Between now and 2026, Nobu Hospitality is preparing to open two luxury hotels in New York and Bangkok under a new brand: Plaza Athénée. It's a name that's far from unknown in the hotel world, yet it has nothing to do with the Parisian palace on Avenue Montaigne, nor indeed with its owner, the Dorchester Collection, which could have played on the name to create a new brand. a prestigious name to create a line of exclusive hotels in the style of the St Regis, Raffles or Waldorf Astoria.
No, what we're talking about here is the collaboration between the hotel chain launched by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and the Thai property group Asset World Corp (AWC), which will join forces " to launch the world's most remarkable hotels in the best strategic locations in New York and Bangkok under the Plaza Athenee brand" .
AWC owns around twenty upmarket hotels in Thailand, most of which are managed by Marriott brands, and has a Luxury Collection member hotel in Bangkok: the Athénée. A hotel formerly known as the Plaza Athénée Bangkok... The idea of capitalise on the aura of the Parisian palace is probably nothing new for AWC, while for the Dorchester Collection, the 'Plaza Athénée' trademark was not - or could not be - registered in time.
AWC's acquisition of Plaza Athénée de New York205 million, has helped to flesh out this ambition. Closed since the pandemic, the hotel's history dates back to the 1920s, and its past is closely linked to the Plaza Athénée in Paris. The hotel was bought in the early 1980s by the Forte group, which wanted to extend the prestige of the Avenue Montaigne palace to New York, an ambition that came to an end when Granada took over Forte in the mid-1990s. Since then, according to the communications department of the Plaza Athénée in Paris, the hotel has been on good terms with its Parisian namesake.
Nobu and AWC intend to breathe new life into this iconic building located near Central Park, on the Upper East Side between Park and Madison Avenue. Expected to reopen in 2026, it will mark the arrival of Nobu's hotel arm in New York. The Plaza Athenee Nobu & Spa New York is set to offer 145 sleekly designed rooms, including suites with interior and exterior glazed terraces. The Japanese-style hotel will also feature a traditional onsen, a Nobu omakase dining experience, and a rooftop event space overlooking the New York skyline.
Also due to open in 2026, the Plaza Athenee Nobu Hotel and Spa Bangkok will occupy the walls of a historic site, the East Asiatic Company building. Set along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, this colonial building, with its " East meet West "A cruise ship will also be available for tailor-made private receptions.
" We're very excited about the prospect of developing these two unique projectssaid AWC CEO Wallapa Traisorat. These hotels will offer the ultra-luxurious experience of the Plaza Athenee brand and the modern luxury blended with Japanese tradition of Nobu, the world's most renowned lifestyle brand." . Trevor Horwell, Managing Director of Nobu Hospitality, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer our customers the best possible service. deeply grateful to AWC for entrusting us with the development of two of their most valuable properties" .
These two hotels are in addition to a extensive list of developments in the coming years for the Nobu Hotels brand. Expected to open in Hamburg, Lisbon, Madrid, Rome and San Sebastian, as well as Atlantic City, New Orleans, Orlando and Toronto in North America, the Nobu group also has projects underway in Sao Paulo and Danang, as well as Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi, Al Khobar and Al Marjan in the Near and Middle East.
