A Luxe Stay in Downtown NYC

By Jordan Staggs

Art and design converge often, and a golden opportunity arose recently when New York City’s Hall des Lumières and The Conrad New York Downtown paid homage to Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt with a special interior design collaboration in its iconic Conrad Suite penthouse.

The 1,500-square-foot Conrad Gold in Motion Suite was adorned with over thirty arrangements and an oversized statement piece by Florabrook, the Manhattan florist-meets-interior-design team known for creating “living arrangements,” terrariums, and dramatic floral installations. Caroline “Flora” Lahti of Florabrook and her team made the arrangements using over ten thousand dried gold florals and plants inspired by Klimt’s gilded paintings.

The Conrad New York Downtown hotel celebrated the Klimt exhibit by transforming its one-bedroom penthouse into the Gold in Motion Suite for a limited time this spring. | Photo courtesy of Conrad New York Downtown

Klimt (1862–1918) was one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement, and prints of some of his most popular bold expressionist works were on display throughout the Conrad Gold in Motion Suite, including Adele Bloch-Bauer I, Water Serpents, Lady with Fan, Mother and Child, and The Kiss. Gold furnishings and decor, female-forward vases and busts, and books highlighting Klimt and his works were also present throughout the space. Views of the Hudson River and Battery Park City create a quintessential Downtown experience year-round in this luxe one-bedroom penthouse.

Manhattan florist Florabrook created over thirty arrangements and an oversized statement piece for the 1,500-square-foot suite inspired by Klimt’s artwork. | Photo courtesy of Conrad New York Downtown

Art is prevalent throughout the hotel, with more than two thousand unique pieces of contemporary artwork throughout its guest suites and common areas, including a ten-story installation in the lobby.

The Gold in Motion Suite was designed in partnership with Hall des Lumières, Manhattan’s “new permanent cultural destination for digital art,” where the immersive digital exhibit Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion is currently running through June 30, 2023. Similar to the popular Van Gogh and Monet traveling exhibits that have no doubt crossed your Instagram feed in the past few years, Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion offers guests the chance to become part of the art as they stroll through moving floor-to-ceiling digital projections of some of the artist’s most iconic works. It has been called “a thematic journey through the golden, sensuous, and revolutionary art of the Viennese painter.” The exhibit was created exclusively for Hall des Lumières by an artistic team led by Culturespaces Digital’s Gianfranco Iannuzzi.

Photo courtesy of Conrad New York Downtown

Conrad New York Downtown guests staying in the Gold in Motion Suite were given a Hall des Lumières welcome amenity and a pair of tickets to Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion.

All hotel guests were also invited to celebrate with The Gold Kiss, a Klimt-inspired specialty cocktail comprising a well-balanced mix of bourbon and acidity from lemon and bitters with the sweetness of simple syrup. Cocktails at the hotel are available in the comfort of your guest suite or downstairs at the hotel’s ATRIO Wine Bar and Restaurant. ATRIO’s open concept allows guests to watch its chefs create fresh, seasonal-inspired menu items while enjoying a lively atmosphere and views of the Manhattan streetscape below.

The museum’s beaux-arts landmark building is teeming with new life thanks to an array of unforgettable immersive experiences.

Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion features two floors of digital art in motion and set to music, taking viewers on a journey through Klimt’s evolution as an artist. | Photo courtesy of Hall des Lumières

The Gold in Motion Suite has now transformed back into the hotel’s chic downtown penthouse, but art and culture are in motion year-round at Conrad New York Downtown. The 463-suite luxury hotel is less than ten minutes from some of the city’s most iconic attractions, including One World Trade Observatory, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, SoHo, and Wall Street. Art is prevalent throughout the hotel, with more than two thousand unique pieces of contemporary artwork throughout its guest suites and common areas, including a ten-story installation in the lobby. The impressive collection is inspired by the public art tucked in many corners of Battery Park City. Guests will also find panoramic views of the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty from the seasonal Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar (open May through October), where they can sip creative cocktails while enjoying the work of art that is New York City from above.

After the exhibit, head back to ATRIO Wine Bar and Restaurant at the Conrad for seasonally inspired light bites, craft cocktails, or a delicious dinner. | Photo by Jordan Staggs

Guests are always encouraged to visit Hall des Lumières, as new digital exhibits continually rotate throughout the year. Set in the former Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank just a handful of blocks from Conrad New York Downtown, the museum’s beaux-arts landmark building is teeming with new life thanks to an array of unforgettable immersive experiences.