In 2021, carefully executed hotel projects rooted in their locations took centerstage. From meticulous renovations to clever design schemes, these are the hotel stories that garnered the most attention over the past 12 months.
Hotel Kansas City
Chicago-based KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group was tasked with converting the historic Kansas City Club building, which operated as a private clubhouse for nearly 80 years, into the 144-room Hotel Kansas City. Knowing that during its heyday, the club exclusively welcomed men, the design team set out to maintain some of that moody, masculine spirit, while taking a more inclusive approach. “Think of a beautiful, strong woman walking into a room with an airy ball gown sweeping the space, taking everyone’s attention,” describes principal Gina Deary. “[We want] the guest to pause and realize how far we have come and how much we need masculine and feminine forces working together.” Read the full story.
Four Seasons Hotel Madrid
Nearby Madrid’s buzzy Puerta del Sol public square lies Centro Canalejas—an urban redevelopment project led by Spain-based architecture firm Estudio Lamela that comprises seven adjoined historic buildings. The structures, which had been vacant for 15 years, are now home to more than 160,000 square feet of retail space, 22 luxury homes, an expansive underground parking garage, and the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. The 204-key property, which spans four levels of the connected buildings, features meticulously restored interiors by San Francisco-based studio BAMO. Read the full story.
Arlo Midtown
For the design of Arlo Midtown, featured in HD’s August issue, Meyer Davis looked to Manhattan’s Garment District neighborhood for inspiration. The 489-room property pays homage to the fashion hub in both subtle and dramatic ways, including in the reception area, where a large, illuminated screen made of woven leather, metal, and wood creates a stunning backdrop for check-in desks, which marry brass, white marble, and dark green textured leather. “It’s almost a modern interpretation of a textural fabric at a larger scale,” says firm cofounder Gray Davis. Read the full story.
