New York’s Cultural Power Broker

HUR CONVERSATIONS

Sep 17

Gabriella Khalil

New York’s Cultural Power Broker

By Bonnie Langedijk

While Gabriella Khalil is one of New York’s most influential, you might have never heard of her. She’s the creative force behind some of culture’s most exciting projects and with it, redefining the intersection of hospitality, design, and cultural curation. As the Creative Director and founder behind the famous 52-suite luxury hotel Palm Heights in Grand Cayman, Khalil has infused every corner of the property with her distinctive eye, blending contemporary art with a nod to the glamorous 70s era. Khalil’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the handpicked, iconic design pieces that populate the hotel’s interiors—from de Sede sofas to Marcel Breuer accents—as well as the extensive, curated cultural programming, creating a space that has become a go-to for those who appreciate a new kind of hotel experience.

Khalil’s creative vision doesn’t stop there. She is also the creative visionary behind WSA, a 80s-inspired, 31-floor skyscraper that houses workspaces and studios for creatives—which has already hosted high-profile events such as Emily Ratajkowski’s Met Gala after-party—in Manhattan’s Financial District, SAA, a hub for creatives in a former industrial warehouse in Bushwick and Happier Grocery, a health food haven—and our favorite supermarket—on Canal Street.

While Khalil understands the importance of aesthetics, her approach focuses on filling these beautiful spaces with individuals who move culture forward. She consistently collaborates with a rotating cast of top-tier creatives and athletes, from Somali boxer Ramla Ali to chef Laila Gohar, ensuring her places foster genuine connection and community. Through her role at Happier People Management, she’s not just expanding the Palm Heights universe—she’s setting new standards for what’s possible in hospitality and design.

*Interior details at WSA. Courtesy of Gabriella Khalil.*

Bonnie: The projects you’ve worked on—Palm Heights, WSA—show you have a deep understanding of brand building. Do you remember the first brand that had an impact on you?

Gabriella: It’s not the first brand, but The Row is a good example of a brand that’s authentic to their voice. When they first launched, everything they were doing felt different. Their Instagram was filled with inspirational photos, it didn’t show much of the clothing. The way they stuck to their vision was really inspiring and interesting to me.

Today, it takes real skill to craft an aesthetic that stands out. It's very difficult to be inspired, without copying—even if it's unconsciously.

Gabriella: Definitely. There’s a constant stream of visuals. There are a lot of incredible images out there, but I think it's important to make sure that you're taking a different approach or finding inspiration elsewhere. Dive deeply into what the vision is, and what it is you want the brand to say.

“Dive deeply into what the VISION is, and what it is you want the brand to say.”

What's your process like when you're developing the style and language around a project?

Gabriella: There are many elements to developing a brand. A lot of the things that I do have to do with building community. I’m a very visual person, and I’m highly focused on the design and the way spaces look. Typically, I start with a traditional mood, where we reference very heavily. It’s not just about collecting images of interiors. For Palm Heights, we were referencing the 70s which meant exploring what shaped the culture at the time and what that era felt like. We looked at film, fashion, art and a lot of other things that didn’t have anything to do with interior design. The starting point becomes how we want the hotel to feel, rather than just focusing on how it looks.

There's a real joy in getting very nerdy with creating a mood. Deepening the initial research, also allows other collaborators to go beyond the superficial.

Gabriella: Definitely. I’ve collaborated with many people over the years. It’s a big part of how we work. We’re always collaborating, whether it’s on the design or the food. Having a clear vision on what it is we want to create—I don’t want to say unwavering because the whole point of collaboration is to have a dialogue—makes a big difference. There should be alignment on the soul of the project.

What makes a collaboration a good one?

Gabriella: Our first brand collaboration at Palm Heights was with Bode who made our uniforms. A year later we did these striped jackets together made from Palm Heights towels. That was the first time we collaborated on a product we sold. From there we collaborated with different brands like Marrakshi Life and Gohar World. When we’re looking at a brand to collaborate with, it's about finding alignment between the brand and the people behind it. They need to have an authentic voice, and stay true to their aesthetic. The tableware and glasses we created with Gohar [World] was our first venture into that category for example. What connected us was our mutual love to bring people together. They showcase that through tablescapes and food, and we do the same through hospitality and community. Our styles are different, but because there was this common thread, they blended very well. Aligning with people that have a similar vision is how I like to collaborate.

It sounds like people are key to everything you do. When I look at the projects you’ve worked on, they all attract this group of creatives that shape culture. What's been key for you in building that authentic community around these projects you've worked on?

