The Betsy's Bellmen Wear Bushmen Duds

July 7, 2009 at 5:03 PM | by MsRebecca | Comments (0)

In a city known for its Art Deco trappings, the new look of The Betsy Hotel is more of an interior design mash-up. It may have been designed by Deco granddaddy L. Murray Dixon, but the �Florida Georgian fa�ade� and airy interiors are more colonial plantation than clean modern lines. And, wait, there�s more!

First, you�re greeted by friendly bellman wearing safari green shirts, shorts and bushman hats, then you enter the polished, palm-tree dotted lobby and slick BLT Steak restaurant. Photos of Bono, Sting and co. from the Rockarchive line the hallways, alongside architectural images by Richard Bluestein, and reportage from Bobby Sager. Finally, the cool, white rooms with pastel accents return you to a plantation frame of mind�if, say, Ralph Lauren was the plantation owner.

In lesser hands, the Betsy�s attempt to do so much at once could give you a headache, but inexplicably, it works. Surprisingly, we have the bellmen to thank. Odd as they may first appear, their outfits somehow tie all of the hotel�s design ambitions together.

An Australian friend of ours met us at the hotel and was particularly taken with the bellman duds, mistaking them for Aussie bushwear. She inquired about the uniforms and was told that they were inspired by the hotel owners� philanthropic work in Africa.

Apparently, the bellmen are sporting what bush men wear in African jungles. (Surprisingly, they are not designed by a famous fashion designer.) Goofy perhaps, but a lot more welcoming than the stuffy gold-buttoned get-ups of most hotel bellmen.

Best of all? A bellman refused to take our tip when he hailed us a cab. Now that�s philanthropy.

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