NEW YORK—The historic Renaissance St. Louis Grand has undergone a $30 million renovation, designed by Stonehill & Taylor. The hotel has reopened as Marriott St. Louis Grand on August 18. The renovation takes inspiration from St. Louis as a city in transition where old and new intermingle with a sense of local pride. The renovation involves a revamp of the Greatroom lobby and bar, restaurant, reception area, meeting and events spaces, guestrooms, and suites.
Located in the Washington Avenue Loft District in Downtown St. Louis, the historic building consists of two wings: the main wing used to be the Hotel Statler built in 1917 as the first air-conditioned hotel in the U.S. while the opposite wing across the street used to be the Lennox Hotel that opened 1929. The two hotels were combined, with a new extension added, and reopened as Renaissance St. Louis Grand
in 2002.
Inspired by the city of St. Louis and the heart of its people, the design team at Stonehill & Taylor created a concept around the revitalization of St. Louis. Observing a layering of the old and the new within the city, Stonehill & Taylor created a concept they carried
to the design of the hotel.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted with a sculptural artwork that features rocks indigenous to St. Louis, rhythmically suspended and dramatically lit to reveal subtle changes in level and texture. This statement piece allows guests to peak through to the lobby bar directly ahead. Approaching the reception area, a large abstracted artwork of the city’s
landscape draws the eye with dynamic layers.
The design team opened up the original lobby floor plan and spatially remapped it to encourage guests to spend time in the welcoming space. The meeting areas, mixed social seating, and power outlets create an environment within the lobby for guests to work or play. The space can be interconnected in different ways to allow for pockets of private dining areas or overflow dining as well as quiet business meeting spots. With a mixture of woods, bronze and porcelain, the materials in the lobby were chosen as a nod to the city of St. Louis.
