The exact definition of a design hotel can be quite elusive. It tends to be a matter “you’ll know it when you see it”. A raise of the eyebrows when you enter the lobby or perhaps an exclamation upon steeping out to the pool are key indicators. These are hotels that have gone the extra mile in creating captivating environments that surprise and delight. They will often bear the signs of a masterful architect or visionary interior designer. You might find them filled with recognisable furniture designs, peppered amidst distinctive local finds. When all is said and done, they’re united by a sense of authenticity and taste, making for memorable says that linger on the mind. If this sounds enticing to you, read on for a round-up of the best design hotels on our radar…

 

Château La Coste, Aix-en-Provence

 

Château La Coste is a stunning example of a design hotel that’s seamlessly built art into the guest experience. Worldclass sculptures, paintings, and installations are part of the fabric of the place. The 600-acre sculpture park is home to the work of Louise Bourgeois, Renzo Piano, and Richard Serra, to name just a few. You’ll also find a vineyard on-site and, of course, the beautiful guest quarters themselves. The Villa and Auberge carry a characteristically Provencal feel, updated in modern terms. The place in its entirety emulates the environments of the bucolic villages which pepper the area, with a generous splash of architectural and artistic intrigue to sweeten the deal.

 

Tierra Patagonia, Torres del Paine

 

Tierra Patagonia is the place where adventurers and design-lovers converge, finding quite a lot to love in both departments. The scenery is nothing short of epic, with sweeping views of the entrancing Torres del Paine national park. The built environment is designed to both frame and enrich the views. The architecture has an organic quality to it, with curving forms cast in local lenga wood and crystalline glass. They well up from the earth to enfold guests after a day in the greatest of outdoors, legs buzzing from the hike and smiles beaming from the natural majesty of this otherworldly place.

 

Ett Hem, Stockholm

 

This city hotel in Stockholm is all about the comforts of home, elevated for a design-forward experience. The interiors are the work of esteemed British designer, Ilse Crawford. They’re filled with objects which combine to tell a story, creating a sense of warmth and character. The building itself is a quintessential Arts and Crafts-style home dating to 1910. It’s got a deeply Scandinavian feel to it, situated in a residential neighbourhood where guests can really meld into the city like locals.

 

Maison México, Mexico City

 

This boutique hotel sensitively weaves together the history of a grand old house with the intrigue of contemporary design. It’s positioned in the popular Roma neighbourhood, a place buzzing with enticing restaurants, lively bars, and uplifting energy. Maison México emanates that same cool and characterful quality, with intriguing design vignettes to be found around every corner.

 

The Oval at Benesse House, Naoshima

 

Benesse Art Site on Japan’s Naoshima Island is no newcomer to the global creative scene. Since 1989, it’s helped to set the standard for all manner of art destinations and cultural playgrounds. The addition of The Oval, designed by Tadao Ando, brings not only a highly unique six-room boutique hotel into the fray, but also a landmark architectural feature. The oculus has become a defining element of the island, beautifully punctuating the natural scenery and making Benesse House a key stop for design aficionados.

 

Castello di Reschio, Umbria

 

Castello di Reschio perches high on a crest in the Italian province of Umbria, peering out at its popular neighbour, Tuscany. The relative quietude of Umbria in all its under-explored glory makes it a perfect place to abscond from the world for a few days. The hotel itself is situated in a thousand-year-old castle, which has been transformed to incorporate modern accents against its time-worn architectural tapestry. Whether or not you’re the equine type, it’s well worth visiting the property’s stables, where the horses live just about as lavishly as the guests.

 

Pumphouse Point, Tasmania

 

Pumphouse Point is a particularly distinctive design hotel. Its remote location in the middle of a lake on a far-flung Tasmanian island sets an otherworldly scene. The pumphouse itself is an Art Deco-style building originally designed as a hydroelectric power station in the 1940s. It was decommissioned in the 1990s before starting a new life as a luxurious wilderness retreat amidst some of the most rarified biodiversity on earth. The island is now entirely self-sufficient, relying on renewable energy stemming in part from the hydro scheme set in motion those many years ago. So, Pumphouse Point holds its own not just as a unique work of design, but also a part of preserving the natural beauty which makes this such an enticing place to explore.

 

Fasano, São Paulo

 

Fasano’s São Paulo outpost, set in the idyllic Jardins district, is a beautifully blended confluence of European and Brazilian design. The furnishing holds true to the group’s Italian roots, with plenty of modern Continental designs. The building itself is finished in local materials, with walls of Brazilian freijo wood which add to a sleek yet warm 1930s style. It’s perfectly representative of the city’s design aesthetic, often admired for its clean lines set in rich natural materials.

 

Babylonstoren, Franschhoek

 

Babylonstoren is a world unto itself. Its setting in the Franschhoek wine valley of South Africa makes for a true garden of gastronomic delights. There’s a captivating quality to the Dutch colonial buildings, blazing stark white against the verdant scenery. Historic architecture gives way to clean, almost monastic interior schemes, creating a design haven amidst vineyards, produce plots, and hazy mountain views.

 

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland

 

Fogo Island Inn stands sentinel at Canada’s eastern edge, sitting where Newfoundland meets the sea. It’s about as design-forward as hotels come, with striking geometric forms cast in contemporary materials, creating an intriguing contrast between land and architecture. Indoors you’ll find idiosyncratic touches of personality which set a welcoming tone, sequestered away from the drama of the elements. The Inn reinvests all operating surpluses back into the local community and natural environment, creating a beautifully symbiotic relationship with this place and preserving what makes it so very special.

 

 

 

Text by Annabel Colterjohn