CitizenM is building a hotel in the metaverse, hotelier Ian Schrager renews his focus on the PUBLIC brand, and cruise fanatics say “bon voyage” to land. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Ian Schrager hints at his next act
Two recent Instagram posts from Ian Schrager indicate the hotelier and entrepreneur will step back from EDITION Hotels, the Points Guy reports. In captions running alongside images of the newly inaugurated Madrid EDITION, he says: “The spectacular new Madrid EDITION. One of the last remaining EDITIONs I will be doing before I focus 100 percent on expanding PUBLIC… my true passion.” Schrager debuted the boutique hotel brand, which operates 14 hotels worldwide, in partnership with Marriott International in 2008. PUBLIC was recently relaunched, and Schrager previously stated that he will develop 10 more properties under the limited-service umbrella over the next five years before pursuing another partnership to expand even further.
Cheers to the first bar dedicated to women’s sports
Photo by Shannon Dupre
Earlier this month, the Sports Bra debuted in Portland, Oregon. The new sports bar and restaurant is devoted to screening women’s games and matches—making it a first of its kind, reports Portland Monthly. Appropriately, the Sports Bra opened on the day of the NCAA women’s March Madness Final Four. The décor of the venue, which is owned by Jenny Nguyen, also pays tribute to female athletes, including Brandi Chastain, Serena Williams, and Sha’Carri Richardson, via framed jerseys, artwork, and other memorabilia. The concept has so far been well received. “It’s one thing to expect it and another thing to see it,” Nguyen said of the crowd on opening day.
CitizenM ventures into the metaverse
Rendering courtesy of citizenM
Affordable luxury hotel group citizenM has announced plans to become the first hospitality company to set its sights on the metaverse. The Netherlands-based developer will acquire a “LAND site” in the Sandbox (a decentralized virtual gaming environment and a Animoca Brands subsidiary) and construct a virtual hotel where avatars can work, sleep, and play, Dezeen reports. The virtual hotel will be financed through the sale of 2,000 NFTs attached to rewards that will be redeemable at physical citizenM properties. “As a brand that has always pushed the boundaries and challenged traditional models, this new venture in the Sandbox fits not only with our brand strategy but also the commitment we have to the creative community and to our guests both online and in the real world,” says citizenM CMO Robin Chadha.
Cruising is back and cult cruisers couldn’t be happier
A recent New York Times article explores the lifestyle of a group of cruise lovers thrilled to be back at sea. The “cult cruisers,” as they describe themselves, are mostly retirees, some of which have set sail more than 150 times. The devotees oftentimes book back-to-back voyages and spend minimal time on land. For instance, 74-year-old Rita Deitchman moved from Scranton, Pennsylvania to a small condo in Fort Lauderdale three years ago with her husband to be in closer proximity to a port. “It was just meant to be a place to do laundry while we waited for the next cruise,” Deitchman says of the condo. (Deitchman has gone on 18 cruises since the CDC gave cruise lines the go ahead to resume cruising in September 2021.) “The average person is getting their week vacation and maximizes the week,” says Mark Tamis, senior vice president of hotel operations for Royal Caribbean International. “But it’s not that uncommon to try to live on the ship.”
Wynn’s Todd-Avery Lenahan in conversation at HD Expo 2022
The Delilah restaurant and lounge at Wynn Las Vegas
During a featured conversation at HD Expo + Conference 2022 in Las Vegas, Todd-Avery Lenahan, president and chief creative officer of Wynn Design & Development, will share his vision for a new era of development in luxury experiences. Don’t miss Lenahan in conversation with HD executive editor Alissa Ponchione at HD Park on Thursday, April 28th at 11:15 a.m. Revisit our interview with Lenahan from August 2021.
