Seven new Design Hotels’ members, each bringing their own voice and philosophy, unified in authentic expressions of individuality.
BERLIN – Joining a finely tuned roster of 296 member hotels, these seven Design Hotels newcomers underscore a commitment to challenging hospitality norms. Take for example the eight year artistic overhaul of an award-winning gem of postwar Brutalism, Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel. High in the hills of Zichron Ya’akov, the former sanitarium has a new lease on life thanks to Original Lily Elstein, whose dream was to build a cultural center in northern Israel. Similarity, cultural cues are at the forefront of a re-imagined Art Deco mansion in the booming arts hub of Guadalajara. Here, Originals Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha – avid art enthusiasts and the creative minds behind Grupo HABITA – bridge the creative gap between international visitors and the local scene.
Meet seven new Design Hotels’ members, each bringing their own voice and philosophy, unified in authentic expressions of individuality.
Vila Monte, Algarve, Portugal
In Portugal’s stunning Algarve region, among olive and orange groves, sits Vila Monte. Much in the style of a traditional yet luxurious farmhouse, nine lushly landscaped acres are home to two swimming pools, a tennis court, and four buildings that house 55 rooms and suites. The interiors have been designed by Teresa Barao and Vera Iachia (famed for working with Andy Warhol and Jacques Grange), and who used a neutral palette and natural wood to create bright, airy spaces that are as welcoming as they are contemporary. Rounding out a classically Portuguese stay, activities include fishing in the Ria Formosa, boat tours, seafood tasting, desert island sunbathing, and trips to the Olhao market with the chef of the hotel’s A Terra restaurant.
Casa Angelina, Amalfi Coast, Italy
Perched on a craggy cliffside in the picturesque village of Praiano, Casa Angelina houses 39 guestrooms and suites in the main renovated 1970s era building, and four accommodations in the Eaudesea Experience Rooms. The latter converted fisherman’s quarters are built directly into the rock on Las Gavitella Beach, at the foot of the hotel. All rooms feature sweeping sea views, custom ceramic tiles and chic, understated furnishings designed by architect Marco De Luca. A crisp and clean white aesthetic lets the beauty of endless blue shine, while playful glass artworks by Chimerical Murano are peppered throughout.
LA MAISON Hotel, Saarlouis, Germany
Located in the German-French city of Saarlouis, LA MAISON Hotel houses 38 rooms in a remodeled historic mansion replete with its own park. The hotel’s cutting edge new extension impresses with its bronzed, folded-aluminium exterior and oiled oak windows. Stuttgart-based interior designer Birgit Nicolay infused LA MAISON Hotel’s interiors with sumptuous accents and details that make colorful reference to the opulent days of Louis XIV, after whom the town is named. Summer 2016 will see the opening of fine dining restaurant LOUIS, serving gourmet cuisine from Chef Martin Stopp, formerly of Michelin-starred restaurant Le Noir. A modern glassed winter garden, which is suspended over the park, accommodates the bistro PASTIS and a delicatessen.
Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel, Zichron Ya’akov, Israel
Located in Zichron Ya’akov, 40 miles up the coastline from Tel Aviv, Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel is the brainchild of Israeli philanthropist and art collector Lily Elstein. After eight years of extensive planning and construction, the Mivtachim Sanitarium, Yaakov Rechter’s award-winning masterwork of postwar Brutalism, reopened as an innovative boutique property. Set on the rim of Israel’s Mount Carmel Ridge overlooking sloping forests and the Mediterranean Sea, interiors simultaneously contrast and embrace the extreme nature of the exteriors, with raw concrete warmed by terrazzo floor tiles and oak accents. Ninety-five spacious guestrooms and 750 square meters of gallery space devoted to Israeli and international artists blur the borders of a cultural center and luxury hotel.
The Old Clare Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Loh Lik Peng and architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer have taken the iconic Clare Pub and the neighboring Carlton United Breweries buildings, in the hip Chippendale district, and through a sensitive restoration given birth to Sydney’s hottest new destination. Opened in September 2015 after four years of redevelopment, The Old Clare Hotel’s two heritage-listed buildings have been adjoined by a glass atrium under the engineered expertise of the architecture firm. The result: a distinctive property with obsessive attention to detail and a focus on retaining as many original features as possible. Traces of the past remain in all 62 rooms and suites, with high ceilings, large windows, timber paneling and exposed walls.
Alila Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Set over two hectares of seafront, Alila Seminyak’s 240 ocean- or garden-facing rooms and suites wrap around a public area containing four swimming pools, shaded by leafy shrubs. Designed by Guarang Khemka of Singapore-based agency URBNarc, the sustainable timber structure merges seamlessly with its environment, using new technology to incorporate a green roof system and a vertical landscape. Bright, airy guestrooms boast floor-to-ceiling glass windows, alternated with walls of greenery, resulting in an indoor-outdoor atmosphere. The signature three-bedroom penthouse comes complete with its own private sundeck and pool, a blissful escape from Seminyak’s urban bustle.
Casa Fayette, Guadalajara, Mexico
Opened September 2015 in Guadalajara’s Lafayette neighborhood, Casa Fayette’s 37 rooms and public spaces are an ode to classic Jaliscan design, underpinned by slick European sensibilities. Hoteliers Carlos Couturier and Moises Micha, the creative minds behind Grupo HABITA, joined forces with local architectural firm, Estudio5 and Milanese architects DIMORESTUDIO, to transform the 1940s mansion into Guadalajara’s first design-led hotel. The original Art Deco structure plays host to a retro-inspired bar and restaurant, leading out to an alfresco patio with adjoining conference room and private terrace, pool, and rooftop spa.
Photo caption: Elma Arts Complex Luxury Hotel, Zichron Ya’akov, Israel.
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She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
