natural forest of The Woodlands 28,000-acre master-planned community. In addition to its soothing and beautiful forest setting, the resort also offers 402 newly renovated guest rooms and suites,60,000 square feet of indoor meeting space (which includes a 13,430-square-foot ballroom) and 12,500 square feet of outdoor meeting space. The resort also features two on-site championship golf courses, a world-class tennis centre, a five-pool waterpark complete with a lazy river, a spa, a fitness facility.

ALHI adds new hotels in New York, Texas and UtahThe all-suite Hotel Contessa features an ideal location in downtown San Antonio, directly on the world-famous River Walk on the banks of the San Antonio River. Offering 265 spacious suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, the AAA Four-Diamond hotel features 11 conference rooms with a total of10,000 square feet of event space, plus three scenic terraces. Groups also have access to an additional 20,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space at the adjacent Briscoe Museum.

ALHI adds new hotels in New York, Texas and UtahSurrounded by stunning views of Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, Stein Eriksen Lodge is an authentic European lodge that was awarded “World’s Best Ski Hotel” by the World Ski Awards, and is Utah’s only Forbes Five-Star Hotel & Spa. Nestled mid-mountain, the chic all-season lodge is known for its first-class accommodations and facilities, world-renowned skiing and winter sports, array of outdoor recreation options and impeccable service. Featuring 180 European-inspired guest rooms and suites, the hotel also offers over 24,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting and event space (which includes a 6,036-square-foot ballroom and a recently renovated 4,050-square-foot ballroom), Utah’s only Five-Star spa, ski-in/ski-out access, dining at the Forbes Four-Star Glitretind Restaurant, and a 10,000-bottle Wine Cellar.

ALHI adds new hotels in New York, Texas and UtahAlso located mid-mountain in the majestic alpine setting of Park City, Utah, the Forbes Four-Star The Chateaux Deer Valley is just steps from Deer Valley Resort. Offering 140 guest rooms and suites that feature contemporary mountain décor, the hotel was designed with productive mountain inspiration in mind. Property highlights include 34,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, which includes a 6,600-square-foot ballroom (the largest in Park City), and a 12,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard with views.

ALHI adds new hotels in New York, Texas and Utahwww.alhi.com

New York Hilton Midtown, the 1,907-room iconic landmark hotel and member of Park Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious portfolio, has announced the completion of three suites

New York Hilton Midtown completes new Suites

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New York Hilton Midtown, the 1,907-room iconic landmark hotel and member of Park Hotels & Resorts’ prestigious portfolio, has announced the completion of three types of premium suites overlooking Central Park.

Further elevating the level of hospitality on the 40th and 41st floors of the popular Midtown destination, the five high-end suites feature the finest products, interior design and architecture in the hotel’s history.

New York City-based architecture and interior design firm Stonehill Taylor designed the suites and drew inspiration from nearby landmarks such as the Prometheus sculpture by Paul Manship at Rockefeller Center and the Seagram Building by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Each room features a custom curated art collection by consulting company Museum Edition, as well as custom made carpets, furniture, framing, lighting and more. With private vestibules, foyers and kitchens connected to corridors for staff to seamlessly come and go, each suite was designed to entertain. The connected adjacent rooms allow for a greater number of guests to share accommodations.

Presidential Suite
As the largest of the collection, the 3,700-square-foot Presidential Suite is the size of approximately ten guest rooms and intended to accommodate large parties. Designed to look like a home, the open layout is complimented by a neutral palette, modern furniture and luxe fabrics. The sophisticated aesthetic is seen throughout the suite, consisting of a gallery and foyer, living and lounge area, media room, game room with a custom made billiard table, dining room, bar and kitchen area, master bedroom and bath clad in travertine stone. The media room stands as a true home theater, encompassed by Art Deco-inspired folding walls for maximum flexibility.

Corner Suite
The Corner Suite, of which there are three iterations varying between 1,820 square feet and 2,180 square feet, is a romantic space that nods to Martha Graham’s fluid movements. This suite exudes elegance with elevated finishes paired with warm woods. Large groups of furniture create a relaxed, residential feel and elevate entertainment opportunities. The six-bay suite includes a foyer, living room, dining room, bar and master bedroom with a master bath including a black claw-foot tub, Carrara marble walls and porcelain tiles.

Linear Suite
The Linear Suite, at 1,600 square feet, is an edgy, tech-forward space inspired by the Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art. Geometric art is coupled with theatrical furniture in the living area. The eight-bay suite consists of a foyer, living room, media room, dining and bar, and master bedroom with master bath featuring hexagon porcelain tiles.

Pod Brooklyn opened its doors in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, introducing the next generation of properties

Concept POD Hotel opens property in Brooklyn

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Pod Brooklyn opened its doors in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, introducing the next generation of properties from BD Hotels in partnership with CB Developers.

Following the models in Manhattan and Washington DC (Pod 51, Pod 39 & Pod DC), Pod Brooklyn carries on with the micro-hotel concept, which utilises modular guestrooms built entirely in Poland and shipped to New York City.

POD BrooklynThe 249 modular rooms, each about 100 square feet, and include queen and bunk bed configurations with features like built-in storage and high-tech amenities, which allow guests to stream their own media content from iPhones or other devices.

Guestrooms include oversized windows looking onto green gardens and public spaces, creating a social campus feel, but also include blackout and noise-blocking shades for when travelers wish to unplug.

The property stands on the corner of Metropolitan and Driggs Avenue.

thepodhotel.com

Cachet Hospitality Group opens New York flagship hotel

Cachet Hospitality Group opens New York flagship hotel

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Cachet Hospitality Group, the Asia-Pacific based hotel management company has opened its inaugural US hotel, Cachet Boutique NYC, in Midtown Manhattan.

The Cachet brand combines its design-centric aesthetic and East meets West hospitality, and infuses it with New York City flair to bring a unique food and entertainment experience to Manhattan. Cachet Boutique NYC will feature 105 rooms and villas, a Playboy Club NYC and two restaurants, EDEN and the Bellbrook.

Developed in partnership with Merchants Hospitality Group and designed by Cachet’s Bangkok-based design team led by Domenic Sicoli and Pauline Choo, in collaboration with NYC’s fashion designer Jay Godfrey, the property features robust programming that sets it apart from the crowded New York hotel offerings.

Cachet Boutique NYC2

Cachet Boutique NYC Courtyard (PRNewsfoto/Cachet Boutique NYC)

Cachet Boutique NYC has three discreet outdoor gardens, providing a unique urban oasis for guests to flow from the intimacy of their rooms to a spacious communal area.

The New York property follows the Cachet Hospitality Group’s opening of several hotels in Asia and Mexico. “Our global portfolio continues to expand with additional openings in North America and Asia planned throughout 2018,” Robert Roche, chairman of Cachet Hospitality Group, said in a statement. “We are excited about our entry into the US market with our newest property in New York City.”

www.cachetboutiquenyc.com

Moxy debuts at Times Square

Moxy debuts at Times Square at former Mills Hotel

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The Moxy Times Square, the 15th property in the brand’s portfolio, has celebrated its grand opening in the former Mills Hotel in Manhattan.

Originally constructed in 1907, the hotel from Lightstone was transformed by a team of collaborators: locally-based architectural firm Stonehill & Taylor; design firms Yabu Pushelberg and Rockwell Group; and TAO Group, the creator and operator of the property’s F&B outlets.

Along with the the 612 cozy guestrooms, Yabu Pushelberg designed the entrance lobby as well as the second floor lobby and public spaces.

The Moxy Times Square, the 15th property in the brand's portfolio, has celebrated its grand opening in the former Mills Hotel in Manhattan.The latter serves as the social hub of the hotel with a central, copper-wrapped bar and a triple-height atrium skylight; a lounge complete with a DJ booth and wired seating; three multifunctional studios just beyond copper-framed glass doors; and grab-and-go space the Pickup. Ranging from 150 to 350 square feet, the rooms feature brand signatures such as an honest material palette and basic, exposed construction techniques.

Flexibility and functionality also characterise the guestrooms, which include foldaway furniture hung on open pegboard closets, large walk-in rain showers, and wood-frame beds with built-in storage.

'The Tillary' - Downtown Brooklyn

Introducing ‘The Tillary’ – Downtown Brooklyn

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Formerly ‘The Dazzler Brooklyn’, the re-branded The Tillary offers a new take of its former self, focusing on offering its guests an experiential stay that focuses on appeasing the five senses, from its plush textures and textiles to signature scents and partnerships with local purveyors and tastemakers to deliver a truly authentic Brooklyn experience.

Located minutes away from the Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO and Barclays Center, The Tillary’s 174 guest rooms and suites in addition to its well-appointed public areas were designed by Brooklyn-based Cl-oth Interiors who fused mid-century modern and art-deco cues with a modern and industrial aesthetic by incorporating elements such as end-grain wood tile flooring and polished concrete with jewel-toned plush furniture and gilded geometric motifs.

