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Home / Travel / Hotels
Hotels

The Most Stunning Hotels for Design-minded Travelers

By Ellie Nan Storck on June 21, 2019

These hotels come with breathtaking visuals. 

© Amit Geron/Courtesy The Jaffa

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Departures is published by Meredith Corp. and owned by American Express. While American Express Card Member benefits are highlighted in this publication, including through the links indicated below, the content of this article was independently written by the editorial staff at Meredith. Other Departures content paid for by American Express is explicitly marked as such.

One of the very best things about traveling to a luxury hotel is experiencing the atmosphere — that feeling you get when all the little details (a stylish chair, the pattern of a wallpaper, a stand-out mirror) come together to create that certain je ne sais quois, leaving you ready to move into the place. Who hasn’t left a design-forward hotel itching to revamp their entire home?

Related: A Design Lover’s Guide to Miami 

Below, scroll through some beautiful hotel interiors. Of course, the stay is beyond-comfortable, the on-site cuisine is exquisite, the service is imitable. But upon walking into these hotels, any discerning design-lover will simply feel weak at the knees. Our favorites, below. 

Related: A Design Guide to Marrakech

 
Alex Fradkin/Courtesy Fogo Island Inn

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland

There's something about the ocean-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows in each of the 29 rooms and suites at the Fogo Island Inn, the striking and angular shape of the Inn itself, perched high on stilts along the North Atlantic coastline and the contemporary-Newfoundland design of the interior, in line with the property’s philosophy around sustainability, all rooms are created using natural materials (wood, wool, cotton, linen, etc.). No matter which way you take in the piece of art that is the Fogo Island Inn, its distinct design will leave a lasting impression.

Related: The Best Remote Luxury Escapes Around the World

Courtesy Mandarin Oriental

The Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing

The Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing (Wangfujing being the buzzing, luxury neighborhood it calls home) is the epitome of stylish opulence and the perfect blend of old and new. Guests enter the lobby to find a magnificent hanging light fixture and the property’s piece de resistance, designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. The spacious rooms are appointed with traditional Chinese decor, like the stunning turquoise wallpaper and dark wood accents, styled alongside contemporary designs like light-filled, marble bathrooms with oversized rain showers. The shimmering hotel bar, MO Bar, features orb-like hanging light fixtures, furniture upholstered with Chinese textiles, and floor-to-ceiling, back-lit liquor shelves.

Alexander Rudolph/Courtesy C'as Xorc

Ca’s Xorc, Mallorca

Ca’s Xorc, a historic Spanish finca turned boutique hotel, sits prettily in the mountains above the Mediterranean, amid olive and lemon groves. Each of the 13 rooms and two garden cottages on the cliffside property are individually furnished in traditional, white-washed Mediterranean style, yielding a luxurious, countryside-home atmosphere replete with light-filled spaces, beautiful textiles and ceramics, and crisp, white bed linens.

Nicole Franzen/Courtesy Shinola Hotel

Shinola Hotel, Detroit

Mid-century modern furniture, spacious rooms, earthy tones, and ample natural light yield a relaxing and sophisticated atmosphere at Detroit’s Shinola Hotel. Find luscious Italian-cotton sheets and hardwood floors; plush couches and the loft-style windows. The feel is decidedly homey in each of the uniquely-decorated rooms. The Birdy Room is particularly stunning — the vaulted glass-and-iron ceiling of this conservatory allows natural light to flood an airy space complete with cool (and comfortable) chairs and sofas. It even has a private garden.

Amit Geron/Courtesy The Jaffa

The Jaffa, Tel Aviv

Transformed from a 19th-century, Neo-Renaissance French hospital into a stunning, high-end hotel, the Jaffa perfectly blends historic architecture with modern luxury. Architect and designer John Pawson’s minimalist style abounds in the hotel spaces and rooms — it can be seen in the modern, custom-designed furniture; in the high ceilings, marble bathrooms, and iconic arched windows; and through the pictures from local photographers.

Courtesy Hotel 41

Hotel 41, London

Overlooking the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the award-winning Hotel 41 is exactly what one would picture when imagining the epitome of British elegance in the heart of the Big Smoke. A chic black-and-white color theme threads throughout each individually-appointed room, and alongside details like smooth mahogany furniture, the stately checkered lobby floor, and the leather-bound books of the executive lounge, the atmosphere is one of sophistication and old-world romance.

Courtesy Raffles Hotels & Resorts

Raffles, Singapore

Opened in 1887, and historically one of the chicest hotels in Singapore, American Express Fine Hotel & Resort Property, Raffles will reopen its iconic doors in August 2019 following a renovation that, according to the brand, will only further elevate its golden-age-glamour atmosphere. Guests can expect a wide variety of suites, outfitted with teakwood floors, 14-foot ceilings, off-white color themes, spacious in-room parlors, and sumptuous walk-in showers. A hidden gem of the property is the stunning Palm Court, a beautiful courtyard dotted with towering palm trees.

 

Courtesy The Liberty Hotel

The Liberty Hotel, Boston

It’s only fitting that Beacon Hill should be home to a hotel as stylish as the Liberty. Once the famous Charles Street Jail, a city landmark built in 1851, the architects of this property transformed the brick-and-iron building into an impeccably design-forward hotel and event space. Pops of colors, mixed textiles and patterns, and nods to the hotel’s history wed to make a distinctly elegant yet homey atmosphere. While it’s certainly no longer a jail, you likely won’t want to leave your room after soaking up the stylish decor.

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