Gabriella: People want to feel like they’re a part of something. With Palm Heights, we wanted to create something that had a cultural impact. To do that, it was important to include the cultural community in the journey of building it. The people who came in for our artist residencies or programming or other projects all shared this authentic point of view, or did something that felt interesting. It started to create this environment where those people felt like they were a part of it all. We have certain standards, but we always want to foster an environment where people can express themselves and bring ideas to the table. As long as there's this ongoing dialogue, people feel part of something and that builds community and feeds the environment.

We used to create community through subcultures but it feels like those have disappeared. Spaces have become a new vehicle for community rather than a singular style or a singular brand. It’s interesting to hear your approach about questioning why a hotel or workspace couldn’t be a place of community.

Gabriella: That same idea translated here at WSA, and we took a very similar approach. One is where you work and the other where you vacation, let's say. Where Palm Heights is the 70s, WSA is very 80s. Almost all the businesses that are at WSA are creative ones, and it’s incredible to see how they feel inspired and elevated in these spaces. We spend so much time in our office, and WSA is our re-imagining of the office space. When you think of the office, you think of people in suits or the more traditional image of an office, right? Building this space was about having this playful and different approach to that. The amazing creative companies who work at WSA are the ones who bring the building to life. They’re also part of the programming of the space which helps build on that organic community building.

You’ve taken that nostalgic or romanticized idea of what the office used to be and applied it to today. There are very few places, products, brands and people that lead where culture goes next. I’m fascinated by how culture is created today. Who, how and where you think culture is created today, and how are you able to position yourself and the project you work on within that ecosystem?

Gabriella: Culture is created in many ways. With Palm Heights, there's always been this very specific celebration of creatives. We work with creatives that you might not expect to be at some resort in Grand Cayman. We’re looking at what’s happening in all the different facets of culture. Art, sports, food, design and connecting with people that are moving the needle in a certain way. It’s about not being on a singular track, instead looking at it across the board.

Culture has always been about bringing creative disciplines together. Very often, society remains to think in silos. A hotel is a hotel, a workspace is a workspace. Today, social media is a good representation of this collection of things brought together in one place. I think it's about creating those spaces that represent that mix of all of those different things that make life better in a way.

Gabriella: Definitely. Especially now, I feel like all of these industries and people, it all overlaps. Obviously, everything is different, but there are fashion designers who also super passionate about wine. They come to Palm Heights, and even though they’re a fashion designer, we’re doing wine tastings with them. That’s interesting to me. It’s about celebrating having these layers. That's been a big part of the feeling and energy we’ve created at the hotel.

*Interiors at Palm Heights. Courtesy of Palm Heights.*

*Palm Heights' famous signature parasols. Courtesy of Palm Heights.*

It’s allowing people to be multidimensional. Palm Heights has been pushing the boundaries on what a hotel or resort can be today. What do you think has been the biggest shift in the past five years in what consumers want from hospitality experiences?

Gabriella: It goes back to the original ethos of Palm Heights. I think people don’t just want to travel, they want to go to someplace beautiful, but they also want to go somewhere and feel a connection. Many people come back to Palm Heights again and again, because they feel like it’s their spot. I think people prefer that over staying at some big hotel that looks very nice, but isn’t memorable. I feel that too. When I travel to other places I want to have this deeper connection. I’ve stayed at really amazing hotels where I don’t feel that. The thing is, people know what’s up. People have a much more educated approach to the things they’re passionate about. They’re specific about what they’re interested in and where they want to travel to. It’s no longer simply about booking a vacation. It’s about the why. What’s that place going to bring me, and how do I connect to it?

I think we’ve started to question: Do they get me?

Gabriella: Exactly. Palm Heights is elevated, so is WSA but there’s also this casual atmosphere and playful elements that aren’t always mixed in at other places. People respond to that. It’s somewhere you can go for great service, really good food but at the same time doesn’t feel stiff. It’s a place where you can be yourself, and go buy a Bode jacket that's made from repurposed towels. I think people want more of that freedom.

Within your career, what’s the most important lesson you've learned so far?

Gabriella: There’s been a real intensity around work. Building this vision is very connected to being on the ground all the time. Over the past year and a half, I’ve learned that it’s important to work really hard and grind, but it’s equally important for me to have this space and quiet. I was getting to a point where I was losing the space where I could create or feel inspired. I've always been focused on work. Rest is something that I’ve started to actively incorporate into my life recently. If I go to Palm Heights now, I paddleboard, I do things that fill my soul and give me space to envision things.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.