Hotel Hennes to Pop Up on the Lower East Side
New York City is awash with hotels for every traveler’s budget, and H&M is tapping into the summer wanderlust that many people have for a change of scenery.
The retailer is unveiling the Hotel Hennes NYC in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. As of Thursday, guests will be able to access the space via Freeman’s Alley. With an abundance of bars, restaurants and shops, the neighborhood is a popular spot for many Gen Zers and Millennials. To celebrate the launch, an invitation-only party is being held Tuesday night that will cap off at The Box, where the Swedish musical duo Icona Pop will perform.
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The three-day space will be open at 3 Freeman Alley on Thursday through Saturday from 2 to 9 p.m. EST. Guests will be able to check in for an hour or for the evening to the two-tier space, which has 2,300 square feet on the ground-floor and 2,200 square feet on the rooftop level. The Hotel on Rivington, the Public, the Sixty Les, the Allen Hotel and the Gatsby Hotel are some of the real hotels in the historic neighborhood that runs between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston Streets.
The temporary hotel will have a Hotel Hennes Cafe, thanks to a partnership with Breads Bakery. A “Take a Chance” private photo studio will be welcoming posers and the rooftop bar will serve up libations and sunset deejay sets by Ty Sunderland. Visitors can sign up for a slot in the photo studio via a micro site or walk-ins will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Of course, Hotel Hennes merchandise will also be for sale in the gift shop, with proceeds benefiting the Lower East Side Girls Club. Sweatshirts, hats, key chains, stationery, luggage tags and other sundries will be sold.
This isn’t the company’s first go-round with the Hotelier Hennes. One was activated in Berlin earlier this month and prior to that another outpost was staged at the Sands Hotel in Palm Springs, during the first weekend of Coachella. That was the first time that the retailer brought to life the fictitious hotel that is featured in the summer brand campaign’s short film that was headlined by Gigi Hadid and directed by Bardia Zeinali. Released in April, Hadid plays an H&M-clad hotel owner and a bevy of guests pass through the colorful hotel dancing and cavorting. Other cast members included Precious Lee, Isabelle Chaput and Nelson Tiberghien of the Young Emperors.
The Lower East Side is new terrain for H&M. The company’s closest store is on lower Fifth Avenue. Asked whether the company is considering opening a store on the Lower East Side, an H&M spokesperson said Monday, “We cannot disclose any upcoming store information at this time, but we are always looking for new ways to excite our customers and provide them with the best shopping experiences.”
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