'The Tillary' - Downtown BrooklynThe Tillary’s rooms and suites are aptly outfitted in Frette linens and sun-drenched windows with iconic Brooklyn views. The bathrooms are adorned in white marble and feature C.O. Bigelow bath amenities. Guests are offered the option to order from the hotel’s “Delivered Dining” concept in which selections are delivered in eco-friendly “to-go” containers directly to their room.

'The Tillary' - Downtown Brooklyn
Public spaces include their locally-beloved whiskey bar and deck – Distillary – which boasts a 3,000-square-feet of outdoor event space and a menu of locally distilled spirits and brews. The “T” room offers an elevated café menu including “viennoiserie” favorites by beloved Brooklyn bakery, Bien Cuit, as well as salads and wraps. A 137-seat restaurant on the ground floor level is slated to debut in late 2017.

Additionally, the hotel includes an expansive 3,200-square-foot event space with pre-function for special events and business functions with full AV capabilities. A 24-hour fitness center is also available for guests.

MADE HOTEL OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY’S NOMAD NEIGHBOURHOOD

MADE Hotel opens in NYC’s NoMad neighbourhood

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MADE Hotel comes to life as the inaugural hotel project from developer, Sam Gelin. Spread across 18 storeys with 108 guest rooms at the intersection of 29th and Broadway in the NoMad neighborhood, MADE takes a reinvented approach towards guest experience.

Joining Gelin is Head Chef and longtime friend, Greg Proechel, who will be overseeing all food offerings at MADE. Formerly of Le Turtle in New York City, Proechel has cultivated a respected following. Major Food Group vet Charles Seich will join him as Food & Beverage Partner, while husband-wife team Jeremy Oertel and Natasha David, formerly at Death + Company, Maison Premiere, and Dram, will run the bar program.


Treating experience as the new luxury, MADE’s thoughtful approach is seen in the rich, yet conscious, materials used throughout the hotel’s crafted environment. The food and beverage offerings and striking public and private areas include: communal coffee shop, Paper; Proechel and Seich’s restaurant, Ferris; a lobby level bar; and Good Behavior, the hotel’s stunning rooftop space with panoramic views of New York City.

MADE HOTEL OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY’S NOMAD NEIGHBOURHOOD
Open to the public and guests alike, Paper is a neighborhood coffee shop whose mission is to curate the highest quality coffee, tea and baked good offerings for visitors to enjoy as part of their daily routine. Dusk brings a subtly energetic and social vibe, with cappuccinos disappearing in favor of craft cocktails and selected wines.

Good Behavior, the hotel’s rooftop bar and lounge is located on the 18th floor with unobstructed views of the Empire State Building. The space has a secluded, greenhouse feel while the menu is focused on Tiki-inspired drinks, unique craft beers, and large format cocktail service, with space for both indoor and outdoor entertaining and featuring live music and DJ’s.

MADE HOTEL OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY’S NOMAD NEIGHBOURHOOD
Ferris will serve a menu of New American, seasonal and vegetable focused dishes in an environment built around community, curiosity, and fun. The restaurant is located on the subterranean level of the hotel and features a courtyard. Proechel and Seich’s team is committed to providing guests with quality food and beverage offerings with a high level of service without any pretense.

MADE HOTEL OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY’S NOMAD NEIGHBOURHOOD
Studio MAI have developed an urban international design aesthetic imbued with elements of iconic global simplicity – a guest room design that is humble, elegant and playfully personalizes each room to the guest’s style and mood. Exposed custom raw-bronze shelving and rich handwoven fabrics create a backdrop for a multi directional day bed platform. Precisely manufactured details like a polished stainless-steel mirror contrast with a primitive, hand-carved bench resulting in a well-thought-through layout like no other. Brooklyn based artist, Bill Rebholz, created a vibrant and bold graphic stairwell mural, playfully welcoming guests from the lobby down to Ferris.

With an emotionally intelligent approach to service and a focus within the ethos of community, MADE is a seductive retreat where social and structural barriers have been removed to make room for authentic, inspiring interactions whilst blending exceptional service with a bold design.

www.madehotels.com

Project Spotlight: nAscent artwork on display at Hotel 50 Bowery

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Artwork by nAscent Art New York helped new Chinatown hotel, Hotel 50 Bowery, show off its roots at its June opening.

nAscent curated public area artwork for the hotel reflecting the Chinatown neighborhood and deeply rooted Asian culture. nAscent Art included artwork by Nick Golebiewski, Jonathan Clark, and Beijing-based street artist, Dake Wong, whose artwork added a fresh twist on traditional Chinese culture.

50 Bowery Corridor
“We’re thrilled to see the fruition of our work with Hotel 50 Bowery, adding to Chinatown’s rich history in lower Manhattan,” said James Wallace, CEO of nAscent Art.

“We chose artwork complementing the hotel’s bold design by Wimberly Interiors, while also paying homage to the heritage of the developers and of the area,” says Jen Wallace, co-founder and director of art at nAscent Art. “In addition to the artwork we installed on the walls, we really enjoyed working with Joie De Vivre Hotels, who had one of the artists ‘hijack’ the hotel’s social media accounts and give guests an insider’s look at the artist in action. Innovative and exciting.”

50 Bowery diptych
The 229-room boutique hotel was developed by Chu Enterprises and is owned by two families with deep roots in the Asian community—the Harilela family in Hong Kong and the Chu family in New York.

For its New York City debut, Joie De Vivre Hotels collaborated with Alex Chu Enterprises, LLC to bring Hotel 50 Bowery—the tallest building the historic heart of Lower Manhattan has seen since the Confucius Plaza completed in 1975—to rise.

Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza announced

Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza announced

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Hilton has announced that ONE UN New York will join the Hilton network as Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza on August 30 as Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ seventh local property.

The landmark hotel, situated alongside the United Nations headquarters, has long welcomed both leisure and business travellers, and the world’s most esteemed leaders, diplomats and heads of state.

The iconic property is now poised to deliver Hilton’s flagship hospitality to visitors from across the globe.

It has completed a $68 million phased renovation since 2012, which preserved the distinctive architecture and layout of the original Kevin Roche-designed building, while upgrading the hotel’s 439 guest rooms and suites, meetings and event spaces, public areas and restaurant.

Airbnb

Opinion: NYC’s mistake in attacking Airbnb

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According to reports in the United States, New York’s hotel industry is about to start playing dirty – very dirty – in their battle against the highly successful lodging company Airbnb.

In an advertisement scheduled to run starting on Monday (7th August), funded by the Hotel Association of New York City and a hotel workers union, concerns are raised over links between ‘security’ and the wildly popular home-sharing site. There’s even a reference to the Manchester bombing perpetrator Salman Abedi, and his use of a short-term rental apartment – even though it had not been booked through Airbnb.

Scaremongering text and images are used, including the phrase ‘Are you at risk?’, and lists a phone number to register complaints against the company with a message to ‘stand up for NY’s safety and security.’

Speaking to the New York Daily News, Airbnb spokesman Peter Schottenfels called the ad “an outrageous scare tactic by big hotels who themselves have a long history of lodging people who engage in acts of terror.” He then cited 9/11 and the 2015 Paris attacks, both carried out by attackers who stayed in hotels.

“The fact is Airbnb had nothing to do with the tragic events in Manchester and we are one of the only hospitality companies that runs background checks on all US residents, both hosts and guests,” Schottenfels adds.

Shots fired.

So why are hotels becoming increasingly paranoiac of Airbnb? It’s no secret that the rate of leisure travellers using private accommodation was up a third last year from 2011 and that Airbnb is encroaching on hotels’ bread-and-butter market of business travellers with each passing year.

But these sort of low-blow, questionable advertising campaigns are not the answer for hotel groups. They need to take the game to Airbnb – an ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ sort of mentality. Whilst Marriott has had a grip on the shared, long-stay market for a while, more and more groups are breaking into this sector and will need to continue growing this portfolio in a bid to compete.

Moreover, the success of Airbnb has come in part through its readiness to engage and instant connection with the so-called ‘millennial’ market. Less uniformity in design, an emphasis on communal spaces, reflection of the locale, embracing ever-changing technology – all of these things inherent in the Airbnb ethos, hotels are now having to play catch-up and are getting better at doing so, albeit slowly. Now that social media is here to stay, it’s one of the most powerful tools at hoteliers’ disposal but it must be about ‘positive engagement’ with consumers – something this advertising campaign will certainly not engender.

Furthermore, the rates of Airbnb has made the hotel industry take an inward look at itself about how it has priced a considerable number of people away from its products, which is why we are seeing a host of ‘budget’ or ‘economy’ brands popping up within hotel groups’ offering. If you don’t want people to use Airbnb, you have to offer a similarly-priced alternative that ticks all the boxes in terms of the things mentioned above.

