12 (More!) Artsy Hotel Rooms

By Steph in Architecture & Design, Furniture & Interiors, Travel & Places

Indulge in your James Bond fantasy and lounge in a 007-worthy suite complete with a revolver-shaped
lamp, or step into the mind of famed fashion designer Christian Lacroix. When all of this and more is possible, why not make your hotel stay a cultural experience in itself with a themed, fantasy or art hotel? From a surprisingly successful clash of Italian classicism and ultra-modern furnishings to a girly getaway worthy of a 21st century Marie Antoinette, these 12 hotel rooms from 5 of the world’s most creative hotels are irresistible eye candy.

Hotel Seven, Paris, France

No matter your tastes or even your mood at the moment, Hotel Seven in Paris has a luxury suite that will make you swoon. The 28-room designer hotel features seven incredible themed suites that range from the subtle, tranquil charms of a limited black-and-white palette to a room worthy of – and indeed named after – 007 himself.
Go down the rabbit hole and spend a night or two in the charmingly childlike “Alice” suite, decked out in shades of lush green and vivid pink with a collection of clocks hanging on one wall and a stuffed rabbit mounted on another. This suite’s most amusing touch is the chess set – playable while seated on the porcelain throne.

Those with more aristocratic tastes in the vein of Marie Antoinette – albeit a modernized version of the famous French queen, a la Sofia Coppola – should check out her namesake room. Soft and feminine, the suite has a serene painted sky, many a soft surface upon which to lounge and eat cake, and a bed surrounded by a sheer canopy of cursive-laden curtains.

But of course, when James Bond is in the building, everyone else is eclipsed, and indeed, the James Bond suite is the highlight of Hotel Seven. Masculine with a bit of kitsch, this suite is 1960s Sean Connery Bond all the way, with a midcentury lounge in which to drink martinis – shaken, not stirred, naturally – and an eye-catching revolver-shaped lamp.

Le Bellechasse Hotel, Paris, France

Christian Lacroix has been so busy designing stunning boutique hotels, it’s a wonder that he has had any time for fashion. Just across Paris from his chic and oh-so-French Hotel du Petit Moulin is the dreamy Le Bellechasse with 34 rooms grouped into three categories: Discovery, Original and Privilege. Each category denotes its own particular type of artistic flair, together creating what could be considered equal parts museum-quality exhibits and luxurious digs.

Begin with ‘Discovery’ and take a trip through a theatrical and complex visual narrative, in this case consisting of renaissance-era paintings and old world imagery updated with modern touches that keep the design from being staid or predictable. Moving into ‘Original’, you’re suddenly a part of a three-dimensional Victorian decoupage packed with butterflies, suns, moons and other natural subjects. But ‘Privilege’ feels like another hotel altogether, bright and modern with bold prints and colors.
“For me traveling is going through the looking glass, whether it’s a painting, a photograph, a text,” says Lacroix. “When in a train or hotel room, I travel inside my head.”

Barcelo Raval Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

When architecture firm CMV Arquitectos and interior designer Jordi Gali took on the renovation of the Barcelo Raval Hotel in Barcelona, they were faced with a unique challenge: the unusual elliptical shape of the building. They solved this problem with a central concrete core that acts as the spine of the building, providing a smoothly flowing space in which the oval is echoed at every turn, becoming a theme for the design as a whole. A plush pink seating area and a mass of white foam cylinders hanging from the ceiling make the lounge and bar all eye candy.

Upstairs, the guest rooms vary slightly by floor, with varying shades of neon accents, but all are anchored by plenty of sleek black and white surfaces. Open baths with tubs made of Corian look like sculptures, and LED lights in bright colors shine from the white headboards.

Byblos Art Hotel, Italy

From the outside, the Byblos Art Hotel could be virtually any elegant manor in the Italian countryside – and indeed, architecturally, the same could be said about the interior. But where some designers might just shrug and go with a classic theme in order to honor the historical elements of the building, Alessandro Mendini took a risk and ultimately created one of the most stunning juxtapositions of old and new in recent memory, artfully combining tray ceilings and crystal chandeliers with spare midcentury-modern furnishings and mod textiles.

