Starwood Capital Group has debuted its new hotel brand, 1 Hotels.
The first 436-room 1 Hotel, featuring interiors by New York-based Meyer Davis Studio, opened in South Beach last month. A Central Park location, designed by AvroKO, will follow this spring. Architectural firm Incorporated is working to realize the last currently planned Brooklyn Bridge Park location, which is scheduled to open at the end of the year.
The brand places an emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility with regulations such as forbidding paper or plastic in guestrooms and hotel designs conceptualized by eco-friendly architects and craftsmen using reclaimed and natural materials when possible.
“It’s simple,” says Barry Sternlicht, Starwood Capital Group’s chairman and CEO. “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. People are already living like this and are now looking for ways to travel in the same fashion. At first, our guests may simply notice the graceful twist of driftwood in the furnishings, however, what we are really offering is an evolution of the entire hotel experience, one that is more natural in regards to the way we arrive, sleep, eat, relax, and do. By focusing on simple changes that make life better, we will encourage guests to stop, recalibrate, and hopefully gain some inspiration from the small steps we have taken to protect nature at each property.”
Hotel operation strategy will leverage local resources, conserve non-renewable resources, mitigate paper consumption, and reduce landfill waste. Construction and furnishing materials are regionally reclaimed or repurposed where possible. The properties strive to lower their footprint through the use of updated technology, such as energy efficient heating and cooling systems; motion sensors; LED illumination to reduce electrical demands; low VOC paints, adhesives, sealants, and finishes; Triple Clear water filters; and low-flow plumbing.
Each hotel will include greenery integrated throughout the interior, such as the 3,000-square-foot living wall—a plant laboratory from local Miami artisans Plant the Future—wrapped around the exterior of 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach. Central Park will feature a similar installation of a three-story living wall of English ivy developed by Brooklyn-based Sprout Home.
The brand also integrates environmentally conscious amenities, including Tesla premium electric car service, complimentary bicycle valet, and digital newspapers available on an in-room device.
