The Times Square EDITION
The Times Square Edition Hotel ushers in a new golden age of design, for one of New York's most recognisable destinations.
New York City’s famed cultural and entertainment hot spot is closely associated with the big screens, bright lights and the hustle and bustle of tourists from around the globe. It has not always been that way though, and things are changing yet again 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 first design hotel for the district, boasting impressive interiors along with the first Michelin-starred chef ever to grace the neighbourhood, the creation of a new Cabaret theatre and an in keeping with the location, a complete reinvention of billboard art.
The Edition sets itself out as being an intimate, welcoming and serene space for visitors to escape the city, opting against the usual grand entrances along with their intimidating, oversized lobbies. Instead, guests enter the hotel through a corridor making their way towards a sculptural green mirrored sphere. With the walls and ceiling plastered in beautiful ivory coloured Venetian plaster, the hall is described as a 'decompression chamber', acting as a buffer between the busy outside world of Manhattan life and the serenity of the hotel.
The soft muted colour palette continues into the lobby and lobby bar with a series of black and white spaces, almost monochromatic in style, broken by brass and evergreen hues from a select few accessories. Designed as a place of escape, the limited selection of colours acts as a break from the vivid electric glow of the exterior billboards.
701 West is Michelin-starred chef John Fraser's fine-dining destination. Located on the 11th floor, guests meet and socialise within the restaurant's impressive interiors. The walls and ceiling are clad with a beautiful wood grid panelling, paired with matching ceiling to floor Venetian blinds at the windows. Elegant ivory coloured mosaic tiles decorate the floor with a traditional fan shape pattern, taking inspiration from classic French brasseries. In an eccentric and contemporary twist, the drapery and upholstery of the restaurant's diamond tufted booth seating present themselves in an explosion of vivid blue and green hues.
The terrace and outdoor gardens take inspiration from the L’Orangerie at Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. Designed by Madison Cox, the gardens contain 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 elegance while various collections of Moroccan lanterns add a touch of romanticism in the evening as the sun starts to set. With the twinkling lights of the Manhattan skyline peeking through small gaps in the foliage, it gives a gentle reminder of the iconic city outside and impressive views that the hotel has to offer.
Photography: Nikolas Koenig
A hotel would not be a hotel without its guest rooms and suites. The Times Square Edition offers five variations of guest rooms 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 decorated 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 still has a cherished space 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 Yorker's themselves to this remarkable destination.
