The Hotels Pulling On Our He-ART Strings
Gone are the days of basic, sterile hotel rooms. Gone too, are the days where you’d have to visit a museum or art gallery to get your creative fix. These days, it’s all about finding inspiration within the walls of curated hotel rooms that double as exhibition spaces.
If you know where to look (and we do), examples can be found in most destinations of the local art scene colliding with the realm of accommodation. There’s an abundance of dream destinations for art lovers out there, but we’ve rounded up some of our favourite hotels to spark your creativity.
“A harmonious space to discover and develop the creative self within allowing natural, aesthetic, and ancestral wisdom to be the guide” - Azulik.
Azulik, Tulum
You know when a resort’s tagline is “art is the fundamental expression of the human spirit”, that they probably take creativity seriously. Azulik – a luxurious resort meets sculptural masterpiece located in the jungle of Tulum – is as much an artistic destination as it is a place to rest your head.
The various buildings that make up Azulik’s innovative spaces are designed as immersive works of art, and its maze-like design, constructed from hand-crafted wooden frames and straw roofs, pays homage to the asymmetric harmony of nature.
This organic architecture, which provides a glimpse into the traditional mastery of local Mayan craftsman, connects its guests with nature in a visually stimulating way. Additional artistic cues can be found in the small gallery located on the resort’s property, various artworks strewn throughout the resort, and jungle-inspired garments inspired by the rich traditions of Latin America that are worn by staff and sold in the onsite boutique.
Natural architecture at Azulik
The fascinating spaces at Azulik’s art gallery, SFER IK Uh May.
BnA, Japan
Based in Tokyo, BnA (which stands for Bed and Art) is a social X art hotel project that endeavours to support Japanese artists while providing travellers with the unique experience of staying in an art piece.
According to the team behind BnA, the brand was born out of the realisation that many contemporary artists in Japan are unable to make a living through their trade; while visiting art enthusiasts are unable to find small, independent galleries that showcase up-and-coming local artists. In an effort to address both of these issues, BnA hotels are designed as a mutually beneficial ecosystem for both parties: hotels that empower local neighbourhoods while providing travellers with a truly culturalised experience during their stay.
The BnA Hotels can be found in key cities across Japan, namely Tokyo, Akihabara, and Kyoto, and each hotel attempts to capture the essence of what said region stands for, making them all totally unique.
The hotel in Akihabara is best described as a studio, which the Kyoto offering is modelled on a museum. What all BnA hotels have in common, however, is the delivery of a live-in-art experience for visitors, with each room centred around the artist’s distinctive vision.
BNA WALL, TOKYO
Daytime’s Daydream, an immersive room created by an anonymous group of artists.
The Slow, Bali
Founded by designer George Gorrow and model Cisco Tschurtschenthaler, The Slow, is an immersive boutique hotel that has helped put Canggu on Bali’s hotspot map. Located at the juncture of mystical hills, expansive rice paddies and epic surf beaches, the hotel is an emulation of island time.
Enhanced by the couple’s own style influences, including minimalism, tropical modernism, and Indonesian craftsmanship, the décor centres around the owner’s personal art collection, which adorns the walls of rooms and common spaces alike. The hotel’s décor fuses luxury with a rustic, boho slant, and features an abundance of tropical plants, lush sofas adorned in eclectic textiles, exposed concrete flooring and rattan rugs.
GRAND SUITE
One of the boutique hotel’s 12 spacious rooms where artworks blend seamlessly.
Mona Pavilions, Tasmania
Mona is Tasmania’s (and arguably Australia’s) most famous art museum, so naturally, you can count on its affiliated accommodation to be masterful. Situated on the River Derwent, Mona Pavilions are self-described as “super flashy luxury dens”.
Each of the eight bold pavilions are named after an influential Australian artist or architect and feature unique artworks from the Mona collection. The four original rooms celebrate famous Aussie artists Sidney (Nolan), Brett (Whiteley), Arthur (Boyd) and Charles (Blackman), and boast a painting by their namesakes, as well as ancient artefacts. They’re intimate, modernist and are perched dramatically over the river, with Zen-chic rooms and serene water views from outdoor decks.
The four newer pavilions, named after architects Robin (Boyd), Esmond (Dorney), Walter (Burley Griffin) and Roy (Grounds), are set back from the river and offer a different experience. The three-storey, two-bedroom faceted-metal penthouse, Roy, is the most spectacular, spacious and private (ideal for families), with a spa bath on the deck for bathing alfresco.
Either way, whichever pavilion you pick, you’ll be in walking distance of the museum, its exhibitions, beer and food, so you really can’t go wrong!
ROY
The property’s family-friendly penthouse overlooking the River Derwent.
The First Roma Arte by the Pavilions Hotels & Resorts
When in Rome – one of the most artistic cities in the world – why stay in any old hotel when you could sleep in an art gallery? The First Roma Arte is exactly that, making it the perfect base to explore the Eternal City.
Located a two-minute walk from Piazza del Popolo and seven minutes from the Spanish Steps, the luxurious property showcases 200 artworks across 29 suites and rooms that double as private art galleries.
Luxurious marble bathrooms, an onsite Michelin-starred restaurant, Acquolina, and a year-round Acquaroof terrace with sweeping views create a striking atmosphere.
JUNIOR SUITE
Lounge like an aristocrat in your own private art gallery.
The Drawing Hotel, Paris
In the heart of Paris’ creative heart, the first arrondissement, mere steps from iconic sites like the Palais-Royal, the Louvre Museum and the Opera, the Drawing Hotel is a contemporary hotel that provides a refreshing counterbalance to the surrounding grandeur.
Designed by Carine Tissot, the director of a local drawing fair, the 48-room hotel features furniture from French and international publishers and designers. Five modern artists were given carte blanche to decorate a floor of the hotel each, resulting in an absorbing journey for guests between geometric collages and whimsical watercolours.
The hotel also houses the Drawing Lab, the first private art centre dedicated to contemporary drawing, which features a regular rotation of works by local contemporary artists.
CONTEMPORARY PARIS
A sequential cinema session along the corridor by French artist, Françoise Pétrovitch.