The steps the hotel industry has taken in the last decade since the dawn of Airbnb has been fascinating to witness and many of the innovations, perhaps spurred on by the demands of consumers loyal to the home-sharing concept, probably have Airbnb to thank for introducing them. This is a much better approach for the industry to take. Smear campaigns based in half-truths and playing on fears is not the right approach and makes the industry look desperate. Airbnb and its ilk are here to stay, the hotel industry needs to learn to live with and compete to win the hearts and minds of the next generation of traveller.

AKA

Landmarked hotel AKA Times Square reveals penthouse collection

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AKA, the leading hospitality brand that celebrities choose for their extended stays, with properties throughout the United States and London, has created an exclusive Penthouse Collection at its landmarked AKA Times Square, redesigning 12 penthouse suites to cater to today’s travelers who desire unique and elevated accommodations.

“Penthouse living is no longer about aspirational luxury,” said Larry Korman, president of AKA. “It’s about having the authentic experience of being at home in a cool space that is representative of its location.”

Designer Nicholas Cardone drew inspiration for the collection from the landmarked building’s rich 1900 history and its meticulous restoration by award-winning historic preservationist and architect, Stephan Potts of Stanev Potts Architects. The penthouses pay homage to the building’s historic charm, while delivering modern elegance and a sense of sophistication. Original, turn-of-the-century architectural details in the form of exposed, cast-iron structural elements along the walls and ceilings, unusually shaped windows and unique layouts provide a textured and layered en-suite glimpse into history of the city, while delivering a one-of-a-kind experience.

AKA“The pursuit of innovative design is integral to the travel experience,” continued Korman.

Known as the building’s crown jewel, the two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom duplex Penthouse Residence has wide-plank oak floors throughout the grand foyer, dining room and kitchen. An elegant 1900s bay window fills the living room with space and light, while exotic woods, buttery leather and finely lacquered pieces bring an urbane sophistication to each room. The interior, iron staircase leads to historic, original and uniquely sized windows that bring the story of the colorful past into the guest experience.


Nearly the size of a standard New York City hotel room, the master bathroom provides a 200-square-foot, ultimate, spa-like experience, featuring a sculptural, modern freestanding bathtub, oversized dual rain head shower behind a free-floating glass wall and double basin vanity. The bedrooms feature king-sized beds, Sferra Italian linens, bespoke window treatments and original photography.

Penthouse Residence guests enjoy the added treat of having an ultra-convenient entranceway to the penthouse-level a.lounge, located on the same floor, that was created by renowned international designer and architect Piero Lissoni and his U.S. design firm, BY Lissoni. a.lounge, available only to guests of AKA Times Square, has lustrous Venetian plaster walls and rich interiors that adorn an intimate bar and ample lounge areas. There is also a world-class Technogym fitness center. A floating steel-and-glass staircase ascends to a.13, a floor-to-ceiling windowed retreat that opens up to a 1,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with sweeping views of Manhattan.

Recognized around the world for visionary design and innovative offerings, AKA currently operates 12 properties throughout some of the most well-traveled to cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and London. The brand continues to set new standards in luxury travel accommodations, elevating its offerings to meet the needs of today’s affluent business traveller.

www.stayaka.com

Cachet Boutique NYC2

Cachet to debut flagship boutique hotel in NYC

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Cachet Hospitality Group will open its inaugural US hotel, Cachet Boutique NYC, in Midtown Manhattan in September 2017.

The Cachet brand combines its design-centric aesthetic and East-meets-West hospitality, and infuses it with New York City flair to bring a unique food and entertainment experience to Manhattan. Cachet Boutique NYC will feature 105 rooms and villas, a Playboy Club NYC and two restaurants, EDEN and the Bellbrook.

Developed in partnership with Merchants Hospitality Group and designed by Cachet’s Bangkok-based design team led by Domenic Sicoli and Pauline Choo, in collaboration with NYC’s fashion designer Jay Godfrey, the property will feature robust programming that sets it apart from the crowded New York hotel offerings.

Cachet Boutique NYC has three discreet outdoor gardens, providing a unique urban oasis for guests to flow from the intimacy of their rooms to a spacious communal area. From

At Cachet Boutique NYC, unexpected cultural and artistic collaborations will reinforce the sleek, contemporary ambiance. Longtime fashion-world darling Jay Kos will curate a dynamic retail experience to complement the hotel’s high-end design and décor. In addition, the comprehensive hotel arts program will play a central role in highlighting the brands design-centric aesthetic, showcasing the best emerging modern artists from Asia and the US.

cachetboutiquenyc.com

Life Hotel

Life Hotel now open inside old LIFE magazine building

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The doors are officially open at the first-ever Life Hotel in Manhattan’s burgeoning NoMad neighbourhood.

Located at 19 West 31st Street (between Broadway and Fifth Avenue) in the original building that once housed LIFE magazine, the hotel echoes the original dual-use of this iconic property where celebrated writers and artists like Norman Rockwell, Charles Gibson, and John Ames Mitchell worked, resided, and played. By offering a smartly priced and wholly service-centric experience, Life Hotel is introducing a new category of hotel for today’s traveler, blurring the lines between work and play.

Behind the project are two powerhouses and longtime friends: real estate developer David Mitchell (SoHo Beach House, Las Vegas City Hall, The Whitman New York) and hospitality veteran Stephen Hanson, who founded and oversaw BR Guest Hospitality (Dos Caminos, Blue Water Grill, James Hotel, Postcard Inn) for over 25 years.

“The journey we’ve taken from first stepping foot into this building to opening day has been one of passion and discovery; it has been an archeological dig from day one,” says Mitchell. “There is so much history behind these walls that we were keen to keep in tact while creating a hotel that goes far beyond the typical.”

Hanson adds: “The Life brand is all about four-star service at a smart and accessible price. You’ll feel that personal touch and value from the moment you walk into the lobby – the buzz and excitement of people working from our communal tables, enjoying a cocktail at the bar or a bite in the restaurant will be enough to convince you that you’re not in an average hotel. And just wait until you experience a night in one of our guest rooms.”

Commissioned by Carrère and Hastings (New York Public Library) in 1895, the building has been transformed by designer and BR Guest alumna Tara Oxley, who peeled away the layers of 122 years of mixed use to reveal architectural details in everything from wood moldings to original marble flooring.

Inspired by the infrastructure and craftsmanship, Oxley created a warm, inviting environment that complements the original architecture juxtaposing traditional and contemporary design. The rooms themselves, of which there are 98, feature high ceilings, wood floors with exposed concrete, airy white walls and original molding. Mitchell and Hanson are avid art collectors and they have tapped a number of young NYC artists to create nearly 200 pieces of original art for the guest rooms and will feature Australian fine art photographer Steven Laxton throughout the corridors of the hotel. These works will be part of a larger initiative to offer a curated artistic experience that is constantly being reimagined to reflect new and upcoming talent.

Life HotelLife Hotel features a lobby bar and lounge outfitted with a variety of comfortable seating for approximately 40 people, encouraging guests and locals alike to work, chat and imbibe at their leisure. The 18-seat stone bar will initially be open for hotel guests only serving wine, beer and light bites in the afternoons and evenings and acting as the continental breakfast nook for guests in the morning. Soon after launch, the lobby bar will be open to the public (with a full bar), and Hanson will open Life Restaurant on the ground floor with NYC chef and BR Guest alumnus Chef Michael Vignola (previously of Strip House, Aquavit, and The Modern) at the helm. Additionally, a forthcoming basement bar will highlight the space’s rich history as it is rumored to have once been used as a speakeasy by LIFE staffers during prohibition.

www.lifehotel.com

Presidential Suite Bedroom

ONE UN New York completes $70 million refurbishment

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Millennium Hotels and Resorts has announced the completion of a $70 million (£58 million) renovation to its North American flagship hotel, ONE UN New York, an iconic hotel situated at the heart of the International United Nations Headquarter enclave.

In keeping with the distinctive architecture and design of the original Kevin Roche-designed building, the multi-million-dollar renovation has been thoughtfully carried out, bringing back to life the original elegance and stature of the hotel that has welcomed world leaders, diplomats and heads of state since its opening in 1976. The renovation encompassed all 439 guestrooms and suites, meetings and event spaces, public areas and the Ambassador Grill Restaurant and Bar.

Throughout the project, Millennium Hotels and Resorts collaborated with architect and interior design consultants, Didier Gomez Interiors and DYAMI Architecture PC in order to realise the vision of the hotel. The transformation has resulted in significant front-of-house improvements along with upgraded facilities and equipment, enhancing the overall guest experience.

One UN redesign
The spacious interiors of the redesigned guest rooms and suites at ONE UN New York are characterised by warm bronze and taupe hues, creating a stylish sanctuary where guests can relax away from the buzz of the city below. Ranging from 240 square-feet to a generous 510 square-feet (22 square-metres to 47 square-metres), each of the rooms and suites combine understated luxury with modern amenities.

One UN New York redesign

Paul Rene Lee, General Manager of ONE UN New York, commented: “We are delighted with the outcome of the recent renovation to ONE UN New York. The complete transformation is a testament to our concerted effort to ensure that our guest experience remains unparalleled, without having compromised the rich history and heritage of the hotel.”

