Bashar Wali, President of Aspen Lodging Group, has recently announced the completion of a $6.5 million transformation of The Westin Portland. The project introduced a welcoming, design-forward lobby and included the installation of nearly 50 works of fine art, among them a signed etching by Picasso, to create a gallery-like ambiance uncommon among hotels and uniquely suited to Portland. “This is more than a hotel renovation, it represents a fresh new take on the guest experience at The Westin Portland,” said Wali. “Opening up the space, developing an integrated approach to curated art and design, creating a mood that’s chic and fun – these personalize the brand for the Portland market and our eclectic mix of sophisticated customers.”
The Westin Portland reinvented its public space experience by removing walls that once separated the lounge from the lobby and creating a new great room with an integrated, social atmosphere. Swathed in luxurious finishes and a warm palette that provides a welcoming counterpoint to the often-brisk Pacific Northwest climate, the room functions as a place guests can connect, relax and enjoy the works on display such as Gregory Grenon’s So Distracted and an untitled 1989 work by Sam Francis. Along one wall, new iPad technology stations provide the perfect perch for guests to surf through area dining options or check flight information.
The Westin Portland has curated another fine art experience on the main floor with Trois Femmes Nues Près d’une Fenêtre, a signed etching by Pablo Picasso, hung against an iridescent mosaic background above Let Them Eat TastyKakes, a surrealist collage of silver nitrate-coated glass barware by Matt Eskuche. The works are accented by glamorous touches that evoke the style of 1940’s France with lamps in polished nickel and a peek-a-boo wine cabinet offering a glimpse into the adjacent bar and restaurant.
Giclée prints of Three Images by René Rickabaugh adorn the elevator interiors and the nod to the 1940’s reappears in the penthouse suite where teak floors, an espresso machine and wine bar give an inviting, upscale pied-a-terre feel. On the first floor, the Daily Grill restaurant’s new persimmon walls and dove gray trim provide the perfect backdrop for the collection and give the impression of dining in an art collector’s study.
The Westin Portland transformation was designed by DH Design of Los Angeles and Hennebery Eddy Architects and executed by Western Construction.
