Al Moudira

The Best 13 Art Hotels Around the World

Sprawling gardens adorned with sculptures, boutique gallery hotels and interiors curated by esteemed artists, all found in the world's best art hotels.
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Written by
Alesha Walton

Published on: February 23rd, 2024

Viewing art often invokes a sense of joy and inspiration, with similar emotions conjured up when we travel to new and exciting places. Art is often inextricably linked to travel experiences; visiting top galleries, street art tours or learning a new skill yourself. You can also take it a step further and stay in an art hotel.

Art hotels are a creative fusion of accommodation and gallery, many offer the opportunity to sleep in, dine in and wander through interiors and exteriors that are laden with different kinds of art. The best art hotels combine this notion with spectacular locations: imagine abstract sculptures in the verdant Winelands of South Africa, hand-painted frescoes in Italy and intriguing taxidermy in the Scottish Highlands.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the world’s best luxury art hotels.

1. Ellerman House - South Africa

Classy and sophisticated, Ellerman House showcases South African hospitality at its finest. This exquisitely decorated Cape Town property features a gallery dedicated to artwork that spans over two centuries of history. Wander through the large hall to delve into South Africa’s culture and politics as portrayed through contemporary pieces by William Kentridge, or immerse yourself in 1880s Winelands by British artist Thomas Bowler.

Ellerman House, Cape Town, South Africa

Ellerman House also presents the opportunity to receive a guided tour through the property’s art-adorned walls. The collection spills out into the garden, where spiritually-inspired South African sculptures can be found, such as ‘Large Malay Girl Fragment’ by artist and sculptor Lionel Smit.

Ellerman House, Cape Town, South Africa

2. The Silo Hotel - South Africa

A striking figure in Cape Town’s skyline renowned for its ‘pillowed-glass’ windows, The Silo Hotel is among the city’s architectural triumphs. The property is located in the grain elevator portion of the grain silo complex, six floors above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). Here you’ll find Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art.

The Silo Hotel

Inspired by MOCAA, The Silo, an art collection hotel, has a vibrant array of paintings, prints and sculptures within its 28 rooms. If you wish to delve further into the art adorning the walls, the space directly below the hotel, known as the Vault, is certainly worth a trip. This acts as a link between the hotel and local galleries in Cape Town. Each year the Silo collaborates with a different gallery to highlight two African artists through exhibitions presented at the Vault.

The Silo-rooms-royal-suite-bathroom

3. Delaire Graff Wine Estate - South Africa

Created by renowned diamantaire Laurence Graff OBE, Delaire Graff Wine Estate is a serene haven within the rolling landscape of the Winelands. The property features a garden hidden within the mountainous surroundings, where art and nature are combined to create a living canvas. Wander along the abstract art sculptures by the likes of Anton Smit and Dylan Lewis, whose bronze sculptures are a celebration of Africa’s fauna.

Delaire Graff Lodges Spa

The estate as a whole also acts as an art gallery with almost every wall or ceiling adorned with a piece of artwork. It isn’t just sculptures Delaire Graff Wine Estate commemorates; other mediums such as oil paint can be found here such as the famous ‘Chinese Girl’ by Vladimir Tretchikoff in the entrance, and the symbolic paintings by South African artist Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi within the spa reception.

Delaire Graff Lodges Spa

4. Kai Sengokuhara - Japan

Japan is a country famous for its wellness rituals and ryokans. Kai Sengokuhara is located in Hakone and offers you the opportunity to bathe in the soothing waters of the Owakudani hot springs. This hotel doesn’t just celebrate the healing properties of the volcanic water; twelve artists from around the world took part in a residency at the hotel and created artworks that are displayed in the guest rooms. 

 

KAI Sengokuhara Hoshino Resorts

Through the medium of paint, the artists expressed how they saw the lands of Sengokuhara and Hakone, with many of the pieces focusing on the district’s rich greenery, along with the tranquillity of Lake Ashi and the springs that surround the ryokan. Staying at Kai Sengokuhara allows you to soak in the peaceful ambience of Sengokuhara and admire the area’s nature both from the hot springs and also from within the space of your room.

KAI Sengokuhara Hoshino Resorts

5. Benesse House Hotel - Japan

Benesse House Hotel is located in the heart of a buzzing, art scene on Naoshima island. With numerous art projects, programs and exhibitions emerging in the local area, along with an adjoining art museum, this hotel complex is a contemporary art lover’s paradise.

Benesse House

The four types of accommodation available within the museum hotel are made up of minimalist rooms bedecked with drawings, prints, paintings and other works by the artists featured in the museum. Wander along the property grounds to find various sculptures scattered about the seashore and in the nearby forest.

Benesse House

6. The Dolder Grand - Switzerland

Perched on top of a hill overlooking the city of Zürich, The Dolder Grand hotel boasts a collection of over 100 artworks, which includes originals from surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Work from 90 different artists can be admired within the public areas of The Dolder Grand. The bronze sculpture ‘Woman with Fruit’ by Fernando Botero can be seen within the spa, along with work by contemporary artists such as Jani Leinonen andTakashi Murakami.

The Dolder Grand

The Dolder Grand also carries art into its restaurant, Blooms, a garden restaurant offering a peaceful outdoor dining experience. The restaurant, which is located on the fringe of a forest, includes a still-life photo collection by renowned photographer Lauren Bamford. Her works are repeatedly exhibited in galleries such as the National Gallery of Victoria.

