Style: Europe’s Top Design Hotels
by Frenchie
Are you searching for modern design, clean lines, high-tech services, and spas? Are you tired of traveling in hotels that lack in personality and all look alike—no matter what the location? How about touring Europe design style? Below are some of the nicest boutique hotels the continent has to offer.
Berlin
Ku’Damm 101: an homage to Le Corbusier
Kurfürstendamm 101, D-10711 Berlin
t 49.30.52.00.55.0
f 49.30.52.00.55.555
Ku’Damm 101 offers 170 rooms with a pure design, high-speed internet with a wireless LAN network, breakfast above Berlin’s rooftops, a lounge bar, and well-being treatments (including reflexology, shiatsu, and yoga).
Rome
The Radisson SAS es. Hotel: 100% design
Via Flilipo Turati 171, Rome, 00185
t 39.06.444841
This glass-and-steel hotel was designed by architects J. King and R. Rosselli to resemble the deck of a ship. The Radisson SAS es. is the ideal place to stay when embarking on a tour of Italy’s gorgeous capital city.
London
The Sanderson: an interesting mix of style with a touch of humor!
50 Berners Street, London, England W1T 3NG
t 44.0.20.7300.1400 or (from the U.S.) t 800.606.6090
f 44.0.20.7300.1401
Sanderson offers a retreat from the bustle of the city into a world of fantasy and well being. Philippe Stark has transformed the landmark 1950s building into a surreal Cocteau-like dream world, with a lushly landscaped interior courtyard garden, world-class gourmet restaurant by Alain Ducasse, and the extensive facilities of the renowned Agua Bathhouse. The rooms are designed without interior walls; instead, the bathroom and dressing room are encased in a glowing floor-to-ceiling glass box wrapped in layers of sheer curtains.
Amsterdam
The Dylan (formerly Blakes): the most romantic one
Keizersgracht 384, 1016 GB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
t 31.0.20.530.2010
f 31.0.20.530.2030
The Dylan is established in an exceptional seventeenth-century landmark and former theater along the city’s famous Keizergracht canal. This place is magical!
Vienna
The Méridien: the marriage of art and technology
Opernring 13, A–1010, Vienna, Austria
t 1.800.543.4300
294 Art and Tech rooms offer the ultimate in innovative luxury and an environment that will engage, surprise, and intrigue. Surfaces are kept clear; satin stainless steel and frosted or etched glass provide a minimalist clutter-free feel. Specially commissioned amenities include luxury toiletries and an exclusive bar of Hermes® soap. Most of Vienna’s cultural institutions, sights, landmarks, shopping malls are within walking distance from the hotel or easily reachable by public transport.
Nice
The Hi Hôtel: experience life from a different perspective
3 Avenue des fleurs, 06000 Nice, France
t 33.0.4.97.07.26.26
Designed by Matali Grasset, this hotel offers a different concept (nine total for thirty-eight rooms) and experience depending on which room you chose. Most rooms have no walls separating bathrooms and bed. It’s also a place where one can breathe easy and relax: an oxygen sphere to forget everything, and to begin anew.
Prague
Hotel Josef: a thoroughly contemporary statement
Ybna 20, 11000 Prague
t 420.221.700.111
Eva Jiricna’s design builds on the great twentieth-century Czech modern design tradition. Jiricna, architect of some of the most innovative interiors in London, Paris and New York brings a highly crafted approach to state-of-the-art materials that create a unique setting in one of Europe’s historic centers.
Paris
Murano Urban Resort: the hip hotel of Paris
13, Boulevard du Temple, 75003 Paris
t 33.0.1.42.71.20.00
Located in the center of Paris, the Murano is the French capital’s first boutique hotel—and Trés à la mode
(very in fashion) right now. Decoration is ultra modern with a touch of poetry. Check out the Honey Moon suite!
Barcelona
Hotel Arts: a spectacular views over the city and sea
Carrer de la Marina, 19-21, Barcelona, 08005
t 34.93.221.1000
www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/barcelona/
This contemporary hotel on the shores of the Mediterranean overlooking Port Olympic enjoys a spectacular beach-front location near Barcelona’s finest shops and restaurants.
