The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms
Bill Tikos, editor of trend-setting blog, the cool hunter, picks his top ten sexy hotel rooms from his new book.
One of our own graduates, Yuri Furuzawa, Class of 2005, was recruited to work at one of the listed properties, the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, since it newly opened in 2006.
Hotel Home, Argentina
Situated in the hip district of Palermo Viejo in the party destination of Buenos Aires, the smartly dressed Hotel Home was built in 2005 after British couple Tom Rixton and Patricia O'Shea noticed a distinct lack of stylish hotels while planning their wedding in the city. O'Shea said: "We wanted out friends and their friends to visit this fantastic neighbourhood and city. So we created Home."
Financed by record producer Flood and Crowded House bass player Nick Seymour, Home has become a destination spot in its own right, due to the owners' low-key attitude and quirky design sense that mixes vintage Scandinavian furniture with whimsical Parisian wallpaper.
The highlights are the shallow pool flanked by tropical plants and the private rooftop terrace dotted with tons of flowers and lemon trees that feed the bar's ever-popular Argentinian cocktails.
Hotel Home, Honduras 5860, Buenos Aires, Argentina + 54 11 4778 1008
Hotel Puerta America, Madrid, Spain
Hotel Puerta America has been described as a "massive design achievement, one that casts a long shadow on hoteliers and designers all around the world." The 342-room hotel commissioned a different architect or interior designer of internationl standing to create every floor so that each would realise the unique vision of the designer - from the elevator banks down to the blankets and bathrobes.
Highlights include the futuristic, Jetsons-style design of the first floor: sleek, stylish and playfully sophisticated. The eighth floor, designed by Scottish architect, Kathryn Findlay and lighting designer, Jason Bruges, hosts optical fibre panels on the wall which trace guests' movements and construct new images with every additional movement.
Each floor opens up into a whole new world making the hotel a destination site itself where guests can even change floors each night or take a guided tour giving it more a sense of an art museum than a typical hotel.
Hotel Puerta America, Avenida de America, 41, 28002 Madrid, Spain + 34 917 445 400
Bay of Fires Lodge, Tasmania, Australia
Guests looking for the ultimate Robinson Crusoe experience can't go wrong with Tasmania's Bay of Fires. Deep in the woods of Mount William National Park, the hotel is surrounded by steep cliffs, glacial valleys and rain forests which offer a diversity of habitats.
To secure a room at the lodge, guests must participate in a four-day walk around the national park taking in white sandy beachs, granite outcrops and a sweeping coastline.
The hotel is extremely eco-friendly with collected roof water used in the bathrooms and kitchens and a solar panel that provides power for all lighting, composting toilet ventilation and heaters.
Bay of Fires Lodge, P.O. Box 1879, Launceston 7250, Tasmania, Australia
Hyatt Regency, Kyoto, Japan
Combining earthy Japanese traditionalism and international contemporary design gives the Hyatt Regency an intimate ambience that makes you forget that it's part of the well-established chain.
The hotel is located in the secluded area of Higashiyama Shichijo in Kyoto and offers the best mix of Japanese and Western designs, featuring natural walnut walls and rich fabrics.
Guests can even choose to take up the Ishoku Dogen package where they are consulted about their health by an on-site acupuncturist and receive three acupuncture sessions during a two-night stay, followed by a special tea and a dinner that is tailored to suit each guest's health conditions.
Hyatt Regency Kyoto, 644-2 Sanjusangendo-mawari, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0941, Japan + 81 75 541 1234
Riva Lofts, Florence, Italy
The avant-garde Riva Lofts is said to offer the comfort of a quaint B & B with the cosmopolitanism of a world-class boutique and is famous for attracting the international art set.
Built in the nineteenth century as a factory, then transformed into artisans' workshops, this small complex of stone buildings served as the architecture studio of Claudio Nardi, known for his high-fashion boutiques for Dolce & Gabbana.
Nadi and his daughter then transformed the studio into a nine-suite hotel containing sleek and modern furnishings designed in the spirit of French studios, combining metropolitan style with a cozy, domestica atmosphere.