The Dolder Grand

7. Galleria Vik Milano - Italy

Galleria Vik Milano is housed within the delightful location of Milan‘s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade. With its large collection of contemporary art and design, the building operates as both a luxurious hotel and a museum. The interiors of the hotel were reimagined in collaboration with celebrated architect Marcelo Daglio, with each room adorned with art from a group of Italian, Uruguayan and other international artists. 

Galleria Vik Milano

Many of these artists also created murals and installations for Galleria Vik Milano. From your first step within the building you’ll be able to admire creations such as the ginormous fresco in the lobby depicting gods, Titans and Amazonians holding up the world by Italian artist Alex Folla, and Russian-born artist Elena Trailini.

Galleria Vik Milano

8. Castello di Reschio - Italy

Deep within the verdant hills of Umbria lies Castello di Reschio, an ancient estate made up of eight timeless farmhouses and a castle hotel that dates back to the 11th century. The property’s 1940’s tobacco warehouse became the Tabaccaia, where the founder’s son brought his vibrant architectural designs to life. Nowadays the Tabaccaia hosts a rotating roster of art exhibitions from the likes of photojournalist Costantino Ruspoli and British sculptor Nic Fiddian-Green.

Mountain view in Umbria in Italy, Europe

Nic Fiddian-Green’s creations can also be seen throughout the grounds of the property, with his equine-inspired sculptures a show of appreciation for Castello di Reschio’s Spanish horses. Throughout the castle you will also find traditional portraits that have been acquired from various regions across Italy. 

Perugia, Umbria

9. Le Negresco - France

Much like the rest of the French Riviera, which is renowned for its glitzy charm, glorious architecture and rustic villages, Le Negresco is a delightful marriage between the old and the contemporary. Stepping through its doors will unlock a world teeming with over 6,000 contributions of artwork and period furniture. Wander through the salons dedicated to Louis XVI or Napoleon III, or perhaps marvel at the Venetian or ‘Street Art’ rooms.

Le Negresco (c) Gregoire Gardette 3916 HD

Le Negresco showcases a vast selection of French artwork spanning the 17th century to today. Highlights of its collection include the flamboyant shapes of the Nana Jaune by Niki de Saint Phalle in the Salon Royal, along with the gilded portraits and marble sculptures from the 17th and 18th centuries that greet you in the hotel’s lobby.

Le Negresco

10. Fife Arms - Scotland

A restored Victorian coaching inn, the Fife Arms, is located in the Cairngorms National Park village of Braemar, within the sprawling landscape of the Scottish Highlands. Art will be a key component of your experience at Fife Arms, with over 14,000 pieces having been woven into the decor of every room and corridor. This includes antiques and specially commissioned artworks which feature pieces from international artists such as Zhang Enli, Guillermo Kuitca and Bharti Kher.

Fife arms

The hotel’s collection includes contemporary pieces from artists such as naturalist James Prosek who designed Fife Arms’ coat of arms, along with a vast assortment of Scottish artworks. Fife Arms also utilises local talent, with the red squirrels in the children’s room hand-knitted by a local knitting group. The hotel even features an intriguing taxidermy collection that’s formed by over 100 pieces. 

Fife Arms

11. Hotel B - Peru

Deep in Lima’s bohemian district of Barranco and housed in a historical Belle Époque mansion is the artistic haven of Hotel B. Along with an ornate façade, open balconies and sprawling terraces, Hotel B has an art collection consisting of over 300 original pieces and installations spread across the property. 

Hotel B

The hotel offers detailed tours with their in-house curator, who will take you on an exploration of works by artists such as Víctor Rodríguez and Peruvian sculptor Aldo Chaparro. Hotel B also has an art store where you can take a part of the hotel home with you in the shape of souvenirs and crafts made by Peruvian and Latin American artists.  

Hotel B

12. Bahia Vik - Uruguay

On a site spanning acres of beach dunes in Uruguay with expansive views across the Southern Atlantic Ocean lies Bahia Vik. Concocted by Alexander and Carrie Vik in association with Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio, Bahia Vik is a retreat that incorporates vibrant works of art by Uruguayan artists into each of its 37 rooms. It also features a dazzling ceiling mural in the main building by Carlos Musso of stars, goats, figures and oversized birds.

BAHIA VIK

Also designed by the Viks are the sister properties of Estancia Vik and Playa Vik. Whilst Estancia Vik is home to a 12-foot abstract marble sculpture by world-famous Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry, Playa Vik is also impressive with a ‘sculpture building’ designed by architect Carlos Ott. This property also presents a collection of international and contemporary Uruguayan art throughout its rooms.

Playa Vik

13. Al Moudira - Egypt

The Al Moudira is a peaceful haven in Luxor, on the west bank of the river Nile in Egypt. The rooms feature hand-painted frescoes and the signature suites are engulfed by coloured-glass ceiling art. Zeina Abou Kheir, the hotel’s founder, is an accomplished international Lebanese jewellery designer. She fell in love with Egypt and has meticulously crafted the interiors of Al Moudira to celebrate the country; the painted glass is from Alexandria and the hand-painted floor tiles hail from various cities across Egypt. 

Al Moudira

Al Moudira is also adorned with a unique collection of art and sculptures that can be found throughout the various common areas of the hotel. The property hosts art exhibitions along with hands-on masterclasses in textile design, carpentry and pottery classes hosted by Egyptian artisans.

Al Moudira

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