Traveling in Style: 10 Designer Hotels to Inspire You

Traveling in Style: 10 Designer Hotels to Inspire You

The majority of us experience famous architecture in brief bursts. We might spend half a day wandering around the Guggenheim museum, an hour drifting through Fallingwater or a few moments at the reception of a building whose insides were done by Philippe Stark. But unless you really have a home designed by a famous architect — or have sufficient money to dump on Jonathan Adler’s lawn to coax him to designing your home — there is little chance to genuinely become romantic with world-famous layout.

That is, if you don’t book a night in one of these buildings. Many famous architects and designers have tried their hand at hotel design, producing some incredible concepts. And they are completely reachable. Found throughout the world and crossing every style — from traditional to ubermodern to brazenly person — these 10 hotels offer some of the most lavish accommodations generated by some of the world’s most intriguing designers.

Viceroy Palm Springs, Palm Springs, California
Interior designer: Kelly Wearstler

Famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler’s elegant modern West Coast style pours over every nook and cranny at this boutique hotel.

The Premium Courtyard studio, shown here, has a fresh black and white color scheme with scoops of lemon yellow. There are plush decor, mountain views, vaulted ceilings, private patios, fireplaces and more.

The similarly styled one-bedroom Villas feature custom-designed fabric, wallpaper and rugs, as well as large abstract paintings by Joshua Elias.

The Villas also have dining rooms, private patios and fully equipped flats.

From $250 per night | Viceroy Palm Springs

Mama Shelter, Lyon, France
Architect and interior designer: Philippe Starck

Bright colors, vibrant inflatable inner tubes and nothing but the hottest and lightest furniture designs — what else would you expect from modern French designer Philippe Stark?

The famous Louis Ghost Chair designer hipster hangout opened in April 2013 and instantly established itself as a new breed of modern hotel. Having an iMac in every area, chalk-like graffiti on the floors and funky colors, this surprisingly affordable hotel is guaranteed to become one of the most sought-after spots in Lyon.

Here, among six meeting and event spaces reveals off the vibrant and enjoyable aesthetic.

Graffiti on the ceilings, foosball tables, kitchens and 65-inch LCD displays are only some of the occasion area’s conveniences.

The restaurant and bar have quirky decor and furnishings, like numerous children’s inflatable inner tubes. Acclaimed chefs Alain Senderens and Jerome Banctel helm the kitchen along with its own Lyon-inspired cuisine.

The on site gift shop features unique layout finds, like Yumaki toothbrushes.

The Mama Deluxe suite includes complimentary on-demand movies, a fridge and a work desk.

The Mama Luxe suite includes comparable amenities and trendy concept floors that remember scribbled chalkboard art.

Every suite includes a 27-inch iMac for TV, radio, Skype and Internet.

The 366-square-foot Mama Penthouse features the same high-tech and decor amenities as the other chambers, but it also has a couch …

… along with an expansive deck.

The bright orange in the penthouse bathroom recalls the color of this Starck emblem; it seems throughout the hotel.

From $64 | Mama Shelter Lyon

Resort Marqués de Riscal, Elciego, Spain
Architect and interior designer: Frank Gehry

Opened in 2006, Gehry’s hotel is in the medieval village of Elciego, near vineyards and historic wine cellars.

The blue and purple ceramic ribbon-curl roof cuts a striking scene contrary to the picturesque countryside.

The hotel is really two wings connected by a suspension footbridge. Each of the 43 luxury rooms and suites has its own distinctive shape and layout.

Gehry also did the interior layout. Leather and raw walnut wood punctuate furniture created by Gehry, including his Cloud lamps, found here from the Grand Deluxe room.

The Executive Suite overlooks some of the resort’s stunning architecture and features a dining room which has modern furniture.

The rooftop lounge and wine bar have scenic views, a fireplace and a library.

From 300 euros (roughly U.S.$390) each night | Resort Marqués de Riscal

Resort Lautner, Desert Hot Springs, California
Architect: John Lautner

Lautner started designing this distance from 1947 as a master planned community with 100 buildings, storefronts and pools on 600 acres for famous director Lucien Hubbard. Following four units, though, the project ground to a stop.

The units became various motels over the decades, until Los Angeles interior designer Tracy Beckmann and furniture designer Ryan Trowbridge bought the property and invested over four years renovating and relaunching the site as a four-suite boutique resort in 2011.

The Desert Retreat, found here, has a black and cream foundation palette using metallic accents along with a chocolate brown Milo Baughman couch.

The owners went to great lengths to honor Lautner’s original designs, sticking into a material palette of steel, concrete, redwood and glass, much of it revived.

The insides in The Redwood Lounge suite feature classic modern furniture, like a Warren Platner table and seats.

From $250 per night | Resort Lautner

The Hotel Luzern, Lucerne, Switzerland
Architect and interior designer: Jean Nouvel

Pritzker Prize–winning French starchitect Jean Nouvel made every square inch of this jaw-dropping interior space. Individual color schemes highlight each of the 30 rooms, and movie stills from the designer’s favorite directors — like David Lynch and Federico Fellini — are on lots of the walls and ceilings.

