The other kind boutique hotel

Neglecting the distant past when the hotel Belvedere was top the top dog or much later when the Hyatt inspired awe with its glass elevator and fast forwarding to a much more recent time and the explosion of hotel brands when the the hotel Monaco ("M") and its brasserie held the edge for those who wanted a special hotel instead of the typical blend of chains. Then it came the Ivy, Baltimore's most expensive hotel yet, something for Donald Trump wannabes with taste (if there is such a thing).

The historic office building currently says nothing about
the hotel (Photo: ArchPlan)

Since last Saturday the RL on East Redwood Street vies to be the cutting edge, the only hotel in town geared exclusively towards the most pigeonholed generation in human history, the millenials.

So what does this new  brand consider to be the "millennial mindset? Industrial chic, for sure, no matter that the 150 room hotel sits in the core of the former financial district where manufacturing never took place, not even in form of garments that were made a few blocks to the west.
The aim of the hotel design language is a bit fuzzy in several respects, the chalkboard panels in and out are nineties pub style and the VW microbus as a shuttle van is 1970ties hippie and may not satisfy the expectations of the millennial conditioned by the black limousine of Uber.

marketing. (SUN)

The onl;y exterior sign is a mix of pub menue
and pre-school (Photo: ArchPlan)

"Our target is the millennial guest or those who have adopted a millennial mindset," said Stacie Votaw, the Baltimore site's director of sales and 

But still, to see a hotel that breaks so radically with the beige-brown chandolier blandness that has characterized hotels for decades is refreshing.

A little stage in the lobby is supposed to be used by local artists and bands (Photo: ArchPlan)

So is the idea to offer a stage for local entertainment right across from the Shakespeare theater and a full service bar in an area not known for much else than suites, offices and a few noisy watering holes on the aptly named Water Street.

Klaus Philipsen, FAIA

SUN article

The coffee shop and bar occupy the corner of Redwood and Calvert Streets (Photo: ArchPlan)

the chalkboard theme carries on inside (Photo: ArchPlan)

Bar detail (Photo: ArchPlan)

Exposed plumbing pipe chic combined with graffiti aesthetics (Photo: ArchPlan)

Judging from the website room image, the creative vibes is less pronounced in the rooms

There isn't a real reception desk but self sign in kiosks and  roving service (Photo: ArchPlan)