Omni unveils Louisville project
Following two years of construction, Omni Louisville Hotel has opened its doors in Kentucky. Located within one block of the city’s International Convention Centre, the 30-storey property is the work of Dallas-based interior architectural design firm Waldrop+Nichols studio, who conceived the interior spaces for the USD$300 million project.
The hotel’s 612 guestrooms and suites – housed within intersecting towers – as well as its public spaces, take inspiration from the city’s rich heritage, culture and characteristics, with Waldrop+Nichols employing its proprietary ‘spatial mythology’ design process to create a sense of place.
Guests are greeted in the lobby by historic colloquialisms in the form of neon pendants, while stone and iron interior architecture guides them through to an art gallery installation, which features works from local artisans.
“Louisville’s iconic landmarks, heritage and distinctive multi-faceted lifestyles provided the framework and foundation for the interior architecture layered with contrast and colour,” says Reggi Nichols, President and founding Partner of Waldrop+Nichols studio. “Much like the city itself, the interior architecture strikes the perfect combination of grit and polish, showcasing unique individual elements that work together to complement, support and celebrate each other.”
Culture meets contemporary style in the guestrooms and suites, which incorporate subtle touches that radiate the hospitality of Louisville including bourbon-inspired splashes found on the carpet and in a curated bourbon bar.
The hotel’s F&B offering embraces the history of the Derby City, with the 139-seat Bob’s Steak & Chop House honouring Louisville’s sporting legacy with the presentation of vintage boxing gloves and colourful textiles inspired by jockeys’ caps. The Library Bar, meanwhile, has been designed as the heart of the hotel and showcases a two-storey feature wall installation comprised of individually wrapped books depicting a steamboat floating on a river of bourbon. Elsewhere, the 184-cover Neighbourhood Services restaurant features reclaimed bricks from the Morrissey Garage, a former parking garage on the hotel site, while private speakeasy Pin + Proof completes the offer with an adjoining bowling alley tucked away in a hidden location.
Paying homage to the city’s waterscapes, the Mokara Spa honours the Ohio Falls as well as the iconic Louisville Water Tower. Behind the reception desk, a water wall with aquamarine and silver surfaces further add to the sensory experience.
Laura McKoy, Creative Director and Vice President of Interior Design, Omni Hotels & Resorts, concludes: “We were very inspired by the city, and we want the hotel to inspire the guests. I hope the locals feel proud and recognise that we captured the essence of Louisville when they enter the space.”
