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Home / Travel / Hotels
Hotels

10 International Hotels with Spectacular Art Collections 

By Stacey Leasca on September 10, 2018

Now you can check out priceless works without ever leaving your room.

© Courtesy 45 Park Lane

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Getting to travel means getting to experience the rich culture and history of a new destination. Often, that includes visiting area museums to shuffle along with the masses to view works of art and artifacts left behind long ago. But, if you’re more of a private viewing person, you’re in luck.  

Hotels around the world are waiting not only to welcome guests to spend a night or two but also to come and experience some remarkable works of art as well.

From Impressionism to contemporary, pop art to artifacts, and everything in between, these ten hotels are displaying it all. And the best part is viewings for guests are free. All you have to do is book a flight and a night.

 
Courtesy Hotel 50 Bowery

New York City: Hotel 50 Bowery

New York City is filled to the brim with museums that are well worth the visit, but, while there, why not stay in a museum-quality hotel, too? Hotel 50 Bowery is just that and more. Inside, guests will find works installed by the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) on the second floor in The Gallery. The 1,500-square-foot exhibit, titled the Heart of Chinatown, pays homage to the neighborhood with artifacts found during the hotel’s construction. Fun fact: the hotel was built over an old gambling den and a movie theater that inhabited the space from the 1700s through the early 20th century, so it’s worth visiting the second floor to learn more. Rooms from $270.

Courtesy Wilderness Safaris

Mount Kenya: Wilderness Safaris Segera Retreat

There are plenty of reasons to visit Kenya, but perhaps best of all is to head out on a safari to appreciate all of Mother Nature’s artwork. After checking out her masterpiece, try to stick around and spend a few days with the Wilderness Safaris Segera Retreat.

There, guests relax at the Laikipia Plateau overlooking Mount Kenya. Beyond boasting one of the best views in the nation, the retreat also has one of the most expansive private collections of African contemporary art in the world—the Zeitz Collection—which includes paintings, sculpture, video, and installations from many high profile African artists. Each piece is hand-selected by curator Mark Coetzee, and give people just a taste of what they will see inside the larger Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, which just opened its doors in 2017. From $1,250 per night.

Courtesy 45 Park Lane

London, England: 45 Park Lane

In 2011, 45 Park Lane—which is part of the Dorchester Collection—opened for its first guests. And right from day one, it showcased a truly spectacular collection of works by ten of Britain’s leading artists in the hallways, dining areas and right on guest room walls.

Artists showcased at the hotel include Sir Peter Blake, Patrick Hughes, Bruce McLean, Joe Tilson, and Brendan Neiland. And, to help inspire guests, the hotel is continuously rotating its exhibitions and even provides private art lessons, lunch invitations, exclusive gallery and exhibition tours for those spending a night. But, perhaps the coolest piece in the hotel is a photograph of London’s Thames River entitled River View, which was shot by former Rolling Stone, Bill Wyman. That can only be found in the Penthouse Suite, so make sure to upgrade. Rooms from $1,100.

Book with American Express Travel to receive your complimentary Fine Hotels & Resorts® benefits. Terms Apply.

Peter Hebeisen/Courtesy The Dolder Grand

Zurich, Switzerland: The Dolder Grand

 For a genuinely fantastic artistic journey, book a stay at The Dolder Grand, which sits above the city of Zurich. There, guests can indulge their senses in works by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and Fernando Botero, among others. To keep things simple, the hotel created a complimentary iPad guide so guests can take a self-guided tour whenever they please. Of course, beyond the art, guests can also sit back, relax, and enjoy the stunning view just outside the window thanks to the hotel’s extensive grounds and picturesque spaces. Rooms from $422.

Book with American Express Travel to receive your complimentary Fine Hotels & Resorts® benefits. Terms Apply.

Courtesy XV Beacon

Boston: XV Beacon

The facade of the XV Beacon hotel, located in Boston, may be enough for art lovers to enjoy; after all, it was built in 1903 in the Beaux-Arts style. This hotel not only has a gorgeous exterior, but it’s also got a lot going on inside as well.

