Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 best luxury hotels for art lovers
Some of the world’s leading luxury hotels try to set themselves apart from the competition by offering art collections, artist-in-residence programs, and art-centered events, in addition to impeccable service, fabulous accommodations and world-class facilities. With modern paintings, antique sculptures, and captivating architecture, these unique hotels appeal to art lovers who put artwork exhibits and museums at the top of your their bucket list. Here’s my selection of the world’s 10 best art hotels, where guests have a chance to admire (and in sleep in) some of the world’s greatest works of art.
There is more information (with reviews & YouTube videos) below the slide show. Think I missed one? Share your favorite art hotel in the comments section!
*** Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, X, and Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***
10. THE SILO HOTEL, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Topping Cape Town’s Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) at the bustling V&A Waterfront, the Silo Hotel hits all the high notes. The former grain elevator was reimagined from rough concrete into diamond, with crystalline windows and a whimsical elegance. Guests can watch the bustle below while soaking in a freestanding tub in one of 28 lofty rooms, designed with a bold mix of colors, prints, and textures. A highlight of the hotel is its spectacular wraparound rooftop terrace, which features an infinity pool, two bars and several lounge areas. Drawing inspiration from their travels around the world, the hotel’s owners have acquired a unique and varied collection of art and interior artefacts that complements that of the MOCAA. The collection highlights both young, aspiring artists, as well as established, highly acclaimed artists such as Cyrus Kabiru, Mahau Modisakeng and Nandipha Mntambo.
- Hotel website: The Silo Cape Town
- Other accolades: The Silo features in my top 10 list of the best hotels in Cape Town.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
- Review: read my review of The Silo Hotel Cape Town here.
9. ROSEWOOD HONG KONG, CHINA
Soaring over Victoria Harbour, Rosewood Hong Kong is a new center of gravity on the Kowloon waterfront; the crown jewel of the Victoria Dockside arts and design district. Whether in town for business or leisure, guests enjoy the local flavor of the surrounding neighborhood, as well as fantastic shopping and dynamic cultural activities. Occupying 43 floors of a multi-use tower, the ultra-luxury hotel offers 413 guestrooms, twelve food & beverage options and a fitness center, swimming pool and the first urban setting for Asaya, Rosewood’s innovative holistic wellness concept. Masterful and important art throughout the property includes works by Henry Moore, British artist Damien Hirst, as well as China’s Wang Keping and homegrown Hong Kong artist Wilson Shieh. A highlight is life-sized sculpture of an elephant by contemporary Indian female artist Bharti Kerr. Significant works are juxtaposed with an eclectic, whimsical approach to decorative arts throughout the hotel.
- Hotel website: Rosewood Hong Kong
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
8. VILLA COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Set in what used to be the Central Post & Telegraph Head Office, Villa Copenhagen is a unique and stunning lodging experience in the heart of the Danish capital. This iconic historical building has been transformed into a luxury hotel, offering its guests easy access to all that Copenhagen has to offer – from the most popular attractions to its beautiful sights such as the Tivoli Gardens and Meatpacking District. Originally opened in 1912, the hotel’s gorgeous historic accents blend beautifully with contemporary Nordic designs and interior accents. The hotel boasts 390 guestrooms and suites, featuring original elements from the 1912 construction such as window accents. Guests can enjoy an upscale experience and amenities such as a heated pool, a sauna, and a 24-hour fitness center. Villa Copenhagen is also home to the city’s finest private art collection. With celebrated art curator Sune Nordgren at the helm, current artworks on display include pieces by local talent and celebrated international artists, including Jaume Plensa, Per Kirkeby, and Ian McKeever.
- Hotel website: Villa Copenhagen
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Classic Travel (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
7. THE SIAM BANGKOK, THAILAND
Set on three acres of verdant frontage along the Chao Phraya River, The Siam is a private 39-room luxury retreat located in Bangkok’s royal Dusit district. Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Bill Bensley, the Art Deco inspired, Thai antique infused masterpiece is the kingdom’s premier urban resort. Guests have an array of superlative amenities at their fingertips: restaurants, cooking school, bar, café, spa, gym yoga terrace, Muay Thai boxing ring, beauty salon, library, cinema, infinity pool, gift & antiques gallery, conservatory and traditional Thai houses. The private art collection includes some 10,000 pieces and is spread throughout the spacious guest rooms and public areas. Many of the historic antiquest and nostalgic curios around the hotel come from Clapp’s private collection – including patina-patched vintage instruments above the Deco bar, antique military helmets behind the front desk, Rama V-era military uniforms, vintage cameras and Ming Dynasty blue-and-whites.
- Hotel website: The Siam Hotel
- Other accolades: The Siam Hotel Bangkok also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Bangkok.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, welcome drink, daily breakfast, $100 USD food & beverage credit, early check in, and late check out).
- Review: read my review of The Siam here.
6. AZULIK, MEXICO
Azulik – the world’s most followed hotel on Instagram – is an adults-only sanctuary settled between the lush jungle and the blush Caribbean Ocean on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Built by hand, using ancestral techniques, and prioritizing local materials, every detail was thought for guests t reconnect with themselves, with others, and with nature. Each of the 48 wooden villas features a private terrace or deck from which guests can contemplate stunning views, listen to the sounds of pristine nature and enjoy a serene moment. Azulik’s hospitality is complemented by two restaurants, a beach club, a mezcalería, a spa, and two boutiques, and a contemporary art museum, called Sfer Ik. Located just a short drive away from the main hotel facilities, Sfer Ik Museion is an interdisciplinary creative sphere comprising exhibitions of some of the world’s finest visual artists, cutting edge artisanal workshops, and innovative artist residencies focusing on interdisciplinary projects that culminate in new ways of experiencing and creating art.
