Nobu Hospitality’s partners including Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, along with designer David Rockwell and principals from Caesars Palace, gathered at the original Nobu in New York City last week (Jun 13) to provide guests with an initial glance inside the world’s first Nobu Hotel, set to open in Las Vegas late 2012.
In addition to revealing the first look into the hotel design, the group announced guest bookings will begin on October 1, 2012.
In Nobu’s first hotel project, leading the way as the first celebrity-chef branded hotel venture, David Rockwell and his firm Rockwell Group have designed the space to convey an extension of the fun and energetic Nobu lifestyle. From the moment of entry into the hotel lobby, guests will sense the dramatic transformation from Caesars Palace to Nobu Hotel. Surfaces will be comprised of wood tiles that extend through the elevator foyer and into the cabins – a single gesture that defines the entire hotel space. Schindler PORT elevator technology will transport hotel guests comfortably and efficiently using sleek touch-screens and a powerful traffic management algorithm resulting in fewer stops, less wasted energy and greater handling capacity. Hallways will feature patterned carpets designed to reflect elements of cherry blossoms and Japanese Zen gardens along with pleated wall coverings and custom fixtures inspired by origami.
“We have created a distinctly Japanese experience in the heart of Las Vegas with the first Nobu Hotel, but with a playful interpretation of Nobu’s style and the Vegas bravado,” said Rockwell, founder and CEO of Rockwell Group. “Using the grand canvas of a hotel, we were able to elaborate on the use of hand-crafted, curated materials that create a luxurious effect and provide a world-class Nobu experience.”
One hundred and eighty-one guest rooms, including 18 suites, will offer Strip or garden views. Designs will embrace comfortable simplicity with natural materials and textures counter-balanced with outsized elements to reveal a touch of Vegas flair. Neutral tones will set the room while hints of purple and aqua are emitted from multiple accent pieces, decorative pillows and artwork. Patterned beige-colored carpets will feature a strong, unconventional graphic designed to invoke sentiments of landforms, seascapes and active movements. Staying true to the Nobu aesthetic, the furniture will reflect the influence of designers whose forms come directly from nature offering a modern comfort that is both elegant and casual.
“We are thrilled to be working with Caesars Entertainment as our strategic partner on the first Nobu Hotel which we are creating together adding a further lifestyle luxury offering to the well-established Caesars Palace destination. We are looking forward to expanding on this relationship further with additional international projects”, said CEO of Nobu Hospitality Trevor Horwell. “The design of the Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace is exciting, fresh and represents the creative fusion of the Rockwell Group, Caesars Entertainment and the Nobu Group, and we are eager to welcome our guests to experience our unique lifestyle hospitality”
Custom art by up-and-coming Japanese artists will feature a mix of traditional prints and expressionist designs, speaking to the link between traditional Japanese and modern art.
The main focal point of the room will be the feature wall that displays a custom calligraphy. Designed to represent the traditional form of Japanese ink painting Hitsuzendo, which translates as “the way of the brush,” this Zen-inspired art is consistent throughout the design, starting with the name Nobu. “The ‘o’ in Nobu signifies ‘ens?,’ or circle, one of the most common subjects of Japanese calligraphy,” said Matsuhisa. “It symbolizes enlightenment, strength and elegance and is an expression of art.
Bathrooms will feature rich teak fittings, stone tiles and modern fixtures throughout. An oversized walk-in shower comprised of traditional black Umi tiles will offer multiple showerheads and a teak bathing stool, a commodity seen in traditional Japanese bathhouses. Toto toilets and sinks that showcase custom freestanding concrete bowls set on wood plinth are designed to evoke a garden fountain. Luxurious bath amenities will include a selection of products by Natura Bisse in a signature rosemary and white tea scent designed exclusively for Nobu Hotel.
“The Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace experience is crafted with the Nobu guest in mind – we want to cater to their expectancies of quality and comfort while offering unique elements of surprise,” said Gigi Vega, Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace General Manager. “We have strived to create an elevated experience that fully communicates the magnetic Nobu lifestyle with exclusive touches and opulent details to evoke excitement and form lasting memories.”
The arrival experience will include personalized service with in-room iPad registration and a traditional hot tea welcome amenity. Custom-made Simmons mattresses will be adorned with luxurious, 100 percent Egyptian cotton Anichini percale linens and ultra-soft Down Dreams pillows. The unique turndown service will include his and hers yukata robes and slippers displayed bedside along with an exclusive Nobu Hotel blend of scented sleep oils. An upgraded minibar curated by Nobu will consist of unique selections including organic Wild Poppy blood orange chili juice crafted from orchards in California, chocolate-dipped Pocky pretzels, Japanese beer and an assortment of Dean & Deluca snack items. Nobu’s signature brands of chilled sake and Genmai-Cha brown rice green tea will also be available.
In addition to exclusive accommodations, Nobu Hotel guests will also have private access to the adjacent 11,200-square-foot restaurant and lounge with priority seating and 24-hour access to Nobu cuisine through the first-ever in-room dining menu. The highly anticipated menu will include popular Japanese items, along with Nobu’s signature twists on American classics. A selection of bento boxes will offer a customary Japanese breakfast and the Vegas-themed High Roller which features lobster wasabi, Wagyu steak, spicy garlic shrimp and an assortment of nigiri and premium sushi rolls. Additional menu items will include green tea waffles served with braised short rib, egg and aged maple; bagel and lox featuring salmon sashimi served on an “everything bagel” made of crispy rice; the RLT with rock shrimp, butter lettuce and Maui onion tomato salsa in a creamy spicy sauce; and the tonkatsu sandwich with panko pork and prune katsu sauce on shokupan bread.
“For Nobu Hotel’s in-room dining menu I have crafted some of my signature selections paired with some new additions to cater to the Vegas market,” said Matsuhisa. “My passion and creativity is communicated into every dish and I look forward to further raising the bar with my newest restaurant and hotel venture.”