One of Greenwich”™s most upscale hotels and restaurants recently underwent several renovations, just in time to settle in with an Irish coffee or cocoa to enjoy them fireside.
For the first time since opening in 2002, the Delamar Greenwich Harbor has replaced its carpeting, curtains, furniture and artwork throughout its facilities, including its guestrooms, lobby, ballroom, spa and fitness center.
Located on the Greenwich Harbor, the luxury hotel is known for its outdoor garden and dock overlooking its waterfront, which often features the world”™s most beautiful boats. And while the winter is quieter than the summer months, the hotel staff is still expecting a busy season with strong demand for offsite meetings and other events.
“Business at the hotel has been steadily growing,” said Cristina Kelleher, director of sales and marketing. “Like many hotels, our business did dip during the 2008 recession, but this year we are expected to reach revenues in line with what we had pre-recession.”
Kelleher said the hotel”™s furniture held up “extremely well” compared with industry standards. But in preparation for a higher demand, Kelleher said the hotel felt it needed a refresher.
With the help of designer Lisa Silver, who also designed the original rooms, the hotel has introduced some new purple and grey colors into the rooms, while still keeping it in line with the existing furniture. Many of the furniture pieces were handmade for the hotel in Peru.
While current interior design trends are emphasizing fun and bold colors, Kelleher said the hotel”™s upgrades were meant to still preserve the hotel”™s sense of timeless style, but add some modern twists.
The hotel”™s guests are primarily corporate travelers, couples on a romantic getaway or girlfriends celebrating a special occasion at the spa. And for lunch at the hotel”™s restaurant, L”™escale, the room is always busy with business partners discussing their latest triumphs and patrons enjoying a meal after a day of shopping on Greenwich Avenue.
“There”™s definitely a lot of deals being made and business being discussed at lunch,” Kelleher said. “If you want some privacy, there”™s space available. But it”™s a place to been seen in Greenwich.”
Recently the hotel debuted its fall menu and it is currently preparing for its popular Thanksgiving dinner and New Year”™s Eve gala, which will feature five-course dinners, live music and dancing.
“Guests staying at the Delamar can expect top-notch service, comparable to that of any five-star hotel,” Kelleher said. “(It”™s) a comfortable and well-equipped stay, with an amazing fine dining restaurant.”
“I do feel that business travel is certainly on the rise and we have also seen a big increase in group business,” she added.
In addition to renovations, the hotel has also introduced two new skincare lines at its spa, Biologique Recherche and Valmont. Barbara Aquino, a Biologique Recherche trainer, recently joined the spa”™s team as the lead esthetician and is in the process of training the spa”™s staff on new techniques, Kelleher said. Referred to as “facial yoga,” Biologique Recherche”™s facials are said to have better results than Botox or surgical procedures.
