Venues + Cities

Bedecked in its namesake French crystal, the Baccarat Hotel opened in Midtown in March. The 50-story building from architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill houses both the 114-room luxury hotel as well as private residences. The hotel has one dedicated event space, the 800-square-foot Harmonie Room, which holds 40 guests for receptions or meetings. The salon-style room, with high ceilings and generous natural light, features Baccarat sconces as well as amenities such as a projection screen, blackout drapes, two flat-screen TVs, and high-speed Wi-Fi. The hotel also boasts the first La Mer spa, a subterranean swimming pool, a contemporary French restaurant, Chevalier, and a bar called Bar.

The Westin New York at Times Square finished a $33 million renovation in June that includes upgrades to its 34,000 square feet of meeting space. Jeffrey Beers International oversaw the redesign, which incorporated energy-conservation practices such as LED lighting, water-saving sinks, and an energy-efficient thermostat monitoring system. An update of the 1,800 square foot Presidential Suite is slated to finish in 2016.

Zuma, the London-based brand of Japanese izakaya-style restaurants, has opened a New York location on Madison Avenue in Midtown East, its second outpost in the United States following one in Miami. Each location features its own look, and the 22,000-square-foot bilevel space in New York was designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Studio Glitt. The main level contains the dining room as well as separate sushi and robata counters and a sake bar. The second floor features a lounge that overlooks the dining room as well as a separate wing that has six private dining rooms. Five of them can be combined into a 3,100-square-foot space that seats 125 or holds 180 for receptions. The private rooms come with a host of amenities such as a D&B custom sound system, drop-down HD projectors and screens, and wall-mounted iPads to control audiovisual equipment. The design features hardwood floors, live edge wooden tables from Thailand, Italian leather couches and chairs, and custom window blinds made of antique silk obis. Staff can also arrange a private entry into the space.

The Malt House, a 7,000-square-foot bar and restaurant in the financial district, opened in May. The restaurant, which serves modern pub fare, includes a tribute to American history through its Cocktail Parlor, which displays a collection of authentic American flags recovered from various eras as well as 21 drinks that accompany them. The venue spans three floors, each of which has its own concept, and has space for private events. It seats 250 guests.

Wrapping around working design showrooms in a garment district building, Events at Space530 offers a unique, modern space for events. The mezzanine-level venue had been used informally by tenants in the building, but it became available for booking by outside groups this spring. Managed by JPO Concepts, it features high ceilings, white walls, concrete floors, and large windows that look onto Seventh Avenue. Its amenities include audiovisual equipment, a built-in LED bar, and a prep kitchen. The venue holds 125 guests for receptions or seats 48 for dinner or 100 theater-style. A separate conference room—which once served as a bank vault—seats 15.

McGettigan's Bar and Restaurant, a modern Irish pub with locations worldwide, opened in June in the garment district. The concept was founded in Ireland in 1964 and started its international expansion in 2010, opening in United Arab Emirates, Singapore, England, and now the United States. The 4,500-square-foot space features a large central bar, space for live music, and two loftlike private spaces at either end of the space. A library-like nook in the back of the venue can be sectioned off for semiprivate events. Overall the venue holds 295 for receptions.

The Hall Brooklyn, a performance venue and restaurant from chef Michael Psilakis, opened in Williamsburg in June. The venue holds 350 for receptions and comes with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, a dance floor, and a stage for live music or DJs. The menu features Psilakis’s signature Mediterranean cuisine.

The Bonnie restaurant in Astoria opened a new outdoor space called the Bar Garden in May. The 100-person venue features custom wood tables, a retractable awning, and an on-site herb garden that bartenders have access to when mixing the botanically inspired cocktails. Chef Shaun Vanalphen also introduced a new menu this spring that includes items such as striped bass ceviche, soft-shell crab sandwiches, and wild mushroom cubano.

For creative teambuilding events, Paint & Sip Studio New York offers private painting classes for groups of as many as 27 people. The studio provides paint, brushes, aprons, easels, and canvases, and staff can customize the classes to suit an event theme. Nonart events also may be held at the 400-square-foot Upper West Side studio, which opened May 7.

Located in the West Village, Duet Brasserie comes from a husband-and-wife team, executive chef Dmitry Rodov and executive pastry chef Diana Rodov. The restaurant, which serves French-influenced American cuisine, has a second floor dedicated to private events. The light-filled room overlooks Barrow Street and features Swarovski crystal chandeliers, painted white brick, and a private restroom. It seats 45 or holds 90 for receptions. The entire restaurant is available for buyout and holds more than 250 people. It opened in October.