The hotel is a veritable museum of contemporary art, with works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Anish Kapoor and Beatriz Millar. The hotel’s three suites – the Presidential, the Baroque and Mendini’s Cult – continue the design theme in three very different ways. Where the Presidential suite is positively regal and appropriately traditional with plenty of heavy jewel-toned drapery and gilt flourishes, the Baroque Suite is outfitted in cheerful yellow stripes and a coral-red headboard. The Mendini’s Cult suite is practically a shrine to the design of Atelier Mendini, an Italian design firm headed by brothers Alessandro and Francesco Mendini.

The G Hotel, Galway, Ireland

In  the 1990s, supermodel Linda Evangelista famously said that she wouldn’t get out of her bed for less than $10,000. At the G Hotel in Galway, Ireland, you can actually stay in that very bed – once owned by Evangelista herself – in the specialty suite named after the model.
Milliner Philip Treacy has designed some of the most fanciful and whimsical hats in the world, so it’s no wonder that as design director of the G Hotel, he chose bubblegum pink as the main color for the club room. Everywhere you look, there are hints of the elements that Treacy often includes in his wearable creations – from feathery mirrors mounted on the doors to the origami-like bird sculptures that hang from the ceiling in the spa.

While the most obvious traces of Treacy’s influence are seen in the communal areas of the hotel, the rooms themselves carry a subtle iteration of the theme with framed illustrations of Treacy’s creations and Frette linens that the milliner designed himself.

14 Quirky, Artsy & Elegant Netherlands Hotels

By Steph in Architecture & Design, Furniture & Interiors, Travel & Places

Ever had a hankering to sleep in a wine cask, or swim in an underground pool with a medieval
vaulted ceiling? Hotel experiences in the Netherlands run from the royally posh to the painfully hip, with plenty of stunning modern design and quirky details to catch your eye. Whether you’re headed to Amsterdam – the unofficial party capital of Europe – or the peaceful tulip-covered countryside of Holland, these 14 hotels, hostels and inns will make you feel at home.

St. Christopher’s at The Winston, Amsterdam

(images via: winston.nl)

The Winston calls itself an “interactive museum of modern art”, where every room has its own quirky theme, the hallways are packed with paintings and even the bathrooms function as galleries. A budget hotel/hostel in the red light district, The Winston is vibrant and youthful. Guests can choose from eye-popping neon rooms with robot sculptures hanging from the wall, or tamer  black-and-white rooms filled with photography. In addition to the hotel’s restaurant and bar, there’s a private beer garden overlooking the red light alleyways and an ‘infamous’ nightclub right next door called Winston Kingdom.

Zenden, Maastricht

(images via: zenden.nl)

Once you walk through the ordinary-looking doorway of Maastricht’s Hotel Zenden, you leave the old world of brick and cobblestone behind and enter an angular all-white chamber of modernity. Located inside what was once three separate townhouses, the nine-room hotel was renovated to its current state in 2003 but retained its incredible underground swimming pool and its medieval vaulted ceiling. According to the architects, Zenden goes against the trend of hyper-unique artsy hotels “welcoming guests without any unnecessary expressiveness in the furnishings or the finishes of the surfaces and walls, so that they feel free to adapt this flexible space to their own personalities.”

Controversy Tram Inn, Hoogwoud

(images via: controversy.nl)

Despite the name, there’s nothing controversial about the trams-turned-guest-suites at the Controversy Tram Inn in Hoogwoud. Bright and playful, these lodgings – found on a farm – are comprised of two reclaimed trams and a full-sized railway car that have been converted into six guest rooms packed full of fun recycled objects like a tire sink basin and a table made of traffic signs.

Qbic Hotel, Amsterdam

(images via: qbichotels.com)

It may be ‘cheap chic & no frills’, but the Qbic Hotel doesn’t skimp on style. This budget hotel in the heart of Amsterdam is high tech but low cost, and the earlier you book, the cheaper the rates. It’s a ‘pod’ hotel, but unlike other pod hotels like those in Japan, it features full-sized rooms – the ‘pod’ is a freestanding aluminum unit in the center of each room containing a double bed with a workspace/dining table at one end and a bathroom at the other.

