Design Hotels

Two of Sydney’s historic buildings have been revamped to create the QT Sydney which straddles the defunct Gowings’s department store and the still functioning State Theatre. Famous designer, Nic Graham headed-up the project taking inspiration from gothic and art deco styles to create a surrealist experience where you are welcomed …

This hotel blends stylish modernity with traditional hospitality in one of China’s most dynamic cities. The hotel has some arresting contemporary artworks and original designs. When you enter, the first thing you see is the three-story glowing “waterwall” lit by 5000 LED lights; they’re choreographed to create an evanescent pattern …

Grupo Habita is well-known for producing hotels that have style gurus levitating in amazement. This one is located in Santa Fe, Mexico City’s high-retail and business district, so it is one of their more swish creations. Acclaimed interior designer Joseph Dirand masterminded the interior down to the vintage furnishings and …

Located in the back alleys of the chic Cours Julien area of Marseille – famous for its sunny terraces and arty crowd; this brand new hotel features a minimalist design with street art highlights. The rooms are decorated with graffiti and contemporary prints and stencils. There are rooms specially designed …

Boeing (as in the airplane company) was founded here, so to commemorate that you'll find riveted metal cocktail tables to rest your specially crafted beverage. The massive circular fireplace in the Living Room which houses the resident DJ high above, riffs on a forest ranger look-out tower, and is covered …

This beachside property is set against a backdrop of a rainforest – home to rare species. Rarer still is your experience at this unique hotel. Renowned architect, Bill Bensley helped with the refurb using reclaimed materials and found curios. For example, the iron coffee tables in the lobby were made …

Located on a 750-hectare property a few hours from Sao Paulo, this hotel seeks to recreate the glamour of the 50s and 60s. The two wings of the hotel sit on the highest point in the property, overlooking a lake where the sun appears to submerge every evening. On the …

The Mira Moon Hotel takes its name from the legend of the Chinese Moon Goddess of Immortality. The story goes that there were once 10 suns orbiting the Earth making our planet a hellish place to live. The hero, Hou Yi shot down nine of them making the Earth into …

This stylish renovation project has brought one of the oldest buildings in Mexico City back to life. Once the home of a high-office government don, it is now a bohemian-style hotel in an aesthetic that blends Spanish colonial, contemporary and indigenous mescal-color. The rooftop bar has views of intricate churches, …

A high-quality renovation has created a hotel with excellent craftsmanship. Inspired by the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite (who, legend has it, was born from the waters of Cyprus) the hotel was built in a traditional terrace design to maximize the ocean views. Your room has ample space with …

“Rotterdam is anywhere alone” sang The Beautiful South in the 1990s. God knows what they were on about. But one place in Rotterdam that certainly isn’t just anywhere is the Mainport by Inntel Hotels. The black glass and metal exterior make a statement from the outset. Your room has some …

Daddy Long Legs is a traveler’s lodge that celebrates the creative spirit. Each one of its rooms was given to an artist, poet, or photographer who was allowed a free reign to design and decorate the space as they liked. Check out the results in these amazing photos. Owners, Jody …

For over 60 years (which is ancient history in American time) the Madonna Inn has been welcoming travelers with its eccentric and luxurious take on the essential roadside Motel. The Inn has a famous bakery where decadent cakes are known for their elaborate appearance and amazing taste. There is a …

Kemang Icon is a design hotel in Jakarta’s trendy Kemang neighborhood. Jakarta Today called it the city’s “only true boutique hotel”. Inside, ancient and modern artworks decorate the lobby: mirrors that once hung in royal palaces and a specially commissioned oil painting by Indonesian maestro, Srihadi Soedarsono hangs behind reception. …

This hotel is housed in a French neoclassical house refurbished with an eye for detail that has made owners, Grupo Habita famous worldwide. Set on a tree-lined street in Mexico City’s trendy artist neighborhood, La Condesa, this hotel is sandwiched between their rooftop Sushi bar and basement dance club. So …

Situated in a historic trading building – part of the Bryggen world heritage site – the Hanseatiske Hotel is a place where you can step back in time. In its long history the house has been a workplace, residence, warehouse, and restaurant. This 17th Century house has original features preserved …

A very stylish art hotel in Rome. Located halfway between the Ostiense and Testaccio neighborhoods near to traditional restaurants, shops, and bars abuzz with clientele. Every lamp, application, and decoration is a unique design piece created by a contemporary Roman artist. Unique and expressive artworks transform the walls to create …

This Glen Ellen inn was built in the 1800s by businessman, Albert Ebenezer Gaige. There was a butcher’s shop below and living quarters above. At some point in the intervening century, the house began to be used as an inn and remains so to this day. A Spa was added …

Created in the 1960s as a vision of future living, these quirky concrete cottages are certainly unusual. The buildings are examples of the “concrete veil” style of architecture that sought to create cheap, functional, and aesthetic houses. The idea was to build a future utopian society. Today the area is …

Brighton is one of Britain’s coolest towns where a combination of wealth, music, and fringe culture merges to create a colorful melee. The Art Hotel is at the center of all that. Whether you want to hang out with the vegans, dance with the gays, or nod with the Hip …