Renovated master suites reflect the “timeless is modern” design philosophy at The St. Regis New York.
By Vicki Hogue-Davies
When guests turn the door handle and step into The St. Regis New York’s renovated master suites, they will find bold colors, carefully curated accent pieces and bespoke artwork combined with the hotel’s deeply rooted sense of tradition.
“Our reimagined suites enhance the overall guest experience through the creation of contemporary, residential spaces that look to the future of hospitality while continuing to honor the St. Regis’ legendary history,” General Manager Paul Nash says.
The three updated suites—Imperial, Royal and Presidential—are the hotel’s largest and most elegant accommodations. Each has its own specific theme that highlights the “timeless is modern” design philosophy that The St. Regis New York has adopted throughout the hotel.
“The suite designs are directed toward different kinds of guests who will come to the hotel,” says Michael Stelea, president and principal designer for HDC Interior Architecture + Design, the firm behind the hotel’s entire renovation project. “They feel like well-designed New York apartments with older and antique pieces combined with more modern art.”
Indeed, the largest of the three, the Presidential Suite, was designed with sophisticated world travelers—who enjoy surrounding themselves with treasures from their sojourns—in mind. Guests enter the suite and immediately see a chinoiserie wall covering in the vestibule, hand-painted in contemporary grays and beiges.
The soft color scheme continues into the suite’s main areas, allowing the artwork and other global objects decorating the space to become focal points in the room. Classic and modern furniture blends with the antique Oriental-style area rug in the living room and other accent pieces that combine for an eclectic mix of decor and furnishings, reflecting the global tastes of future guests.
Drama comes to the forefront in the Imperial Suite, where a red lacquer entry door welcomes guests. Throughout the space, bold colors—including red fabric walls and gold-tasseled red damask drapery—are regal backdrops to the European chinoiserie design influences and East Asian furnishings. Sparkling chandeliers and an intricately carved European-style mirror add a further touch of glamour. Guests wishing to admire the views outside will particularly appreciate this suite for its soft and sumptuous “bed-like” window seats that allow for comfortable admiration of New York’s skyline.
A mix of European and American influences abounds in the Royal Suite, which is designed in the tradition of a grand manor house. Old World and modern touches merge for maximum comfort. Accent pieces in the suite are carefully and decidedly curated, as if generations of people have called the space theirs.
The design includes a neutral color palette punctuated by pops of green and other bright colors. In the striking master bedroom, an animal print carpet, gold-tone walls and an iris blue bed canopy make the surroundings feel both strong and comforting.
As with the design changes to all of the guest rooms and other areas of the hotel, The St. Regis New York team was integral in making it happen. Those who were most familiar with the suites provided input on what they liked most and where they believed improvements could be made, Nash says.
“We had such a great attention to detail in every aspect of the redesign,” he explains. “We brought that really strong lens to the project so that people [would] be comfortable.”
There was no formal unveiling of the reimagined suites, which reopened in early fall. Instead, elite travelers will see the sophisticated suites when they book their first stays, Nash explains.
“We are thrilled to share these suites with our guests,” he adds.
Whether they seek a bold and modern, comforting or travel-inspired place to rest their head, guests will be impressed by any of the well-appointed master suites at “the best address” in New York.