Citizen M, Amsterdam

(images via: citizenm.com)

Citizen M opened at the Amsterdam airport in 2008 and represents another stylish addition to the city’s roster of impressively designed budget hotels. A new, even trendier location opened in Amsterdam proper in 2010, offering 215 modular rooms that fit as much function as possible into 150 square feet. A high-tech handheld ‘MoodPad’ controls the lighting, television, temperature and window blinds and the shower and toilet are contained within separate plexiglass tubes (so unless you’re an exhibitionist, stay with someone you know really well).

Stayokay Hostel, Rotterdam

(images via: archdaily)

Rotterdam’s Cube Houses are so cool-looking that residents were pestered by tourists hoping for a glimpse of the interior on a daily basis. Now, those same tourists can stay in the units themselves, as the houses have been transformed into a ‘Stayokay Hostel’. The hostel has both dorm-style and private rooms. With the tilted design of the cubes, nabbing one of the top rooms would definitely be a memorable experience.

De Vrouwe Van Stavoren

(images via: inhabitat)

Is the De Vrouwe Van Stavoren every oenophile’s dream? The kind of wine lover that savors the smell of a full-bodied red wine would be in utter heaven at this unusual hotel made from salvaged wine casks. Each casks contains two narrow single-person beds, while an attached building contains the bathrooms. The small port town of Stavoren is located in the northern province of Friesland, which has its own language, and in the springtime its fields are abloom with infamous Dutch tulips.

Inntel Hotel, Zaandam

(images via: dezeen)

In a nod to the architecture of traditional houses in the region, Zaandam’s Inntel Hotel looks like a stack of homes with its overlapping green facades. The style of the ‘buildings’ featured in the facades ranges from a notary’s residence to a worker’s cottage. Eleven floors tall with 160 rooms, the Inntel features a swimming pool as well as a wellness center with a Finnish sauna and a Turkish bath.

Hotel V Frederiksplein, Amsterdam

(images via: hotelv.nl)

The stylish and budget-conscious ‘Hotel V’, as it’s known locally, is modern and minimalist but still cozy and warm. Each guest room is unique; design details include pebble stone bathroom walls and a rubber front desk . But perhaps the biggest draw to Hotel V is its central location, making it convenient to all of Amsterdam’s hottest spots.

Lloyd Hotel, Amsterdam

(images via: lloydhotel.com)

First a hotel for immigrants and then a prison, the Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam now hosts guests of a different sort: travelers, of course. Famed Netherlands architecture firm MVRDV outfitted the interior of this historic building for its 2005 re-opening as a showcase of contemporary design. Each of the 116 rooms is so unique that they’re individually rated, from one to five stars. Naturally, the five-star rooms are where the Lloyd really shines. One room even has a bed for eight!

The Dylan, Amsterdam

(images via: dylanamsterdam.com)

Often declared the most stylish hotel in Amsterdam, The Dylan is a converted 17th century theater with 40 individually designed rooms that come in five styles. Each theme – Kimono, Loft, Klassbol, Zensation Red and Zensation White, is elegant and understated with exposed beams and simple lines. It’s located right along the canal for a view that’s uniquely Amsterdam.

Capsule Hotel, The Hague

(images via: unusual hotels of the world)

If a flood hits The Hague, you’ll be safe in one of these wacky ‘survival pods’. But of course, the off chance of a disaster is hardly the only reason to stay at the Capsule Hotel, which consists of a series of 12-foot bright-orange  floating pods moored to a dock in the city center. Built for oil rigs in 1972, the capsules range from a super-simple one-person rig to a ‘luxury’ pod with sheepskins, champagne, a DVD player and a disco ball. Sounds like a party.

Hotel De l’Europe, Amsterdam

(image via: salva del saz)

Hotel De l’Europe is a five-star hotel with an impressive history and a classic look, located on prime waterfront property just under a kilometer from big tourist attractions like the Anne Frank house. It’s dignified to the point of being, perhaps, a bit old-fashioned – but anyone who pines for old world Amsterdam may prefer it to the bustling boutique hotels that cater to hip crowds. It’s home to one of Amsterdam’s most exclusive restaurants, Excelsior, and recently expanded to include high-dollar specialty suites.

