We are continually looking for places to visit with a personality that exhibits or tells a story about their surroundings. As design enthusiasts, the hunt gets more challenging to find unique design elements that go beyond the mold when combining comfort, space, and a sense of place with a great deal of character.
We have compiled some of our favorite concept hotels from around the world with all this in mind.
The L’Arlatan Hotel in Arles
A Swiss billionaire, Maya Hoffman, turns an old private residence into a gigantic 6000 square meter masterpiece. The L’Arlatan hotel is covered with an eruption of color, light, and contemporary architecture. Each chamber and entrance is a work of art that is unique.
In designing the boutique hotel, Mexico-based Cuban artist Jorge Pardo sought to preserve L’Arlatan’s history while infusing a new creative spirit. L’Arlatan Hotel takes travelers through history, culture, and senses on an extraordinary, magical journey.
Lily of the Valley in Saint Tropez
Lily of the Valley is located in the hills of Saint Tropez, overlooking the Gigaro beaches. This new hotspot opened in July of 2019 and is designed by the legendary Philippe Starck.
This hotel sits 20 minutes away from Saint-Tropez, making it the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Saint Tropez’s marina and beach clubs. Lily of the Valley aims to provide a wellness reset for their guests. Providing wellness-centric activities, like private yoga sessions, expert-led hikes, waterskiing, and more. The hotel shades, including fawn and beige, are all neutral. With mostly wood for the floors, walls, and furniture, material choice is largely raw.
The village atmosphere of the hotel makes visitors feel in complete harmony with the environment.
Casa de Sao Lourenco in Serra da Estrella
Sitting proudly in Portugal’s highest mountaintops, this hotel has one of the best panoramic views. Casa De Sao Lourenco is a lodge nestled in the peaks of Portugal’s remote Serra da Estrela range. Burel, a wool style unique to the Serra da Estrela region, is one of the hotel’s central themes.
Walls, hand-painted panels, art installations, and intricate ceiling constructions covered by Burel wool. This inn gives the feeling of a Mountain SPA where the simple themes are the fresh air of the altitude and the panorama’s elegance.
August Hotel in Antwerp
The August hotel is quickly rising as one of the top places to stay in Antwerp. A former Augustinian cloister becomes a modern-day sanctuary. Developed by Vincent Van Duysen, this hotel features an elegant interior with fantastic dining and hospitality experience.
The August hotel features pared-back finishes to give the spotlight to the architecture of the building. Furnished in various raw and warm materials, this hotel blends scandi chic and modern perfectly.
The hotel experience has stopped being a single-dimensional place to stay. Still, it is the place that offers tourists the chance to get in touch with the culture of the region they visit, to open up new areas of awareness, to feel, to explore, to relax, and even to reflect on ourselves through new experiences.