One UN New York redesign

Colin Wang, Vice President of Operations, North America continued: “The renovation of ONE UN New York demonstrates our commitment to continued investment in our portfolio of hotels in North America. The renovations completed to date support our goal to maintain our high reputation among discerning travellers, and to become the hotel of choice in the markets we have a presence in.”

Complementing the new guest experience, all 281 associates at ONE UN New York underwent an extensive training programme throughout the renovation, focused on maintaining and exceeding the high standard of service that goes hand in hand with outstanding hospitality. Newly-designed staff uniforms together with new guest room linens and amenities complete the experience.

Situated opposite one of the world’s greatest landmarks, the International United Nations Headquarter, ONE UN New York boasts panoramic views across the Manhattan skyline to one side, with sweeping views of the East River to the other. Ideally located in the dynamic Mid-Town Manhattan borough of New York City, the Broadway Theatre district, Times Square, Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal and Fifth Avenue are all just a stone’s throw from the hotel.

For more information, click here. . .

The Whitby Hotel

The Whitby opens in New York

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Taking centre stage on Manhattan’s pulsing Upper Midtown scene, The Whitby is Firmdale Hotels’ second outing in New York, and a fitting creative bookend to its ever-popular Crosby Street Hotel in the heart of SoHo.

Situated on West 56th Street at 5th Avenue, The Whitby is surrounded by world-class restaurants, boutiques, and museums, and is set to become a destination to rival any of it illustrious neighbors thanks to the Firmdale Hotels Co-owner and Design Director Kit Kemp’s award-winning design.

The Whitby Hotel

Each of The Whitby’s 86 rooms and suites have been individually designed in Kit Kemp’s colorful and carefree style, crafted through her innovative use of pattern, texture, colour, and original artworks. Set over the hotel’s sixteen stories, each guestroom boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, and some have private terraces with views over the city skyline.

The Whitby Hotel

The show-stopping Whitby Suite is a spectacular two-bedroom headline suite spread over the entire top floor with spacious furnished terraces facing uptown and downtown. Bathrooms are elegantly finished in marble or granite and feature Firmdale‘s exclusive bath and body collection Rik Rak by Kit Kemp.

The Whitby Hotel

Located on the ground floor and open all day, The Whitby Bar is a richly colorful and airy room with high ceilings, a 30-foot pewter bar, beautifully upholstered banquettes, and grey oak floors. Warehouse-style windows and doors lead through to an orangery with vaulted ceilings and a skylight, bathing the space in natural light.

The Whitby Hotel

The drawing room, nestled between the orangery and reception area, is a warm, informal spot defined by a feature fireplace and cozy, overstuffed furnishings. Throw in several stylish private-event rooms and a 130-seat state-of-the-art cinema, and the City That Never Sleeps has another good reason to never go to bed.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

A new generation – 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge opens

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1 Hotels has opened the doors of its third property and first ground-up development, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Remaining true to 1 Hotels founder Barry Sternlicht’s core philosophy; ‘the world around us is beautiful, and we want to keep it that way.’ The property cultivates the best of eco-conscious design, sustainable architecture, cause-oriented partnerships, and unrivaled service.

Situated at Pier 1, just south of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, in Brooklyn Bridge Park with sweeping waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge was developed by a joint venture partnership between Starwood Capital Group and Toll Brothers City Living, and it was designed by New York-based architecture studio, INC Architecture & Design.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

The property features 194 guest rooms, including 29 two-to-six-bedroom suites and The Riverhouse, its Presidential Suite, with most rooms offering panoramic views of the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York City skyline. The project also includes the adjoining new condominium, Pierhouse, which consists of 106 townhome-style residences spread across two waterfront buildings and is sustainably and beautifully designed by Marvel Architects.

The lobby of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge opens to a dramatic 25-foot green wall, featuring steel grating covered in hand-placed plants and creeping vines that will evolve over time, created by landscape architecture firm, Harrison Green. A two-story industrial spiral staircase is punctuated by a sculpture of obsidian rock boulders wrapped in hand-dyed rope by Rachel Weiss. The dwellings are complemented by a 4,000 square-foot rooftop, nine-treatment room Bamford Haybarn Spa (opening in June 2017), a state- of-the-art fitness centre, a yoga and barre studio operated by POE Yoga, two restaurants, an intimate 10th floor lounge, a 50-seat screening room, and lobby cocktail service.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

“Confronted with how far Americans were lagging behind in changing our consumption habits, I created 1 Hotels to show sophisticated travelers that they can do good, live well, and connect with both the world and the community around them,” said Barry Sternlicht, 1 Hotels Founder and the Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. “Today, with the opening of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, my vision is now realised. We were able to select every material and develop mindfully, yet the space’s main purpose remains to serve, entertain and inspire with some of the best amenities found in the New York hospitality market.”

Narrated by Nature
The 10-storey hotel occupies Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre beautification project that stretches 1.3 miles along the East River waterfront. The hotel project originally began in late-2011, however when Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast in 2012, 1 Hotel’s architectural drawings for the Brooklyn Bridge property had just been completed. Due to the damage and destruction, the team was informed the waterfront zoning had changed, requiring 1 Hotels to raise the building by three feet along with other code changes such as relocating mechanical equipment to the roof. Meanwhile, they could not raise the overall height of the building, which triggered a massive redesign effort.

Rather than whitewashing the delay and changes caused by Sandy, the 1 Hotels team opted to honor the force of nature by tapping Olivié Ponce, an artist and creator in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to paint a watermark in remembrance of Hurricane Sandy along the walls of the corner suites.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Committed to sustainability and preserving the environment, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge was built under LEED® guidelines and underscores the following efforts:
– The design of the hotel features a 54 percent ratio of regional and reclaimed materials, including original heart pine beams from the former Domino Sugar Factory, walnut from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and pine flooring from the Old Crow Distillery in Kentucky.
– The hotel will eventually boast a LEED Dynamic Plaque™ which will measure and display the building’s eco-conscious practices in real time.
– 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge operates a rain-water reclamation system that will reduce storm water runoff into neighboring water streams by more than 50 percent prior to the site development. The water collected will irrigate the park during summer months. (Roughly 5,000 cubic feet of water is projected to come from the hotel.)
– The property uses 100 percent wind power energy.
– The hotel features low-energy light bulbs, a Triple Clear water purification system, in-room recycling bins, and fresh dining offerings.
– 1 Hotels has committed to donating a percentage of sales from in-room dining and goodthings (the hotel’s mini bar) to Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organisation that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger.
– The hotel features a nature-driven art collection, including a textured rubber sculpture, “All OVEREACHOTHER,” created by Jarrod Beck from massive rubber pieces of roofing that were stripped from a big box retailer’s roof during a tornado that touched down unexpectedly in Utica (Upstate New York) in the summer of 2014.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Rooms & Suites with a Lady Liberty View
The interiors of the 194 guest rooms and suites were designed to honor the historical significance of one of world’s busiest waterways—the East River. The most stunning feature is a sleek floor-to-ceiling sliding window that transforms the guestroom into an open-air den with skyline views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Furnishings include a porous stone-looking table of composite wood, leather chairs and pendant leather lampshades. Many of the design details in the rooms are by local artisans, from the “crate” inspired, open-slatted wood closets, corrugated leather headboards, to the Fresnel glass light fixtures.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

1hotels.com/brooklyn-bridge

Massive DoubleTree by Hilton New York designed by Gene Kaufman opens

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The massive DoubleTree by Hilton New York – Times Square West, designed by Gene Kaufman Architect, has opened at 350 West 40th Street, between 8th and 9th avenues.

At more than 200,000 square feet and offering 612 rooms, the towering 35-storey DoubleTree is the largest hotel Gene Kaufman Architect has ever designed and the largest to open in New York City in many years. Its arrival follows the groundbreaking, in November, of another enormous Times Square-area hotel designed by the firm, a 518-rooom, 35-story Hyatt Place at 350 West 39th Street.

The new DoubleTree sports a dramatic façade. A red brick masonry street wall wraps around a courtyard that transitions to a setback tower. The tower’s slate blue windows and metal work take advantage of the uninterrupted western exposure to capture the illumination of the sunsets.

Massive Doubletree New York designed by Gene Kaufman opens

Said Gene Kaufman, founder and principal of Gene Kaufman Architect: “We are tremendously proud of the DoubleTree. It is not only our biggest hotel project ever, but the final touch for a block that we have helped to transform from a backwater into a fully integrated part of the bustling Times Square area.”

As the westernmost hotel on 40th Street the DoubleTree has upper-story guest rooms that offer unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline, as does the hotel’s 4,000-square-foot Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge. This dramatic glass-enclosed space boasts 17-foot floor-to-ceiling windows 36 stories above Times Square.

Gene Kaufman Architect’s interiors group, led by Natalia Tordorova, designed Lovage, which has a custom laser-cut mercury mirror brick wall, chainmail columns, walnut herringbone-and-polished cement floors, and chairs in stroke-painted velvet upholstery and Christian Lacroix fabrics.

