Renaissance Hotels, the brand known around the world for helping the next generation of business travelers discover unexpected cultural experiences, expects to open New York City’s first digitally enhanced hotel in the heart of the Garment District in the spring of 2016. Designed by award-winning Jeffrey Beers International, the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel will capture the spirit of wanderlust, the brand’s new global design philosophy reflecting a contemporary transformation to appeal to the next gen business traveler who seeks adventure with every business trip. The hotel will feature a mixture of high-low design elements celebrating the industrial grit and glamour of the city, and sensational, ever-changing digital experiences that will undeniably change the hotel scene in New York.
According to Tina Edmundson, global officer, luxury and lifestyle brands,”The Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel will be our flagship property and truly bring a ‘renaissance’ to the brand, melding the best of New York’s art, music and fashion into a creative and authentic experience for our guests.”
This new-build, 348-room hotel, part of the Garment District community, will celebrate the energy of the neighborhood and the spirited creative industries that continue to thrive there, offering hyper-local insider information through the renowned Renaissance Navigator program.
“Today, pioneering business travelers enjoy a ‘work hard, play hard’ mindset and want to discover the hidden gems in the personality-packed neighborhoods where they stay. We designed every aspect of the new Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel to make it easy for guests to unwind, explore, and embrace the history and vitality within the hotel and all around us,” explains David DiFalco, general manager, Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel.
Guests and visitors entering the property from either 34th or 35th Streets will interact with digital displays projected along the corridor, a passage which spans the length of the block, creating a visual tapestry by responding to human motion through subtle, organic movements and graphic patterns. This “living” wall will interact with guests as they journey through the entrance hall, featuring specially curated digital imagery showcasing local artists and neighborhood experiences, providing ever changing entertainment waiting to be discovered.
The highlight of the digital experience will be an alcove located near the 34th street entrance that will act as a virtual concierge. Tied to the hotel’s Navigator program and tapping into the pulse of the city, this futuristic technology will allow guests and visitors to explore points of interests throughout the neighborhood with just the point of a finger and tap of the foot.
At the top of the hotel, four-story LED screens will illuminate the skyline with a digital clock, acting as a beacon within the city. Changing designs every hour of the day, this dynamic timepiece will enhance the New York City skyline.
The hotel Navigator, the brand’s lifestyle concierge, is an integral part of the hotel experience offering personalized hyper-local suggestions on the area’s offerings. Guests are encouraged to visit the “Navigator Table” located in the lobby, where these local experts will be ready to help guests unlock micro local, indigenous experiences.
Guests checking in will travel to the sixth floor hotel lobby, a destination in its own right. The Navigator on one side, visitors will also find a Library Lounge, Lobby Bar, a hidden DJ booth, and an intimate balcony that overlooks the expansive fifth-floor terrace below. From Renaissance Hotel’s famed Bar Rituals, to guest performances by local musicians or round-table conversations, guests will find communal, personal, and authentic experiences at their fingertips.
Also on the sixth floor will be the Club Lounge, a special haven reserved for Elite Marriot Rewards members and preferred guests. The design will combine contemporary furniture, modern high-tech amenities and feature wall art that transforms functional components of the fashion trade such as push pins and high heels into complex masterpieces.
The Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel will offer the largest outdoor space in all of Manhattan. At 8,000 square-feet, the fifth floor terrace will boast a retractable roof, private cabanas, comfortable seating and two fully-stocked bars. The hotel will also offer a number of terrace suites with abundant outdoor space.
The 348 individual guest rooms, including seven executive suites and one celebrity suite, will feature signature wanderlust design accents, including floor-to-ceiling windows and the juxtaposition of concrete to wood in the decor, as well as a mixture of sophisticated neutral colors with pops of purple or grey throughout the bedding and upholstery. The spacious rooms use pale finishes, maximize natural light, and adhere to an uncluttered aesthetic. A gradient frosted-glass shower wall will separate the all-white Italian marble en-suite bathroom from the sleeping area.
The hotel will offer 4,500 square-feet of meeting and lounge space that can accommodate up to 250 attendees and which can be converted into multiple, separate conference rooms with glass air walls. Located on the seventh floor, floor-to-ceiling windows will offer magnificent views of the city, while stylized 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 neighborhood.
