Built in 1822, Hotel La Palma was Capri’s first-ever hotel, and also known as the “artists’ hotel” for hosting many creative luminaries in its time. This legacy inspired Sultana to gather top Italian craftsmen and artisans to infuse the space with new creative energy. “Capri is an island of romanticism and has a history of great aesthetes,” says Sultana.

Art is woven into the spaces in non-traditional ways, best represented by the ceiling fresco by Roberto Ruspoli in the lobby, which shows the hotel’s commitment to ensuring art is not just hung on the walls. When it does appear on the walls, however, it makes it count—Italian artist Luisa Lambri was tasked to create artworks for all 50 rooms.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Mexican hospitality pioneer Grupo Habita owns various boutique hotels, each with its own personality. Its latest opening, Hotel Terrestre, represents a turning point in their quest for sustainability. “We have spent the past decade designing and building sustainable hotels, starting with Hotel Escondido, and now we have achieved the pinnacle with the 100 per cent solar-powered Hotel Terrestre,” says Rafael Micha, co-founder of Grupo Habita.

Nestled in a lush jungle, Hotel Terrestre is a group of seven brutalist-inspired buildings envisioned by architect Alberto Kalach and his team at Taller de Arquitectura X, along with interior design studio RB + K. Crafted with locally sourced materials such as brick, wood, clay and sand, the property also features innovative passive cooling techniques rather than relying on air-conditioning.

Adding a sense of luxury to the 14 interconnected villas are custom furniture by Mexican designer Oscar Hagerman; the Ruiseñor (“mockingbird” in Spanish) chairs, in particular, are a favourite of Micha. While it might be challenging to replicate the enormity of the hotel’s sustainable ethos in your home, more manageable tweaks such as using less glass and choosing natural materials for your furnishings are steps in the right direction.

New York, US

Jean-Michel Gathy is part of a rarefied cabal of designers entrusted to craft the most exclusive hotels and resorts in the world. His latest achievement: the much-anticipated Aman New York. A total transformation of the iconic Crown Building in Manhattan, it is a project that has to respect history but also pen its own story.

Located on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Crown Building was erected in 1921 and designed by Warren & Wetmore, the influential architects behind the Grand Central Terminal. Aman ensured the proper restoration of this storied building, but put its stamp by adhering to the brand’s ethos of creating visually arresting yet elegant spaces.

While the shell is undeniably representative of New York glamour, each of the 83 suites reflects the brand’s design language. Gathy infused each suite with elements inspired by the architecture of Aman’s properties in Southeast Asia, but also incorporated opulent additions such as marble bathrooms and oval bathtubs.

Luxurious material and colour palettes featuring cream, beige, ecru and black create an elegant and cocooning environment. One of the main highlights is a large mural by contemporary Japanese artist Ryoko Adachi, which was inspired by the 15th-century masterpiece Pine Trees (Shōrin-zu byōbu) by Hasegawa Tōhaku. Looking at this calming space proves that a neutral palette need not look predictable, as long as one employs a wide range of textures and does not stint on the details—especially when it comes to art.

Miami, US

It’s easy to scroll through similar-looking Instagram posts, but some visuals pop out from the monotony of social media. Case in point: The Goodtime Hotel in Miami’s South Beach, a lifestyle brand conceived by partners David Grutman of Groot Hospitality and Pharrell Williams. The property certainly has star power—though it is the eye-catching design that sets it apart.

A vision brought to life by architect Morris Adjmi, designer Ken Fulk and landscape architect Raymond Jungles, the hotel is a tribute to the art deco era and embodies the power of nostalgia; the trio created the feeling of having escaped to another time while also being totally current.

The hotel’s public face features a corrugated façade, hand-painted hothouse murals and art deco-style plasterwork, while the rooms include bespoke drapes and leopard-print benches. The most striking space is restaurant and pool club Strawberry Moon, which channels mid-century Caribbean and Central American resort towns with its striped pastel tiling, vintage scalloped bar seating and pinstriped awnings.

Madrid, Spain

The brainchild of hospitality maven Ian Schrager, architectural genius John Pawson and sought-after designer François Champsaur, The Madrid Edition is a 200-room hotel housed in a four-storey former bank built in the 1980s, yet the property is nothing like your usual adaptive reuse project.

Its unconventional approach starts in the lobby. Instead of a lounge peppered with seating and accented with floral arrangements and a chandelier, a lone white sculptural spiral staircase stands in the middle of the dark-hued foyer.

The hotel’s bar and bedrooms also offer a masterclass in employing a white palette without being boring. The Lobby Bar layers various white and cream textures that proffer a sensual feel, bolstered by choice furnishings such as Jean-Michel Frank sofas and a distinctive pool table which designer Emmanuel Levet Stenne sculpted from a single slab of white Bianco Neve marble.

Bangkok, Thailand

When it first burst onto the hospitality scene, The Standard set the bar for urban properties that don’t take themselves too seriously. The brand’s hotel in Bangkok, its first and flagship property in Southeast Asia, offers the same lively energy upped a notch as a result of its in-house design team partnering with visionary designer Jaime Hayon. The hotel also features Ojo Bangkok, a Mexican restaurant on the 76th floor with glamorous interiors by Thai tastemaker Ou Baholyodhin.

This new hotel takes a cue from its sister properties—it has, for instance, a version of American brasserie The Standard Grill in New York—but does also sport its own distinct identity, which draws inspiration from Bangkok’s thriving creative and music scene. The gallery-inspired check-in area is filled with objets d’art crafted by artisans in Thailand, which include the handmade rattan lamps; the hotel also features other locally made art and furnishings throughout its interior spaces.

An idea to adopt in your own space is the playful yet elegant way Hayon designed the guest rooms. From the mirrors to the headboard and furnishings, all the pieces have rounded edges that create a soft, sensual atmosphere. Warm hues of mustard, coral, navy and sage are set against a neutral shell to perpetuate the cosy feel. Unlike the utilitarian mini bars in hotels, this establishment also provides a lovingly crafted bar area in-room to encourage socialising and conversation.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam

As Regent Hotels & Resorts’ first resort in Southeast Asia, this landmark property needed to make a statement. Located on Vietnam’s southwest coast next to a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, the development embraces sustainability and locality in a manner that’s carefully expressed in Blink Design Group’s studied approach.

Regent Phu Quoc’s 176 suites and 126 villas are rooted in simplicity and masterful proportions achieved through the use of natural materials, clever framing of its surroundings and Vietnamese influences. The spaces also took inspiration from Gian Nha—the small pockets and courtyards within a traditional Vietnamese house, as seen in the villa’s open areas.

“The design is inspired by traditional Vietnamese architecture focusing on the Bovi bracket [a wooden truss structural system]. We have abstracted that feature and developed it into subtle patterns that feature on screens, carpets and accessories. It reflects our DNA on placemaking, combining the gorgeous location and the rich local culture,” says Clint Nagata, founder and creative partner of Blink Design Group.

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