The Team
The Noannet Group
Developer
When Gary Saunders, Jeff Saunders, and I saw this rare site become available in the heart of one of the country’s most magical neighborhoods, we knew it called for something special. As lifelong Bostonians with a shared love of great architecture, we also shared the vision of creating a building whose hallmarks would be like those of the Back Bay itself – filled with character, warmth, and elegance, but without pretense.
This vision was fully brought to fruition when the French hotelier Accor chose to partner with us to create the first Raffles Hotel and Residences in North America. We are grateful not only to Accor for choosing Boston and our building for such a momentous new chapter, but also to the hundreds of amazing team members working in front of and behind the scenes, with a top-to-bottom emphasis on attention to detail, to create an experience unlike any other in Boston. Raffles Hotels around the world have long said that their travellers arrive as guests, leave as friends, and return as family. At Raffles Boston, we look forward to welcoming our future guests, diners, visitors, and, most importantly, residents into our family.
Jordan D. Warshaw
President
saunders hotel group
Developer
Being a fourth-generation family-owned and operated business, our group has created a culture that is deeply rooted in our people, our guests, and the communities we serve. This culture makes all the difference in creating an environment that inspires our guests to return again and again.
With every action we take, thoughtful consideration is given to creating genuine value, outstanding service to our guests, and career gratification for our team members. Our endless pursuit of excellence in hospitality has made us an employer of choice, a leader in our communities and, ultimately, an innkeeper for guests from near and far who
return time and time again to experience the attentive hospitality that is our hallmark.
Gary L. Saunders
Chairman
ACCOR
Hospitality Partner
Welcoming and taking care of others is at the heart of what we do and who we are. It is truly an honor to host each and every traveller and local who chooses to wander the world or their own country with Accor. From Singapore to London to Boston, Raffles is a jewel in our unrivaled collection of brands, delivering legendary service and meaningful experiences at some of the most prestigious hotel addresses worldwide. We are delighted for the Boston community, a city rich in history and culture, to discover the adventure, the tradition, and the beauty that awaits at Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel.
Sébastien Bazin
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
cain international
Equity Partner
Cain International focuses on identifying exceptional projects that provide unrivalled experiences in cultural hot spots and leisure destinations across Europe and the United States. Our portfolio includes premier residential, commercial, hospitality, leisure, and experiential projects such as the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the Aman New York, Six Senses Courchevel, and others in major urban and resort markets including London, Rome, Miami, and Washington DC. Raffles Boston will bring refined luxury and unsurpassed service to residents and visitors alike, and we are thrilled to contribute our expertise to help deliver this landmark project.
Jonathan S. Goldstein
Chief Executive Officer
THE ARCHITECTURAL TEAM
Managing Architect
Working with the development team and our colleagues at Stonehill Taylor and Rockwell Group, we have designed a building worthy of both the Raffles name and a place among the iconic landmarks of Boston’s storied Copley Square. The Raffles Boston design will introduce an international level of sophistication to the Back Bay skyline and a hospitality experience unique to the city. Our vision was to design a building that references tradition while conveying a dynamic view of a cosmopolitan future, with a sleek, curved exterior form, flowing interior spaces, and framed views overlooking the city.
Michael E. Liu
Senior Partner + Design Principal
ROCKWELL GROUP
Residential Architect and Designer
We approach architecture and design from a place of narrative, focusing on the location along with its history and culture. Each project has a unique story to tell, and our design choices emerge organically from that story. For Raffles Boston, we took inspiration from Boston’s famed Emerald Necklace, the city’s system of connected parks, and the Back Bay’s stately Victorian brownstones. A palette of emerald green and cobalt blue, wood washed in pale grey, and opalescent glass evokes the essence of the parks and the sea.
Greg Keffer
Partner and Studio Leader
STONEHILL TAYLOR
Hotel Architect and Designer
The design of Raffles Boston embodies the style, tradition, and luxury of the Back Bay, in a retreat overlooking the city from the viewpoint of a unique sky lobby and restaurants. The design is inspired by a tailored, reimagined New England sensibility. A rich traditional palette of woods, metals, stones, and fabrics is given a contemporary viewpoint. The guest rooms are treated as well-appointed residences for the visitor’s home-away-from-home in Boston. This design takes the traveller from the guest rooms through a variety of experiences from restaurants and lounges to a hidden speakeasy, all in an unexpected sky village.
Paul Taylor
Founder and President
STUDIO PAOLO FERRARI
Long Bar Designer
Studio Paolo Ferrari’s work emerges through the pursuit of inventive and resonant concepts, guided by design strategy, refinement, and integrity. At its most fundamental, we believe design is about celebrating the human experience. Inspired by the vernacular of Boston, we are continuing the storied history of the Raffles Long Bar. Marked by symmetry and classic proportions, our design is a modern interpretation of the classic ‘great room’ and our intent is to create a new mainstay within the landscape of Boston’s most memorable food and beverage experiences.
Paolo Ferrari
Founder & Principal
The Collaborative Companies & The Marketing Directors
Residential Sales
Having been in the business of welcoming people home in both Boston and New York for over 50 years, our two firms have been fortunate to manage the marketing and sales of some of the region’s most sought-after residences. We are proud to be a part of Raffles Boston, a building of a caliber heretofore unmatched in greater Boston. To call these residences home is to welcome adventure, elegance, and whimsy into one’s daily routine, and we invite you to explore all that this iconic, visionary building has to offer.
Sue Hawkes
TCC Founder & Managing Director
Adrienne Albert
TMD Chief Executive Officer
Altered State
Branding & Advertising
Altered State is a modern branding agency that focuses on building emotional connections through stellar design, strategically elegant thinking, compelling storytelling, and inventive media strategies. With decades of collective experience spanning a myriad of industries, our team of dreamers and doers brings the power of possibility to each project they touch.