After postponing the soft opening from February to March 27, Hoboken’s only hotel – the W on the waterfront – will be well worth the wait.
The W is the latest addition to Starwood Hotel’s international armada of high-end luxury hotels spanning over 900 properties in 95 countries. The 25-story building right outside Pier A offers uninhibited views of Manhattan, a Bliss spa, and two brand-new businesses opening to guests: an Italian steakhouse called Zylo, and an upscale lounge called the Chandelier Room.
“The Chandelier Room will bring something to Hoboken that has never been there before.” – Mark Birnbaum
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“The Chandelier Room will bring something to Hoboken that has never been there before,” said Mark Birnbaum of the EMM group. Facing out at the magnificent Manhattan skyline, the chandelier looks more like a piece of art than a light fixture, suspended from a 20-foot high ceiling.
A double-sided gas fireplace in the lounge area will have guests socializing over a crackling fire in the 4,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor venue. The interior of the lounge features “copper tiles, glazed cognac leathers and chocolate velvets with heady tortoise tones,” Birnbaum said.
In the warmer months from May to September, the outdoor patio will open featuring stone floors, an enclosed bar space overlooking the Hudson, and gas-burning lanterns.
“The Chandelier Room is a fresh approach to the neighborhood bar,” Birnbaum said, “and we hope it will become the go-to lounge for after work, early evening and late night cocktails.”
A meat-eater’s menu
Managed by Cornerstone and in collaboration with Michael Jordan, the new Italian steakhouse Zylo fuses a modern steakhouse with the traditions of an Italian kitchen. But in a town well-known for its Italian ancestry, Zylo is not your father’s Italian restaurant.
The 50-seat dining area features blackened steel and bronze planks harking back to Hoboken’s shipbuilding past; while a wall of bristled broom heads – that seems a bit prickly at first – hints at the old shop-culture of the city.
Chef Nicholas Ciccone, previously of the Soho Grand in New York City, revisits his Italian roots in this upscale establishment. The New Jersey native’s return debut offers handmade pasta, made-to-order pizzas, and salads, seafood and sides.
“Being back home has renewed my love of the Italian flavors that I grew up on,” Ciccone said. The menu has meat-eaters in mind with organic and grass-fed beef and bone-in cuts of prime rib. The expansive restaurant features an on-site salumeria – an Italian butcher shop – and an artisanal cheese bar for the perfect prosciutto and parmesan panino, and another 50 seats on the outdoor patio.
“Hoboken was a natural fit for us,” said CEO of Cornerstone David Zadikoff. “We are thrilled to open our doors in a neighborhood so deeply rooted in Italian culinary traditions.”
Simply Bliss
Busy Manhattan movers and shakers will be happy to discover that a Bliss spa is coming to Hoboken – where “anything less would be stress.” The 6,000-square-foot facility helps guests let down their hair and put up their feet. In addition to relaxing treatments, a boutique featuring beauty and fashion products and a nail saloon with five manicure and pedicure stations will keep women looking and feeling their best.
But, the spa is not just for ladies. The men’s locker room and lounge area offers grass-tiled steam showers, heated shaving cream, selections of sports magazines, and crackers, cheese and olives. So guys, don’t be shy.
For more information about Bliss spas, visit www.blissworld.com.
Sean Allocca can be reached at current@hudsonreporter.com