Airplane Hotel, Teuge

(image via: hotelsuites.nl)

When you step off one airplane, especially after a long international flight, perhaps the last thing you want to do is to embark upon yet another aircraft. But for those who just can’t get enough of airplane interiors, the Airplane Hotel at the Teuge Airport is actually a pretty cool place to stay. The Cold War-era cockpit of this East German airplane has been preserved while the remainder was transformed into a modern guest suite with a kitchen. Sleeping in the bed at the tail of the plane and waking up to those little round windows will make you feel like you’re on a very pricey private jet.

15 Stylish Hotels from Venice to Sicily

By Steph in Architecture & Design, Furniture & Interiors, Travel & Places

When you tour Italy, there’s no shortage of charming Tuscan villas, historic hotels decked out in
ornate finery and of course your standard run-of-the-mill chains. But what if you want something… different? Whether off the beaten path or smack in the center of the most sought-after districts, these 15 design hotels, art hotels, boutique hotels and ski resorts represent some of the most stylish, modern, eye-catching and unusual lodgings in the nation.

Masseria Cimino, Savelletri di Fasano

(images via: homedit.com)

An 18th century farmhouse in the Puglia region, steps from the sea, is a Mediterranean dream with a bright, welcoming restored interior. The subtle décor has a modern edge without losing the charm of its rustic origins, including springs of rosemary and olive leaves and lots of candles. The boutique guest house has 12 rooms and one spacious suite, ranging from €110 (about $155) to €590 (about $835).

Million Donkey Hotel, Prata Sannita

(images via: adesignideas)

Where else can you sleep in a caged bed cantilevered from the side of a medieval building? The Million Donkey Hotel, in the small town of Prata Sannita  near Naples, is one-of-a-kind. Conceived as a sort of art experiment by Viennese design collective feld72, the dilapidated structure was transformed with the help of 40 local volunteers in an attempt to infuse new life into an area that has been all but abandoned by the younger generations in favor of modern cities.

Hotel The Gray, Milan

(images via: hotelthegray.com)

A five-star luxury hotel in Italy’s most modern city, Hotel The Gray is packed with interesting design details like floating stairs in each of its 21 individually designed guest rooms. Located in Centralissimo just down the street from the Duomo, the hotel treads the line between hip and refined, inserting selective pops of color into a relaxing gray-and-beige backdrop. Rates range between €300 (about $424) to €500 (about $707).

Byblos Art Hotel, Verona

(images via: byblosarthotel.com)

In the heart of the Valpolicella region, the Byblos Art Hotel offers a stunning fusion of traditional and modern design, with its classic 15th century Italian villa exterior and brightly decorated interior. In fact, the hotel doubles as a museum of contemporary art with works from Frank Lloyd Wright, Anish Kapoor and Beatriz Millar. The hotel, which has its own spa, restaurant and poolside bar, offers complimentary transport to the town of Verona.

Atelier Sul Mare, Messina

(images via: booked.net)

Between Messina and Palermo on the coast of Sicily is Atelier sul Mare, another hotel/contemporary art gallery in a three-story Mediterranean-style building with plenty of terraces and large windows overlooking the sea.  Twenty rooms have been individually designed by international artists, and there are an additional twenty standard rooms available. Much of the décor is influenced by the landscape in a modern and unexpected fashion – like an all black-and-red room reminiscent of lava and volcanic rock.

Ripa Hotel, Rome

(images via: cubeme)

When in Rome, you can stay at any number of classical-style hotels – or you can go against the grain and choose the Ripa Hotel, where modern minimalism trumps ornate embellishment. The boutique hotel, located in the Travestere district, has 180 rooms and its own soundproofed discoteque.

Grand Hotel Savoia, Genova

(images via: asiarooms.com, the luxury)

The Grand Hotel Savoia is a 5-star hotel in the historical district of Genova, a city perched on the harbor in Italy’s stunning coastal Cinque Terre region in close proximity to winter ski resorts. The hotel is comfy and well-appointed, but there’s one thing that really stands out: the Barbie Suite. Done up in pink and white, this room, designed in partnership with Mattel, looks like a Barbie dollhouse in human-sized proportions complete with a giant portrait of Barbie herself over the adult-length twin-sized bed.

Strata Hotel, Sesto

(images via: arch daily)

Architecture fans headed to the Italian Dolomites for winter sports should check out the Strata Hotel in Sesto (Sexten). The shape of the hotel, which is outfitted in a linear wooden facade made of local larch wood, was determined by local planning restrictions which make it seem like part of the hilly landscape, blending in quite well from afar. The guestrooms at the Strata are divided into family suites with living and dining areas and separate sleeping areas for children.

