Hotel AKA NoMad: Your Design Home in New York

Hotel AKA Nomad New York was the perfect stop after months of working on DSCENE magazine’s design special and spending over a month in Milan preparing for Salone del Mobile. Coming back to New York to stay at Hotel AKA NoMad felt like a harmonious continuation of a design narrative. Located in the vibrant heart of Manhattan’s NoMad district, this hotel masterfully mixes the luxury of privacy with the warmth of home, presented through a lens of exquisitely balanced design. (Photo Jeffrey Totaro courtesy of the hotel).

Hotel AKA Nomad & Architectural Elegance by Piero Lissoni

The architectural signature of Hotel AKA NoMad is the brainchild of the renowned Architect and Designer Piero Lissoni from Lissoni & Partners architectural practice, marking his inaugural hotel project in New York City. Lissoni, well known for his clean, contemporary lines and a minimalist aesthetic that balances function with form, has infused the hotel with a spirit of serene sophistication. His design draws richly from Japanese and Scandinavian influences, which are visible in the sleek materials and understated design lines that round up the space. The use of warm tones and a palette that evokes tranquility makes the hotel not just a place to stay, but a sanctuary from the urban frenzy. The thing you notice after the design itself, is the complete absence of any outside noise when in the room.  A rarity for New York itself, that easily helps you relax and feel at home within the hotel rooms.

Celebration of Design and Functionality

Upon entering the lobby, the atmosphere is immediately welcoming, designed to bring an immediate sense of harmony and peace. The showstopper is undoubtedly the Lissoni-designed staircase. This sculptural masterpiece, with its bronze metallic painted steel and Pietra d’Avola treads, spirals elegantly upwards, resembling an origami structure in its precision and creativity. It leads guests to the upper Mezzanine Lounge, which after the breakfast hours offers intimate seating nooks ideal for business meetings or quiet reflection. Additionally, the hotel features indoor and outdoor lounges, conveniently available as work space, in addition to meeting rooms available upon request.

During my stay, Elon Kenchington, the Managing Director of Hotel AKA NoMad, shared captivating details about the staircase’s construction. The integration of such a complex structure within a century-old building required innovative engineering solutions and meticulous planning, underscoring the commitment to maintain the architectural integrity while embracing modern design. The design of the stairs and their weight requested additional reinforced construction, and had to be brought in one piece.

True Design-Forward Accommodations

The guestrooms and suites at Hotel AKA NoMad are a carbon copy of hotel’s design philosophy, featuring a blend of striking yet soothing colors and textures and overall infusion on of design. The design furniture, sourced from top brands like PORRO, LEMA, Salvatori, ALPI and Living Divani, exemplifies the highest standards of design quality. Notably, the PORRO designed pieces, such as the Shin bed and Frank chairs, offer both aesthetic appeal and functional comfort. The Shin bed, with its minimalist frame and luxurious upholstery, anchors the sleeping area as a bastion of comfort and style. When I talked about the design with Porro team, they shared even more impressive details on the hotel. AKA NoMad features Porro products impressive number of 118 of Porro Shin beds in king size, 45 bed Shin queen size, but also 30 bed Shin in American double size. And all of that matched with beautiful lighting fixtures from the famed Oluce. The signature aesthetic of Italian furniture blends in seamlessly within the hotel’s sophisticated style in the heart of Manhattan’s Design District. Where anyone who cares about design, visits the stores (some literally across the road from AKA) featuring many of the brands already shaping the moments at AKA NoMad.

Hotel AKA Nomad And Design Synthesis

The hotel’s commitment to design extends beyond furniture and architecture. The walls of public and private spaces are featuring a curated selection of art pieces that reflect the cultural synthesis of Japanese and Nordic aesthetics. The lobby features specialty art pieces by Xander Vervoort and Leon van Boxtel who in the nineties formed the Dutch duo X+L, whose abstract geometric compositions are made with hand-dyed and handwoven silk, stitched together to form captivating visuals. With their roots in art and theater, X + L is known for its modern yet organic approach to creating exquisite handmade art pieces. While their primary focus is on wall art, they are also known for a range of smaller objects and products within their collection.  Despite the studio being composed solely of the two founders, they have engaged in collaborations with like-minded artists, preserving the unique personal identity of X+L, and it was a beautiful suprirse to see them featured at AKA. Where the pieces become more than just the typical lobby art so many hotels are featuring nowadays.  Additionally, the artworks selected for the guestrooms by The Poster Club include serene, minimalistic pieces from Scandinavian artists like Atelier Cph and Estelle Graf, whose works complement Lissoni’s design ethos perfectly.

Culinary and Social Innovations

Hotel AKA NoMad on the ground floor features a world-class wine bar under the consultancy of Atelier AKA F+B. The bar offers an extensive wine list that highlights both national and international vineyards. The cocktail program, managed by Cristian Molina, is notable for its inventive combinations and use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Molina’s creative approach to mixology, incorporating techniques like dehydration and re-hydration, adds a unique twist to the beverage experience.

Future Plans at Hotel AKA NoMad

As Elon Kenchington revealed to me during our tour, the hotel is on a path of continuous evolution, with plans to enrich its balcony spaces and eventually launch a full-service restaurant connected to the elegant bar already on the ground floor. With its attention to detail, even without the AKA team explicitly claiming the ‘design hotel’ label, its understated yet sophisticated design makes it one of the best New York examples of hotels spotlighting and integrating design furniture and art in contemporary hospitality. The hotel also stands as a perfect realization of the architect’s vision, where I am certain Lissoni imagined a stay that offers not just rest within a moment of silence, but a rich, immersive experience in design and comfort, and Hotel AKA NoMad has delivered exactly that.

Discover more of the hotel in our gallery:

View Gallery 17 images

Hotel AKA NoMAD
Location: New York, Manhattan Design District
131 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016, United States
Phone: +1 212-448-7000

For booking and more info log on to stayaka.com.