While many travelers might fly into the Newark, New Jersey airport, they often head straight to New York City. But now you might have a reason to book a trip just to visit the Garden State. In particular, a northern town called Montclair.
Why? Well, it’s quickly becoming a hospitality hot spot. Located just 45 minutes outside of The Big Apple, the town is now home to Faubourg, a restaurant from a Daniel Boulud alum, and The George, a boutique inn from makeup maven Bobbi Brown who has been a longtime resident. And it’s always been known as a hidden cultural hub with several museums and numerous galleries filled with local artists works.
Now, The MC Hotel is making its debut marking a new era of hospitality for Montclair as the first full-service hotel in the city in over 80 years. “The opening of The MC Hotel is a very special occasion for Montclair,” said Oscar Fontana Roos, general manager of The MC Hotel.
The 159 room property, which joined the Marriott Autograph Collection portfolio, has everything you’d expect from a high-end hotel including a fitness center, designer toiletries, a restaurant called Allegory, and a soon-to-open rooftop bar, Alto, boasting views of the New York City skyline. There will also be a rotating calendar of wellness, music, art, food and beverage programming. Guests will get lessons on cupping (the technique of tasting coffee), participate in wine tastings and chocolatier experiences, and join an evening art tour through the hotel.
As far as design, the hotel leaned on the vibrant local arts culture for inspiration. Throughout the space you’ll find locally curated art, including sculptures, paintings, murals, photography and more, highlighting talented locals and artists from Studio Montclair, a non-profit organization exhibiting professional and emerging artists. And the specialty one-bedroom suites feature a unique design element as they were built into the hotel’s rotunda and have curved glass exterior walls that offer sweeping views.
“At Aparium we are always seeking out destinations to expand into that are reflections of home-grown, home-town pride, where there is creativity, opportunity, and craftsmanship,” Mario Tricoci, co-founder of Aparium Hotel Group who manages the hotel, said in a statement. “It has been exciting to bring our brand to life with and within the Montclair community.”
