NEW YORK—Starwood Capital Group Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht has launched the new mission-driven, luxury lifestyle brand 1 Hotels in South Beach, FL. Two other 1 Hotels will debut in Central Park here in late spring and Brooklyn Bridge Park at the end of 2015.
Each hotel in the 1 Hotels portfolio is consciously designed in collaboration with eco-friendly architects and craftsmen, and each property features high-design with low-impact, reclaimed and natural materials wherever possible, according to the brand.
"It's simple. 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," said Sternlicht, whose company will manage the hotels. "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."
At 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, guests will be welcomed with 3,000 feet of living wall wrapped-around its exterior with 11,000 local tropical plant varieties and playful art as nature pieces such as interactive hanging terrariums. At Central Park, guests will see a three-story living wall of English Ivy on the building's exterior and be greeted by hanging kokedamas in the lobby with terrariums and indoor window planters in guestrooms from Brooklyn-based Sprout Home.
For interiors and landscaping at 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, boutique design Meyer Davis Studio transforms a Miami building on 600 feet of pristine oceanfront into a visionary statement of design inspired by nature and Nikola Gradisinki of NGNY revamped the property's rooftop.
Guestrooms and suites at every 1 Hotel feature custom hemp-blend Keetsa mattresses topped with hypoallergenic, 100% organic linens; custom-created 1 Hotels bath and body products; soft socks in lieu of slippers; hangers made from recycled paper; yoga mats; and natural stones engraved “not now” to place outside the door to replace the traditional “do not disturb” door hanger.
At 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, where the 426 rooms average 700 sq. ft.—the largest on South Beach—king-sized beds built on reclaimed white oak platforms will be the norm with wrap-around daybed couches; bedside chalkboards for notes; and complimentary reusable recycled water glasses to use with the Triple Clear Water in-room water tap.
Signature brand amenities available at each property include: Tesla premium electric car service for guest transportation within a pre-set radius, complimentary bicycle valet, complimentary parking for guests who bring their own electric vehicles, complimentary WiFi, and digital newspapers on an in-room device.
Chef Tom Colicchio will oversee three food and beverage programs and in-room dining at 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, including Beachcraft, which will highlight Florida's best fisherman and farmers; the lobby bar called Tom on Collins; and the poolside restaurant and bar The Sand Box. In May 2015, the property will introduce 1 Kitchen: Organic Food And Juice Bar by Spring Cafe.
Occupying an entire city block on Collins Ave. from 23rd to 24th Sts., 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach sits directly on 600 feet of beachfront. The property offers views of the Atlantic Ocean, Miami's Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami's skyline. The property features four swimming pools, including a 112-ft. rooftop pool as part of the 26,000-sq.-ft. rooftop ultra-lounge; 57 cabanas and daybeds; an 18,000-sq.-ft. spa, wellness and fitness center, set to open late 2015; more than 100,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space; and 155 branded residences.
