Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - (Page 40)

40| Protocols CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 owned by Derby Hotels of Barcelona, is more like a museum. Ancient and modern art is displayed without security or any barriers in both public and private areas, including guestrooms. One of its most valuable pieces, a statue of the Greek god of medicine, Aesculapius, stands near the entrance to the hotel to welcome guests, while Andy Warhol paintings of Marilyn Monroe line the wall of the hotel’s restaurant. Showcasing art of this caliber in public spaces at luxury hotels is not so much a trend as it is a milestone, the hoteliers say. And even though the cost and care of these pricey and sometimes priceless paintings, sculptures and mixed-media installations would seem prohibitive, it’s not, at least for some hoteliers, such as Jordi Clos. The president of Derby Hotels makes it a mission to acquire impressive art collections and then showcase them in his hotels so others can experience the pleasure. Pieces from the Clos collection adorn the elegant lobbies, fine dining spaces and luxurious guestrooms in each of his hotels, and no one worries about cost or theft. Instead, luxury hoteliers believe fine art attracts a clientele who appreciates the amenity, and any type of security system installed is not predicated on the art. “We know our customers, and extra security would not allow us to provide this extraordinary experience for them. It is a risk we must accept,” Mr. García says of a collection that includes Roman mosaics and Greek Apulian vessels dating from the 3rd century B.C. to the 5th century A.D. The art is on display, Mr. García says, so guests can experience it openly and differently than they would if they were viewing it from behind ropes inside of a museum. To appreciate such a showcase requires involvement, he says. And that’s another thing Ms. Escalera says the affluent will continue to seek out in 2008. — InfoConcierge » HELPFUL WEB SITES: Art Basel: www.artbasel.com Derby Hotels: www.derbyhotels.es Hotel Murano: www.hotelmuranotacoma.com KWE Group: www.kwegroup.com Kristiania Lech: www.kristiania.at Sandpearl Resort: www.sandpearl.com taying at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington, is akin to living in a glass house, because at this hotel, it is all about the fragile fixtures— blown, cut, molded, fused, framed, painted, printed, etched or sandblasted. This destination/conference hotel is a showroom of artful glass designed by contemporary artists and overseen by a former gallery owner from Oregon, Tessa Papas. She spent three years researching and tracking down the more than 40 international artists represented. Each floor profiles a different glass artist, highlighting one piece and including photographs of the artist at work on it. Dale Chihuly (www. chihuly.com), a Tacoma native who helped make glass art a household phrase in the United States, has the VIP Lounge, while sketches or drawings by the glass artists of their work hang in the guestrooms. Named after the Venetian island of the same name, Murano’s collection includes the work of at least one Italian glass artist from Murano, Massimo Micheluzzi. He is responsible for the lobby chandelier, made with 100 individual Howard Jacobs pieces of mirrored glass. The hotel also commissioned glass murals, lamps, tables, sculptures and paintings. In the ballrooms, three large glass Viking ships hang from the ceiling. The colorful creations, made by Vibeke Skov (www.danishglassart.com), were shipped from Denmark as glass panels, then pieced together on-site and suspended from the ceiling. Without teamwork and help from the project engineers, Ms. Papas says, the project could have shattered. “You can’t plan ahead for the installation of glass art,” she says, remembering A touch of glass S HOTEL MURANO what could have been major mishaps. She did not think about wind sheer, for example, when she picked an artist to build a 100-foot-tall outdoor glass sculpture, and she had no idea that it would take several permits and special cables to hang glass ships. She never contemplated that one piece of artwork would weigh 500 pounds and need a reinforced base to hold it up. And the cross-continent travel easily could have resulted in the demise of the glass items. Surprisingly, Ms. Papas says, only one item arrived broken. Despite the engineering challenges and the cost to purchase the art, which was at least $2 million, according to Ms. Papas, hotel executives say they wouldn’t do anything differently. “We’re so proud of the hotel,” says Howard Jacobs, chief operating officer of Provenance Hotels of Portland, Oregon, which owns and operates the hotel. “It’s one of a kind.” Luxury Hotelier | February 2008 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.artbasel.com http://www.derbyhotels.es http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com http://www.kwegroup.com http://www.kristiania.at http://www.sandpearl.com http://www.chihuly.com http://www.chihuly.com http://www.danishglassart.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

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Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Editor's Letter Publisher's Letter Inform Network Forever Young Evolution for Jumeirah Insight Diamond in the Rough Amenities Televisions Art in Residence Yield Management Development Wine Lists Marketing to Locals Update Advertisers Index Editorial Index Source Listing Dossier

Luxury Hotelier - February 2008

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