The interiors group also designed Magnolia Restaurant, a ground floor American bistro and bar with an expansive bar and 6,000 square feet of interior and exterior dining space. White brick, natural textiles, rich wood and polished brass are illuminated by sphere pendant lighting and complemented by camel-brown leather upholstery, basket-weave fabrics, and linens of plum and soft cream.

The two venues are the latest properties of Addison Hospitality Group, for which Gene Kaufman Architect’s interiors group previously designed the 5,000-square-foot Monarch Rooftop & Indoor Lounge at the Marriott Courtyard Herald Square that opened in 2013.

“I am thrilled to once again team up with New York City’s leading design house, Gene Kaufman Architect,” stated Ric Addison, president of Addison Hospitality Group. “There is an abounding synergy between both of our brands, which was evident in our collaboration on Monarch Rooftop & Indoor Lounge in 2013. Their ideas are fresh, cutting edge, and visionary, and I am confident that Magnolia Restaurant and Lovage Rooftop & Indoor Lounge will reflect their talent and creative sense of style that is uniquely their own.”

Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz

New York welcomes New Hampton Inn by Hilton to New Paltz

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Hilton’s Hampton by Hilton brand has announced the opening of its newest property, Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz. The 86-room hotel joins the family of Hampton by Hilton and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton. Located at 4 South Putt Corners Road, the new hotel is managed by New Paltz Hospitality.

Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz offers amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business centre with complimentary printing, a meeting space that can accommodate up to 100 people and an indoor heated saltwater pool. Each guestroom includes high-quality amenities, including the brand’s signature Clean and fresh Hampton bed®, mini-refrigerator, HDTV and coffeemaker.

Designed as an extension of the guestroom with a variety of seating and lighting options for both leisure and business travelers, the new hotel features the Perfect Mix Lobby. Within the lobby guests can find TREATS, a food and beverage shop filled with snacks, toiletries, local merchandise and drinks for purchase. Hampton by Hilton hotels are infused with local photography and artwork, highlighting each property’s connection and support to its own community.

Hampton Inn by Hilton Paltz participates in Hilton’s award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including an exclusive member discount, free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key.

Adelphi Hotel, Saratoga NY

Adelphi Hotel in final phase of renovations

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The Adelphi Hospitality Group unveiled plans today for the final phase of renovation of The Adelphi Hotel, Saratoga Springs’ landmark boutique hotel.

Originally built in 1877, the newly renovated Adelphi Hotel will reopen in Spring 2017, blending old world grace and its iconic Victorian grandeur with modern touches to create a memorable hospitality experience of luxury and elegance in order to live up to the history and legacy of The Adelphi Hotel.

As the last surviving hotel of Saratoga’s Golden Age, beauty and appreciation to historic details are found everywhere – from restoring the 11-foot ceilings and grand staircase to the signature design of the hotel’s spaces, The Adelphi aims to reinvent the style of Saratoga Springs’ bygone era luxury as modern luxury.

The Adelphi Hospitality Group has also focused on the engineering of the 150-year-old building to ensure it is structurally sound for centuries to come. Crews replaced deteriorated columns, installed load-bearing steel beams, and poured concrete to replace uneven wood floors that had worn out over the years. The team now focuses on the final phase of the project: finishing the interiors to honor the past and storied history of The Adelphi.

“The revitalized Adelphi Hotel will honor the distinct style and simple elegance of Saratoga Springs, while delivering a modern and luxurious sensibility that embodies first class services of a grand hotel,” said Simon Milde, Managing Partner of the Adelphi Hospitality Group. “The 150-year-old historic boutique hotel has been reimagined for the millennium to personify a modern twist, and eclectic revival of, timeless ideals. Our goal is to honor the past by looking at every element that makes each experience memorable for our guests.”

The architect for the Adelphi Hotel renovation is Dominick Ranieri Architect, P.C. in Schenectady, New York. Ranieri is providing his architecture and historic preservation expertise for the property, transforming the 19th century building into one of splendor without sacrificing character. The exterior of the building including the Courtyard garden areas designed by Ranieri will exude the ambiance of the grand Victorian era with stone patios, fountains and landscape garden walls. Architectural and Interior Design firm Glen & Company Architecture is refurbishing the interiors of the hotel, helping to usher the Adelphi Hotel into the 21st century, while respecting its heritage through its redesign of the 32 guest rooms, the hotel’s public spaces including the lobby bar, restaurant, second floor piazza, conservatory café, among many others.

The interior will be modernised for 21st-century standards with thoughtfully designed spaces, continuing its 150-year tradition as the epicenter of the city, and the property’s grand staircase, which ascends from the hotel’s richly appointed lobby, will be restored and fully functional. Existing furnishings have been carefully removed, meticulously photographed and catalogued, then returned into place after the renovation. Many of the pieces have been refurbished and will be repurposed into new life at The Adelphi Hotel.

The front of the renovated hotel will be upgraded to have a streamlined look while still maintaining its historical character evocative of its extravagant past. French doors will open to a patio and a 1,200-square-foot, glass-walled conservatory, ideal for private dining, will overlook the hotel’s courtyard and lush gardens. Luxury services and amenities will complement the elegance of the guest rooms and suites.

The Adelphi Hotel aims to become a sought-after dining and entertainment destination in Saratoga Springs for both locals and visiting guests. Upon entering the grand lobby, guests can access the approachable bar integrated into the space, elevated bistro and marketplace that will evolve into a wine bar in the evening, and full-service restaurant with private dining wine room, all while overlooking the serene landscaped gardens on the hotel grounds.

The Adelphi Hospitality Group’s first project, Salt & Char, is a modern American steakhouse located adjacent to the Adelphi Hotel and opened in July 2016. Construction is expected to be completed by spring of 2017.

Gene Kaufman - Fairfield Inn, NYC

Gene Kaufman-designed Fairfield Inn & Suites opens in NYC

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A new Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites designed by Gene Kaufman Architect has opened at 538 West 58th Street.

The 85,000-square-foot, 18-storey, 226-room hotel sits between 10th and 11th Avenues, within easy walking distance of the beautifully landscaped Hudson River greenway, Columbus Circle, Central Park, and the Time Warner Centre. Barone Management is the developer.

Said Gene Kaufman, Principal and Founder of Gene Kaufman Architect: “This hotel combines the convenience of a midtown location with the quiet street character of a residential neighborhood. Best of all, the zoning-district boundaries bisecting the site gave us the opportunity to create both north-facing views that overlook John Jay College’s beautifully landscaped roof, and high-rise, west-facing views of the Hudson River.”

Gene Kaufman - Fairfield Inn, NYC

The hotel features two seemingly separate structures, an 18-story tower and an adjoining 10-story building, recessed from the street wall at different depths. The tower, which projects slightly forward of its shorter sibling, has a compelling verticality, the result of its height and narrow frame. Further enhancing the upward thrust is the curtain wall of the top three floors and the use of aluminum wall panels to separate the tower’s windows. The stylistic fillips come together to create a single architectural through-line from the 18th floor all the way down to the street.

Gene Kaufman - Fairfield Inn, NYC

In keeping with GKA’s expertise in maximising key counts without sacrificing quality of the accommodations, the hotel’s ground floor and lobby are below-grade on a floor usually reserved for operations. They are reached through the hotel’s sunken entryway, which also allows for a 2,300-square-foot landscaped plaza in front of the hotel.

The hotel will offer king-sized and double guest rooms as well as adjoining rooms which can be combined to form suites (the interiors are by Hotel Depot with VLDG Interiors). In addition to the streetside plaza, amenities include an office center, a fitness centre, and a breakfast bar.

Chelsom work at The Beekman, New York

Project Spotlight: Chelsom at The Beekman, New York

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Chelsom is pleased to reveal its work with Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and the Cardy Group in creating a stunning custom designed lighting scheme for the guestrooms and suites of one of New York’s coolest new hotel openings – Thompson Hotels The Beekman.

The scheme was completely individual in its entirety as to be expected from MBDS and the lighting pieces designed for the project were no exception. Key pieces included Art Deco-themed bespoke ceiling pendants in antique brass and frosted glass with laser cut detailing for the entrance lobbies to the suites, in addition to stunning mouth-blown smoke glass chandeliers adorning all the guestrooms and suites.

Chelsom work at The Beekman, New York

Bespoke orb ceramic table lamps in an olive green crackled finish complete with decorative collar were specified for the bedside along with a kitsch foo dog table lamp in imperial blue.

The lighting scheme was further supplemented by the addition of a striking desk lamp in the form of mouth-blown Venetian glass hand-painted egg in a plethora of vivid colours. The guestroom lighting scheme was completed by two floor lamps; the first being a metal fitting finished in matt black with a decorative wooden handle, teamed with a peacock blue French drum shade lined in gold to give a warm ambient light and create a subtle shimmer effect. The second piece was a retro feel angle poised metal floor standard with a solid marble base and brass detailing finished with a coloured can shaped head.

