The St. Regis Hotel in downtown DC has redesigned its bar and lobby. According to a press release:
“A modern take on the traditional English club defines the new look, which exudes warmth and comfort and is distinguished by refined craftsmanship and polished surfaces. Among the bespoke, tailored details are wooden herringbone floors, Chesterfield sofas covered in distressed leather, wooden tables studded with silver nickel nail heads, and luxe upholstery created exclusively for The St. Regis by Rockwell Group using Jim Thompson fabric.
The bar glows with dark bronze surfaces, and base moldings along its original wood-paneled walls feature a Venetian finish with silver accents. A modern fireplace that faces the bar, and a dazzling leather-and–crystal chandelier designed exclusively for the space in collaboration with Swarovski, create the perfect ambiance for enjoying St. Regis’ signature Red Snapper cocktails.
The bar and lobby’s original 16-foot carved ceilings and graceful, arched windows have been retained, preserving the historical grandeur of the space and providing an elegant backdrop for the newly designed layout. An arched entryway has been added, which seamlessly
brings together the vibrancy of the hotel lobby and intimacy of the bar for a unique experience.
In the entrance to the lobby, two antique mirrors beautifully reflect the surrounding architectural elements. The diamond pattern, a St. Regis design hallmark, inspires a feature screen in this space. Gilded floor lamps with custom metalwork crafted into a botanic pattern further enhance the elegant environment.”
“To complement the redesign of The St. Regis Bar, a new menu of culinary offerings has been created. Designed by Executive Chef Sébastien Rondier, the menu offers a wide range of small bites for guests to enjoy over a drink in The St. Regis Bar, to delectable entrées. Chef Rondier’s new menu features eggplant caviar and a fresh ricotta/chive tartine; our famous Croque Monsieur/Madame; cilantro lamb sliders; contemporary Waldorf Salad or baked Maine lobster, presented in smaller portions for an ideal sampling of multiple dishes.
Each month, The St. Regis Bar will present a short list of cellar highlights available by bottle, carafe or glass. Transporting guests to the 1920’s, the period when the original hotel opened its doors for the first time, The St. Regis Bar also offers classic pre-Prohibition cocktails such as an Old Fashioned Old Fashion (Rye, Bitters, Simple Syrup, Lemon); a St. Regis Manhattan (Jefferson Bourbon, Vermouth, Bitters, and a Brandied Cherry); a flight of whiskey; or The St. Regis Washington, DC’s signature Bloody Mary cocktail, The Capitol Mary.
Mary was born and raised in New York City where her family owned restaurants. Instead of eating dirt on the playground, she ate duck blood, beef tripe and pork belly. She cut her teeth at The Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton hotels, working with Barbra Streisand, Vanessa Williams, Michael Stipe, LeVar Burton, Jane Krakowski and others. Mary founded Girl Meets Food in 2009 as a cover for her debilitating addiction to fried chicken and was named Washington Post’s “Favorite Local Foodie.” After 13 years in hospitality, she started freelance writing for USA Today, The Washington Post, Eater, Washington City Paper, and more. Today, she provides digital marketing for hospitality clients as a content creator who’s contently creating content.