The
Le Méridien Philadelphia will get a million-dollar renovation — its first major
update since it opened in 2010 — that will re-imagine the common and
food-and-beverage areas, gearing the spaces toward the millennial traveler.
Millennials
are an audience hotel brands have been targeting for some time now. This
demographic has an annual spending power of $200 billion, with each U.S.
millennial spending an average of $3,900 in 2015,
according to a report by Oracle Hospitality.
The
202-room Le Méridien, which opened in May 2010, will undergo a $1 million to
$1.5 million renovation — the scope of which includes a remodel of the common
areas, including the entry vestibule, arrival zone and bar; and a
transformation of the food-and-drink area into an all-day dining concept
catered toward millennials who want to eat, drink and work at the same time.
Construction
will begin Monday, Feb. 20 and is slated to be completed on March 31.
See
below for a more in-depth look at the upcoming changes.
During
construction, the lobby activities — like guest check-in — will be moved to the
fifth-floor atrium, which will become a pop-up bar and pop-up restaurant area
of sorts, Zwirn said.
"We're
re-imagining the space. Research has shown us that millennials — who are a very
big [portion] of our clientele — really like to eat and work at the same
time," General Manager Dan Zwirn told the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Research
showed millennials are looking for nontraditional spaces, so the hotel will
create spaces that have so-called podule seating areas as well as communal
tables — "comfortable spaces that are conducive to working and eating in a
comfortable atmosphere," Zwirn said.
"We
have a communal table now and some seating areas, but they're not conducive to
eating, work and drinking," he said. "It's more of a place to sit and
wait."
Everything
will be "wired," so hotel guests can come to expect more USB and
traditional outlets at tables — another feature travelers today come to expect
from hotels. The Center City hotel has these features, but they're limited.
After
the million-dollar renovation, more space will be dedicated for food and
beverage — about 750 square feet of the lobby converted for part of the restaurant
and bar.
"With
the growing food-and-beverage scene [in Philadelphia] it's a perfect
opportunity to create a new and unique space not only for our hotel guests but
the city as well," Zwirn said.
The
menu for restaurant Amuse will also get a re-imagining, but it will still have
that "French tinge" to it.
"The
number of visitors that have been going to Philadelphia has grown over the last
decade," Zwirn said. "We're getting more international travelers and
more cultured travelers. For us to be a world-class city, these travelers need
to have world-class hotels and that kind of experience."
Zwirn
also said: " There are a lot of new hotels coming into the market in the
next several years. We have to stay current, and we have to keep in mind what
the travelers want."
Center
City hotel occupancy last year was 78 percent, the
highest in at least 70 years. The leisure segment is also projected to hit 1
million hotel room nights for the first time in the city’s history.
"If
we can help be on that cutting edge and have a fantastic space, that'll help
the city," Zwirn said.
Le
Méridien is owned by Walton Street Capital of Chicago, and it's managed by HEI
Hotels and Resorts. The hotel belongs to the Starwood Hotels &
Resorts/Marriott International brand family.
The
inspiration & upcoming changes
The
redesign will celebrate French influence on the culture and history of
Philadelphia. The redesign to attract and inspire "curious creative-minded
travelers, artists and literary types," Zwirn said.
To
guide the design team, architecture firm Leo A Daly, created a fictionalized
muse named Jacqueline Labelle — "who is a socialite from the 20's in
Philadelphia, and extremely eccentric," Zwirn said.
Here
are the upcoming changes to the hotel, according to information given to the
Business Journal.
Entry
In
the hotel's entry vestibule will be an undulating, organic metal sculpture
emulating steam billowing up from train engines. This art piece will redirect
the guest flow into the reconfigured “arrival zone."
Arrival
zone
The
new layout of the arrival zone will reconfigure the reception pods for better
circulation. Existing windows with views of Philadelphia will become the
backdrop to the new reception pods.
The
angular design of the new registration pods are a nod to the epaulettes and
patchwork details of military uniforms. The front of the pods are studded in a
metal pattern reminiscent of uniform buttons, and new mid-century modern “soft
seating” will be near a feature fireplace.
The
bar
The
centrally located, existing bar is the heart of the lobby space. The majority
of the bar will remain, but new back-lit acrylic panels will be added to update
the look.
The
new back bar millwork and liquor display will be reconfigured to accommodate
both coffee and bar functions. Three custom screen panels will conceal the back
bar when it's not in use, creating flexibility between daytime and nighttime
functions.
Food
and beverage flex zone and interaction zone
The
existing wine room will be transformed into a more functional food-and-beverage
“flex” zone that will allow for multiple uses of the space around the bar area.
Full-height
wine displays will be removed and replaced with multi-purpose service
credenzas, and the existing dark color palette will be lightened to brighten
the space.
An
“interaction zone” is part of the flex zone, and it will have lounge seating
around and an updated linear fireplace, which will have sapphire-colored
stones. There will also be a large sculptural wire chandelier with
mid-century-influenced milk glass diffusers hanging above the interaction zone.
This is meant to resemble the spokes and hub system that connects the city by
rail.
Private
dining
A
private dining area will be created to replace the existing restaurant space.
The existing fireplace mantle will be replaced with a mid-century-inspired
glazed, white tile. There will be large abstract artwork in the space.
Source: Philadelphia
Business Journal
No comments:
Post a Comment