INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad unveils partnership with Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

On June 22, to celebrate Pride, INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad created a special Live For The Arts Pride celebration, bringing together LGBTQIA+ artists and creators, and unveiled the first-ever curated Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art guest suite and new staff uniforms, both designed by multidisciplinary artist Tura Oliveira.

INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad, the contemporary lifestyle hotel owned by Spain’s largest hotel company Meliá Hotels International, kicked off its multi-faceted collaboration with New York City’s Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, the only art museum in the world dedicated to LGBTQIA+ art and artists, with a delightful event called Live For the Arts.

Delicious food and beverage was provided by the hotel’s signature restaurant The Wilson while guests danced the night away to music by DJ Mac Joseph, after a panel with Leslie-Lohman Executive Director Alyssa Nitchun and Tura Oliveira.

Photos: Mario Iozzi, Frame Hunters LLC

At the Live For the Arts bash the evening featured pop-up stores and vendors from new and upcoming LGBTQIA+ creators including PT Knitwear, Keith Kelly, Secret Riso Club, Lomography, Art by Kayla, and more. We especially enjoyed the vintage jewelry of Prince Peacock, and the readings by Temperance Queer Tarot and the brilliant Cyree Jarelle.

Earlier, however, guests had the chance to inspect the high-floor hotel suite decorated by the Brooklyn-based Oliveira, who identifies as lesbian, pronouns she/her. Oliveira is influenced by many disciplines, modes, and genres — from science fiction and astrology, to quilting and queer futurism. Invited to transform the suite with a focus on queerness, the overall affect is more art installation than interior design. There are eclectic vintage touches such as bedside accents of an old radio, rotary telephone, and paperback copy of Rubyfruit Jungle; the walls are painted mural style with otherworldly creatures that could inhabit planets lightyears away. If you’re a beige person, this suite may not suit you, as Oliveira has taken a spectrum of colors, including some of her fluoro favorites, and transformed the living space into a retreat that resembles her own! It feels simultaneously radical and homey.

Now, for a limited time, guests can book a stay in the suite and immerse themselves in Oliveira’s creations, which represent the values of the queer community, affirmation, and futurity that the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art continues to uphold. The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art curated suite is available for bookings starting now until September 22, 2023. Rates start at $399 per night and include complimentary tickets to the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. The suite is spacious enough to invite friends over and you can spread out on the extensive terrace which has views of New York’s iconic water towers.

“We are honored to partner with an iconic institution like The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art and artist Tura Oliveira for this one-of-a-kind partnership,” said Sara Ranghi, Marketing and Brand Development Director of Meliá Hotels International.

“As a Gay Travel Approved Hotel and Queer Destinations Committed Property, we are committed to amplifying the works of LGBTQIA+ artists and are excited to celebrate arts for all with our second Live for the Arts here in New York City.”

Oliveira thoughtfully designed a vibrant palette of custom artworks and murals that transformed the living room of the suite into a decidedly imaginative space. The bedroom is cozy, dreamy, and cosmic with the centerpiece quilt of hand dyed fabric conjuring, to my mind, both the labor of women and also the AIDS quilts of remembrance.

To continue to bring Oliveira’s creative visions to life, she has redesigned a new uniform for the INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad team. This colorful canvas crew neck graphic tee will be worn by all staff. The graphic tee will be available for purchase in the lobby at the hotel.

“This collaboration embodies our commitment to supporting the arts, celebrating diversity and our shared values of inclusivity, creativity, and cultural exploration making this partnership a perfect match,” said Mauricio Patrino, General Manager of INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad. “It will be incredibly special to see this hotel transform into a beautiful piece of art, work with some of New York City’s most creative minds to foster arts in the LGBTQIA+ community.”

“Time with queer community celebrating our vibrancy and telling our stories through art is foundational to PRIDE,” said Alyssa Nitchun, Executive Director at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Art. “We are thrilled to partner with INNSiDE by Meliá to create space and provide a platform for important young queer artists like Tura Oliveira. Collaborating with Spain’s largest hotel company who is also a committed queer destination is a meaningful amplification of the Museum’s mission.”

INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad, Meliá Hotels International’s flagship hotel in the United States, is a Gay Travel Approved Hotel and Queer Destinations Committed Property. The hotel is centrally located on West 27th Street in the bustling neighborhood of Chelsea. Aligned with the brand’s overall ethos of hotels for work, play and wellbeing, the hotel features spacious guest rooms boasting bright, stylish, and contemporary interiors, several with terraces and stunning views of the Midtown skyline, the Freedom Tower, or Downtown Manhattan skyline. INNSiDE’s signature restaurant, The Wilson, offers all-day seafood and a hand-crafted cocktail menu that embodies a “town-by-the-sea” atmosphere complemented by the Wilson’s Rose Garden, open seasonally, with a covered patio featuring cozy corners surrounded by flowers and string lights for guests to enjoy signature light bites and drinks.

For more information on INNSiDE by Meliá New York Nomad, visit the hotel’s website here. For further details on The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art, please visit leslielohman.org. To book the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art curated suite, guests can call the hotel directly at 212-951-1000.