Starwood Capital Group has launched a new luxury lifestyle brand, 1 Hotels. The first property debuted in South Beach on March 25 and will be followed by Central Park in late spring and Brooklyn Bridge Park at the end of 2015. According to a news release, 1 Hotels is a socially conscious brand that aims to change industry standards, such as by eliminating paper and plastic in the guestrooms, using living greenery as decor, and having farmstands in the lobby where local farmers and purveyors can sell their goods.
Each hotel in the portfolio is designed in collaboration with eco-friendly architects and craftsmen, featuring high-design with low-impact, reclaimed and natural materials wherever possible. The architecture, landscaping, and decor all showcase the art in nature, creating spaces and rooms that bring the outdoors in.
“It’s simple. We have an impact on nature and nature has an impact on us. I decided that if I was ever going to create another hotel, I wanted it to be more than a brand; I wanted it to be a cause,” said Barry Sternlicht, chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. “People are already living like this and are now looking for ways to travel in the same fashion.”