A duo of vintage inspired chrome wall sconces positioned either side of a centrepiece mirror adorn all bathrooms. Dimmable LED light sources are encased in moulded optical frosted glass to create a classic yet eclectic feel, one perfectly in-keeping with both the flawless interior scheme created by the team at MBDS and the historic building itself.

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MGravityRoom

Marriott Hotels flips design on its head with MGravityRoom

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Marriott Hotels has unveiled its #MGravityRoom, an interactive replica of the brand’s evolving modern guest room designs. Located in the Greatroom of the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, this inverted replica of a guest room will be open from September 21 to October 1, 2016, allowing visitors to experience, snap and share photos.

Visitors have the opportunity to walk into the installation where a closet, desk and TV appear to float on the walls and ceiling. A how-to on the desk will prompt guests to position themselves and capture a photo to appear as if they are walking on the ceiling of the modern guest room. When one takes photos and rotate them 90-degrees, they will appear as if one is floating upside-down within the space.

“Travelers today crave inspiration and unique experiences,” said Matthew Carroll, vice president and global brand manager, Marriott Hotels. “We see the #MGravityRoom as a creative way of showcasing the transformation of our brand and how we’re meeting the evolving needs of our guest. We have pushed the limits in our design and this allows us to have some fun with it while sharing our newest ideas.”

To bring its #MGravityRoom vision to life, Marriott Hotels worked with design teams and partners, including Marriott I + A Design Studio, Fairmont Designs, Brookline Furniture, Belstone, Wolf Gordon, Mosaic Tile Company, Historic Timber and Plank, Sandler Seating, and Designtex creating an imaginative expression of Marriott Hotels modernised rooms.

As a leader in its lodging tier, Marriott Hotels is no stranger to forging new trails and introducing new innovations to the hospitality industry. Next month, the brand will officially launch M Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Centre, a “live beta” hotel where guests are invited to test the newest and best product and services concepts first-hand and give feedback in real-time. The brand also recently announced its partnership with TED, bringing new ideas and creative conversation to guests. It changed the future of in-room entertainment by forging a first-of-its-kind partnership with Netflix and last year, Marriott Hotels introduced the first-ever in-room virtual reality experience.

Four Seasons New York Downtown

Four Seasons New York Downtown now open in Lower Manhattan

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Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown is now open.

“Downtown New York has been reborn as the most vibrant neighbourhood in city,” says Peter Humig, General Manager of the all-new Hotel. “It’s no longer simply a business district. You can feel the energy the minute you arrive, and we are proud to be in the heart of it.”

Dramatic architecture is changing the city’s famous skyline as new buildings rise, cultural institutions open their doors and existing ones reinvent themselves, while luxury shopping and destination dining debuts weekly. Advertising innovators, media influencers and the growing information industry have joined the already well-established financial and tech start ups Downtown.

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown is the ideal home base for exploring the new Lower Manhattan. Located in Tribeca just steps from Wall Street, the World Trade Center and the stunning new Oculus, it’s also close to designer shopping in Soho, nightlife in the Meatpacking District and the relaxed tranquillity of the city’s waterfront.

Four Seasons New York Downtown

Upon entry into the two-story lobby at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, layers of architectural elements respond to the ever-evolving urban landscape just outside. Feet rest on cream-coloured travertine and soft wool carpeting as the eye takes in original artworks displayed against rich wood walls and woven metal screens. Brushed bronze accents and fabrics in muted jewel tones invite casual socialising, while a dramatic suspended staircase hints at the gracious gathering spaces above.

Manhattan’s chic style is evident in 189 Hotel rooms and suites designed by Soho and Toronto-based design studio Yabu Pushelberg. The rooms are tastefully appointed as one might find in a private home with light blues, greys and taupes, providing a backdrop to a technologically advanced guest room that is filled with natural light. Marble bathrooms and deep soaking tubs help complete the design elements that one would expect at Four Seasons. Hotel guests can take refuge from the city in luxurious rooms ranging from 400 to 2,400 square feet (37 to 223 square metres) with every need anticipated.

Two Manhattan hotels designed by Gene Kaufman Architect for Quadram Global’s new micro-hotel Arlo brand are slated to open this autumn

Gene Kaufman-designed hotels for Quadram’s new Arlo brand to open

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Two Manhattan hotels designed by Gene Kaufman Architect for Quadram Global’s new micro-hotel Arlo brand are slated to open this autumn in Manhattan, one in NoMad and one in Hudson Square.

The 11-storey, 325-key Arlo Hudson Square, which will open at 231 Hudson Street (also known as 503 Canal Street) on September 6, is a 97,000-square-foot hotel created by merging two adjoining parcels. The project increased in size during the design process as two sets of air rights were obtained, allowing the architects to design for a larger space than had originally been envisioned.

The hotel will have expansive outdoor space comprising a large rooftop terrace with a bar/lounge and an equally large ground floor courtyard, also with a lounge. Arlo Hudson Square will also have the latest eatery of Chef Harold Moore, Executive Chef and owner of the West Village’s successful Commerce Restaurant. Called Harold’s Meat + 3, the restaurant will be 2,400 square feet.

The hotel’s interiors, which include meeting rooms, have been designed by AvroKO. Landscape design is by MDD Landscape Design.

The 37-story, 250-key Arlo NoMad will open later this fall at 11 East 31st Street, between Madison and Fifth avenues. One of its many attractions is the roof deck, with its wrap-around views of the city and large terrace, both made possible by the stacked mechanicals that free up the maximum amount of space. The roof is just one of the many spaces the hotel offers guests for relaxing and meeting friends. In fact, with its small but well-appointed guest rooms and its large public spaces, with places to eat, lounge and enjoy cocktails, the 91,000-square-foot hotel will be a new type of high-end hotel, one designed as much for socializing as for sleep.

Says Gene Kaufman, Founder and Principal of Gene Kaufman Architect: “Our goal for each of these hotels was to create a look that reflected the neighborhood in which it resides. In Hudson Square, we’ve used aged brick to emulate the appearance of the area’s historic industrial buildings, while in the more bustling, urban NoMad we’ve designed a light, airy glass tower that floats above its neighbors and towers against the sky.”

RIU Hotels

RIU Hotels opens property in Times Square

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RIU Hotels & Resorts inaugurated the Riu Plaza New York Times Square, its first hotel in New York City. The newly-constructed hotel is located in Manhattan near Times Square on Restaurant Row. Riu built the 647-room hotel for $310 million, its largest hotel investment to date, including the purchase of the land, construction and decorating costs.

“This opening is a dream come true. It took us nearly ten years to find the most appropriate opportunity to invest in the right location in New York, in addition to the three years it took to prepare and build the hotel. However, without a doubt, all of the effort and work was worth it seeing how the Riu Plaza New York Times Square hotel is now a reality,” Luis Riu, CEO of Riu Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement.

Ivan Mayol, chief business officer at Riu Plaza Hotels, said the brand has been looking to develop a hotel in New York for roughly 10 years, but has been held back because it was unable to find a suitable location. After securing the location one block from Times Square, construction on the hotel began June 2013, setting in motion what Mayol called a personal milestone for the company’s CEO. “It’s like putting a flag on the moon,” Mayol said.

While its first New York hotel is already open, Mayol is already talking about a possible second. Riu, like most major brands, won’t be satisfied until it has multiple hotels open in every major U.S. city, and has earmarked future development ideas in Boston, San Francisco and more.

“We want to build, and it will be soon. All the money we make from these hotels we re-invest,” Mayol said. “If you asked me five years ago if we would have a hotel in New York by now and I would have expected it.”

For the near future, however, the Riu Times Square is still trying to stabilize in the midst of opening. While the hotel is currently packed with guests, the property’s assistant GM Micah Polansky said it originally hoped to open in November, but faced delays due to license issues.

“Traffic from Christmas would have been nice, but it’s always good to have time to iron out problems,” Polansky said. “Now is the time to establish a routine.”

Guestrooms at the 29-floor hotel are divided into doubles, executives, family suites, junior suites and the presidential suite. Among the guestroom amenities are minibars, flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the property.

The hotel also has two dining options. The first, Fashion, is an à la carte restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner, with a buffet breakfast offered each morning. It is also open for snacks from 12 PM to 11 PM daily. Also available to guests is a grab-and-go eater, Capital, which offers coffee, tea, soft drinks, snacks and sweets for guests on the go.

For business travelers, the hotel has two conference rooms with capacity for 70 and 75 people, respectively, along with two meeting rooms. Meeting planners and business travelers also have access to full audiovisual equipment and Wi-Fi.

With the opening of the Riu Plaza New York Times Square, Riu now has five hotels in its urban line: the Riu Plaza Berlin in Germany; the Riu Plaza Panama in Panama City, Panama; the Riu Plaza Guadalajara in Mexico; and the Riu Plaza Miami Beach.

we have found five things you might not know about the company

EVEN Hotel Brooklyn opens its doors

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The EVEN Hotel in Brooklyn, NY – the latest IHG hotel designed by Gene Kaufman Architect – opened this month. The 13-storey, 202-room hotel has been developed by CBCS Equities and Barone Management.

