Tag Archive for: St. Regis

The Evolution of Boutique

What is boutique? The term ‘boutique’ is French for shop. It’s been used to describe a beautiful version of a shop, with a more relaxed and one of a kind feel. Interestingly enough as our world becomes more uniform, small towns in Ohio mimicking small towns in Arizona, our individualistic nature yearns for differentiation.

Our shopping habits demand something different and the market responds. As more and more boutique shops emerge, the word “boutique” takes on a new meaning.

Within the hospitality industry boutique represents a property in the independent sector of the market distinguishing itself from larger chains. Boutique hotels pride themselves on providing their guests with a more intimate and comfortable stay and do so by using a creative vision unique to the design seen in big hotel chains. Nowhere is this more evident than at Boutique Design.

Boutique Design New York 2013 was inspirational. Offering examples from various industries and showcasing how boutiques are turning to fine art to stand out and give them a creative edge. One space in which this is evident is at the New York Palace’s lobby lounge, designed by the design and planning firm Champalimaud, with the highlight of the space being the chandelier made from hundreds of pieces of glass-blown spheres hanging from the ceiling. This piece truly acts as a glowing lantern floating in the center of the space emanating light upon the more dark interiors in the space.

New York Palace's Lobby Lounge

Another boutique property pushing boundaries is The Alexander in Indianapolis, which has teamed up with the local contemporary art museum to display a 50-piece art collection in its public spaces. The collection illustrates how art and boutique properties are becoming more and more intertwined which could forecast the future of boutiques.

Lastly, while many boutique properties are using decorative art as a way to create a more unique atmosphere, they are also using it as a form of functional art in these spaces as well.

One great and inspiring example of this from Boutique Design New York can be seen in the St. Regis Shenzhen, which has been undergoing a design transformation headed by the design group CCD – Cheng Chung Design, are the sculptural chairs located in the hotels restaurant Elba. These chairs help to add a modern and one of a kind feel to an already exotic design by combining fine art with interior design to create a more functional yet creative feel.

St. Regis Shenzen room

 

 

 

 

Though boutique hotels seem to be changing in their demand, they are also going back to their roots as being types of unique shops with the fine art pieces that are inhibiting the spaces more and more. This goes to show that while boutique hotels may be in high demand and that the market is changing, they still remain unique and creative spaces for guests.

Hotel Logos Re-created by 6-Year-Olds!

This afternoon we had the pleasure of hosting two guests in our office. 6-year-old-twins Calvin and Olivia had the day off school so we gave them temporary roles in the graphic-design department and asked them for their best attempts at recreating some iconic hotel logos. Having a couple of kindergarteners draw logos that we deal with every day was a fun addition to our Friday!

It was interesting to watch the creative process of the kids.  In the world of professional design the process can often become over-thought and muddled down by restrictions, it might sound cheesy, but it’s refreshing to watch someone be creative in such a free-spirited way.

Calvin Cutting

As calvin works to trim one of his pictures you can see that his creative process is a bit messy!

Olivia created this rendition of the Sheraton logo.  The choice to cut out and paste the Sheraton S emblem was surprising, and leaving the word “Sheraton” off-center added personality!

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Apparently Calvin thought the lettering for the Mandarin Oriental New York would be better placed above the fan logo.

MandarinOriental sidebyside

Here’s an attempt at the Broughton Hotels of Chicago: City Suites insignia. It’s impressive that Olivia was able to achieve that shape on her first try.

CitySuitessidebyside

Once again Calvin liked the motif of keeping the name of the hotel above the image.

doubletreesidebyside

We aren’t sure if shrinking the letters “NTAL” in Intercontinental was an artistic decision or if Calvin just ran out of room on the page.

intercontinental sidebyside

Olivia decided to go with a much more minimalist aesthetic in her version of the Mission Point Resort logo.

missionpoint sidebysideThere was definitely some tracing used for these St. Regis Hallmarks but regardless of the method, the similarity to the original is impressive.

