Fodor's Expert Review The Eventi

What once was a sleepy giant hulking over the Penn Station, the Eventi has shaped up and spiffed out a unique universe, filled with James Beard-winning Laurent Tourondel (of BLT fame) restaurants, grand ballrooms and outdoor event space that has established this Kimpton franchise as a formidable destination in the area. The Eventi moved into this once-dreary stretch of NoMad just as the Ace Hotel and the NoMad were transforming the neighborhood into the stylish destination its become—but not until recently had the Eventi quite figured out its groove. Now, a reconceptualized use of space that puts the hotel lobby front and center, and redesigned guest rooms, not to mention two fine-dining restaurants (with a third on its way), the Eventi not only has become essential to NoMad but garnered awards. It’s neither overly cool or desperately try-hard (with interiors by the same firm who designed Shake Shack), but rather a striking balance between cutting edge design and corporate standards.

room

Rooms at the Eventi are quite spacious and loft-like, with open floor plans that mix sleeping, working and leisure spaces. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer great city views, but also streams of light to flood the space. Design skews towards tasteful trendy, with original art works and fashionable wood finishes. The smallest room clocks in at 265 sq. feet, meaning the vast majority of these rooms are large and fitted with king beds.

bathroom

Wall-to-wall white marble sets the tone for this stylish, spacious contemporary bathroom, as do the Atelier Bloom bath products, which is a luxury touch. Glass-enclosed showers also have a soaking tub, making the best of both worlds.

lobby

Redesigned to meet the needs of both its overnight guests and dining clients, the Lobby has become the central access point to explore the hotel. What was once a tiny passageway to the elevators is now a stylish, open lobby space with a waiting area and access points to the restaurants.

spa

A simple spa offering massages, facials and body treatments is available to guests and next to the fitness center.

gym

A demand from some serious athletes inspired the Eventi to shape up its gym game and provide a spacious gym with machines and weights and room to train.

dining

With the renovation, the Eventi put its food & beverage outlets front and center. WIth James Beard-winning Laurent Tourondel (of BLT fame) as a partner in the Eventi, the fine dining restaurants are both easy and a scene. L’Amico, the wood oven-centric Italian joint cooks most everything in this specialty fire pits, in particular pizzas and meats. Vine, on the other hand, is the “classics and cocktails” spot where artwork by Alex Katz, Alex Prager and Tony Matelli draw in the Chelsea crowd. There is also all-day in-room dining provided by the kitchens.

drinking

Both L’Amico and Vine have separate bar areas, with the former offering killer wines while the latter’s head in the cocktail game. Both spots are a draw for after-work imbibers as they are hotel guests.