The Refinery Hotel encompasses the entire block of 38th and 39th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in New York’s Fashion District. In 1912, the space was an haute millinery and tea salon, but in 2013 the building was revitalized and reimagined as a lifestyle boutique hotel with the help of Stonehill & Taylor architecture and interior design firm.
Neo-Gothic arches and windows, loft-like guest rooms, original artwork, bespoke furniture, 12-foot high ceilings, millinery artifacts, and Frette linens produce an industrial-chic atmosphere within the 197-room hotel. Influenced by traditional factory worker garb, the Refinery Hotel’s uniforms mix the past with high-fashion, accessorizing G-Star jeans and chambray shirts with, suspenders, black ties, and custom-made pins inspired by hat making accouterments. Each inch of the hotel showcases how the designers embraced the history of the building while infusing high-fashion into every element of presentation.
“The time and hard work everyone’s put toward every detail, the creativity and energy of the Fashion District, and our mantra of beyond-great-service…truly create[s] a one-of-a-kind experience,” stated Refinery owner Pinky Vaid.
“Our design is part history and part inspiration,” added 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.”
Guests can unwind at the hotel lobby lounge, Winnie’s Jazz Bar, where they can enjoy refined cocktails, an extensive beer and wine selection, and live jazz performances all in one timeless setting with prohibition flair. Additionally, guests can enjoy food, drinks, and a phenomenal view of the Empire State Building from the Refinery Rooftop, a breathtaking 3,500 square-foot indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge featuring live DJs and jazz performances weekly.
Keeping in line with the building’s location and history, the Refinery Hotel continues to nurture the connection between the building and New York’s art, fashion, and cultural scenes. The Hatbox—a loading dock when the millinery was in service—provides a raw, industrial gallery space with two-story high ceilings for artists and designers alike to showcase their latest projects and fashions.
The Refinery Hotel exemplifies the elegance and style possible when marrying fashions of the past and present. This elegance and style paired with beyond-great-service make the Refinery Hotel one fashionable stay.
