1. What do you hope to create with SIXTY Hotels? Is it a reimagination of Thompson Hotels, which you also founded and is now part of Commune Hotels + Resorts?
SIXTY Hotels will be the next evolution of hotel environments and experiences, moving beyond what we did at Thompson. We hope to refine and perfect our approach to hospitality but to also deliver a 360-degree cultural experience to our guests.
2. You are in the midst of a renovation of the SIXTY SoHo in New York. Can you give us a sneak peek?
With designer Tara Bernerd, we are layering in textured materials—wood flooring in every room, velvets and stones for juxtaposition—to create a residential feel. It’s a delicate balance between being chic and design forward, an homage to period pieces but timeless at the same time. It is very reflective of what SoHo is today: eclectic and international. Tara has a different interpretation of luxury—she is part of our demographic of international, free-spirited creatives.
3. Miami is up next. What are you hoping to create?
The Nautilus presented a unique opportunity for us to have a substantial presence on the strip in Miami Beach, which is an important market to us culturally and to our guests. We are endeavoring to balance the very special South Beach social engagement with the international sophistication that has positioned Miami as a global leader in the luxury sector.
4. What do you think guests are looking for today in a luxury hotel? How are you responding to that?
Guests are looking for a non-formulaic experience, and particularly for a hotel that reflects the experience and history of the location. They are seeking casual environments that tailor to specific needs. They are working differently, and engaging more in a lobby setting. The concepts of luxury and formality have separated.
With SIXTY we are trying to be very reflective and to make the guest experience personal, going back to a time of innkeepers. Properties are individual. That has been lost as the sector has grown and become dominated by bigger companies that have standardized what they see as a formula.
5. What’s next for the brand?
We take each project one at a time. While we would like to grow in individual cities that we are in, as well as domestically and internationally, we believe each project should be unique and accretive to one another. I don’t believe in growth for the sake of growth. It needs to be organic.
