
inside The Tampa EDITION – a jewel in the crown • Hotel Designs
The city of Tampa has always flown extremely quietly and confidently under the radar, but with a increasing popularity as a culinary hotspot, with planet-class purchasing, a assortment of good museums and very progressive nightlife scene, Tampa’s time has arrive. The arrival of The Tampa Version, slated to open in October, further more boosts the city’s increase and cements the Edition brand’s knack for landing in the ideal position at the appropriate time.
Cementing the city’s coming of age, and its situation as a gateway to southern Florida, is the unveiling of Water Street Tampa, a $3.5 billion urban mixed use progress enlargement job led by Strategic Assets Associates, a partnership in between Cascade Financial commitment LLC and Tampa Bay Lightning proprietor Jeff Vinik.
“Not typically have I experienced the opportunity to function on a project that will wholly rework the pretty centre and heartbeat of a fantastic town like Tampa, and make it even increased,” said Ian Schrager, the visionary pioneer of the boutique resort strategy and the Version creator. “I get in touch with it urban enlargement, somewhat than urban renewal, and it serves as a product for how metropolitan areas will remodel and evolve the foreseeable future. The scale of it is intellect-boggling and we’re pretty joyful to be proper right here and a aspect of it.”
Reminiscent of Stockholm and other extremely habitable European and Scandinavian harbour towns that combine the finest of a metropolitan metropolis with dwelling by the sea and remaining close to drinking water, when complete, the Water Avenue Tampa neighbourhood will double the footprint of downtown Tampa. At the heart of this transformative project, The Tampa Version sets a new conventional as the city’s first 5-star knowledge, revealing an unparalleled degree of sophistication, originality and layout alongside the particular, personal, and personal encounter that the Version brand is known for.
The lodge remains firmly rooted in the Version brand’s potent sense of refined simplicity and design. “The layout is basic and pure. There is not everything superfluous or gratuitous, nor a squandered gesture,” explained Schrager.

Graphic credit history: Version Tampa / Nikolas Koenig
Unfold about 26 stories, there are 172 guestrooms and 38 personal residences, a rooftop terrace with a pool, expansive spa and wellness facility, exercise centre, and 7 bars and dining establishments like a signature presenting from Michelin-starred chef John Fraser. The hotel seamlessly blends the strength of a big metropolitan metropolis with a warm-temperature vacation resort sensibility.
From the outside the house, The Tampa Edition is a hanging addition to the H2o Avenue Tampa neighbourhood, its combination of industrial things, artwork deco-inspired curves and lush greenery seamlessly mixing into the neighbourhood’s organic, wellness-centered ethos. Described by a vertical tower which properties the residences, with wrap-all-around balconies that update the classic concept of a Florida place, an outside garden in the sky, the constructing is anchored by the decreased nine flooring, which comprises the hotel’s visitor rooms and general public areas.

Impression credit rating: Edition Tampa / Nikolas Koenig
The hotel’s main entrance potential customers to a dynamic open up-move lobby with soaring 20-foot-higher ceilings and floor-to-ceiling home windows that drop all-natural light-weight onto the sophisticated interiors anchored by a spectacular white marble sculptural staircase. Right here, a mixture of open-pore travertine, walnut wood and a jungle of stay greenery will come collectively in the Foyer Bar to make a heat, purely natural backdrop for putting characteristics these kinds of as a massive-scale stainless steel Anish Kapoor-influenced lilac orb art piece, a custom-developed travertine pool table, and intimately grouped household furniture – from Christian Liaigre looking through lights to Jean-Michel Frank-style chairs – that sit atop champagne-coloured rugs.

Picture credit history: Edition Tampa / Nikolas Koenig
Flanking this space is a scalloped American Black Walnut bar, with cognac leather-based stools, which then flows into Lilac, the signature high-quality eating Mediterranean restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef and California indigenous, John Fraser. Open from Tuesday to Saturday, the dining room’s walnut flooring and the warm glow from the pendant globes produce an elevated, convivial house centered all around an 8-seat Christian Liaigre chef’s counter in sandblasted walnut and a energetic open up kitchen. Taking its cues from Fraser’s Greek heritage, the cuisine at Lilac highlights regionally sourced and seasonal substances showcasing exclusive flavours and tactics by way of an Jap Mediterranean lens.
“It is always an honour to collaborate with the Version. We share a equivalent culture and are equally keen on offering present day luxury and higher good quality,” explained Fraser. ” Ian Schrager is a genius at providing the stage and placing the spirit and tone. We are grateful to him and the hotel’s possession for constantly investing in the finest. By way of wonderful hospitality, architecture, and design, we strive for our company to experience as if they have arrived at a sanctuary where they under no circumstances have to go away. We glimpse forward to being a section of Ian’s vision through our foods and beverage choices – with one thing for absolutely everyone all through all elements of the day”.
Unfolding like a 4-act theatrical piece, the resort contains a sequence of spaces and activities each and every introducing up to a overall additional than the sum of its person sections. The next flooring – accessed by using the sculptural staircase – introduces a selection of dramatic and unique spaces that get the job done with each other or separately. Evoking previous Hollywood glamour, Punch Area, is a cosy, muted room accented with abundant jewel-toned shades of emerald and sapphire. The Arts Club combines a trio of spaces that arrive alongside one another in a glamorous giving that has elevated Tampa’s entertainment scene. Begin your evening in the Lounge, with a cocktail towards a seductive backdrop of ebonized wood, black damask velvet sofas, black leather-based banquettes and – just for exciting – a specifically commissioned photobooth in black lacquer with a gold interior. From there, the Verde Antico marble bar noir, with its luminescent yellow velvet stools in the bar spot, is the fantastic precursor just before an night of leisure in the finale, Arts Club Cabaret.

Picture credit history: Version Tampa / Nikolas Koenig
Sandwiched between the 2nd amount and the ninth floor rooftop, are the 172 guestrooms and suites. Every single area is an understated haven with marble bogs and a curved American Black Walnut entrance that sales opportunities to a light-weight white oak place embellished with images by the late New York-dependent vogue and portrait photographer, Rodney Smith, and customized Jean-Michel Frank-encouraged furnishings together with the sensuous curves of a white lacquer Cherner Chair. There are five Backyard garden Terrace rooms on the third flooring, the one particular-bedroom Penthouse – with a media room, open-strategy living and eating home, pantry and expansive stroll-in wardrobe and bathroom – is on a light-weight-crammed corner of the eighth floor, whilst every single guestroom both seems to be out onto the metropolis, or has sights of the boat-stuffed Garrison Channel.

Picture credit rating: Version Tampa / Nikolas Koenig
On the 2nd floor and the mezzanine level over, is the 250-guest non-public occasion area and a collection of assembly rooms – like two studios and a boardroom – which all come comprehensive with best technological innovation, together with electronically managed black-out blinds and light-weight filtering window treatment plans, retractable walls to accommodate occasions of all sizes, and a thoughtful interior design and style scheme of white oak and travertine facts, resulting in a vivid, present day and ethereal presenting.
The design and style of the wellness facility, also on amount two, is just as refreshing. The reception region – with its curved white oak and marble-topped desk and gold leaf accent wall powering – is flanked on possibly facet by arches, which lead to a peace region in shades of white, and 6 treatment method rooms. The spa’s principle is motivated by wellness and sustainability and provides a menu of remedies from Biologique Recherche Skinlab facials to the Edition Signature Massage.
Main picture credit rating: Version Tampa / Nikolas Koenig