It was in New York that the lifestyle chain The Standard became famous thanks to its flagship hotel in the Meatpacking District, The Standard, High Line. It is around Times Square that the «indecent» younger sister of the brand, The StandardX, will soon see its flagship hotel appear. A 1,800-room establishment focused on entertainment with a carousel of restaurants and bars, a rooftop pool, in a skyscraper topped by an observation platform at over 300 meters. And from this elevated position, it offers a closed freefall attraction to plunge towards Manhattan.
Having joined the Hyatt group with the acquisition of the Standard International group two years ago, the The StandardX brand, which embodies the sense of design and lifestyle of its larger sister while offering more accessible rates, has so far only opened in Melbourne. Expected to open in the second half of 2028, its second location is part of a project developed by the developer Extell Development Company, in the heart of the theater district at 255 West 45th Street.
" With 255 West 45th Street, we are building something truly unique in one of the most famous places in the world. The team at The StandardX shares our vision: creating places that stand out», said Ari Alowan Goldstein, Senior Vice President of Extell Development Company.« Much of the action will take place directly inside the building. I love that. It’s energetic, theatrical and completely over-the-top »," announced Amar Lalvani, director of creation at Hyatt, president and director of creation at The Lifestyle Group, Hyatt.
From chic and contemporary in Rome
The lifestyle paths of his division have also recently led the Hyatt group to Rome, with the premium brand Thompson. Far from the extravagance of the future StandardX Times Square, the Thompson Rome, which has just opened its doors in Via delle Botteghe Oscure, just steps from Piazza Venezia, has only 69 rooms, of which 19 are suites, the largest of which is equipped with a private terrace of 80 m². Custom furniture, simplicity with warm natural materials: some rooms add balconies to these chic and contemporary elements while others offer private patios.
Business travelers passing through the Italian capital will also enjoy three dining areas with a relaxed lounge in the lobby, a rooftop bar for aperitifs with views, and the LYVE restaurant, focused on seafood and led by chef Fabio Fioravanti, who has worked in the kitchens of the Alain Ducasse group, including at Louis XV at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo.
If they are fans of contemporary art, they will be able to enjoy the artistic program of Thompson Rome with a collection of works displayed in the rooms and common areas, signed by artists associated with the Scuola Romana, alongside contemporary artists such as Francesco Del Drago and Giangaetano Patane.
But history enthusiasts will pull out their textbooks, not those of ancient Rome, but of the post-war era. The building that houses the Thompson, dating from the 1940s, in fact long housed the headquarters of the Italian Communist Party, that of Palmiro Togliatti and Enrico Berlinguer. A high point of political history, nicknamed «il Bottegone,» when «Botteghe Oscure» meant the PCI to readers of newspapers like «the place of Colonel Fabien» could do the same for the French PC.
Although the redesigned and restored building has undergone a chic and lifestyle revolution – the presence in the building, after PCI, of the Italian Banking Association had already initiated a significant change in the 2000s – it still retains elements of its original design, such as its majestic marble staircase, or the artist Gio Pomodoro’s marquetry floor, rediscovered during the renovation after having been hidden for decades.
