Alex Hotel to open in midtown.

Opening in the fall of 2003, The Alex (205 East 45th Street) is part of the new generation of luxury accommodations that take a customized approach to interior design and hotel service.

The brainchild of residential real estate developer, Izak Senbahar, (Grand Beekman residences, The Huntington) and international developer/hotelier Simon Elias (Flatotel, London Bridge Hotel, Kensington House Hotel), The Alex was designed to accommodate today's modern traveler with hotel services and amenities that exceed expectations.

Senbahar and Elias tapped acclaimed architects, Costas Kondylis & Associates, and uberdesigner, David Rockwell, of Rockwell Group, to create 203 guestrooms and suites that feature designer Poggenpohl kitchens, custom-designed furniture and original artwork in this newly constructed 33-story tower.

The Alex heralds a new generation of luxury accommodations with a wealth of personalized services, deluxe guest rooms and residential-style suites where guests can stay overnight or for longer sojourns of a month to a year.

"After 20 years in the hotel and luxury residence business, we know what works," said Senbahar. "The Alex epitomizes everything a New York hotel should be: a comfortable, stylish and well-designed retreat with impeccable services and amenities."

The hotel's overall aesthetic and mood is soothing and sleek. Every piece of furniture was created specifically for the Alex and has multiple uses to maximize function and minimize mass.

The finest modern amenities are found throughout the guestrooms. Kitchens feature Poggenpohl cabinets, Miele dishwashers, Gaggeneau stovetops, Advantium ovens and Sub Zero refrigerators and freezers stocked with goodies from Dean & Deluca. SHARP flat screen Aquos liquid-crystal televisions are found in every bathroom, bedroom and living area.

The Alex's clean, balanced design was inspired by three natural elements: earth, land and sky. Known for his stellar and varied work on projects such as the Kodak Theatre, the perennially cool Nobu, and the sets of the Tony award-winning musical, Hairspray, Rockwell infuses the entire space with warm tans, cool beiges, and pale green hues. The tone is set at the entrance, where two exquisite glass-enclosed bamboo forests flank the hotel's glass revolving doors.

"The achieved effect of the entire hotel is one of escape and comfort," says Rockwell. "As guests enter the revolving lobby doors and travel through each layer of the natural and organic environment, they shed their daily stresses and find a sanctuary."

Rockwell Group commissioned several original cutting-edge works of art for The Alex. In the lobby, an immense wood blade installation created by mist, Jeff Brosk, graces the west wall, near an expansive fireplace.

In the guestrooms, photographer Michael Palladino's photos of river rocks, bamboo and leaves are transferred to green, blue and brown plastic 3M screens and built into armoires and other furniture.

Slated to open in September/October of 2003, The Alex's rates will vary from $375 to $1,500 a night, depending on room size.