Riva Lofts, Via Baccio Bandinelli 98, 50142 Florence, Italy + 39 055 7130272
Vigilius Mountain Resort, Lana, Italy
Accessible only by a seven-minute cable car ride up the side of Vigiljoch Mountain near Merano, the Vigilius Mountain Resort stretches across a ridge, undisturbed by roads, traffic or noise.
Another hotel that prides itself on its ecofriendly stance, it was built only from local materials combining 300-year-old timber beams with state-of-the-art materials. Revolutionising the way hoteliers go green, the resort hosts a carbon dioxide neutral heating system that burns wood chips, a pool filled with water from a nearby spring and grass that is grown on the roof not just for design aesthetic but as an "ecological solution to energy conservation."
Described as "the ultimate escape", the Vigilius Mountain Resort inspires guests to enjoy the natural grandeur of the great outdoors.
Vigilius Mountain Resort, Vigiljoch Mountain, I-39011 Lana, Italy +39 0473 556 600
Mykonos Theoxenia, Mykonos, Greece
For over 40 years, the Mykonos Theoxenia has ranked among the top cosmopolitan locations on the Aegean, attracting the ultraglitterati including Jackie and Aristotle Onassis.
The hotel experienced a revamp in 2004 where the 1960s glam was maintained but brought up to contemporary standards that include a freeform swimming pool surrounded by gardens. The Junior Suite revels in 1960s decor as retro lamps and chairs are complimented by stone-clad walls, hessian fabrics, and minimal surfaces.
The redesign and refurbishment of the hotel has elevated Mykonos to the status of sophisticated retreat, known for its vibrant glamorous nightlife and landmark white windmills.
Mykonos Theoxenia, 84600 Kato Mili, Mykonos, Greece + 30 22890 22230
Hotel Particuliar, Paris, France
The only French hotel room in the list, the Hotel Particular exudes elegance, intimacy and fashion.
Each suite was conceptualised by a French artist and must be experienced, one by one, to be believed. The most noteable is The Hats and Poems Room where a poem hangs from every object and piece of furniture juxtaposed against a simple black and white decor. Another is the Vitrine Room which features a wild assortment of exotic accessories, like an erotically charged nineteenth-century "cabinet des curiosites" that includes tiny lips, a pink glass mollusklike creature, and a miniscule baby doll suspended in a glass ball.
The entire hotel can be rented out at once so that everyone can find a room that suits them, until it's time to switch.
Hotel Particulier Montmarte, 23, avenue Junot, 75018 Paris, France, + 33 1 53 41 81 40
DO & CO Hotel, Vienna, Austria
Situated on the sixth floor of the famous glass-walled Haas Haus building, the Do & Co Hotel stuns guests with the view - a straight-on, full-size, close-up panorama of the ornate St. Stephen's Cathedral that has defined Vienna since 1147.
Designers have successfully combined the heritage of the hotel's Istanbul-born founder, Attila Dogudan, with Vienna's prissy past to offer guests an understated luxury in every room. Each one is shaped like wedges of cake but the potential feeling of claustrophobia is countered by the white furniture, dark teal detailing and bare hardwood floors.
DO & CO Hotel, Stephansplatz 12, 1010 Vienna, Austria +43 1 24 188
Hotel Basico, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
The Hotel Basico is the fourth hotel project from the ingenious firm Grupo Habita which elegantly captures the down-to-earth aspects of Mexican culture without sacrificing its glamour, colour or sense of adventure.
It exudes industrial chic as much of the suites are made up of retro furnishings and recycled materials from public schools, cantinas and oil refineries from the 1950s and come complete with an unusally high bed and an awe-inspiring view of the Caribbean.
The hotel expertly captures the essence of the beach atmosphere by providing guests with a beach ball, flippers and a floating tyre and an open-air reception area complete with a desk that functions as an exotic juice-stand by day and a bar by night.
Hotel Basico, 5a. Av. and Calle 10 Norte, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico + 52 984 879 44 48
Need to know
The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms is written by editor of the cool hunter blog, Bill Tikos.