Once through the doors guests will be greeted by “Green Dot,” an oil on canvas by Jules Olitski. Throughout the building, guests will also find works by Martha Lloyd, Joe Greene, Tony Evanko, and Ben Freeman, who were each commissioned to create pieces exclusively for the hotel. And, hiding in the hotel’s wine cellar, guests can also find a simply stunning Roman mosaic dating back to the fourth to the fifth century A.D. And, to make this art experience even better, guests can book the "Be a VIP at the MFA” package, which includes two VIP tickets to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Book with American Express Travel to receive your complimentary Fine Hotels & Resorts® benefits. Terms Apply.

Courtesy Lungarno Collection

Florence, Italy: Hotel Lungarno

Located just feet from the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno may be the ideal destination for art lovers to come and stay. The hotel is home to one of the most extensive collections of privately-owned 20th Century art including pieces by Picasso, Cocteau, Bueno and more.

The more than 450 pieces can be found throughout the hotel including in common areas and guest rooms.

To make it more interesting, the hotel has created five different narrative paths guests can follow via an immersive experience. Some of the paths follow the lives and work of the artists themselves, so go ahead and walk in their footsteps to get inspired. Rooms from $540.

Book with American Express Travel to receive your complimentary Fine Hotels & Resorts® benefits. Terms Apply.

Courtesy The Logan Philadelphia

Philadelphia: The Logan Hotel

The Logan Philadelphia is covered in wall-to-wall art. With more than 1,800 one-of-kind works, guests can spend weeks inside and still not see it all.

Each piece is curated by Kevin Barry Fine Art to showcase the artistic heart of the city of brotherly love. Works of photography, textile, paint, and sculpture include Hombre de Hierro by Miguel Horn, Join or Die by Morgan, and Crew, a collaborative piece by Traction Company artists. Rooms from $324.

Courtesy Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel

Peten, Guatemala: Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel

The Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel is ideal for history buffs looking for a glamorous getaway. Located just a short distance from the ruins of Tikal, Uaxactún, and Yaxhá, the hotel boasts 19 overwater bungalow suites on more than 300 acres of land in the jungle of northern Guatemala.

At the property, guests will find a certified collection of archeological artifacts collected by hotel owner Edgar Castillo. The 1,000-piece collection includes pieces from the local Peten region, Lowlands, and Highlands, with pieces dating back 450 BC to 900 AD. The collection even includes the Figura Olmeca, a work so rare that before being displayed in the hotel, it had never been publicly viewed before. Guests of the hotel can enter the museum area for free, others are welcome to visit for just $5. Rooms from $265.

Jason Dewey/Courtesy Art Ovation Hotel

Sarasota, Florida: Art Ovation Hotel

The Art Ovation Hotel, located in downtown Sarasota, puts its love of art right in its name. Indeed, the hotel’s mission is to “serve the community as an active host, facilitator, patron, and partner for the arts.”

Every four months the property rotates its lobby art installation, which is personally selected by the property’s art curator who then acquires pieces from each installation for the hotel’s permanent collection.

Guests of the hotel can take self-guided tours of the rotating exhibits via their in-room iPads. Right now, the hotel is featuring its premiere show, “LEGACY, An Exhibit by Ringling College of Art and Design Faculty and Alumni.” The exhibition features more than 50 works by professors and successful alumni of the school and includes paintings, photographs, multimedia and more. Rooms from $175.

Courtesy Casa Malca

Tulum, Mexico: Casa Malca

There’s perhaps nowhere trendier than Tulum right now, and the coolest place to stay is undoubtedly Casa Malca.

The stunning hotel was once the private summer home of the one and only Pablo Escobar. Over the years, the property fell into disrepair, until renowned art dealer Lio Malca purchased it. He not only repaired the property but brought in a few precious items from his personal collection. Inside the lobby, guests will find a rare sculpture by pop artist KAWS, local pieces designed by Tulum artists, and a bar painted in honor of Keith Haring. Guests should keep exploring though, as every corner of the hotel is hiding a piece everyone should see. Rooms from $490.

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