An ‘Edition’ to Times Square: A year and a half after opening his New York “hotel for the people,” Public, Ian Schrager has revealed his latest Edition – this one in Times Square – with bells and whistles like the first Michelin-starred chef ever for the neighborhood, John Fraser, along with Cabaret theater in the hotel’s Paradise Club. The 452-room hotel opened in preview February 19 and opening rates starting from US$269 per night.
More luxury in Dubai: In a market already over-luxed, Mandarin Oriental has entered the Middle East with the opening of the 256-room Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai. The two signature restaurants are helmed by Portuguese celebrity chef José Avillez and Australian-born chef Ross Shonhan who heads up Netsu, a Warayaki-style Japanese steakhouse. The property is a plus for MOHG, which recently lost management contracts in both Vegas and Atlanta.
Blooming in Chelsea: Moxy adds to its New York pipeline with the 349-room Moxy NYC Chelsea, the micro-room, macro-amenity hotel opened in preview February 14. Developed by Lightstone and inspired by the surrounding Flower District, the hotel has a botanically-influenced elements with design largely from TAO Group and Rockwell Group. Guests enter through an overgrown flower shop run by husbands Darroch and Michael Putnam, whose portfolio includes celebrity weddings, including the recent nuptials of Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk. Rates start at US$159 per night.
Virgin San Francisco: Richard Branson’s long-awaited 192-room Virgin Hotels San Francisco is officially open. Situated in SoMa (South of Market), the property is second Virgin Hotels location in the U.S. after the Chicago location opened in 2015. Rooms at the new property also come with a virtual personal assistant named Lucy, who orders room service, controls your thermostat, and makes dinner reservations straight from your phone.
Kids in the mountains: Japan-based Hoshino Resorts has opened the 73-room Hoshino Resorts BEB Karuizawa in the mountain resort region of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. The hotel was conceptualized by the company’s CEO, Yoshiharu Hoshino, as a laid-back property squarely targeting millennial travelers. Rates start at US$162 per night.