Inspired by the recent presidential election and growth in political enthusiasm, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts and Best Western International redesigned their existing Times Square property and reopened it earlier this month with a new interior and themed rooms. The $15 million renovation project led by architectural and design firm Stonehill & Taylor added a political motif to the 344-room President Hotel, upgraded the furnishings, and installed a new lobby lounge.
Done up in "centrist purple," the property includes visual references to both political parties as well as notable figures and images associated with each. Guest rooms and suites are named for and decorated with presidents past and present, throw pillows are embroidered with the silhouettes of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, and even the drink coasters are embellished with the presidential seal.
For casual gatherings there's Primary, the lobby lounge operated by Greg Brier, owner of Stay Hotel's Aspen Social Club. Like others, this area offers a tongue-in-cheek glimpse into political culture, with stools upholstered in illustrations of donkeys and elephants and a niche modeled after a voting booth. Formal meetings can use the lower-level conference room, which holds 20 people.