St. Regis sidebyside

It was a fun experiment to see how a couple of six-year-olds would fare in trying to copy logos!

 

Thanks for your help Calvin and Olivia! Maybe next time we’ll give you a shot at copy-writing!

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Livvy Holding St. Regis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Hotel Amenities Done Right.

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Amenities are something many hotel goers don’t usually think about, but they can make a big impact on their satisfaction. Though the first thing the word conjures up for people is likely complimentary shampoos or coffee in the room, amenities encompass much more than that.

One basic definition of an amenity is something that increases attractiveness, value, and convenience or comfort.  More specifically Amenities are features that are included in a guests stay but aren’t an additional cost.

Here are 4 Hotel amenities that are tough to forget.

1. Pet Goldfish (Hotel Triton)– Yep, the Hotel Triton offers you some companionship for your stay with a temporary pet goldfish. This unique amenity is sure to help the Triton stick in it’s guests memories. As an added benefit studies have shown that watching fish in an aquarium can have a relaxing effect on people!

2. Custom coloring books (Mandarin Oriental New York)– The Mandarin Oriental helps take a little bit of the stress out of traveling with children by providing custom coloring books to children at check in.

3. Free drink and meal (Various Hotels)– No such thing as a free lunch? We’ve come across several examples of hotels that provide guests with a free drink (beer or wine) as well as a meal during designated times.

4. A Butler (St. Regis)- A Butler probably isn’t exactly what people think of as an amenity, but come on! Having someone wait on you hand and foot is something that will go a long  way towards guest satisfaction. From drawing a bath, to packing your luggage having a personal butler is the epitome of a luxury experience.

What’s your favorite amenity? Leave us a comment below!

St. Regis Aspen Combines Luxury and Hunting


St. Regis Aspen outdoor pool

Figuring out the best way to relax is a matter of personal preference. A lot of people enjoy lying out at the beach reading a book, others find peace through yoga or meditation and some unwind by enjoying the great outdoors.

The St. Regis Hotel Aspen caters to this last group of individuals by offering their Pursuit of Adventure  packages. The unique concept combines a hunting and fishing retreat with all the luxury and amenities of a 5 star St. Regis resort.

Pursuit of Adventure encompasses three packages ranging from three to four nights in the resort, and includes two-and-a-half to three days of hunting or fly-fishing depending on the guests’ preference.

Obviously the package isn’t for everyone, but we have to imagine that spending all day trekking through the woods and coming back to a spa, fine cuisine and excellent service has to make the boutique hotel experience that much more satisfying.

Pursuit of Adventure epitomizes the spirit of the boutique hotel. By catering to a more niche market, St. Regis Aspen is able to provide a unique and ultimately memorable experience for their guests. It will be interesting to see if other hotels try to work this interesting combination.

Have you seen any unique hotel offerings lately? Let us know in our comments section below!

McConnell Marketing Clients Make 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards by Condé Nast Traveler

It’s a good week for McConnell Marketing! Many of our clients have made “The Best in the World!” list by Condé Nast Traveler Readers:

InterContinental New York Times Square
Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C.
Hotel Vitale – Joie de Vivre
Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur – Joie de Vivre
Shorebreak Hotel – Joie de Vivre
The Saguaro Scottsdale – Joie de Vivre
Mandarin Oriental, New York
St. Regis, New York
St. Regis, Washington, D.C.
Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park

According to Condé Nast Traveler, “The 25th annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Survey is available through a secure website. The questionnaire contains lists of candidates in various categories (Cities, Hotels, etc.). Individual candidates are judged by relevant criteria for each. Those that receive a required minimum number of responses are deemed eligible for a Readers’ Choice Award.”

This year, a record 46,476 readers participated and elected a grand total of 1,306 winners ranging in the categories of hotels, islands, cities, cruises and airlines.

Congratulations to all the winners!