The Times Square EDITION
Times Square is New York City’s renowned cultural and entertainment hub, closely linked with the big screens, bright lights, and the hustle and bustle of tourists from across the globe. However, it has not always been this way, and changes are afoot once more as one hotel brand marks a new chapter in the area's incredibly diverse history. Ian Schrager, in partnership with Marriott International, launches The Times Square Edition; the district’s first design hotel, featuring impressive interiors alongside the first Michelin-starred chef ever to grace the neighbourhood, the creation of a new cabaret theatre, and, in keeping with the location, a complete reinvention of billboard art.
The Edition presents itself as an intimate, welcoming, and serene space for visitors to escape the city, opting against the usual grand entrances with their intimidating, oversized lobbies. Instead, guests enter the hotel through a corridor leading to a sculptural green mirrored sphere. With the walls and ceiling adorned in beautiful ivory-coloured Venetian plaster, the hall is described as a 'decompression chamber', serving as a buffer between the bustling outside world of Manhattan life and the tranquillity of the hotel.
The soft muted colour palette continues into the lobby and lobby bar, showcasing a series of black and white spaces, almost monochromatic in style, broken by brass and evergreen hues from select accessories. Designed as a place of escape, the limited selection of colours provides a respite from the vivid electric glow of the external billboards.
701 West is Michelin-starred chef John Fraser's fine dining destination. Located on the 11th floor, guests gather and socialise within the restaurant's impressive interiors. The walls and ceiling are adorned with beautiful wood grid panelling, paired with matching floor-to-ceiling Venetian blinds at the windows. Elegant ivory-coloured mosaic tiles decorate the floor with a traditional fan-shaped pattern, inspired by classic French brasseries. In an eccentric and contemporary twist, the drapery and upholstery of the restaurant's diamond-tufted booth seating display an explosion of vivid blue and green hues.
The terrace and outdoor gardens draw inspiration from the L’Orangerie at Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. Designed by Madison Cox, the gardens boast thousands of plants and trees, from decorative palms to hanging ferns and trailing English ivy, creating a multi-level oasis in the sky. Wicker and wrought iron garden furniture enhance the garden’s elegance, while various collections of Moroccan lanterns add a touch of romanticism in the evening as the sun begins to set. With the twinkling lights of the Manhattan skyline peeking through small gaps in the foliage, it offers a gentle reminder of the iconic city outside and the impressive views that the hotel provides.
A hotel would not be a hotel without its guest rooms and suites. The Times Square Edition offers five variations of guest rooms, along with three types of suites, including the ultra-luxurious 400 sq ft Penthouse suite boasting views of Times Square and the Hudson River below. All rooms are adorned in the Edition's signature style, incorporating light natural woods with soft leather and fresh white linens.
After decades of transformation, love, and neglect, Times Square retains a cherished place in the city's heart. Adding an edge of sophistication and style, The Times Square Edition gives back to the neighbourhood, introducing art, glamour, and a new level of fine dining, attracting not only visitors to the city but New Yorkers themselves to this remarkable destination.
Photography: Nikolas Koenig
