Be it a snowy escape to the Swiss Alps or a cosmo-cool New York living room, each of these six new members is a gateway to a good memory and an Original experience.
BERLIN – Just as the task of an architect is not confined to the body of a building, the task of a Design Hotels Original goes beyond the physical boundaries of the property and into the experiential. An Original isn’t just a hotelier, but a creative whose own singular vision is reflected in the hotel. Be it a snowy escape to the Swiss Alps or a cosmo-cool New York living room, each of these six new members is a gateway to a good memory and an Original experience.
StandArt Hotel Moscow, Russia
As the first Design Hotels member in the country, StandArt Hotel Moscow will bear the torch for luxury hospitality in Russia, come the soft opening in June. Original Stanislav Tratsevskiy is an artist by craft and a designer by trade, so unsurprisingly design was high on his priority list. With the help of interior designer Piotr Bragovskiy and the architectural brains behind the Bolshoi Theatre revamp in 2011, Pavel Andreev, the art nouveau facade now houses a lavish retreat peppered with Tratsevskiy’s own artworks, among others. As well as a Michelin-starred chef, the hotel boasts 105 carefully designed suites of surprisingly sleek design, as well as a spa with a traditional Russian steam room. Located right on Pushkin Square, the StandArt boasts tradition and modernism right in the midst of Moscow/s cosmopolitan vibe.
Hotel de Rougemont, Switzerland
This is about as close as you’re going to get to that “castle in the clouds” experience, which was precisely the vision of Originals Christine and Alexander Perper when they dreamed up Hotel de Rougemont while back in hospitality school. Nestled one kilometer above sea level in the Pays d’Enhaut region, this labyrinth of interconnected chalets plays host to 19 rooms and 14 suites, and is surrounded by pine trees, snow-dusted Alps, and views of the Gstaad Dolomites. Oxidized steel artworks from Paolo Albertelli echo the surrounding landscape and reflect the region’s craft tradition of paper cutting, further giving the guest a taste for the unique culture of the small municipality of Rougemont.
The Ludlow, New York City, USA
The Ludlow is the Lower East Side’s edgiest new hospitality spot. When Originals Sean MacPherson, Ira Drukier and Richard Born stumbled upon an empty building in the neighborhood, they had a vision of creating a downtown living space for the creatives of New York to get together in. The lounge is dominated by a gloriously distressed limestone fireplace flanked by oversized leather sofas, and the 184 rooms include classic industrial loft suites complete with big casement windows, gleaming white tile and copper-fitted bathrooms, and impressive Manhattan skyline views.
Hotel d’Almeran, Saint-Remy-De-Provence, France
Opening in May 2015 and set in a 17th-century palais in the center of the town, Hotel d’Almeran and its seven spacious suites is a mid-century design odyssey. The original features have been mixed with furniture by ClassiCon designers Eileen Gray and Konstantin Grcic under the instruction of multi-disciplinary Originals: architect and designer Margot Stangle and communication and marketing expert Ralph Husgen. Their combined talents led them to create a new level of luxury in the picturesque town. The historic building is also home to an innovative nouveau Mediterranean restaurant and private dining space, led by Benoit Fauci. Separated from the restaurant by a floor-to-ceiling wine rack, the hotel’s wine boutique and bar – specializing in rare and vintage European varietals – proves to be the perfect night in for connoisseurs and tipple-lovers alike.
Filario Hotel & Residences, Lake Como, Italy
After returning from a long stint in Miami, Original Alessandro Sironi realized the uniqueness and tranquility of his home, Lake Como, and wanted to create an escapologists’ retreat. Opened April 2015, Filario Hotel & Residences was born on the site of an old wire factory after a five-year struggle with building restrictions. Set on the private beach shores of the relatively undiscovered town of Lezzeno, all 21 rooms and apartments have private balconies which afford stunning views of the glimmering blue waters below. As well as massages in the privacy of your own suite, the hotel also offers the finest regional produce with fresh dishes and Italian wines aplenty on the bistro menu. Italian heritage and artisanship are also a focal point at the hotel, with furniture created by local craftsmen in the neighboring town of Cantu, a world-class hub for high-end Italian design.
Chetzeron, Crans Montana, Switzerland
At 2,112 meters above sea level in Crans Montana and only accessible by foot, ski, or the hotel’s own snowcat, Chetzeron’s greatest virtue is the sublime silence of the snowy slopes in the winter and the lush hillsides in the summer. Swiss-Lebanese Original Sami Lamaa is a self-confessed claustrophobe and wanted to turn the once-abandoned gondola station into a spacious and calming place. This ski-in, ski-out resort has 16 rooms and suites which have panoramic views of the Rhone Valley and the majestic Alpine peaks, from The Matterhorn to Mont Blanc. Contrasting the elements outside, the interior offers a cozy retreat after a hard day’s work. Chetzeron truly is the portal into a far-removed paradise.
Photo caption: Hotel de Rougemont, Switzerland.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
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.
