Jazz club turned spa
GLOBAL UPDATE what ’ s hot
Acme Arrives
The hot 3-star lifestyle hotel segment is getting yet another new player , Acme Hotel Company , set to open in Chicago ’ s River North neighborhood in May .
The property — owned and operated by the Chicago-based Neighborhood Development Corp . ( NDC ), which is also responsible for the dana hotel and spa — was formerly a Comfort Inn & Suites . Following a US $ 3 million-plus refresh , it boasts design highlights such as a wood-beamed domed entry as well as 130 updated rooms with new hardwood flooring , dark wood furniture and 46-in ( 117-cm ) LED TVs with easy Apple and HDMI connections .
Acme is a one-off development for now , but NDC President and Co-Founder Gene Kornota is not ruling out the possibility of expanding the concept . “ If we are privileged enough to take this elsewhere , it would take on different flavors in different cities ,” Kornota says . “ The market has stifled capital , so we are trying to be realistic about it . Hopefully , business will continue to move in an upward direction .”
The Las Vegas-based Light Group , which was acquired by Morgans Hotel Group last November , has opened Bianca , the new signature restaurant at the Delano in Miami serving modern Italian fare for breakfast , lunch and dinner .
Bianca — part of the Slow Food movement , a not-for-profit network committed to improving the way food is produced and distributed — offers a menu featuring local , organic ingredients . Corporate Executive Chef Brian Massie has crafted dishes including a grilled octopus appetizer
Taste of Italy in Miami
Bianca ’ s signature dishes include a grilled octopus appetizer with cherry tomato salad for US $ 26 .
with cherry tomato salad for US $ 26 and specialty cocktails such as “ Heat ,” featuring chili-infused tequila , passion fruit puree and fresh lime , for US $ 19 .
Interior design by Sam Robin Inc . aims to complement the menu ’ s light , fresh fare with white walls , natural wood and green tones . Noteworthy elements include antique pillars imported from Southeast Asia , traditional Italian furniture with a contemporary twist and windows flanked by natural wood blinds covered with gold linen drapes .
Jazz club turned spa
The new spa features a pamper pool with whirlpool .
Hotel Schweizerhof Bern in Bern , Switzerland , has debuted 5,382 sq ft ( 500 sq m ) of spa facilities in a space that used to house a jazz club .
The new spa features five treatment rooms , a Finnish sauna , a hammam , a pamper pool with whirlpool , multisensory showers and a gym . The spa has teamed with cosmetics brand Sothys Paris for products and treatments , which are available at prices ranging from US $ 65 to US $ 316 ( 60 Swiss francs to 290 Swiss francs ).
Interior design elements by
London-based MKV Design include charcoal-gray Nero Assoluto natural stone in its polished and rough form as well as dark oak wood , both used in the hotel ’ s 99 rooms and suites as well . The space also features the metallic textured wallcovering “ Charisma ” by German designer Ulf Moritz .
“ Our target clientele appreciates the amenities of a wellness area ,” says General Manager Michael Thomann . “ Even within the business sector , a spa can represent an important criterion .”
8 HOTELS April 2012 www . hotelsmag . com