Image courtesy of Delaware North

We’ve been hearing for a while now about the resurgence of Buffalo, N.Y., the state’s second-largest city. A revitalized waterfront—because anyone can paddleboard in the ocean, but how often can you paddle by giant grain elevators—is at the core of this new scene. But there's also a growing craft beer scene, brand new artisan markets and plenty of amazing new places to eat.

Clearly, there’s a new Buffalo afoot and it's no longer a place where daytrippers can gulp down hot wings before spending a day discount outlet mall shopping.

Speaking of day tripping, there’s even an all-new luxury hotel opening. So you’ll have plenty of time to explore the city’s history, take a river cruise, visit Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, catch an NHL Buffalo Sabres game, fill your Instagram with pictures of Niagara Falls, and still have time left for shopping.

The new-build Westin Buffalo, located in the heart of downtown Buffalo, is Westin’s first hotel in the city and is a sign of the Buffalo’s subtle shift from the discount center of the region to a hot new locale for luxury travellers. What’s more, the hotel is emphasizing wellness travel with a number of distinctive programs.

“With the revival of downtown Buffalo and new energy in the city, we are thrilled to introduce a unique wellness proposition for business and leisure travelers, as only Westin can,” said Bob Jacobs, Vice President of Brand Management, North America, Westin Hotels & Resorts. “From our iconic Heavenly Bed to our Gear Lending partnership with New Balance, we look forward to having guests leave The Westin Buffalo feeling better than when they arrived.”

According to a press release by Starwood, the 116-room hotel is focused on biophilia, which emphasizes that connecting to nature also improves well-being. The hotel’s color palette is inspired by natural colours, and pathways throughout the property are built on the premise that there are no straight lines in nature.

“This hotel is unlike any other in Buffalo,” said Thomas Long, General Manager, The Westin Buffalo. “With the revitalization of downtown Buffalo over the past several years, there was a real demand for a high-caliber hotel experience that, Delaware North and the Westin brand, is poised to exceed for both guests and residents in the community.”

The hotel also features the RunWESTIN-branded program, where runners can take advantage of three- and five-mile jogging routes throughout the city’s historic neighborhoods. The hotel is also the centrepiece of Buffalo’s new Reddy Bikeshare program, created by Independent Heath, which is bringing 200 red bikes to Buffalo.

Westin Buffalo is being developed by Delaware North, a hospitality and entertainment company known for its famed venues located throughout America’s national parks. Delaware North is based in Buffalo, so has an obvious vested interest in the future growth of the area. The five-story hotel even occupies the lower half of Delaware North’s new global headquarters. 

Although foodies will find plenty of new places to eat in Buffalo--including, yes, a Tim Horton's Cafe, the hotel has two convenient restaurants, Patina 250 and Jake’s Café, which are both operated by Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group.

For more information, visit www.starwoodhotels.com/westin or www.delawarenorth.com. Or to learn more about visiting Buffalo, visit www.visitbuffaloniagara.com. 

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