The steel structure has a modern and contextual design. An accentuated corner treatment at the intersection of Nevins and Schermerhorn streets, location of the hotel’s entrance, softens the impact of the 83,000 s/f hotel’s massing. Large glass storefronts further enliven the street-level experience and a large interior courtyard utilising the natural historic brick of the adjoining building creates an open, airy centerpiece that leads directly into the dining area.

“The opening of the EVEN Hotel Brooklyn and the Holiday Inn Brooklyn Nevins Station, another major project which we designed for IHGand which started welcoming visitors in April, leave no doubt that Downtown Brooklyn has arrived,” said Gene Kaufman, founder and principal of Gene Kaufman Architecture. “This is an exciting time to be in hospitality design and to be creating new premium locations for these IHG brands.”

The EVEN Hotel in Brooklyn, NY - the latest IHG hotel designed by Gene Kaufman Architect - opened this month

The latest location of the health-conscious EVEN brand features a host of amenities. Guests can reach the two-level, 1,300 s/f fitness center, open 24/7, from the lobby via a feature staircase with a greenwall (the studio is also accessible by elevator). Other health-focused amenities include in-room “fitness zones” with cork flooring and personal exercise equipment, and myriad healthy food and beverage options like the made-to-order smoothies and Grab ‘n’ Go meals available in the ground floor Cork & Kale Market and Bar.

The new hotel is within walking distance of some of the area’s most popular attractions. These include the Barclay’s Center sports arena, the Brooklyn Academy of Music cultural center, the historic Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, and Brooklyn Navy Yard, and a mix of shopping, dining, entertainment and sightseeing venues. With the Atlantic Avenue-Pacific Street subway station, nearby, visitors have access to Manhattan, other parts of the borough, and the rest of the city.

The hotel’s interiors are by HVS Design and Andrew Myers Interior Design, with landscape design by Ambius.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton to open hotels in Dubai, New York and Las Vegas

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Paris Hilton, the heiress and reality TV star, plans to launch her own brand of luxury hotels, opening properties in Dubai, New York and Las Vegas, according to Forbes.

Hilton is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. The new brand is expected to be eponymous.

Speaking to the LA Times, Hilton said: “I’m getting into real estate, following [in] my family’s footsteps, but my own thing, without the Hilton name.”

The properties are not her first hospitality project. The celebrity heiress has already collaborated with Century Properties in the Philippines on the launch of the Paris Beach Club at Azure Urban Resort Residence. The second Paris Beach Club is currently under construction in Parañaque, north of Manila.

Gild Hall Hotel, New York Financial District

Sneak Peek: Gild Hall, New York Financial District

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Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel, completed a redesign of its guestrooms and suites, unveiling a new environment with custom-designed furnishings. The property is located in the Financial District in New York.

Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel in New York’s Financial District, has completed the refurbishment of its guestrooms and suites.

Designed by Bill Rooney Studio, a New York-based interior design firm, the 130 rooms and suites now display a combination of neutrals, browns and taupe accents, and a dark-stained trim is found in the spaces. Grey tones accompany a geometric patterned accent wall adjacent to the bed’s leather headboard and camel accent colours at the wainscoting, while flannel drapery help provide scale to the large windows. Leather furniture and accessories, including a bespoke mid-century lounge seat and a tailor-made magazine rack, and a chalk stripe carpet are also new.

Abstract photography by New York-based Rajmohan Fotograf, Maryland artist Llewellyn Berry and Venezuela-born Tony Vazquez-Figueroa also feature in the newly-appointed rooms. Other amenities in Gild Hall are the lobby library, and – adjacent to the lobby – Felice Ristorante, which has wood detailing.

Photos: thompsonhotels.com/hotels/gild-hall/

HGU New York

Introducing HGU New York – a landmark hotel reborn

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Alfa Development, one of Manhattan’s leading real estate companies, will be opening its first boutique hotel project, HGU New York. Alfa Development has invested $18 million in renovations of HGU New York, located in the NoMad District at 34 East 32nd Street.

The hotel will manifest the city’s history through its original architecture, curated art programming and multifaceted eclectic design.

The hotel lobby preserves the history of the 1905 landmark Beaux-Arts structure designed by architect Frederick C. Browne. To inject a modern New York sensibility to the property, Alfa Development has enlisted hospitality designer Peter Guzy of Asfour Guzy Architects as well as DD Allen of Pierce Allen Design. The fusion of these two visions is a mindfully designed and eco-conscious hotel, where guests enjoy in the ambience of communal spaces.

Alfa Development brings a sensibility in design and modern infrastructure to hospitality, including a state of the art HVAC system decreasing the carbon footprint by 50%.

HGU New York
“We look forward to introducing our motto, history, architecture, and sustainability on a human scale into one of the world’s most robust hotel markets,” adds Michael Namer, CEO of Alfa Development. “While the renovation brings new life to this landmark hotel, we are preserving the historic elements to what we believe the hotel would have offered, providing guests with an experience grounded in a century-long New York point of view.”

HGU New York has also partnered with Gallery 151, a premier contemporary art gallery based in lower Manhattan. The curated art will showcase contemporary pieces, drawing inspiration from urban backdrops of New York City’s emerging artists and feature icons such as Fab 5 Freddy and Liz Markus, among many others.

Highlighting a residential style of living, the entryway to guest rooms serves as a place to decompress, with soft tones creating a serene atmosphere, while wood cabinets and furniture are complimented by hand-woven patchwork Turkish rugs and plush velvet headboards. Luxury 300-thread count Frette bedding, bath and beauty products from C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries, 24-hour room service and complimentary high speed WiFi and in room iPad minis are just some of the amenities available to guests.

HGU New York’s lounge aptly called 1905 is complete with a fireplace from the building’s original structure. 1905 will serve as the perfect place for meetings and events, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy live entertainment, intimate recording artist sessions, Q&A series, and private film screenings.

Made Hotel Back Bar

New hotel project from Sam Gelin – Made – arriving in autumn 2016

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Opening in autumn 2016, Made comes to life as the inaugural hotel project from hospitality entrepreneur Sam Gelin.

Spread across 18 storeys with 108-guestrooms at the intersection of 29th and Broadway in the NoMad neighbourhood, Made takes a reinvented approach towards the guest experience where visitors can spend an entire day and evening comfortably.

Treating experience as the new luxury, Gelin’s thoughtful approach is seen in the rich, yet conscious, materials used throughout Made’s crafted environment, the food and beverage offerings and striking public and private areas. With an emotionally intelligent approach to service and a focus within the ethos of community, Made is a seductive retreat where social and structural barriers have been removed to make room for authentic, inspiring interactions whilst blending exceptional service with a bold design.

Studio MAI have developed an urban international design aesthetic imbued with elements of iconic global simplicity – a guestroom design that is humble, elegant and playfully personalises each room to the guest’s style and mood. Exposed raw bronze shelving and rich handwoven fabrics create a backdrop for a multi directional day bed platform. Precisely manufactured details like a polished stainless steel mirror contrast with a primitive, hand carved bench resulting in a well-thought through lay out like no other.

InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel

InterContinental New York Barclay unveils $180m renovation

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The Manhattan icon InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel has reopened after a $180 million (£123 million), 20-month refurbishment from top-to-bottom, which features more than 420,000 square-feet of redesigned interiors.

The Barclay introduces a more open and inviting lobby leading to a new spectacular Carrara marble Grand Staircase. The redesigned property also features 704 spacious guestrooms and suites reminiscent of a classic Park Avenue home, an expansive Club InterContinental and 15,000-square-feet of thoughtfully designed meetings and events spaces. The original hotel made its debut to New York society in 1926 as one of the original “Railroad” hotels, and the design pays homage to this rich history.

Under the direction of IHG Design Studio, architects Stonehill + Taylor, interior design firm HOK (formerly BBGM) and Shawmut Construction worked together to restore and enhance the property’s original style, while adding contemporary touches.

InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel

Artwork was carefully selected to reflect the hotel’s 1920s legacy. Antique maps and early 19th century Hudson River School landscapes, renowned for romanticising nature and highlighting areas of interest, such as the Catskill Mountains and the Adirondacks, are featured throughout The Barclay’s public spaces and guestrooms. In keeping with the Federalist design motif and sophisticated style, eagle medallion door plates are affixed on each guestroom, a feature that has been preserved from the original Barclay.

Jason Moskal, Vice President, Lifestyle Brands, The Americas, IHG said: “As one of the iconic heritage properties for the InterContinental brand, The Barclay represents a rich history of luxury travel in New York City. While this history is strong and prolific, the needs and wants of the modern traveller have evolved through the decades.

InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel

“Bringing modern design and functionality, a signature bar that serves classic gin cocktails with a unique twist and elegant meeting and event space, the revitalised Barclay showcases today’s intercontinental life to travellers and locals alike.”

