The Lola hotel (lolahotelnyc.com), opening December 1 at 29 East 29th Street, has a storied history. Originally built as the female-guests-only Martha Washington Hotel in 1903, and later hosting actors like Louise Brooks and Veronica Lake, the property was closed in 1998 and reopened in 2003 as the Hotel Thirty-Thirty. Now it’s reopening again after a $15 million makeover led by Highgate Hotels branding executive Susan Jaques, who designed the new lobby and bar and enlisted L.A.’s famed fashion and celebrity photographer Matthew Rolston as the lighting designer. “We flanked the long corridor from the entrance to the lobby with bronze mirrors to create a sense of arrival,” Susan says. The thirteen-foot glazed-ebony-wood door adds to the drama. Photo: Michael Kleinberg, Courtesy of Highgate Hotels
The view from the lounge looking back toward the entrance hall, with mohair velvet seats facing the leather banquettes. “The entire first floor was completely gutted,” Susan says. “We opened the space by raising the ceiling a couple of feet and created the 29th Street entrance.” Photo: Michael Kleinberg, Courtesy of Highgate Hotels
Over Champagne cocktails with Susan, Matthew decided to design a lighting scheme that would be as soft and reflective as light filtering through a flute of Champagne. Behind the bar is a custom-designed David Hicks”inspired bronze mirror along with chandelier made with Tom Dixon’s globe pendants. The bar will be pairing macarons to go with those Champagne cocktails. Photo: Michael Kleinberg, Courtesy of Highgate Hotels
Gensler Architects renovated the 276 guest rooms with bathrooms featuring mosaic-tiled glass showers. Photo: Michael Kleinberg, Courtesy of Highgate Hotels
The bedrooms are inspired by Eileen Gray with Bibendum chairs and side tables and luxuriously downy beds. Photo: Michael Kleinberg, Courtesy of Highgate Hotels