Una Hotel Vittoria, Florence

(images via: tablethotels.com)

Modern, but not minimalist? The Una Vittoria in Florence is contemporary luxe, giving a nod to Florence heritage with huge Italian Renaissance paintings mounted to the guest room doors in the hallways,  but the visuals here are shaken up with glossy black wall tiles, lots of curving surfaces and two blood-red spiraling benches in the lobby. Located in a quiet residential area across the Arno, the Una Hotel Vittoria is a bit off the beaten path with rooms starting under $100 a night.

I-Suite Hotel, Rimini

(images via: chictraveler)

For an unusual experience in the Romagna region, try the i-Suite Hotel in Rimini, a design hotel with dreamy futuristic details that engage the senses. Says interior designer Simone Micheli, “I aim at making man the main focus of the attention by stirring up his senses by means of shapes, images, colours, lights, materials and by creating a scenario hovering among transcendence and immanence, concreteness and abstraction, dream and reality”.

Arezzo Park Hotel, Arezzo

(images via: contemporist)

Yes, the Arezzo Park Hotel was also designed by Simone Micheli, if you couldn’t tell by all of those very distinctive female body parts. The architect took this hotel in an even more surreal direction with a black-and-white palette accentuated with blue lighting. This design hotel has 120 guest rooms starting at about $265 per night, and is located 10 minutes from the city center.d

Abali Gran Sultanato Bed & Breakfast, Palermo

(images via: abali.it)

Wild and colorful, the Abali Gran Sultanato almost seems like a cartoon come to life – an exotic cartoon that brings Arabian visuals to Sicily. Sounds strange, but the Grand Sultanato is nothing if not vibrant, and rooms are a steal at €30 to €90 per person.

Exedra Hotel, Milan

(images via: ucityguides)

Stay in a sleek five-star design hotel in the middle of Milan’s fashion district at the Exedra, housed in a former bank. Its luxurious spa, perfect for escaping the heat in Italy’s notoriously sticky summertime, includes a sauna, a Turkish bath and a bubbly futuristic underground swimming pool. The hotel has 146 casually elegant standard rooms and 18 themed suites ranging from ‘junior’ to ‘presidential’, with all décor made by Italian designers. With three restaurants and a series of public conference rooms, the hotel aims not to be just for travelers but to serve as a meeting place for the design-savvy residents of Milan.

Ca Maria Adele, Venice

(images via: camariaadele.it)

Directly facing the stunning Santa Maria della Salute church on the edge of a Dorsoduro canal, Ca Maria Adele is a glamorous way to experience the unforgettable city of Venice. Housed in a 16th century palazzo, this boutique hotel puts a modern spin on the old-world elegance of its historic setting. Each of the 14 rooms has been individually designed to reflect the city’s history. The location in a quiet arts district will make you feel like a local, and the bustling city center is just a gondola ride away.

Vigilius Mountain Resort, Vigiljoch

(images via: vigilius.it)

Northeast of Venice in the Italian Alps, there’s a region where the cultures of Italy and Switzerland collide, where you’ll hear not just Italian but French, German and a local language called Ladin. In these mountains, only after a long walk or a ride in a cable car, you can access a gem of modern architecture: the Vigilius Mountain Resort. Designed by Matteo Thun, Vigilius revels in its stunning secluded location, nearly becoming part of the landscape itself with its grass-covered roof. The resort has two restaurants, a library, a lounge and a spa as well as 35 standard rooms and 6 suites.

15 Clever Bench Ads

By Steph in Guerilla Marketing & Ads, Subvertising & Counter-Ads, Urban Images

A bench is a bench – except when it’s also a platform for a surprising, thought-provoking, memorable advertisement that sometimes even functions as urban art. The best bench ads turn ubiquitous public furniture into interactive displays that entreat the public to get fit, go on vacation, try a new product and even conserve resources.

District 9 Bench: For Humans Only

(image via: aharvey2k)

Before anyone heard of a little film called District 9, signs barring non-humans from using benches and restrooms could be seen in major cities such as Los Angeles. With a phone number and a warning that “non-human secretions may corrode metal”, these advertisements blurred the line between reality and the fictional world created by the filmmakers in typical guerilla fashion.