The Penthouse Suite, found here, is spacious, with warm hardwood floors, crisp minimalist decor along with a rooftop terrace. The film still is from The Matador, led by Pedro Almodóvar.

The seven-story 1907 building is situated only a few steps away from the Lucerne Culture and Convention Centre, which Nouvel additionally designed.

Modern light and stainless steel finishes exude magnificent layout.

Nouvel’s concept employs vertical lines in timber and horizontal lines from stainless steel.

This suite also features a still from Almodóvar’s The Matador.

The film still within this suite is out of Federico Fellini’s Il Casanova.

From around $295 | Hotel Luzern

Inn at Price Tower, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

Here is the famed architect’s only skyscraper. In 2003 New York architect Wendy Evans Joseph turned the best five floors to a 19-room hotel that nods to Wright’s aesthetic. There are two-story suites and a cantilevered restaurant and bar called Copper.

The Price Tower Arts Center takes up the rest of the building, with art exhibitions and tours of the restored 1956 insides.

The two-story Tower suites are over 800 square ft of color-happy layout.

The loft-style bedroom in the suite faces a wall of windows that overlooks a prairie.

Each of the chambers nod to Wright’s midcentury style ethos, with retro colors and slanted lines.

From $140 | Inn at Price Tower

The Parker Palm Springs, Palm Springs, California
Interior designer: Jonathan Adler

It-boy designer Jonathan Adler created over this old-Hollywood harbor in 2004, including his soda white design and kitschy-cool accents. The site was once Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch and Merv Griffin’s Givenchy Resort and Spa. If you can swing the cost, go for the Gene Autry suite, the spacious former residence of the film star.

The Autry suite has a private enclosed patio and sophisticated yet relaxing decor.

The large living, kitchen and dining areas blend similar Adler stylings and open to a terrace.

The one-bedroom Villas contain a enclosed terrace, a marble bathroom and a living area, displayed here, using a cool hanging chair and wet bar.

Even the Estate rooms comprise dazzling design. There are also bathroom products from Hermès, Molton Brown and Peter Thomas Roth.

The lavish and lavish 13-acre site comprises three pools, three restaurants, four tennis courts, two pétanque courts along with an 18-hole golf course.

From $385 | Parker Palm Springs

The Tides Beach Club, Kennebunkport, Maine
Designer inspiration: Jonathan Adler

Though not exactly made by Jonathan Adler himself, this renovated hundred-year-old property features two suites completely furnished by the Jonathan Adler Company. The suites have eye-catching upholstered headboards, Peruvian wool textile pillows and, needless to say, decorative pottery.

The boutique hotel has 21 rooms, a lot of which have ocean views, so the modern floral decoration is an ideal fit. Signature crisp Adler white pops with ocean blues within this suite bathroom.

Adler packs from $224 | The Tides Beach Club

Four Seasons New York, New York City
Architect: I.M. Pei

This 52-story limestone building is the famous Chinese designer only fully finished layout in the Western hemisphere. The limestone is the same used in Pei’s growth of the Louvre in Paris.

Here the West Lobby Provides a summit at the tower’s lavish design, in Addition to interiors by the company Chhada, Siembieda, Remedios.

The 4,300-square-foot Ty Warner penthouse suite (shown here), called after the Ty toy company owner, who bought the building in 1999, is allegedly the third-most-expensive suite in the world, at greater than $41,000 each night, according to CNN Travel.

Pei, who finished work on the building in 1993 but was unable to layout the penthouse he’d initially planned, came out of retirement in 1999 to create the Ty Warner suite with designer Peter Marino.

Cantilevered glass balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of Manhattan. There are also a full marble bathroom and a library.

The Studio Suite, on the 50th floor, is only slightly less striking. The 1,000-square-foot area is swathed in lace and velvet, with English sycamore wood decor.

There are two terraces and a marble bathroom with a deep soaking tub and a TV as well.

Pei also did the insides in the Ty Lounge, where guests can sip champagne and nosh on hors d’oeuvres near a large roaring fire.

From $995 per night | Four Seasons New York

The Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa, Rome, Italy
Architect: Gio Ponti

Built in 1964 by acclaimed Italian architect Gio Ponti, and with room views which overlook the park of art gallery Villa Borghese, this 179-room romantic hotel lately got a overhaul with gilded stuccowork, plush fabrics, classic paintings and more.

The elegant Royal Suite bedroom has a double bed, a marble bathroom and a steam sauna. There is also a separate dining area which seats 15, using a decorative fireplace.

The recently renovated suite is all about 3,700 square feet and features a panoramic terrace, a private kitchen and views of the dome of St. Peter’s.

An expansive event area overlooks a central courtyard.

The entrance to the hotel brims with romantic zeal.

The Deluxe Room offers views of Villa Borghese park and contains multiple balconies, ornate wood paneling (boiserie), elegant furnishings and Italian marble bathrooms.

A private solarium and panoramic terrace create the Presidential Suite a one time stay.

There are also nice paintings, a king-size bed and a spa.

The Italian marble spa in the Superior suite also has a view of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.

From around $380 per night | Parco p Principi

Inform us Which of them would you select? Where do you want to travel for layout ideas?

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