HOTEL GANSEVOORT:  THE FIRST FULL-SERVICE LUXURY HOTEL IN MANHATTAN’S MEATPACKING DISTRICT

    187-room hotel to include 45-foot heated rooftop pool and garden, spa and restaurant

NEW YORK (June 2004) – Signaling continued confidence in New York City’s vitality and economic well-being, the new 187-room, 14-floor luxury Hotel Gansevoort will open in Spring 2004 on the corner of Ninth Avenue and 13th Street in the newly landmarked Gansevoort Meatpacking District.  An area known primarily for its historic and commercial heritage, the Meatpacking District has become a magnet for stylish restaurants and designer boutiques, most recently for Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen’s flagship stores.   Complementing the neighborhood’s eclectic mix of meat warehouses and retrofit storefronts, Hotel Gansevoort will feature design elements that blend as well as distinguish, including a signature rooftop with a heated outdoor, glass-surrounded, 45-foot pool with underwater music; contemporary roof garden; spacious event loft with soaring 20-foot ceilings; and commanding city and river views.

A project from Long Island-based developer Michael Achenbaum of WSA Management, Ltd., Hotel Gansevoort was designed by noted architect Stephen B. Jacobs and interior designer Andi Pepper, the team responsible for the Library Hotel and Hotel Giraffe in New York City.  Hotelier Henry Kallan, also of the Library Hotel and Hotel Giraffe as well as the Hotel Elysée, the Casablanca, and the new Aria Hotel in Prague, will independently operate Hotel Gansevoort.   Elon Kenchington, most recently from the Bryant Park Hotel, is the General Manager.

Striking Design

In keeping with the neighborhood’s architectural traditions and integrity, the free-standing building is clad with striking zinc-colored metal panels, glass-sheathed balconies and projecting bay windows that enliven the modern exterior while forming the focal point of guest room interiors.  The hotel’s entrance on cobble-stoned Ninth Avenue features 18-foot internally illuminated glass columns and a 14-foot high revolving door.   The glass columns, with their ever-changing colors, create the illusion that the building is supported by light.  Recalling the canopies of early 20th century meatpacking buildings, the hotel’s extensive canopy wraps around the corner of Ninth Avenue and 13th Street.

The double-height lobby includes intimate sitting nooks for relaxing and socializing, plus dedicated reception and concierge areas.  Lighting plays an important role in all areas of the hotel, from lobby ceiling lights which move up and down to create moods that vary with the time of day, to computer-controlled lights which effect choreographed color changes.      A playful use of textures such as eel skin columns, mohair panels and leather and velvet accents creates a sleek, yet comfortable, reception/lounge area.    

Imaginative Rooftop

“Rooftops are the most underutilized real estate in the city,” said architect Stephen B. Jacobs.     To that end, Hotel Gansevoort’s rooftop will be its signature feature, underscoring Jacobs’ strong affection for this singularly cosmopolitan vantage point.    A richly landscaped roof garden and an expansive loft with soaring 20-foot ceilings will offer breathtaking 360°  city views and will be a stylish new venue for special events.  A 45-foot heated outdoor, glass-surrounded, swimming pool with underwater music anchors the roof’s other side.  

Rooms with Understated Elegance

Lofty, nine-foot ceilings will grace Hotel Gansevoort’s 187 guest rooms, which include 20 corner suites and a duplex Penthouse. Many rooms feature bay windows that include a cozy seating area within the window bay.  One-third of the guest rooms have balconies and two corner suites on each floor have a living room and bedroom, with an available adjoining guest room.  All include hi-tech amenities to meet the needs of business and leisure travelers such as high-speed Internet access as well as Wi-Fi (hi-speed wireless Internet access) throughout the hotel; Plasma televisions; voice mail; dual phone lines; and hair dryer.

Sophisticated and minimalist, guest rooms feature a color palette of neutrals and grays with a shot of blackberry.  A lavish use of leather and fabric in the headboard, armoire and wall covering create a contemporary, rich feeling.  Dramatic sheets of backlit translucent glass in muted colors take the place of conventional doors.   Bathrooms will also offer striking design contrasts with sheathed, richly textured walls; ceramic interiors; a custom designed stainless steel “Gansevoort” sink; and Carrara marble.   

Upon entering the duplex Penthouse, a dramatic, two-story wall of windows unfolds, offering commanding views of the Hudson River.  Blending hi-tech amenities with the comforts of home, the Penthouse features an oversized fireplace that anchors a 30-inch Plasma television as well as custom-designed furniture in a variety of contrasting fabrics and colors including mohair and distressed leather chairs, leather and tweed sofa, slate tables and a mink throw.

Full-service to Meet All Guest Needs

Hotel Gansevoort will feature Ono, a 300-seat tri-level Japanese bar and restaurant with a covered dining terrace and an outdoor café-style dining courtyard.  Owned and operated by Jeffrey Chodorow of China Grill Management, Ono will be designed by award-winning design firm Jeffrey Beers International.   The menu will include traditional Japanese food as well as a Robata-yaki bar, a new food concept in New York City.  Robata-yaki, which means grilling over an open flame, brings together elements of American barbeque and Spanish tapas, with a Sake bar conviviality.  Patrons sit at a bar around the chef and select pieces of meat, fowl, vegetables and fish from a large display in front of them.  The chef cooks the food over an open flame, scoops it up with a large wooden paddle, and places it on the patron’s plate.

A 5,100-square-foot full-service spa offering a wide range of treatments and a complete exercise facility will be located on the lower level.  A spa operator has not yet been named.  A boardroom, business center and meeting room will also be available for guest use.

                           Please call for rates and availibility.

To see photos of Hotel Gansevoort, please click here.

To see a map of the area surrounding Hotel Gansevoort, please click here.

For more information or to schedule your stay please contact:
Small & Elegant Hotels, International
9425 Whispering Sands
West Olive, MI 49460
TEL: (616) 844-6000 / FAX: (616) 844-6042
E-Mail: res@smallandeleganthotels.com

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