![]() Spanning 10,000ft 2, Magic Hour is New York City’s largest all-season hotel rooftop bar almost within touching distance of the Empire State Building, it offers monumental views of the skyline, and the interiors – billed as an ‘urban amusement park’ – are equally eye-catching. All are operated by Tao Group, which is behind some of the most successful food, beverage and nightlife entertainment venues in the US, including Marquee and Lavo.Īt Moxy Times Square, Tao Group opted to establish an entirely new concept, seeking to capitalise on the energy of its location and create a true destination bar. ![]() The F&B offer includes Legasea, a 185-seat seafood brasserie helmed by Executive Chef Jason Hall Egghead, a street-side all-day breakfast spot and Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge, the hotel’s crowning glory. In bringing Moxy Times Square to life, Lightstone assembled a team of collaborators based on their areas of expertise: Stonehill Taylor relocated the entrance and added a double-height atrium for an enhanced sense of arrival Yabu Pushelberg designed the 612 guestrooms and second-floor public spaces Tao Group created the F&B programme and Rockwell Group was brought in to design the restaurant and bar spaces. “So we said to them, if you let us work with the brand and develop it for a more urban environment, we think it could be very appealing.”Īnd so they did. “It had the small rooms that were cleverly designed, but it didn’t have the food and beverage and other amenities we were looking for,” continues Hochberg. At the time, the brand portfolio didn’t reach far beyond its inaugural property at Milan Malpensa Airport, and although the concept was a good fit for Lightstone, the consensus was that some components required further development. Lightstone had already partnered with Marriott International on a number of its other developments, and following initial discussions, set about bringing Moxy to the city. “Getting people to come to a hotel is very competitive, especially in the lifestyle space, so we felt we needed a partner that had the ability to attract guests.” ![]() “Knowing the business very well, we realise that distribution is critical,” explains Mitchell Hochberg, President of Lightstone. Having spent many years evaluating the New York market, the company identified a need for affordable, micro-format lifestyle hotels with smartly designed guestrooms coupled with socially activated public spaces, but didn’t want to go it alone. The hotel itself opened in September 2017 and comes from Lightstone, a privately held real estate firm with a portfolio of 3,800 keys. Located on the 18 th floor of Moxy Times Square – the first of five Moxy hotels planned for New York City – Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge is designed to disrupt, provoke and entertain, and has already made waves having scooped an AHEAD award earlier this year, beating off stiff competition from popular nightspots across the Americas. There’s one newcomer however that has undoubtedly captured the attention of the market, not only for its size, but for its playful concept. Rooftop bars are ten-a-penny in New York these days with each new addition to the skyline bidding to outdo its competitors through the promise of spectacular views and creative cocktails.
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