Reintroducing a Boston Landmark to a New Generation

Kortenhaus was retained to help reintroduce one of Boston’s most storied properties as The Newbury Boston. Long known as the “Old Ritz,” the landmark hotel was undergoing a complete transformation—creating an opportunity to build anticipation well before opening day and position the property at the intersection of luxury hospitality, design, culture and community.

Through strategic storytelling, exclusive media access and a sustained communications campaign, we helped introduce a new chapter for an iconic Boston address while honoring the history that made it beloved in the first place.

That positioning fits the property itself: the hotel describes its transformation as marrying its historic character with contemporary luxury, while its designers incorporated elements of the building’s heritage throughout the reimagined property.

ART + CULTURE AT THE NEWBURY

Creating a 21st-Century Salon for the Arts

The Newbury’s story extends beyond hospitality into art and culture. Through C+K Art Advisory, Lynne Kortenhaus and Mike Carroll curated the hotel’s contemporary art collection, bringing together paintings, photography, sculpture and works on paper by emerging and established artists, many with ties to Boston and New England.

Conceived as a modern-day “Salon for the Arts,” the collection reflects the history and character of the property while introducing a contemporary cultural perspective throughout the guest experience.

OUR APPROACH

We developed a strategic communications campaign designed to build anticipation before opening and sustain momentum as The Newbury Boston emerged as one of the city’s most talked-about luxury destinations.

  • Introduced the reimagined hotel through exclusive pre-opening media access

  • Built storytelling around the property’s history, transformation, design and cultural relevance

  • Partnered with the Boston Public Library to curate more than 200 books by Boston authors for the guest Library

  • Created programming around art, design and culture, including the “Salons” series

  • Generated sustained local, regional, national and international media coverage

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Exclusive pre-opening access for The Boston Globe

  • Extensive launch and opening media campaign

  • Storytelling around the hotel’s renowned design talent

  • Boston Public Library collaboration and curated guest Library

  • “Salons” celebrating art, culture and the city

  • Promotion of Contessa, The Street Bar and the hotel’s culinary experiences

  • More than 200 earned media placements

  • More than 38 million media impressions

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