Spettacolo
Ian Schrager Relaunches His Transformative New Brand Public for A New Beginning for Both the Hotel and New York City
," says Schrager.
When PUBLIC premiered in 2017, its new, radical idea was LUXURY FOR ALL. Schrager is taking advantage of this second chance to clarify and demystify the idea—so people will understand it—and what he is trying to accomplish.
Schrager's first hotel, Morgans, created with his late partner and friend Steve Rubell , was a profound game changer. That and Royalton spawned a new genre of hotel— "the lifestyle hotel/boutique hotel"—and every hotel since then has been built on that foundation. There are now thousands of versions of them in virtually every city of the world.
Simply put, their intention was to do an entirely new kind of hotel. One for their generation that reflected their lifestyle, their popular culture, tastes and the spirit of the times—and one that was modern. It was not intended for previous generations, because things had changed, as they always do.
In the exact same way, PUBLIC and LUXURY FOR ALL is a new idea for a new age. It is intended to reflect a new time, a new reality, and a new way that people live. If you come to PUBLIC expecting the traditional luxury that your parents or grandparents expected, you will not find it here. The old idea of luxury needed an update…a revision to reflect what people actually want today.
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," says Schrager.
Schrager realized that there are things that people just don't need or want anymore at a hotel—services and amenities that are pointless, no longer matter and are out of step with today. Modern people have simply moved on. Travelers today want a really comfortable bed and a great night's sleep and don't really care anymore about the pretentious idea of sheet thread count. Similarly, they want great coffee, but delivered fast and hot, not in fine bone china or a sterling silver pot and served by someone wearing white gloves.
LUXURY FOR ALL is built on 4 key pillars—modern, re-thought and re-edited service, sophisticated style, a unique, fun and elevated experience that makes your heartbeat faster and value. Schrager sought to make this new notion of luxury accessible and affordable to everyone who wants it—not only rich people. It's the right thing to do and so well suited for the times and the future.
Two imperatives to ensure a successful execution of LUXURY FOR ALL was rethinking the entire approach to service and the use of technology. At PUBLIC, technology is smart, intuitive, effortless, user friendly, well thought out and hassle free. It's not technology for the sake of it.
says Schrager.
Every interaction was considered for ease, breakneck speed, efficiency and effectiveness. Check-in and check-out are meant to be completely invisible and the Arrival/Departure experience seamless and holistic. You can get up to your room using your mobile device just as quickly as you can get up to your home or office…which, to PUBLIC, is the ideal and the future. There is no longer a need to make small talk or sit and have a glass of Champagne while being checked-in or checked-out. People don't want that anymore. They want to get up to their room as fast as possible and not stop by a front desk. There is ample opportunity for personal contact with team members in countless more important ways and times. Other technology offerings which make a stay effortless include a state-of-the-art app, live chat, web chat, mobile key and key sharing and major enhancements to the iPad check-in technology.
PUBLIC SERVICE, a brand new department, was created to solely support and help guests when they need it. Service will be humanizing, friendly, caring, emotional, warm and empathetic, with ferocious follow through. The focus was on universally appealing service such as being treated genuinely. It won't be obsequious service, but rather that which is attentive, unscripted and tailored for the individual—because service is not 'one-size-fits-all'.
," says Schrager.
Schrager rethought everything at PUBLIC and has introduced many new initiatives and offerings. The popular oasis Chrystie Park has been thoughtfully redone with new landscaping by Madison Cox . This lush, verdant garden park in the city with its plentiful variety of trees, flowers, plants and grasses will now be available for dining, drinking, lawn parties, picnics, sculpture installations and private events. It's PUBLIC's own micro version of Central Park in downtown New York City .
Upon entering the hotel and just past the amber glow of the escalators, familiar faces and friends of PUBLIC will notice a completely re-imagined LOUIS, and a new restaurant and bar. The new food and beverage offering brings together a collaboration between two outstanding world class award-winning chefs—Diego Muñoz and
John Fraser . It's the first time ever that two chefs of this caliber are coming together, each with his own role, on a single project.
," says Schrager."
" says Schrager.