One of our own graduates, Yuri Furuzawa, Class of 2005, was recruited to work at one of the listed properties, the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, since it newly opened in 2006.Hotel Home, Argentina
Situated in the hip district of Palermo Viejo in the party destination of Buenos Aires, the smartly dressed Hotel Home was built in 2005 after British couple Tom Rixton and Patricia O'Shea noticed a distinct lack of stylish hotels while planning their wedding in the city. O'Shea said: "We wanted out friends and their friends to visit this fantastic neighbourhood and city. So we created Home."
Financed by record producer Flood and Crowded House bass player Nick Seymour, Home has become a destination spot in its own right, due to the owners' low-key attitude and quirky design sense that mixes vintage Scandinavian furniture with whimsical Parisian wallpaper.
The highlights are the shallow pool flanked by tropical plants and the private rooftop terrace dotted with tons of flowers and lemon trees that feed the bar's ever-popular Argentinian cocktails.
Hotel Home, Honduras 5860, Buenos Aires, Argentina + 54 11 4778 1008
Hotel Puerta America, Madrid, Spain
Hotel Puerta America has been described as a "massive design achievement, one that casts a long shadow on hoteliers and designers all around the world." The 342-room hotel commissioned a different architect or interior designer of internationl standing to create every floor so that each would realise the unique vision of the designer - from the elevator banks down to the blankets and bathrobes.
Highlights include the futuristic, Jetsons-style design of the first floor: sleek, stylish and playfully sophisticated. The eighth floor, designed by Scottish architect, Kathryn Findlay and lighting designer, Jason Bruges, hosts optical fibre panels on the wall which trace guests' movements and construct new images with every additional movement.
Each floor opens up into a whole new world making the hotel a destination site itself where guests can even change floors each night or take a guided tour giving it more a sense of an art museum than a typical hotel.
Hotel Puerta America, Avenida de America, 41, 28002 Madrid, Spain + 34 917 445 400
Bay of Fires Lodge, Tasmania, Australia
Guests looking for the ultimate Robinson Crusoe experience can't go wrong with Tasmania's Bay of Fires. Deep in the woods of Mount William National Park, the hotel is surrounded by steep cliffs, glacial valleys and rain forests which offer a diversity of habitats.
To secure a room at the lodge, guests must participate in a four-day walk around the national park taking in white sandy beachs, granite outcrops and a sweeping coastline.
The hotel is extremely eco-friendly with collected roof water used in the bathrooms and kitchens and a solar panel that provides power for all lighting, composting toilet ventilation and heaters.
Bay of Fires Lodge, P.O. Box 1879, Launceston 7250, Tasmania, Australia
Hyatt Regency, Kyoto, Japan
Combining earthy Japanese traditionalism and international contemporary design gives the Hyatt Regency an intimate ambience that makes you forget that it's part of the well-established chain.
The hotel is located in the secluded area of Higashiyama Shichijo in Kyoto and offers the best mix of Japanese and Western designs, featuring natural walnut walls and rich fabrics.
Guests can even choose to take up the Ishoku Dogen package where they are consulted about their health by an on-site acupuncturist and receive three acupuncture sessions during a two-night stay, followed by a special tea and a dinner that is tailored to suit each guest's health conditions.
Hyatt Regency Kyoto, 644-2 Sanjusangendo-mawari, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0941, Japan + 81 75 541 1234
Riva Lofts, Florence, Italy
The avant-garde Riva Lofts is said to offer the comfort of a quaint B & B with the cosmopolitanism of a world-class boutique and is famous for attracting the international art set.
Built in the nineteenth century as a factory, then transformed into artisans' workshops, this small complex of stone buildings served as the architecture studio of Claudio Nardi, known for his high-fashion boutiques for Dolce & Gabbana.
Nadi and his daughter then transformed the studio into a nine-suite hotel containing sleek and modern furnishings designed in the spirit of French studios, combining metropolitan style with a cozy, domestica atmosphere.
