Between a reimagined icon in the heart of Amsterdam; a stylishly revamped former showroom in the city of El Paso, and a marriage of four historic and contemporary structures in Kyiv’s most creative quarter, Design Hotels’ newest additions exceed all expectations and break many more molds.
Here, we present the eight new members across the globe that are reshaping the international hospitality landscape.
At Kazan Palace by Tasigo, a luxurious hotel with great reverence for the past, a storied 1910 structure is married with contemporary design by the Polimeks Design Group. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kazan in southwest Russia the former hospital is now a showcase of high ceilings, stately stairways, and grand arches, combined with Polimeks’ soothing palette of whites and grays, modern sculptures by sculptor Erdil Yaşaroğlu, and Turkish textiles. Over at Rocabella Mykonos Hotel, the design similarly blurs lines: here between the indoors and a sublime Aegean landscape. Together, exterior patios, sky-high pergolas, and a pool that runs along the sightline of the entire property complement a design scheme that merges the hotel magically into Mykonos’ scenery. Dry stone, simple whitewashed walls, and cement floors complete a minimal chic aesthetic by Stones and Walls and provide an appropriately soothing backdrop for world-class yoga, spa treatments, and other wellness programs; all available onsite.
Heading to Amsterdam and Hotel Arena in the city’s newly-spirited east, where 140 guestrooms sit alongside the hotel’s very own gallery space and a restaurant overlooking the Oosterpark. Dating to 1886 and at various points acting as an orphanage, a care home, a homeless shelter, and the International Youth Center for Culture and Tourism, the building’s storied past lends itself to a strong sense of history throughout. El Paso’s Stanton House is similarly tethered to yesteryear, thanks to its location in a former showroom built-in 1916. Revamped with the help of Braunton & Leibert, the hotel now features warm and contemporary interiors designed by Ann Tucker of Studio A Group and Jack Sanders of Design Build Adventure. The duo have kitted out the 42 guestrooms in neutral colors, wood, concrete, marble, terrazzo, and a highly curated art presence for a modern and stylish mood that bucks the narrative of the “sleepy Southwest border town”.
Austria’s Lech am Arlberg village plays perfect host to the Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel, an Alpine retreat that celebrates local cuisine and design in equal parts. Located in Lech Zürs — the biggest ski resort in Austria — the hotel is a gateway to biking, fishing, hiking, canyoning, rafting, and golf outside of the ski season, and downhill and cross-country skiing during the winter months. Fueled by the hotel’s a la carte restaurant, The Rote Wand Stuben, and its separately lauded Chef’s Table, offering a gourmet experience by chef Max Natmessnig, amongst other in-house eateries, guests have ample sustenance to explore the multifaceted landscape. At Bursa Hotel, the allure of the indoors matches the charms beyond the hotel’s walls. Framed by both custom-made and vintage furniture, and lighting crafted by local artisans, 33 rooms are spread out across two 19th-century buildings by architect Andriy Melenskyi and two new structures, which have been joined together with the help of Balbek Bureau. On the first floor neo-bistro and neighborhood gathering place Absoultely Supra draws in the crowds with a natural wine list, views over Podil and wholesome cuisine.
Rounding out the new additions, we head east. In Georgia, Rooms Hotel Kokhta presents a year-round resort that is a springboard for adventure and exploration. With interiors conceived by Rooms Design — the same studio behind both Stamba Hotel and Rooms Hotel Tbilisi — and dramatic architecture by Levan Mushkudiani, the structure cuts a bold figure against the mountains of Bakuriani. In addition to the guestrooms, lobby library, co-working space and swimming pool, there is a climatic dining room featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a front row seat to view the striking scenery. Further east and K5 in Tokyo shares a similar personality with its fusion of guestrooms, restaurants, bars and social spaces within a four-storey 1920s structure. Guided by “aimai’ as a design concept, Claesson Koivisto Rune have designed a series of spaces where unclear boundaries lend themselves to versatile areas that have the capacity to change character throughout the day. This is best exemplified in public areas such as the reception, which also duals as a coffee shop that gently seeps into the wine bar and then the restaurant, thanks to a purposeful blueprint conceived with the intention for all spaces and functions to intermingle.