At Popular, diners will have a special opportunity to enjoy authentic, original, healthy and globally inspired Peruvian cuisine by Chef Diego Muñoz , who helmed The World's 50 Best Restaurants' #1 rated Latin American restaurant, Astrid y Gaston, in Lima . Chef Diego, a rare talent, proudly brings to New York City , the ultimate international getaway, the best of his Peruvian homeland's multicultural cuisine—a microcosm of some of the world's greatest culinary traditions—Incan, Spanish, Moorish, African, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. Signature dishes include sublime ceviches, wood-fire roasted and , American classics like , and an abundance of fresh vegetables. The intimate Bowery Garden, the restaurant's outdoor dining space, will be ideal for al fresco dinners and a special weekend brunch.
The faster, more casual, lively and less expensive Cantina and Pisco Bar will turn into a hot Latin club complete with its own bespoke menu from Chef Muñoz, an extensive selection of Pisco, the aromatic grape spirit and Peru's legendary unaged brandy, best-in-class cocktails, and curated live music and entertainment. This new spot will be perfect for Champagne and oyster pairings, a pre-dinner indulgence or after dinner cocktails and entertainment. Both Popular and Cantina and Pisco Bar menus will be highlighted with the freshest seafood of the day from the new Ceviche and Raw Bar, the only freestanding Ceviche Bar of its kind in New York City that will feature "Live" Ceviche made tableside and
says Schrager.
The cocktail culture will be taken to new levels of creativity and originality by both chefs. Cocktails will come "out of the kitchen" versus from the bar.
says Schrager.
LOUIS is PUBLIC's global, fast gourmet food bazaar, bakery and a sophisticated coffee and tea bar with handpicked domestic and international offerings. It beckons with an eclectic array of prepared delicacies created by Popular's Chef Diego Muñoz , with New York City favorites and street foods curated by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser . This combination of high and low creates a combustible experience and variety…as it always does.
Presenting the next standard in gourmet food markets, LOUIS serves freshly baked in house breads, bagels and other bakery items, wood-fired pizzas, salads, fine local and global coffees, teas, wine, beer, soft drinks and housemade bottled cocktails. Popular's Chef Diego crafts artisanal empanadas, ceviche bowls and Peruvian-style, triple decker sandwiches, while Chef John spotlights reimagined New York City street foods, like kosher hot dogs and pretzels with spicy mustard, blending refinement and pop culture in every tasty bite.
Other food and beverage and entertainment offerings at the hotel will include PUBLIC EXPRESS for the "Best Of" breakfast favorites by two world class chefs delivered to your room at lightening speed in less than 10 minutes—you no longer need to wait 45 minutes for your breakfast and pay a fortune; A fully stocked array of curated, personalized minibar treats awaiting you upon arrival—"Do It Your Way"—options will include Junk Food, Healthy, Beverage, and a special chef's curated; Healthy, vegan and wellness menus from Diego Muñoz and John Fraser , so you can "come to NY for the cure" and actually go home feeling better than when you came; Weekend brunch; Barbecues and Tea Dances on the Roof with its 360-degree views of the city; A reimagined Diego bar with the most exquisite cocktails from Chef John Fraser ; And a big surprise for the multimedia theater and interactive performance space. Both Diego and the new theater will be opening in September.
The Lobby will be a new destination for OFFICE-LESS AND DESK-LESS CREATIVES who will come to work but have fun as well. As leisure and work are more and more combined and the lines blur between home, office and hotel, Schrager sees more people desiring a social space to work, play, relax and create a sense of community. It's a SOCIALIZE "ON DEMAND" concept.
Technology refinement will also be apparent with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment for the most progressive virtual meetings in the redesigned banquet space on the 17th floor. Additionally, a multi-media installation on the ground floor will wow with curated art and video by top talent and artists from around the world.
says Schrager
PUBLIC's fundamental premise is LUXURY FOR ALL. It is built on four key pillars: service, style, unique experience and value. However, it's not luxury as we traditionally know it, but luxury reflecting a new definition. Luxury is no longer about things or how much something costs. It is not a business classification, a price point or based on scarcity. Luxury is now about experiences and how something makes you feel. Luxury is being democratized and is now for everyone. The 3 bars, Diego, The Roof and Lobby Bar each have their own unique vibe and personality so depending on the time, you might end up hitting all three on the same night or just one, depending on your mood. Lushly landscaped gardens, multiple communal workspaces, and private event rooms, both indoor and outdoor atop the building with jaw-dropping 360-degree unobstructed views of the city, the spaces provide the ultimate in socializing, entertaining, working and even just people watching.
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