On the heels of its introduction of Casa Don Alfonso—the only U.S. outpost of the two Michelin–star Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant’Agata, Italy—The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis has just unveiled its new Solarium event space.
Located on the second level of the hotel, with sweeping views of downtown Clayton, the 3,000-square-foot luxe greenhouse feels like a combination of The Secret Garden and HGTV. Greenery hangs from the ceiling, nestled between geometric glass chandeliers, and topiary and elaborate floral displays round out the elegant garden aesthetic. As the space is open year-round, it has floor-to-ceiling windows that can be removed in nice weather. Heaters are also tucked into the greenery so not to disrupt the flow that Atlanta-based architecture and interior design firm The Johnson Studio (the same company that designed Casa Don Alfonso) thoughtfully strived to create. Perhaps the fig leaf on top of this verdant sundae is the mobile fire pit, with the fire encased in glass and sitting atop a marble banquet table.
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Last month, the space welcomed guests for the first afternoon tea since being put on hold due to COVID-19. And though the space is designed mostly for event rental, the hotel is looking at hosting more curated public events in The Solarium in the future. The addition of room dividers add additional flexibility as well.
“The Solarium is the perfect addition to our more than 30,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis,” says Christie Pink, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “We look forward to creating unforgettable memories in this space for years to come.”