Fed-Ex Bubble Wrap Bench

(image via: advertolog)

Fed-Ex can ship practically anything – including benches, as ‘demonstrated’ by this bubble-wrapped bench. The ad series, conceived by BBDO New York, was created to announce the opening of FedEx Kinko’s locations in fairly remote locations.

Instant Ski Vacation

(image via: adsneeze)

Can you picture yourself on an adventurous ski trip, heading up the slope on a lift that provides stunning views of the surrounding landscape? If not, Alberta Travel is happy to help with this creative bench ad that even emulates skis on your feet and snow down below.

Use Only What You Need

(image via: advertolog)

Ads promoting water conservation might be easily overlooked by a public that has begun to tune out conventional modes of promotion. But, it’s hard to pass by this bench, created by Sukle Advertising & Design advertising agency for Denver Water, without taking a second look and absorbing the message: use only what you need.

Skinny Bench for Skinny People

(image via: scaryideas)

A similarly skinny bench communicates something different altogether: if you can’t sit here, perhaps you need to lose some weight. Slim Fast helpfully points people in the right direction with a plaque that reads “Donated by Slim Fast”.

Collapsing Bench for Special K

(image via: coloribus)

Similarly, one cereal brand hopes that consumers will be enticed to try their product after finding that a public bench caves in beneath their weight. This bench in Germany was made with a flexible material to shock people into thinking about how heavy they are, and convince them that 99.9% fat-free Special K was the way to fix the problem.

A Weighty Matter

(image via: businessweek)

Of course, if undersized or collapsing seating areas don’t work, there’s always a more potent way to shame the overweight public: a bus shelter bench with a built-in scale that broadcasts their weight to the world at large. This one in Amsterdam was created by the world’s third-largest gym chain, Fitness First.

No Choice But to Get Closer

(image via: directdaily)

Just try sitting on this slanted bench with somebody else without sliding right into each other. It literally forces people to “Get Closer”, which happens to be the ad slogan for a Czech liquor called Becherovka.

A Stroller Fit for a Baby Giraffe

(image via: ads of the world)

This extra-tall stroller – or pram, if you’re not American – certainly catches the attention of anyone who happens to sit on the bench beside it. The unusual ad by Calgary Zoo uses an embroidered blanket to tell the public that “the baby giraffe is here”.

Nivea Says Goodbye to Cellulite

(image via: directdaily)

Sitting on cellulite isn’t pretty – unless it’s in the form of a dimpled blue bench. This ad by Nivea promoting its Goodbye-Cellulite lotion manages to convey the message that smooth skin is superior to cellulite without anything too disturbingly skin-like.

Homey IKEA Bench Makeover

(image via: culture-buzz)

IKEA proves that even the ugliest, most worn-out bench you can find in an urban environment can be instantly transformed into a homey, welcoming space to relax with some inexpensive Swedish fabric and accessories.

Kit-Kat Bench

(image via: Noah Dylan Goldblatt)

Seeing the brown slats of a bench partially enveloped in a Kit-Kat wrapper begs the question: why didn’t they think of this earlier? It’s a perfect fit that undoubtedly had many an onlooker suddenly craving chocolate-covered wafers.

Istanbul’s Book Benches

(image via: adrants)

Istanbul is an open book – 18 of them, in fact, all written by Turkish poets. This ad campaign not only promotes reading and publicizes the work of native writers, but turns boring public furniture into functional works of art.

Amnesty International ‘Electric Bench’

(image via: funforever)

We might let important social issues slip our minds while going about our daily lives, but Amnesty International is here to remind us that “More than 4000 condemned until death are waiting for their execution. No to Capital punishment”. Accompanying these words at a Barcelona bus shelter was a bench designed to look like a pair of electric chairs.

‘Extra Safe’ Credit Union Ad

(image via: thefinancialbrand)

If this ad and others in the same series were put out by an insurance agency, one would have to wonder whether the “extra safe” message really implies that consumers are buying way more coverage than they need. But the ads were actually created by FirstOntario Credit Union to assure the public that their short-term investments are secure as can be, even in this shaky economic climate – so it works.