5. PATINA MALDIVES, FARI ISLANDS
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands is the inaugural flagship resort from Patina Hotels & Resorts, a new sophisticated lifestyle brand by Capella Hotel Group. Designed by renowned Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, Patina Maldives offers 90 exquisite beach and water pool villas, ranging from one to three bedrooms. Situated in the heart of the Fari Islands archipelago, a man-made archipelago in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, a 50-minute speedboat journey from Malé International Airport, Patina Maldives offers guests the freedom to explore its two neighboring resorts (the Ritz-Carlton and soon-to-open Capella), allowing a choice between privacy and seclusion, and embracing a vibrant social scene centered at the development’s Fari Marina Village and Beach Club. Patina Maldives has partnered with Singapore-based contemporary art consultancy The Artling to curate a collection of unique artworks. The collection is designed as a series of artistic encounters with which guests can directly interact, with each bespoke piece forming an integral part of the island landscape
- Hotel website: Patina Maldives
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of Patina Maldives here.
4. LE ROYAL MONCEAU, RAFFLES PARIS
Just steps from the Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris expresses Parisian elegance. The property features 149 elegant rooms and luxurious suites as well as a contemporary spa, My Blend by Clarins with a beautiful indoor pool. Restaurants include Matsuhisa Paris by world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa; La Cuisine offering sumptuous brunches and buffet breakfasts; and Il Carpaccio, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant; as well as pastry creations by Quentin Lechat. An in-house exhibition space – called Art Gallery by Bel Air Fine Art – is the center of gravity for the hotel’s artistic and cultural scene. Throughout the year, thematic exhibitions are held in the gallery and in the public spaces of the hotel. The hotel even has its own art concierge, likely the first in the world. Art consultant and cultural mediator Julie Eugène is on hand to meet guests for an art tour of the hotel as well as share insider tips on what’s happening in the art circuit.
- Hotel website: Le Royal Monceau
- Other accolades: Le Royal Monceau also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Paris.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks with Virtuoso (e.g.room upgrade, early check-in, agranteed late check-out until 4 pm, daily breakfast, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
3. MINOS BEACH ART HOTEL, GREECE
Minos Beach art hotel, a glorious assembly of bungalows and gardens poised right on the water’s edge, is Crete’s first five-star, barefoot luxury resort and an ideal destination for art lovers. A distinguished member of Design Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy, the property has been designed to connect with nature. Stretching along 2 km (1.3 mi) of coastline, 125 low-lying whitewashed bungalows, villas and suites are scattered amongst sand, rocks, and greenery. Each villa has a private pool, while bungalows have patios mere steps from the shore. Minos Beach art hotel has become a cultural beacon for the local community with its expansive collection of contemporary art. The G&A Mamidakis Foundation was established with a mission to support and promote contemporary art, culture, and lifelong learning. With an art collection comprising more than 70 artworks from Greek and international designers, the majority of which span Minos Beach art hotel and its Sculpture Garden, an installation akin to an open-air art museum.
2. LE NEGRESCO HOTEL, FRANCE
Built in 1913, Le Negresco Hotel is a magnificent, privately owned Belle Époque palace, classified as a National Historic monument. The hotel is ideally situated on the seafront promenade overlooking the scenic Bay of Angels on the Mediterranean Sea. The creative guest rooms, with evocative names like the Suite Louis XVI, Pompadour, and La Traviata, are a unique harmony of history, tradition, and modernity. Le Negresco is also home to the city’s finest restaurant, the Michelin-starred Le Chantecler. The hotel owes its strong identity partly to a large collection of artwork and period furniture. Exhibited both in the hotel’s public areas and in its rooms, the art collection spans more than five centuries, from Louis XIII to the modern-day. Some of the most beautiful pieces on show are Niki de Saint Phalle’s Nana Jaune in the Royal Lounge, floor carpets made from an original work by Yvaral in 1974, and a Louis XIV’s portrait canvas by Hyacinthe Rigaud, identical to that exhibited at the Louvre or Versailles.
- Hotel website: Le Negresco
- Other accolades: Le Negresco Hotel also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in the French Riviera.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
- Review: read my review of Le Negresco Hotel here.
1. THE DOLDER GRAND ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND
Perched above Zürich, this fairy tale-like castle building first served as a “Curhaus” (a health spa), during the late 19th century. Today, it honors this history with a state-of-the-art spa, which is housed in one of the new wings designed by Lord Norman Foster. The 175 rooms and suites are scattered throughout the property, and all are timelessly decorated with stylish furnishings. The acclaimed “The Restaurant”, headed by innovative chef Heiko Nieder, has two Michelin stars. So impressive and comprehensive is the private art collection of the hotel’s principal owner – Swiss financier Urs E Schwarzenbach – that The Dolder Grand has become a real art mecca for travelers. Inside, over 100 works of art by prestigious artists including Salvador Dali, Henry Moor and Niki de Saint Phalle grace the premises of this luxury hotel. The most striking piece is arguably Andy Warhol’s “Big Retrospective Painting”, spanning 11 m (36 ft) above the reception desk. The property even offers its guests an art iPad to guide them through the artworks on display.
- Hotel website: The Dolder Grand
- Other accolades: The Dolder Grand also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Switzerland.
- Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking The Dolder Grand via Virtuoso(e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
- Review: read my review of The Dolder Grand here.
*** Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, X, and Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***
