The hotelier said his ambition is ‘to upset the status quo’
Ian Schrager’s latest hotel has opened in New York’s Bowery neighbourhood, in a building designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.
According to the pioneering hotelier, the 367-room Public will be “the people’s hotel,” providing unique memories for guests looking for more than just a place to sleep.
“Luxury is no longer about things or about how much something costs,” said Schrager. “It’s not a business classification, a price point or based on scarcity. Luxury is now about experiences and how something makes you feel.”
He has described the interiors, by the Ian Schrager Company, as “personal, provocative and flamboyant”, while paradoxically simple and modest; a style designed to resonate with all generations and make them feel as though they’re “at home, but better.”
“It’s not shabby chic, retro, industrial, reclaimed or the ubiquitous Brooklyn look,” continued Schrager.
“It’s simplicity as the ultimate sophistication,” he added. “There’s no pretence. It’s invisible design done with honesty, conviction, love and passion.”
The rooms are designed “like cabins in a yacht, where you have everything you need and want, and nothing extraneous.” The hotel’s public spaces have been created to “connect work, leisure, fun and culture” for those who visit.
Public also has private apartments with interiors designed by John Pawson.
The hotel’s amenities include French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Public Kitchen; a cafe; three bars; landscaped gardens; multiple communal workspaces; private event rooms, and a number of observation points with 360-degree views of New York.
Arts programme Public Arts – a “progressive, avant-garde multimedia performance space” – will host film screenings, theatrical and dance productions, art exhibitions, lectures, readings, workshops and comedy nights.
A statement announcing the opening of Public read: “There’s not been a new idea in the lifestyle hotel space since Ian Schrager’s Morgans, Royalton and Paramount hotels over 25 years ago. Every hotel since then has been derivative of those.” Expanding on this, Schrager said: “I’m always looking for a new and better way of doing things to upset the status quo and shake things up.”
The Ian Schrager Company designed the “provocative and flamboyant” interiors
Ian Schrager has described the design concept of Public as ‘simplicity as the ultimate sophistication’
Ian Schrager has described the design concept of Public as ‘simplicity as the ultimate sophistication’
Ian Schrager has described the design concept of Public as ‘simplicity as the ultimate sophistication’
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
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