I had the recent pleasure of joining innovative hotel company Benchmark for a memorable luncheon at The Modern. 

The French/New American restaurant, located next to the Museum of Modern Art, is an incredible feat of architecture and design. It’s chic, modern vibe provided the perfect backdrop for a Benchmark presentation as the hospitality company is renowned for its innovative, contemporary and creative properties around the world.

The hotel group recently merged with Gemstone Hotels & Resorts to create a portfolio of 58 properties, as both globally-recognized companies share a focus on unique and independent hotels.

I learned about the merger while gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the neighboring sculpture garden and enjoying an incredible meal complete with wine pairings.

The recently-merged hotel companies have a motto, “Be the Difference.”  While other hotel companies maintain a uniform brand, Benchmark prides itself on the collective individuality of its 58 properties, celebrating each hotel’s distinctive character. This concept is illustrated by the company’s mosaic aesthetic, magazine and blog, MosaicTraveler.com.

At the luncheon, Chef Wouter Tjeertes celebrated the hotel company’s mosaic theme with the construction of a massive chocolate mosaic with 11,000 hand-painted chocolate tiles. Each attendee was able to bring a piece of the mosaic home. The tile was so beautiful it was (almost) difficult to eat.

I can’t emphasize enough how impressed I was by the authentic and passionate nature of the Benchmark company and the people who comprise it. While I haven’t yet had the opportunity to stay at a Benchmark property, I look forward to the experience.

— Nicole Quaste, assistant editor