When the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charlotte opens Wednesday, August 5, at the corner of Church & Trade in Uptown, two of its three restaurants will open, too.
The 254-room hotel was originally scheduled to be up and running in late April, but the coronavirus pandemic pushed back the timeline.
Architecturally inspired by the Vienna Secession art movement, the Grand Bohemian will have restaurants Mico and The Bohemian Garden, along with a Starbucks, serving customers starting Wednesday. A rooftop bar named Búho will open on October 1.
Here’s what to expect from the restaurants:
Mico: The main restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and offer South American-inspired dishes with Mediterranean influences. Breakfast will start in the coming weeks, too.
Everything on the lunch menu is less than $20, and the dinner menu is all less than $50. Some features expected to be popular are the savory skewers (salmon, chicken, or lamb) ($22-$28), Oak Grilled Chicken ($18), and Pan Roasted Black Grouper ($36). You can view the full lunch menu here and dinner menu here.
The lunch menu is available 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the lounge menu is available 2-10 p.m.; and dinner is 5:30-10 p.m. There’s no dinner service Sunday-Monday.
The restaurant seats 260, but due to restrictions, only 130 will allowed to dine at one time. There’s an outdoor patio, and seating will be added along Trade Street in the coming weeks, too.
The interior of Mico is dripping with luxury, and the attention to detail you see throughout the hotel, expands through the restaurant, too — the waiters will even be wearing bird feather bowties.
The space features gold ceiling details, deep jewel-toned walls, velvet and leather seating, ornate chandeliers, and a 680-bottle wine display.
You can snag reservations for Mico through OpenTable.
The Bohemian Garden: The other restaurant, The Bohemian Garden, will offer grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, and drinks along the new pocket park. Think of it as an elegant food truck-like window.
It’s open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday; for now, it’ll be closed on weekends unless there’s strong demand.
Rooftop bar: Búho will be accessed by its own elevator. It will be open evenings on Tuesday through Saturday (closed Monday and Sunday). Expect craft cocktails such as an aloe vera mojito and smoked old-fashioned, along with sharable small plates such as scallop crudo and Devil Shoal oyster shots. The rooftop will have fire pits, and Búho will host DJs on the weekend.
[Related Agenda guide: 10 best rooftop bars in Charlotte]
Poseidon Spa: The penthouse luxury spa will have three massage therapy rooms, a nail area, and a rooftop relaxation terrace. Expect water-inspired treatments, romantic couples packages, and group spa experiences. You don’t have to be a guest to use the spa.
Safety: Marriott is the hotel’s parent company, and they’ve implemented new hygiene and sanitation guidelines for all their properties as it relates to Covid-19.
Background: If you’ve ever been to Savannah, or to Biltmore in Asheville, you may have seen a Grand Bohemian hotel. They are fancy, art-focused, and gorgeous boutique hotels. The hotel is being developed by the Kessler Collection, which bought the 0.60-acre site for $3 million.
“I’m ecstatic that they are opening in Uptown, and that they’re so close to Haymaker,” said William Dissen, executive chef and owner of Haymaker, located just down the street. “In my opinion, building community is going to be the most important attribute to rebuilding our economy post-Covid.”
Hotel details: You can book a room now. Rates start at $265 (including taxes) for a king guest room with a city view. The hotel is pet-friendly and parking runs $35 per day. If you’re planning a meeting or wedding, the hotel has eight event rooms for a total of 16,225 square feet of space (view floor plans and capacity).
Why it matters: The Grand Bohemian Hotel Charlotte will immediately compete with The Ivey’s Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, and The Ballantyne for top luxury hotel honors in Charlotte. Additionally, the fancy rooftop bar, spa, and ground floor restaurant will add another high-end destination for guests and locals alike.
Here’s what to expect from Mico:
For now, no one can sit at the bar but you can still order cocktails and sit in the lounge area.
Trade Street Sangria with Grey Goose Orange, White Muscadine, Mango, and Pineapple Juice ($14); Mico with Monkey In Paradise Vodka, Thyme Syrup, White Muscadine, and Cointreau ($15); and Royal Dog with Lillet Blanc, St. Germain’s Elderflower, Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose, and Lavender Powder ($16)
Housemade Lamb Merguez – Lamb and Pork Sausage, spiced with coriander, garlic and clove, served with Harissa and Chermoula ($24)
Heirloom Tomatoes – Buttermilk Queso De Paraguay, Fava Beans, Ají Panca Caviar, Upland Cress, Agrodolce ($13)
Pan Roasted Sunburst Trout – Quinoa Tabbouleh, Garden Herbs, Shaved Summer Squash, Tarragon Citrus Vinaigrette ($18)
Oak Grilled Chicken – Achiote Stained Chicken Breast, Roasted Asparagus, Heirloom Tomatoes, Peruvian Beans, Ají de Huacatay ($18)
Iguazú Falls -Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, Cherry Coulis, Lemon Chiboust, Candied Almonds, Almond Streusel, Fried Sage ($9)
The Bohemian Garden is open on weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You’ll order at the window (the menu will be on the pillar to the left). There’s patio seating or you can sit in the pocket park for a picnic.
Here’s a look around the hotel:
This hotel is packed with glitz — it’s unmistakable as soon as you step into the lobby.
Even the elevator is fancy. You can click the icon for which amenity you want to visit.
The Argentinian theme carries throughout the guest rooms, with modern lighting, rich colors, and more cool art.
The rooftop restaurant/bar will have some outdoor lounge seating around fire pits.
Fun fact: The carpet was custom designed to mimic the flow of a flamenco dancer’s skirt.
The hotel doesn’t have a pool but you can access this cozy rooftop spot from the spa and lounge here after your treatment.
This is one of the hotel’s event spaces; it’ll eventually be tented.
