AC Hotel Bozeman Downtown Design Nods To Unique Sense Of Place

BOZEMAN, MT–AC Hotel Downtown Bozeman, a six-floor, 143-room hotel with a four-season rooftop, will open in Spring 2022. DLR Group carefully curated the hotel’s design to blend AC Hotels standard modern European style and align with the Montana way of life through the art of fly fishing. Throughout the property, the furnishings, art and views connect the design to downtown Bozeman and provide a unique sense of place within the mountains.

A key design theme found throughout the property is reflectivity. Guests will appreciate the detail poured into every inch of the property, emphasizing reflectivity among the materials and finishes inspired by the waters found in Montana’s world-class rivers, streams and lakes. Reflective surfaces are beautifully contrasted with natural materials and warm tones using dark wood, leather and stone.

In the central gathering space on the main level, a fireplace, reflective bar top, and a large light display with polished metal and precisely cut holes parallel to those found on a fly reel provide an enticing and activated environment. The four-season rooftop bar and AC Benchmark invites locals and guests to connect with the outdoors in a flexible indoor-outdoor space with floor-to-ceiling accordion doors. Designed with rugged stone, AC Benchmark features a blend of dark, moody colors and light wood tones to create an approachable environment. Two outdoor fire pits blend the ruggedness of nature with a modern design.

Deepening the sense of community, the hotel is decorated with artwork by Montana locals, sourced by Radius Gallery. The property houses work from local artists including paintings from Missoula’s Barb Schwarz Karst and ceramic porcelain wall sculptures from local ceramic artist Allison Reintjes. Upon entering the modern, open-concept lobby, guests will be welcomed by a custom 16-panel wooden display, “The Fold,” by Casey Curran, which draws the eye into its rhythmic movement. Additional art through the property, sourced from Kalisher Hospitality Art, supports the overall design scheme, boasting a mix of soft curves and hard angles inspired by the fly fisher’s cast and rod.

“Locals and guests alike will appreciate a mix of mountainous landscape and downtown city views during their stay at AC Hotel Bozeman,” said Interior Designer and Principal, Valentina Castellon. “Materials like wood, glass, and marble create a biophilic atmosphere as visitors move throughout the lobby, bar, and guestrooms. These designs further connect guests to the natural environment and outdoor experiences that make Bozeman a destination.”

The hotel’s exterior façade was carefully considered using a similar design methodology to pay homage to the rich heritage that has made Bozeman so admired. The brick base is authentic to the nature of the surrounding historic brick buildings, while the vertical wood siding reaching up the building projects the hotel’s unique character in a clean and modern way.