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Bold bursts of white and red and images of peonies in Mira Moon ’ s 91 guestrooms help |
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STORIED
DESIGN
Hotels often help guests escape , but some are taking the idea to the next level by immersing guests in local folklore .
The 91-room Mira Moon , opened last November by Miramar Group in Hong Kong ’ s Wan Chai neighborhood , tells the tale of Chang ’ er , the Moon Goddess , who was banished to the moon . Interior designers Wanders and Yoo depict the story via bold bursts of white and red — inspired by Chang ’ er ’ s husband ’ s red bow and white arrows — images of peonies and various autumnal hues to reflect the traditional celebration of the Moon Goddess ’ story in autumn .
“ The idea to give a modern dramatic
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interpretation to an ancient Chinese fairytale accurately reflects the juxtaposition between traditional and modern Hong Kong in Wan Chai ,” says Miramar Group CEO Martin Lee .
The 82-room Stora Hotellet in Umea , Sweden , highlights its building ’ s storied history — dating back to 1895 — and the community ’ s connections to the sea . Design agency Stylt Trampoli named the hotel ’ s six room categories for sailors ’ preoccupations such as Superstition and Adventure , and design details include a three-story chandelier made from rope and glittering plexiglass crystals . “ There were lots of stories to work with ,” says Markus Olsson of Balticgruppen , the hotel ’ s owner . “ It was the perfect opportunity to create an experience unique to this place .”
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Erik Nissen Johansen |
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depict the story of the Moon Goddess .
The six guestroom categories at Stora Hotellet are all named for sailors ’ preoccupations , including Superstition .
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WHAT ’ S OLD
IS NEW
What ’ s old is becoming new again as buildings with histories as offices , factories and banks are becoming hotels .
The Refinery opened in New York City last summer in a building that was originally built in 1912 to house high-end retail and a tea salon on the first floor and various factories — predominantly hat making — on the upper floors . Stonehill
Residence Inn Omaha Downtown opened last fall in what was once Omaha , Nebraska ’ s Federal Building .
& Taylor aimed for an industrial-chic aesthetic throughout the hotel , with the 197 guestrooms featuring concrete ceilings , distressed hardwood floors , sewing-machine-inspired desks , steel-and-leather headboards with buckles and floor lamps inspired by fashion photographers ’ lights .
“ The design narrative was guided by the historic facts surrounding the building and how we imagined people to be living and working there in the early 20th century ,” says Christina Zimmer , principal at Stonehill & Taylor .
Adaptive reuse is prominent among midmarket brands as well . Residence Inn Omaha Downtown opened last fall in what was once Omaha , Nebraska ’ s Federal Building . Dating back to the early 1930s and on the U . S . National Register of Historic Places , the building also housed government branches such as the district court and Secret Service . First Hospitality Group ( FHG ) purchased the building in 2012 , and now the 152-room
Guestrooms at The Refinery in New York City feature concrete ceilings , distressed hardwood floors , sewing-machine-inspired desks , steeland-leather headboards with buckles and floor lamps inspired by fashion photographers ’ lights .
Residence Inn is among a number of adaptive-reuse projects for the company .
“ Our goal with the property was to preserve many of the original features of the building , including the marble terrazzo tile , wooden railings and brass fixtures ,” says FHG President and COO Robert Habeeb . “ We feel the building ’ s history is what makes our property so unique .”
www . hotelsmag . com June 2014 HOTELS 33