Denver, Colo. (June 4, 2015) – Denver’s most anticipated luxury hotel opening, the ART, will open its doors to the public on June 16, cementing its place in Denver’s flourishing arts and cultural district. The 165-room ART Hotel will be a one-of-a-kind hotel experience focused on delivering Denver’s most premier accommodations paired with a world-class art collection, which is woven through the entire guest experience. The restaurant, FIRE, will imitate art through cuisine using locally sourced ingredients.
Experiential, intimate and refined, the ART is a modern architectural gem bursting with unique, multi-sensory installations. In-house curator, the esteemed Dianne Vanderlip, has assembled a collection of more than 40 pieces that boast the “who’s who” of modern art, including Claus Oldenberg, Tracey Emin, John Baldessari, Ed Rucha, Leo Villareal, and Sol LeWitt. Many pieces of original artwork commissioned specifically for the ART have been carefully curated to maximize the guest experience from the moment of arrival. Each guestroom floor will be inspired by an individual artist, whose original artwork will be on each floor stylistically translated throughout each room and suite.
“The ART is reflective of Denver’s new role as the West’s epicenter for visionary thinking synergistically paired with distinctive and exceptionally effective actions,” says general manager David Bodette. “The ART contains a collection of modern and contemporary works and expressions of this very same passion, vitality and refusal by these world-class artists to succumb to the mundane. We are proud to represent a new direction for refined experiential living in a city that is re-expressing what it means to be truly alive in our age.”
Upon arrival, the ART’s multi-sensory experience begins with a large-scale light installation by Leo Villareal greeting guests from the streets of downtown. Villareal, the well-known artist behind the San Francisco Bay Bridge’s “Bay Lights,” is creating a custom installation made of 22,000 LED light bulbs that will draw the eye from Broadway into the hotel’s Portico Gallery for a memorable arrival experience that exudes imagination and creativity.
From the Portico Gallery, guests will take an elevator ride adorned with avant-garde video art by Lars Kremer to the fourth floor. The doors open to the awe-inspiring Welcome Gallery that will greet guests with large-scale masterpieces by notable artists like Ed Ruscha, Deborah Butterfield and Nancy Rubins. The dramatic space, lined with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors that open up to the cityscape, speaks to guests just as a captivating piece of art would; with the perfect blend of sophisticated visual stimulation and intriguing emotional appeal.
“With carefully selected works, we’ve truly compiled a collection of the highest caliber of art in any U.S. hotel,” explains Curator Dianne Vanderlip. “Over a period of two years we selected works and commissioned pieces that will intrigue guests while responding to the hotels surroundings, which happens to be the best architecture in Colorado.”
In the heart of Denver’s thriving cultural scene, the ART is rooted in the epicenter of Denver’s museum district, located just steps from the Colorado History Center and Denver Art Museum. The surrounding area is a diverse, historical community that’s ideal for both day and night exploration, with close proximity to LoDo and Denver’s quaint Santa Fe Art Gallery District and the tony shops of Cherry Creek North.
By night, the buzzing mile high city comes alive both inside the ART and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Close to the Denver Performing Arts Center, Opera and Larimer Square, the hotel is a hub for activity in the cultural district, the ART boasts a close proximity to over 100 restaurants, bars and clubs, making it the ideal pre- or post- stop for a night on the town.
FIRE, the hotel’s premier restaurant, lounge and terrace will be adding some heat to the growing Denver food scene. Helmed by Chef Chris Jakubiec, FIRE Terrace & Lounge embodies the American art and craft of playful yet sincere hospitality in a modern contemporary setting that draws on the energy of the city below. With a notable art collection, featuring works by Joel Otterson, Allan Houser, Seam Lauders, and Larry Bell, the restaurant will exude creativity through innovative cuisine, inspired libations and avant-garde design.
Executive Chef Jakubiec brings his keen sense of innovation to FIRE Lounge & Terrace with a menu that experiments with the finest ingredients from the region’s top purveyors. Simple yet polished, the new dining menus, created by Chef Jakubiec, honor classical techniques while utilizing Denver’s proximity to locally-grown and sustainably raised foods whenever possible. Sourcing ingredients from acclaimed local farms, like Millberger Farm, Friends Fields Farms and Fiber of Life, Chef Jakubiec will be using the finest locally sourced ingredients.
“Going beyond simply viewing art, the ART Hotel allows travelers and locals to have an intimate experience with artworks of all kinds, whether that be through cuisine, sculpture, video-art, or installations,” explains Bodette. “This new generation in Denver craves authentic, handcrafted living and we are focused on delivering just that with an innately high-touch cultural experience.”
With 133 kings, 12 doubles and 20 suites, the ART will have multiple room options for every type of traveler. Each room has been curated with artwork from each floor’s designated artist. The modern room décor with luxury touches and amenities will complement the artwork, playing off the artist’s color-scheme and tone.
For more information on the ART Hotel, please visit www.thearthotel.com or call 303.572.8000.
