Megan Padilla
Across the state of Florida, independent and branded hotels alike are championing artists and immersing guests in art experiences that engage, inspire and connect travelers to the location.
Set to open in January in downtown Sarasota is the Art Ovation Hotel. The 162-room Autograph Collection property is a newbuild situated between the Sarasota Opera and the Florida Studio Theatre and is a mere steps from a vibrant arts scene on Main Street. Rotating art collections will be curated and displayed, an Artist in Residence program is planned, and VIP packages will provide guests with exclusive access to area events and experiences.
"Sarasota is a mecca for all things arts, and it was clear from the very beginning of the project that we wanted Art Ovation Hotel to reflect the true character of the city," said Larry Abbo, CEO of Prime Hospitality Group, the project's developer. "We're eager to capitalize on this unique opportunity to draw guests into the arts and cultural scene both on and off property."
In Orlando, the Kessler Collection includes two hotels, the Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, located downtown, and the Bohemian Hotel Celebration. Both are extensions of chairman and CEO Richard Kessler, who is a longtime art collector and enthusiast who built his brand as an extension of his passion. Each hotel is filled with original artwork, furniture and other pieces from Kessler's collections and includes a gallery featuring the work of international and local renowned artists with whom Kessler creates opportunities for guests and collectors to interact and build relationships through the years.
The lobby bar at the Bohemian Hotel Celebration.
Just a few miles north in Winter Park, the 112-room boutique Alfond Inn is owned and operated by Rollins College, the state's first private college, and all of its proceeds are used to fund its scholarship program. Nearly the entire Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art at Rollins College — part of the permanent collection of the Cornell Museum — is on display throughout the hotel.
The art and hotel partnership continues in South Florida at the Colony Palm Beach. A new pop-up art partnership with Voltz Clarke Gallery New York will kick off on Dec. 30 in "The Gallery," a new addition to the Colony's Pavilion. Additionally this winter, photographer Landon Nordeman will serve as the artist in residence. His series, "Personalities of Palm Beach," will portray captured moments on the beach in its debut on March 30.
In Miami, standout art and hotel partnerships include the Hotel Beaux Arts, Autograph Collection, whose entire 44-room property is dedicated to the art experience.
L'Atelier at Hotel Beaux Arts.
At the art deco Sagamore Hotel Miami Beach, the hotel ownership, led by Ronit Neuman, is committed to offering a multicultural platform that supports and builds partnerships with local and international organizations, that work together to promote the growth of everything Art related. Neuman has set forth a platform of innovative programming to allow "recognized and upcoming talent to utilize the property to present their creativity whether it be through art, music, fashion or food."
Continuing with the trend, the Confidante Miami Beach has launched a pop-up art gallery to feature a diverse collection of Miami-based artists with a rotating showcase to change every eight weeks.
The penthouse at the W South Beach.
The W South Beach recently launched an art tour program to give interested guests a chance to get up close to the $40 million art collection that includes works by Andy Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat and Julian Schnabel, among others.