The Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower opened earlier this month in Punta Pacifica, Panama, as Latin America’s tallest building. The 2.7-million-square-foot, 72-story hotel is the first international project for the Trump Organization’s Trump Hotel Collection brand. The tower features a dynamic sail-shaped structural design by local architecture firm Aria Serna Saravia and dramatic interiors by HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates. Trump Organization senior executive Ivanka Trump guided the interior design.
“Ultimately, the design combines local influences with unexpectedly modern elements, speaking to the changing landscape of Latin America,” says Erin Sullivan, interior designer for HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates.
Upon entering the Trump Ocean Club, patrons are greeted by 24-foot.-tall ceilings, elaborate windows, a variety of retail shops, and two sets of the hotel brand’s signature glass elevators, one of which opens to the hotel’s Sky Lobby and reception area on the 15th floor. which serves as a large-scale living room and offers ocean views. The space features brightly colored flora-inspired rugs and low-slung furniture that elicits a tropical flair. A grand staircase, illuminated by an overhead skylight, adds a sense of drama while artwork by regional artists adorns the walls.
The 369 guest rooms, which range up to 1,561 square foot in size, are inspired by Panama’s tropical location and offer free-flowing contemporary floor plans. Rooms feature full-length windows, one or two private balconies, and deck furniture. Limestone flooring with accent colors of silver, light blue, and canary yellow contrast against the interior’s neutral palette. Much of the natural-grain oak furniture are dual-purpose pieces, such as the bed headboard that serves as a night table and a ledge under the television that pulls out to offer a desk. Bathrooms offer a spacious design and feature free-standing oval tubs surrounded by frosted glass.
Betsy Hughes, associate of HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates says, “We chose elements that would herald the overall aesthetic of the Trump Hotel Collection while giving Trump Ocean Club a distinctly Panamanian feel.” The headboards feature wood carving designs that were inspired by a locally made bracelet; the monochromatic fabric used in the cream-colored bed throw imitates the material used in the traditional costume of the Kuna, the indigenous people of Panama.
An abundance of bars and restaurants are on site, including the Cava 15 Wine Bar, Tejas Restaurant & Bar, BARcelona Tapas Restaurant & Bar, and the Azul Pool Bar & Grill. Meeting facilities are located on the 12th floor and provide more than 46,000 square feet of functional space. The pre-function area can hold up to 550 guests, while the ballroom can accommodate 950 guests. Several smaller public areas are also available for private gatherings.
Source: Contract