The Americano Teaches Us A Thing Or Two About Culture

September 15, 2011 at 9:31 AM | by ASchechter | Comments (3)

The best way to explain the Hotel Americano's name is to point out a piece of artwork found in the lobby�a large photo montage of President Obama, sporting an afro, from his college days. "We want to feel like a New Yorker who isn't quite from New York," a heavily-accented Carlos Couturier (co-founder of Grupo Habita, above left) explained to us during our visit yesterday.

And they've succeeded. The 56-room hotel embodies that cool, effortless�heavily multicultural�essence of America without necessarily becoming Americana. From the minimalist rooms (low beds are as pervasive here as the concrete floors) to the sexy rooftop lounge and pool deck to the Bebel Gilberto-curated music playing overhead, there is a little bit of everything spread around this hotel.

For inside shots of the rooms and public spaces, click below!

What the hotel wants is to be perceived as an art hotel, due to its proximity to the West Chelsea gallery scene, but let us be the first to tell you: this place isn't just for artists. It's for food-lovers, music-lovers, fabric-lovers (the Zanotti beanbag chairs in the rooms were specially commissioned)�basically, anyone who's looking for a little culture with their $425-a-night stay.

One of our favorite parts was the open-plan prep kitchen in the lobby. Positioned right in the center of the room, you can walk between two prep cooks as they busily prepare panini and juice fresh fruits and vegetables.

Though the hotel is still in its soft opening, almost all of the rooms were sold out, and already dozens of private events have made use of the hotel's four dining spaces. In the coming months, the hotel is planning to open two distinct bars in the basement�one of them, El Privado, resembles a scene from a 1950s James Bond movie. Stay tuned for more!

[Photos: HotelChatter]

Comments (3)

Return to » The Americano Teaches Us A Thing Or Two About Culture

Great way to differentiate- a rich culture will always translate to success.

And the juxtaposition of the iPad with the old school phone. But I fear when I'm laying in bed and want to order up room service, I'm going to say, "Dammit why aren't these phones cordles?!"

Thank you for sharing this wonderful collection of blogs to us. Works great! Looking forward for your next post!
Why am I so tired?

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