Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Public spaces of the Biltmore hotel, Arizona

The Arizona Biltmore is not only a hotel as I've mentioned but a huge resort regularly used for conferences, weddings, and other events. Many of these spaces are original to the hotel and in the main building and I thought I'd share them with you here today!
One of the first rooms one comes upon while entering the hotel is the Aztec Room which was designed as a lounge and theater in the original to the 1929 hotel.
Featuring a spectacular gold leaf ceiling, 2 fireplaces, garden access, and a curtained stage, no wonder this is so popular for weddings!
One of the 2 unusual fireplaces in the Aztec Room.
The Gold Room off the lobby was originally designed as the main dining room and also features a stunning gold leafed ceiling.
Much larger than the Aztec room it also features french doors out to a terrace.
I love the unusual shape to these windows!
This beautiful wood and metal screen was near the entry.
Two enormous murals featuring Native American scenes add color to the room flanking the wall of glass.
As you can see the room is enormous!
Upon entering the hotel you don't enter directly into the main 2 story lobby but rather a discrete anteroom which features an unusual water feature built of the textile blocks. Here you can see how some of the textile blocks are actually glass and provide ambient light.
Also in the lobby is a stained glass window designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1927 (Saguaro Forms and Cactus) and donated to the hotel by his wife after his death.
One of numerous hotels is named after the architect who inspired the design, Wright's.
This pleasant sunny space was at one point the hotel's sun lounge or conservatory. It also features a gold leafed ceiling and pleasant garden views as well as an enormous terrace.
This pretty little garden is the view from the restaurant.
And rising above the restaurant is the hotel itself. Notice the unusual pierced roof overhang above.
The hotel has become a campus and the outbuildings which host conferences, apartments, and other guest rooms are designed in the same Wright'ian style incorporating his textile blocks. As you can see despite the warm weather the trees do loose their leaves which surprised me!  This brings to an end my sharing of the Biltmore Hotel but I will be bringing you Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West shortly!

8 comments:

Woodside Park said...

It's fabulous! Very handsome details and gorgeous custom work. I love the homage to the Native Americans!

Deana Sidney said...

Can't wait for the next installment on the Wrightian trail. I love it all. Do wish the modern furniture was a bit better but what can you do>

Paisley Curtain said...

Greetings! This is so pleasantly unusual hotel, so different from the regular ones that we are so used to.
Eagerly waiting for the next post.

Mark D. Ruffner said...

Hi, Stefan,

I like the idea of not being met immediately by a large entrance. There's a wonderful thoughtfulness that goes into making an intimate welcome that in turn reveals a large surprise.

I like your photograph of the sun lounge because I can easily see it — just as you photographed it — as one of FLW's drawings.

Karena said...

Stefan, it is stunning, that ceiling, the windows, well truly all of the design is so unique!

xoxo
Karena
An Invitation to the Garden

Eddie Ross said...

SUCH a cool stained glass hotel. WIll definitely stay here when we're in town!

Eddie + Jaithan

pve design said...

Stefan,
I would hire you for my personal tour guide. You always share such off the beaten path unusual spots.
Your architectural love and knowledge are incredibly impressive.
pve

Thombeau said...

I love it, especially that stained glass window. Marvelous!