Intended to be luxurious, yet comfortable, the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, MI, features a variety of natural stones to enhance its European design

A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, MI, opened to the public on September 1, 2004, offering 145 guest rooms, a ballroom, a conservatory, a restaurant, a library and a lounge to seat 40 people. The exquisite 180,000-square-foot hotel was designed with marble, granite, Bluestone and slate throughout. P.M.P. Marble & Granite of Troy, MI, supplied, fabricated and installed approximately 140,000 square feet of stone for the project.

Victor Saroki & Associates of Birmingham, MI, served as the architect for the large-scale project, and their goal in designing the building was for it to seem as if it had been there for generations. “We wanted to build a five-star hotel in the suburban area of downtown Detroit, which is very mature and Midwestern,” said Project Manager Victor Saroki. “We didn't want the building to be very modern, because the community is older and more historic. “

Additionally, the client wanted the facility to represent an upscale, elegant boutique hotel, so it was designed to model an English manner house. “One of the cues we got from a design standpoint was to develop the hotel with an English arts and crafts design,” explained the architect. To meet the design criteria, the architects selected a variety of stone materials, including Bluestone, slate, marble and granite.

The flooring throughout the lobby and banquet hall features 24- x 24-inch pieces of polished Sahara Gold marble with gold-colored Saffron marble accent pieces and a border of Michelangelo marble, which is from Pakistan. According to Saroki, the marble was selected for its elegance and durability. “We liked the colors and the veining,” he said. “Plus, marble is a tradition in fine European hotels.”

Located at the main entrance to the hotel is a large waterjet medallion comprised of Michelangelo, Sahara Gold and Saffron marble. P.M.P. Marble & Granite also installed waterjet cut inserts - throughout the flooring in the public areas - which feature the hotel's symbol “RP.” Additionally, the countertops on all reception desks feature Michelangelo marble.

Since the exterior entrance to the concierge center is a high-traffic area, flamed Impala Black granite with a thermal finish was selected for its strength and durability. The conservatory features Montauk slate from Brazil, in sizes such as 24 x 16, 16 x 18, 16 x 16 and 8 x 8 inches.

The bar top in the main lounge bar area was designed with Multi-Color Green onyx, which is also from Pakistan. Port Laurent marble can be found in the library of the hotel, where it was used for floors, wall bases and fireplace surrounds.

The floor and shower walls in the guest bathrooms feature 12- x 12-inch tiles of White Carrara marble - which was also used on the vanity tops. In addition, Sahara Gold marble floors and fireplaces can also be found in the guest suites, while the kitchen areas feature Venetian Gold granite countertops. Additionally, the public restroom floors, vanity tops and walls feature Sahara Gold.

The use of stone was carried onto the exterior, as gray Vermont slate was used for the roof of the hotel. In addition, natural finished New York Bluestone -- selected for its beauty and durability -- was used on all exterior walkways, terraces and patios. According to Saroki, the material was selected because it wears well in Michigan's weather conditions.

Due to a limited construction schedule, Saroki and Harry Partalis of P.M.P. Marble & Granite flew to Italy to hand select materials from both the Michelangelo quarry and the Carrara quarry. “The entire hotel had to be built in just a little over a year,” said the architect. “We had to meet that deadline, which left insufficient time for the normal submission process.”

Saroki found this aspect of the project challenging because important decisions had to be made during their trip. “It was hard to make such a commitment on the spot like that,” he said.

Installation of the stonework lasted a duration of four months, from April to August of 2004, with an average crew of eight to 10 workers at a time.

“Everything with the installation ran smoothly,” said Partalis. “Everyone worked well together and things were perfect considering the size of the project.”

Overall construction of the hotel took place over a 14-month period, and everything was completed according to schedule.

“It really was a phenomenal project,” said Saroki. “The hotel is a jewel. We really delivered a first-class product for the community.”

Royal Park Hotel

Rochester, MI

Architect: Victor Saroki & Associates, Birmingham, MI

General Contractor: Frank Rewold and Son, Inc., Rochester, MI

Stone Installer/Fabricator/Supplier: P.M.P. Marble & Granite, Troy, MI