Boutique Design - March/April 2012 - 12

B O U T I Q U E

B U Z Z

Courtesy of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Bill Reed

Tom Williams

“It’s especially exciting to see the demand for the Kimpton brand and the boutique concept in general spreading to more mainstream cities in the Midwest and other areas of the country beyond New York, LA and San Francisco.”
— Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ ceo Michael Depatie, in announcing his firm’s plans to open a boutique hotel in downtown Cleveland in 2013.

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Goodbye Seattle, Hello Singapore

f you have any doubts about just how hot the Asian hospitality design market is, consider this: WATG recently announced that vice president Bill Reed and associate vice president Tom Williams are relocating from the design consulting firm’s Seattle office to help lead its expanding operations in Singapore. The company also said several designers from Seattle will be relocating to Singapore, and that its Seattle office will close this summer. “Bill and Tom will complement our existing design talent in our expanded offices in Singapore and bolster our commitment to the region,” said Mike Seyle, president and ceo of WATG, which is based in Irvine, Calif., and also has offices in Honolulu, London and New York.

JdV, Thompson Unveil Brand for Merged Hotels
hen Joie de Vivre and Thompson Hotels merged last fall, they temporarily operated the new venture as JT Hospitality—but promised that a catchier, more descriptive name was in the works. And here it is: Commune Hotels & Resorts. In a joint statement (natch), co-chairs John Pritzker and Jason Pomeranc and ceo Stephen Brandman explain the new moniker thus: “Our ethos is about individuality, community, locations that are authentic to their environment, and the kind of service that exceeds guests’ expectations and makes travel exciting again. We believe celebrating individuality is the best way to elevate the guest experience.” In keeping with that communal spirit, the new brand’s logo features the letter “m” stacked bunk-bed style.

F

W

ace-to-face meetings between hospitality buyers and suppliers—along with educational seminars on the insand-outs of hospitality product development—will serve as the centerpieces of the upcoming Hospitality Match. This year’s “speed meeting” event will take place July 15-17 at the Barton Creek Resort & Spa near Austin, Texas. For more details on Match and its venue, see pages 54-55.

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CORRECTIONS

n the flooring showroom in the January+ February 2012 edition (page 56), this image of Durkan’s Wispy Willow collection was mislabeled as the Vamp collection. The correct information is listed at right. Also in the January+February 2012 edition, in the coverage of the 2011 Boutique Design Award winners, the wrong Gettys office was credited for working on the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana that contains the “Best Decorative Element” (page 32). The Gettys office in Miami worked on the project. BD

Durkan
www.durkan.com The Wispy Willow collection is the latest innovation in cushion back tile, featuring Synthesis textures never before available in a modular product. Also available in broadloom.

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Boutique Design | March+April 2012

Courtesy of Barton Creek Resort & Spa

Preview: Hospitality Match

Courtesy of WATG
http://www.durkan.com
Boutique Design - March/April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - March/April 2012
