Luxury Hotelier - April 2008 - (Page 26)

26| Properties lobby features floor-to-ceiling crystal light columns and a chandelier from the Czech Republic. Marble-laden floors and walls frame a large work of art. The rosewood millwork has a decidedly residential, but upscale, feel. As Steve Shalit, vice president and managing Steve Shalit director of the property, walks the dusty corridor to the elevators, he discusses the journey to the grand opening. Construction on the hotel began in 2005, and Mr. Shalit came on board in August 2006. “It was a great opportunity to be on the ground floor of creating a brand,” he says. “It’s been an incredible ride.” bar peeks into DJT Restaurant, which was in early stages of construction. The threemeal restaurant will seat 145 guests and offer modern American cuisine from Joe Isidori, who is the hotel’s vice president of food & beverage/executive chef. On the seventh floor, guests will find more amenities. An enclave of tall palms lends an intimate feel to the outdoor pool. And the poolside cafe, H2(eau), promises to serve Mediterranean and Neo-Japanese fare. The TechnoGym health club sits adjacent to the pool deck. On the same floor, the hotel has 2,400 square feet of meeting space, including a paneled Trump Board Room. Down the hall is The Spa at Trump. The posh retreat expands on the subdued, yet richly textured style of the hotel. Among the highlights of the treatment area are chandelier-like wall sconces (is every fixture in the hotel a chandelier?) and a velvety, oyster-colored wallcovering that begs to be touched. Spa director Colleen Stiritz has worked diligently to provide clients with a laundry list of premier products. “We have trainers coming in from all over the world,” she says. “It’s fabulous for our staff to experience different cultures. Our specialized training is going to set us apart and we offer several product lines in which we are the first on the market to carry in the U.S. or worldwide. One of the new products the staff is testing is from Dubai—Shiffa. There’s only one other spa in the U.S. that carries this brand.” The spa offers Kate Somerville products as well. The Attaché program—a Trump Hotel Collection trademark—is brought to the spa experience. “We’re not looking for massive amounts of people to go through the spa. Each guest gets assigned to an attaché, who will help the guest to establish his or her intention of going through the spa,” Ms. Stiritz says. “The culture of the spa and Finishing touches One month before the hotel’s opening, in late February, Mr. Shalit gave Luxury Hotelier a tour of the property. The hotel was filled with new employees in orientation, construction workers finishing off projects and a leadership team mobilized for the final countdown. Most of the public space was recognizable at this point. A private salon with plush seating is just off the main lobby, along with VIP check-in. The lobby Ready to wear ttention to detail is a trademark of the Trump family, and the hotel brand’s uniform design was no exception. Ivanka Trump, vice president, real-estate development and acquisitions for The Trump Organization, led the design of the uniform line for Trump Hotel Collection. Uniforms contribute to the brand’s image on many levels, according to Ms. Trump. “We look at each and every detail of Trump Hotel Collection with a fresh eye, taking an approach that is anything but cookie-cutter,” she says. “I created the uniforms as a reflection of The Trump Hotel Collection brand—elegant, stylish and polished.” The uniforms, produced by House of Uniforms, debuted with the opening of Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago in January. Uniform styling will depend on the hotel’s location: Charcoal tones define the Trump Metro Collection line, while the Trump Resort Collection will use combinations of tan and stone or taupe and beige. “Just as each of our hotels is designed to be perfectly appropriate for its environment, we wanted the uniforms to also be suited to the climate and locale,” Ms. Trump says. “The heavier colors that play well in Chicago and SoHo would seem out of place in Fort Lauderdale or Waikiki.” She describes the look as clean and architectural, adding that “the level of quality in the design and construction of the uniforms mirrors the standards of our brand.” But just as important as appearance is for the brand, Ms. Trump says she expects employees to have a sense of pride and distinction when wearing the uniforms. “Trump Hotel Collection has attracted the best and brightest talent from the world’s top hotels, from [general managers] to doormen,” she says. “The uniforms visually communicate the innate sophistication and refinement of our employees and imply the reliable, service-oriented mindset you will find at all of our properties.” A Luxury Hotelier | April 2008 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

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Luxury Hotelier - April 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Inform Network Personalities Insight Properties Inspire Deliver Innovate Development Indulge Advertisers Index Editorial Index Source Listing Dossier

Luxury Hotelier - April 2008

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