Tour The Trendy Hotel That Just Opened In A Converted Hat Factory In New York

2013-06-20T18:26:00.000Z

Refinery Hotel front desk — The front desk at the Refinery Hotel. Jennifer Polland /Business Insider

The Refinery Hotel opened last month in New York City's Garment District.

Formerly the Colony Arcade Building, a 20th century hat factory, the hotel has maintained its roots with small details that point to its past: Hat pins form a sculptural installation behind the front desk, scissor motifs are woven into the carpets, and desks in the guestrooms resemble converted sewing machines.

The independently-owned boutique hotel was designed by Stonehill & Taylor—the design firm behind the chic NoMad Hotel.

“Our design is part history and part inspiration,” said Christina Zimmer, principal with Stonehill & Taylor. “We thought about how the original tenants lived and worked. We considered everything, the owner of the tea room and the fashions of the ladies who lunched.”

The 197 guest rooms are spacious and sleek, with nice details like 12-foot ceilings, original artwork, and large mosaic-tiled bathrooms.

Rooms start at about $399 per night.

The hotel entrance is marked by a long runner and Gothic arches.

There are also bellmen in retro-looking hipster uniforms: suspenders, checked button-downs, and fitted pants.

A closer look at the runner reveals ornate details, like an intricate pattern of scissors and hat-making tools—a tribute to the building's past.

That theme continues on to the front desk, where hat-making tools like awls form a type of sculptural installation.

There's also lots of art in the lobby and public spaces.

The prohibition-themed lobby bar, called Winnie's, feels very retro with its wood paneling and long bar.

But it's still a comfortable and relaxing place to hang out and meet for a drink.

There are also nice details here that point to the hotel's hat-making past, like this old-fashioned hat box.

From the lobby you can enter the hotel's restaurant, Parker & Quinn.

Parker and Quinn restaurant entrance in the Refinery Hotel

The restaurant also has a vintage feel, with floral wallpaper, black-and-white photos, and wooden banquettes.

Parker and Quinn restaurant inside the Refinery hotel

In the front of the restaurant, there's a more casual tavern-like atmosphere.

Parker & Quinn restaurant in the Refinery Hotel

There's also a fully-stocked 19th century-style bar.

Bar at the Parker and Quinn restaurant in the refinery hotel

And liquor lockers where VIP guests can store their best bottles of booze.

Refinery hotel liquor cabinet at PArker and quinn restaurant

Upstairs, the hallways leading to the guest rooms also have a cool vintage vibe, with checked carpets and old-fashioned telephones.

Guest rooms are designed in the industrial-chic aesthetic, and have high-ceilings, original art, and high-tech amenities like Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs, and i-Home docking stations.

They also pay tribute to the building's milliner past with vintage-looking lamps and custom-designed headboards.

Each room also comes with a writing desk that resembles an early 1900's sewing machine.

Even the bathrooms have ornate details, with hand-laid tiles that spell out the letter "R."

tile details in bathroom at refinery hotel

Guests will also appreciate the unique selection of booze in the fully-stocked minibar.

Upstairs, there's a 3,500-square-foot rooftop bar with both indoor and outdoor spaces.

On nice days, the glass roof retracts to reveal the Empire State Building.

Now see some hot hotels in another NYC borough.

02 wythe guestroom 2 adrian gaut hipster hotels

Tour The Trendy Hotel That Just Opened In A Converted Hat Factory In New York

The hotel entrance is marked by a long runner and Gothic arches.

There are also bellmen in retro-looking hipster uniforms: suspenders, checked button-downs, and fitted pants.

A closer look at the runner reveals ornate details, like an intricate pattern of scissors and hat-making tools—a tribute to the building's past.

That theme continues on to the front desk, where hat-making tools like awls form a type of sculptural installation.

There's also lots of art in the lobby and public spaces.

The prohibition-themed lobby bar, called Winnie's, feels very retro with its wood paneling and long bar.

But it's still a comfortable and relaxing place to hang out and meet for a drink.

There are also nice details here that point to the hotel's hat-making past, like this old-fashioned hat box.

From the lobby you can enter the hotel's restaurant, Parker & Quinn.

The restaurant also has a vintage feel, with floral wallpaper, black-and-white photos, and wooden banquettes.

In the front of the restaurant, there's a more casual tavern-like atmosphere.

There's also a fully-stocked 19th century-style bar.

And liquor lockers where VIP guests can store their best bottles of booze.

Upstairs, the hallways leading to the guest rooms also have a cool vintage vibe, with checked carpets and old-fashioned telephones.

Guest rooms are designed in the industrial-chic aesthetic, and have high-ceilings, original art, and high-tech amenities like Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs, and i-Home docking stations.

They also pay tribute to the building's milliner past with vintage-looking lamps and custom-designed headboards.

Each room also comes with a writing desk that resembles an early 1900's sewing machine.

Even the bathrooms have ornate details, with hand-laid tiles that spell out the letter "R."

Guests will also appreciate the unique selection of booze in the fully-stocked minibar.

Upstairs, there's a 3,500-square-foot rooftop bar with both indoor and outdoor spaces.

On nice days, the glass roof retracts to reveal the Empire State Building.

Now see some hot hotels in another NYC borough.

The Hottest New Hotels In Brooklyn >

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