Tampa, Florida, continues to increase its profile as a 24-hour gateway city with the opening The Tampa Edition, the 15th property worldwide for the Marriott International luxury lifestyle brand.
As part of Water Street Tampa, a US$3.5 billion urban development project led by Strategic Property Partners, a partnership between Cascade Investment and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, hotel highlights include:
- 172 guestrooms and 38 private residences
- An expansive rooftop terrace and pool deck, a first-of-its-kind for Tampa
- Numerous bars, restaurants and nightlife concepts, including signature venues from Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser
- Spa and fitness center
- Design concept by ISC Design Studio in partnership with Morris Adjmi Architects, Bonetti Kozerski Architects, and Roman and Williams
“Not often have I had the opportunity to work on a project that will completely transform the very center and heartbeat of a great city like Tampa, and make it even greater,” said Ian Schrager, who has worked with Marriott to grow the brand since its inception. “I call it urban expansion, rather than urban renewal, and it serves as a model for how cities will transform and evolve in the future. The scale of it is mind-boggling and we’re very happy to be right here and a part of it.”
Reminiscent of Stockholm and other very livable European and Scandinavian harbor cities that combine the best of a metropolitan city with living by the sea and being close to water, when complete, the Water Street Tampa neighborhood will double the footprint of downtown Tampa. Unfolding over 9 million square feet, the neighborhood is built around wellness, connectivity, walkability, and sustainability.
Spread over 26 stories, from the outside, The Tampa Edition combines industrial elements, art deco-inspired curves and greenery to blend into the neighborhood’s organic, wellness-focused ethos. Defined by a vertical tower that houses the residences, with wrap-around balconies that update the traditional idea of a Florida room, and an outdoor garden in the sky, the building is anchored by the lower nine floors, which comprises the hotel’s guest rooms and public spaces.
The hotel’s main entrance, with its softly curved bougainvillea-covered canopy, leads to an open-flow lobby with 20-foot-high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that shed natural light onto the interiors anchored by a white marble sculptural staircase. Here, a mixture of open-pore travertine, walnut wood and a jungle of live greenery comes together in the Lobby Bar to create a warm, natural backdrop for features such as a large-scale stainless steel Anish Kapoor-inspired lilac orb art piece, a custom-designed travertine pool table, and intimately grouped furniture that sit atop champagne-colored rugs. The Lobby Bar features elevated classic cocktails with a Mediterranean twist, along with shareable small plates.
Flanking this space is a scalloped American Black Walnut bar, with cognac leather stools, which then flows into Lilac, the signature fine dining Mediterranean restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef and California native, John Fraser. The dining room’s walnut flooring and the warm glow from the pendant globes create an elevated, convivial space focused around an eight-seat Christian Liaigre chef’s counter in sandblasted walnut and a lively open kitchen. Taking its cues from Fraser’s Greek heritage, the cuisine at Lilac highlights locally sourced and seasonal ingredients showcasing flavors and techniques through an Eastern Mediterranean lens. Guests receive a prix fixe menu, beginning with hors d’oeuvres to share followed by three courses of their choice. Signature dishes include locally sourced Grouper cooked in a cataplana, Short Rib cooked on a rotisserie, and Herbed Pasta with a soft egg and sherry-braised chanterelle mushrooms.
Fraser is also behind the concepts of the hotel’s other food and beverage outlets, including Market. Located on the opposite side of the lobby to Lilac, Market makes the most of its streetside corner spot, with a private garden, alfresco dining that flows into the interior of the restaurant. Here, the bright and airy all-day dining space features a scalloped white oak and Calcutta marble coffee and pastry bar, which sits adjacent to a casual, convivial dining space. Market’s menu has an Italian trattoria flair, with fresh pizzas emerging from the open hatch behind the zinc bar, alongside light, healthy, casual, and ingredient-driven classics.
The second floor – accessed via the sculptural staircase – introduces a variety of spaces, including Punch Room, a cozy, muted space accented with rich jewel-toned shades of emerald and sapphire. Walnut wall paneling creates a European gentleman’s club-like feel that is enhanced by alabaster wall sconces, a double-sided fireplace, bright-blue furniture, marble tables and a cognac marble bar backed by a softly lit smoky antique mirror.
Arts Club combines a trio of spaces, including the Lounge, for cocktails and light bites against a backdrop of ebonized wood, black damask velvet sofas, black leather banquettes and a specially commissioned photobooth in black lacquer with a gold interior. From there, guests can explore the Verde Antico marble bar noir, with its luminescent yellow velvet stools in the bar area, Arts Club Cabaret features an organic undulating ceiling of 350 mirrored balls of various sizes and theatrical ruby red velvet drapery that plays host to a roster of entertainers.
Also on the second floor and the mezzanine level above is the 250-guest private event space and a series of meeting rooms – including two studios and a boardroom – which cutting-edge technology a design scheme of white oak and travertine details.
The Rooftop is located on level nine, just below the residences, and includes Azure at Edition – a restaurant overseen by Chef Fraser – and a sprawling pool club with cabanas for day and night, open to hotel guests and residences only.
The 172 guestrooms and suites feature marble bathrooms and a curved American Black Walnut entrance that leads to a light white oak space embellished with photography by the late New York-based fashion and portrait photographer, Rodney Smith, and custom Jean-Michel Frank-inspired furniture alongside the curves of a white lacquer Cherner Chair. There are five Garden Terrace rooms on the third floor, the one-bedroom Penthouse – with a media room, open-plan living and dining room, pantry and expansive walk-in wardrobe and bathroom – is on a light-filled corner of the eighth floor, while each guestroom either looks out onto the city or has views of the boat-filled Garrison Channel.