Hervé Houdré, General Manager, InterContinental New York Barclay, added: “The InterContinental New York Barclay has been a Manhattan feature for more than 90 years. The hotel’s introduction to the city’s skyline coincided with the debut of famous landmarks, such as the Chrysler Building, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman.

“While the rejuvenation of the Barclay inspires us to look back and reflect on the hotel’s storied past, it also allows the hotel to open a new chapter, welcoming a new generation of globally-minded guests who are looking for a residential-style New York escape.”

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

All-new Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown taking reservations

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Opening in late summer 2016 in the heart of the new Lower Manhattan just a block from the World Trade Center, Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown will be the brand’s second location in the city, and will introduce the very first Manhattan restaurant by acclaimed Chef Wolfgang Puck.

In a timeless tribute to the city’s distinctive early 20th century architecture – the iconic Woolworth Building shares the same city block – architect Robert A.M. Stern has created a new, 82-storey skyscraper soaring 926 feet above the historic streets of Lower Manhattan. Taking its place in the world’s most famous skyline, Downtown’s tallest residential building is also home to its newest luxury hotel.

The two-storey lobby layers architectural elements in response to the ever-evolving urban landscape that surrounds it. Feet rest on soft wool carpeting as the eye takes in original artworks displayed against rich wood walls and woven metal screens. Brushed bronze accents and fabrics in muted jewel tones invite casual socialising, while a dramatic suspended staircase hints at the gracious gathering spaces above.

Throughout the interiors designed by Toronto and Soho-based Yabu Pushelberg, the aesthetic combines varying textures to create spaces that are distinctly modern, and yet immediately welcoming.

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

The opening of Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown also marks a milestone in the career of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, who is opening his first restaurant in Manhattan within the Hotel. His widely acclaimed and wildly popular steakhouse concept CUT by Wolfgang Puck – first introduced at Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel – will be accessed via the Hotel or its own entrance around the corner on Church Street.

With interiors by French architect and designer Jacques Garcia, CUT by Wolfgang Puck will encompass an 86-seat main dining room as well as a 32-seat lounge with 10 seats at the bar. A generously-sized private dining room will host up to 31 guests.

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

“In a city that always surprises, there’s a kind of Renaissance happening in its oldest area. No longer simply a business district, Downtown New York is being reborn as a place where people not only work, but they live,” says Peter Humig, General Manager of the soon-to-be-opened Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. “A new layer of community is emerging amid the neighbourhoods we already know so well including Tribeca, Soho and Wall Street. Exciting new architecture has taken shape, cultural institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art have opened alongside the area’s art galleries, new shops and restaurants are launching every week, and businesses are moving back to Lower Manhattan.”

Roxy Hotel, Tribeca

Tribeca’s Roxy Hotel to unveil newly-designed rooms in May

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The new look for one of New York’s hippest hotels is set to be unveiled in May, with the reveal of the newly-designed rooms at the Roxy Hotel, Tribeca.

With interiors designed by Briana Stanley, the hotel is the latest incarnation of the iconic Tribeca Grand Hotel. The transformation of all 201-guestrooms is set to be complete by the middle of May; but stealing the show will be the hotel’s new venues. These include the iconic, 1920s movie theatre, a jazz club, a coffee bar and styling salon.

Roxy Hotel, Tribeca

The sleek, mid-century modern accommodations are fitted with feature custom furnishings and high end fixtures, Egyptian cotton bed and bath linen.Each room features flat screen televisions, and complimentary wireless internet. DVD players, MacBook Pro laptop computers, iPods, and iPads pre-loaded with GrandLife Hotel’s carefully curated downtown ‘Neighbourhood Guides’ are available upon request.

Roxy Hotel, Tribeca

“We’re building on the Tribeca Grand’s legacy as a place where incredible things happened in pop culture,” says Tony Fant, President and CEO of GrandLife Hotels. “The hotel has been at the center of music and art downtown since it opened. We’re not looking to replicate a time period, but to create an evolution of what Tribeca’s become today, an incredibly exciting mix of past and present.”

Roxy Hotel, Tribeca

11 Howard

New York’s hippest new hotel 11 Howard opens in Soho

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New York’s hippest new hotel – 11 Howard – has opened in SoHo and has all the markings of its owner’s style. However, in an uncharacteristic move, Aby Rosen has also pledged to donate a percentage of the hotel’s room revenue to the Global Poverty Project.

In a similar vein to his other properties, Paramount Hotel or Gramercy Park Hotel, Rosen’s new $180 million hotel is aimed at a ‘fashionable clientele’, featuring Scandinavian design and tablets in every room for ordering food or drink.

Three designers joined forces on the 221-room project – Anda Andrei with SPACE Copenhagen’s Signe Bindslev Henriksen and Peter Bundgaard Rützou – who were tasked in implementing the self-confessed ‘conscious hospitality’ ethos of the hotel into its design.

Wooden floors, unique rugs as well as custom furniture and lighting exclusively designed for the hotel by Henriksen and Rützou are the order of the day. Custom artwork specifically chosen by Rosen and Andrei dots the walls which also feature 11-foot-high ceilings and oversized windows, allowing for abundant natural light—unique in this area of the city. Bathrooms are finished in marble and brass, with specially procured products made from organic botanical ingredients.

Renaissance New York Midtown

Miniview: Jeffrey Beers’ ‘Fearlessly Chic’ design at Renaissance New York Midtown

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Renaissance Hotels’ new US flagship property, the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel, which opened in Manhattan on March 21, 2016, is leading the way for the brand in its ‘Fearlessly Chic’ global design philosophy and ‘Business Unusual’ outlook.

Award-winning design studio Jeffrey Beers International (JBI) has captured the authenticity and glamour of the city through innovative technology never before showcased in a New York hotel.

To bring the design to life, Beers himself collaborated with Roger Parent of interdisciplinary technology firm Réalisations Inc. The city’s first ‘living’ hotel is comprised of sensational, ever-changing digital experiences inspired by the fashion and artistic industries in the neighbourhood which are an integral and informative element of the design.

Renaissance New York Midtown
Specifically designed to interact with visitors from the moment they enter the hotel, the property features ambient intelligent corridors that respond to human movement, digitally enhanced elevator banks, and a never-before-seen Discovery Portal Powered by Time Out that showcases neighbourhood guides on a user-friendly digital alcove to be accessed with the point of a finger or tap of a toe. A four-story LED digital clock at the top of the building will also bring the hotel to life and will add a beacon of light to the city’s skyline for all to enjoy.
Renaissance New York Midtown
Using New York City as his muse, Beers’ vision was to capture the energy of the locale by juxtaposing high-low design components, such as smooth millwork and polished marble against the rough texture of exposed concrete walls, to create elegant yet edgy public spaces and guest rooms. The purposeful disparity of materials was new to Beers, known for his work at properties around the world including Miami’s Fontainebleau, Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne in New York and Singapore, and the One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas, making the Renaissance New York Midtown unlike any project he has worked on.
Renaissance New York Midtown
“Having grown up in New York, I thrive on the fast-paced rhythm of the lifestyle here. I wanted the design of this hotel to capture the vibrancy and creative energy of the city; to immerse visitors in the real New York,” said Beers. “There are a number of elements throughout the design that are meant to provide an unexpected moment of enjoyment and playfulness — inspired by Renaissance’s ‘look and look again’ philosophy. The artwork, for example, might appear to be a two-dimensional painting from afar, but as visitors get closer they will see that it is actually composed of pins or pencils.”
Renaissance New York Midtown
Surprising design elements are found throughout the hotel, from flirtatious graphics at the back of each guestroom closet, to inspiring quotes in the bathrooms. Life-size images are etched on the back walls of the elevator cabs and each time the elevator doors open on the ground floor, guests will be treated to specially-curated digital imagery showcasing local artists and neighbourhood experiences. Timed to mirror the opening and closing of the elevators, the projected digital displays will always be evolving and the hotel will be visually different on each and every visit.

Renaissance New York Midtown
Located on 35th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, the hotel boasts 348 guest rooms, including seven Executive Suites and one Empire Suite. Each guest room offers a sophisticated neutral palette with pops of purple or grey throughout the bedding and upholstery. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the spacious rooms use pale finishes, maximise natural light, and adhere to an uncluttered aesthetic. A gradient frosted-glass shower wall separates the all-white Italian marble en-suite bathroom from the sleeping area.
Renaissance New York Midtown
On the sixth floor guests will find a sleek Lobby Bar, Library Lounge, a clandestine DJ booth and Club Lounge for Elite Marriott Rewards members and preferred guests. The hotel offers 4,500 square-feet of meeting space which can be separated into smaller conference rooms with glass air walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows will offer magnificent views of the city, while stylised inspirational quotes from fashion greats such as Coco Chanel and Oscar de la Renta painted onto the raw concrete back wall, pay homage to the surroundings.

Photos: newyorkrenaissance.com