Riva Lofts, Via Baccio Bandinelli 98, 50142 Florence, Italy + 39 055 7130272
Vigilius Mountain Resort, Lana, Italy
Accessible only by a seven-minute cable car ride up the side of Vigiljoch Mountain near Merano, the Vigilius Mountain Resort stretches across a ridge, undisturbed by roads, traffic or noise.
Another hotel that prides itself on its ecofriendly stance, it was built only from local materials combining 300-year-old timber beams with state-of-the-art materials. Revolutionising the way hoteliers go green, the resort hosts a carbon dioxide neutral heating system that burns wood chips, a pool filled with water from a nearby spring and grass that is grown on the roof not just for design aesthetic but as an "ecological solution to energy conservation."
Described as "the ultimate escape", the Vigilius Mountain Resort inspires guests to enjoy the natural grandeur of the great outdoors.
Vigilius Mountain Resort, Vigiljoch Mountain, I-39011 Lana, Italy +39 0473 556 600
Mykonos Theoxenia, Mykonos, Greece
For over 40 years, the Mykonos Theoxenia has ranked among the top cosmopolitan locations on the Aegean, attracting the ultraglitterati including Jackie and Aristotle Onassis.
The hotel experienced a revamp in 2004 where the 1960s glam was maintained but brought up to contemporary standards that include a freeform swimming pool surrounded by gardens. The Junior Suite revels in 1960s decor as retro lamps and chairs are complimented by stone-clad walls, hessian fabrics, and minimal surfaces.
The redesign and refurbishment of the hotel has elevated Mykonos to the status of sophisticated retreat, known for its vibrant glamorous nightlife and landmark white windmills.
Mykonos Theoxenia, 84600 Kato Mili, Mykonos, Greece + 30 22890 22230
Hotel Particuliar, Paris, France
The only French hotel room in the list, the Hotel Particular exudes elegance, intimacy and fashion.
Each suite was conceptualised by a French artist and must be experienced, one by one, to be believed. The most noteable is The Hats and Poems Room where a poem hangs from every object and piece of furniture juxtaposed against a simple black and white decor. Another is the Vitrine Room which features a wild assortment of exotic accessories, like an erotically charged nineteenth-century "cabinet des curiosites" that includes tiny lips, a pink glass mollusklike creature, and a miniscule baby doll suspended in a glass ball.
The entire hotel can be rented out at once so that everyone can find a room that suits them, until it's time to switch.
Hotel Particulier Montmarte, 23, avenue Junot, 75018 Paris, France, + 33 1 53 41 81 40
DO & CO Hotel, Vienna, Austria
Situated on the sixth floor of the famous glass-walled Haas Haus building, the Do & Co Hotel stuns guests with the view - a straight-on, full-size, close-up panorama of the ornate St. Stephen's Cathedral that has defined Vienna since 1147.
Designers have successfully combined the heritage of the hotel's Istanbul-born founder, Attila Dogudan, with Vienna's prissy past to offer guests an understated luxury in every room. Each one is shaped like wedges of cake but the potential feeling of claustrophobia is countered by the white furniture, dark teal detailing and bare hardwood floors.
DO & CO Hotel, Stephansplatz 12, 1010 Vienna, Austria +43 1 24 188
Hotel Basico, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
The Hotel Basico is the fourth hotel project from the ingenious firm Grupo Habita which elegantly captures the down-to-earth aspects of Mexican culture without sacrificing its glamour, colour or sense of adventure.
It exudes industrial chic as much of the suites are made up of retro furnishings and recycled materials from public schools, cantinas and oil refineries from the 1950s and come complete with an unusally high bed and an awe-inspiring view of the Caribbean.
The hotel expertly captures the essence of the beach atmosphere by providing guests with a beach ball, flippers and a floating tyre and an open-air reception area complete with a desk that functions as an exotic juice-stand by day and a bar by night.
Hotel Basico, 5a. Av. and Calle 10 Norte, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico + 52 984 879 44 48
Need to know
The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms is written by editor of the cool hunter blog, Bill Tikos.
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