Perched atop forested hills overlooking Tomales Bay, California’s Lodge at Marconi has emerged from a multimillion-dollar renovation. Formerly Marconi Conference Center, the revitalized lodge, managed by Oliver Hospitality, is made up of 45 modern accommodations, refreshed event spaces, and landscaped grounds. The inspiration behind Lodge at Marconi’s design The interior design, spearheaded by New York-based firm Home Studios, is a lesson in the Third Bay Tradition architectural style that took hold across the San Francisco region from the 1940s to the ’80s. Since property was originally buil ..read more

This week, the Michelin Guide unveiled its inaugural Michelin Keys in the United States, which spotlights outstanding hotels across the country.  The Michelin Guide now includes more than 5,000 hotels around the globe, each vetted and judged in five categories: architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and its contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting. The Michelin Keys ranks the selected hotels by one, two, and three keys. In the U.S., hotels in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Colorado ..read more

New York’s Vessel reopens with stricter safety measures, TIME honors two architects in its 100 Most Influential People list, and new federal rules require airlines to issue cash refunds for delays. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.   What you missed from Milan Design Week 2024 A wooden chair designed by director David Lynch for his Thinking Room exhibition at Salone del Mobile; photo courtesy of David Lynch and Salone del Mobile That’s a wrap for Milan Design Week, which took place from April 15th–21st. A number of installations caught attention this year, including Sele ..read more

Located less than an hour from New York City, a new property from Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Natirar, will open its doors on 400 acres of rolling hills, manicured lawns, and conserved woodlands in New Jersey’s Somerset County this summer. Originally built in 1912, a 68-room Tudor-style mansion—previously owned by the King of Morocco—is being restored by CosciaMoos Architecture and DesignAgency. Pendry Natirar will also include 24 adjoining contemporary residences. Onsite restaurant Ninety Acres will feature farm-to-fork culinary offerings with seasonal produce sourced from the estate ..read more

Diane Hang Nguyen, director of design at LUCID (Highgate‘s in-house design and construction studio), offers a sneak peek of what’s to come during her session, Leaning Luxury: Defining the Segment, at HD Expo + Conference 2024 in Las Vegas, April 30th–May 2nd. What’s top of mind for 2024? Diane Hang Nguyen: Ensuring the highest level of design for our pipeline projects consisting of new builds and renovations/conversations and continuing to represent Highgate as a timeless design leader within the hospitality industry. What’s the biggest trend you’re seeing in terms of guest expectations? DHN ..read more

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), in collaboration with executive architect BNIM and the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design, has unveiled Makers’ KUbe, a new mass timber building for learning and collaboration. BIG’s vision for the KU School of Architecture & Design consolidates all architecture and design programs into three interconnected buildings, tying together the existing Marvin Hall and Chalmers Hall with the new six-story Makers’ KUbe. The timber framework of the Makers’ KUbe Makers’ KUbe is a 50,000-square-foot mass timber cube structure sporting a distinct diagr ..read more

The San Francisco office of hospitality design firm HBA has completed the design of Makoto Vail, the latest restaurant from chef Makoto Okuwa. The 110-seat restaurant is located within the Grand Hyatt Vail, a luxury ski-in/ski-out resort nestled along the banks of Gore Creek. Makoto Vail embraces the style of Japanese interiors, combining wabi-sabi elements and natural forms in a palette inspired by Vail’s natural landscape. The all-wood aesthetic of the space is punctuated by dark metal that accentuates the restaurant’s modernity. Upon entry, large shoji screens offer a filtered glimpse of t ..read more

Following the success of Numo Ierapetra in Crete, Numo Hotels & Resorts will launch its second project, Numo Mykonos, at Kalafati Beach in June. The design of Numo Mykonos The hotel was brought to life by design studio Hotel IM in collaboration with Amsterdam-based architectural office What the Studio. The design draws from the surrounding environment and the carefree era of the 1960s and ’70s, which shaped the island’s DNA. Housed in an authentic Mykonian building, Numo Mykonos preserves and highlights traditional Cycladic elements, evidenced in its curved architecture, the stone ar ..read more

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio, is gearing up to open a boutique hotel in Santo Domingo. Marking the brand’s first property in the Dominican Republic, Kimpton Las Mercedes will be an extension of its natural and historic surroundings when it launches this summer. The hotel is set within a 16th-century structure, revitalized by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, that reflects the transformation of its historic neighborhood into a bustling cultural hub. Original materials were preserved and repurposed where possible, while a modern addition was con ..read more

Universal Orlando Resort has unveiled details for two new hotels: Universal Stella Nova Resort (opening January 2025) and Universal Terra Luna Resort (opening February 2025). The combined properties will add a total of 1,500 rooms to the brand’s hotel portfolio. Brought to life by the Universal Creative team, and co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels, the hotels will transport guests to the center of the galaxy with cosmic-inspired designs. The Universal Stella Nova Resort reflects the vastness of the universe, where swirling galaxies and unknown worlds inspire a color palette of serene teals ..read more