THE SINCLAIR | AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION

FORT WORTH, TX

Sinclair Oil Holdings 1929 iconic building in Ft. Worth Texas is now home to The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel. Opened in January 2020 this 164-room hotel boasts magnificent historic features well preserved over the past 90 years. Built to serve as Sinclair Oil Holdings headquarters the building was occupied as an office building until the time of the renovation.

Challenges arose as a result of adapting the building to something it wasn’t originally designed for. The building’s design had to be approved by Texas Historic Commission, new building codes adapted for the new use, and the addition of MEP systems suited for a hotel. Historic corridors remained in place requiring guestrooms and baths to be planned around them. Double height executive offices posed significant challenge when laying out guestrooms.

Hotel corridors retain the original 1929 design with historic stone walls and flooring in place. Original office door locations remain in place due to Texas Historic Commission requirements, although inoperable. Original signage for historic corridor toilet rooms and stairwells remain in place giving guests a true sense of the building’s story. The dramatic two story historic executive office transformed into the luxurious 16^th floor penthouse suite.

The hotel is known as Ft. Worth’s first smart hotel and one of the most tech-forward and efficient hotels in the country. Guestrooms offer innovative amenities such as Kohler DTV + Digital showers, Savvy Electric touchscreen mirrors to order room service and custom LG 8K Wallpaper TVs. Guestrooms have In-Room Network Presence Sensing technology which automates lighting, roller shades, and room locks. The Lithium ion battery generator instead of diesel make this hotel the world’s first battery operated hotel.

Interior design draws on Ft. Worth swagger yet is elevated for a luxurious modern experience. Drawing inspiration from the glamour of the Art Deco period the material palette includes rich walnut, velvet, sleek marbles, and rich gold metals. Cowhide and leather are juxtaposed against the elegant finish palette and create a distinctly Ft. Worth experience. Art provides a surprising twist in the elegant property show casing pop-culture icons and iconic Texas characters in cartoon. Guestrooms provide a modern, sleek aesthetic with Italian made casegoods, marble and polished stainless steel vanities, and wood flooring.

The hotel restaurant provides guests with an urban industrial vibe with a Texas twist. Cowhide chairs juxtapose against a mosaic floor, referencing the buildings historic past. The expansive back-bar features ceiling height mirror and open rustic metal shelving to aid in making the narrow space feel grander.  The hotel’s jewel is the 17^th floor rooftop bar with expansive views of Ft. Worth. A fresh, crisp palette is used to distinguish the space as a unique destination.

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