Hotels For Design Lovers

Haymarket by Scandic, Stockholm

Stockholm may be the undisputed capital of minimalist chic but the newly opened Haymarket by Scandic hotel shows an entirely different side of Scandi design. This gigantic 405-bedroom hotel is housed within the 1916 Paul Urbanus Bergström (PUB) department store, where screen siren Greta Garbo once worked in the millinery section. As such, an Art Deco-meets-Hollywood glamour theme runs throughout. The scheme was devised by local design studio Koncept Stockholm and it’s one that oozes luxury with a sense of fun; think Miami Vice pink with splashes of rich turquoise and purple, peacock feathers, flamingo wallpaper and gilded surfaces. No wonder it’s swiftly becoming one of Stockholm’s hottest hotels.　scandichotels.com/haymarket

Mar Adentro, Mexico

Those in the know are eschewing the jam-packed shores of Cancun for Mexico’s pristine west coast following a slew of trendy hotel openings. The most eye-catching by far is the glitzy Hotel Mar Adentro located in San José del Cabo on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Described by Architectural Digest as a ‘futuristic dreamscape’, this ultra modern resort is a minimalist’s paradise, replete with stark white lines and bold geometric shapes. The complex was designed by Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés to appear as if floating over the huge reflective pool centrepiece, which also includes an eye-catching central restaurant shaped like a bird’s nest.　maradentrocabos.com

Papaya Playa Project, Mexico

Although the west coast may be enjoying its time in the spotlight, Mexico’s sun-drenched Caribbean coast remains unsurpassed when it comes to luxury accommodation. The Papaya Playa Project, located in the idyllic coastal town of Tulum, is a masterclass in barefoot luxury and sustainable architecture. The resort is made up of 85 casitas and cabañas, with everything made from indigenous materials using ancient Mayan construction techniques. The most recent addition to the project is a luxury two-storey treehouse peeking over the treetops in the neighbouring jungle. Designed by the resort's founder and principal architect, Emilio Heredia, the treehouse is built on large wooden stilts and accessed via a winding staircase, where inside you’ll find futuristic curved details and large windows that bring the outside in. As with the entire resort, the building has been created in harmony with its natural surroundings and offers a truly unforgettable overnight experience.　papayaplayaproject.com

The Silo, Cape Town

This five-star boutique hotel has topped many a design lover’s must-see list this year, and it’s easy to see why. A landmark hotel set to transform the Cape Town skyline, The Silo is built within the elevator of the historic grain silo complex – once sub-Saharan Africa’s tallest building. The whole development has been given a new lease of life by acclaimed hotel group The Royal Portfolio, who made preserving the building’s original industrial charm top priority. British design wunderkind Thomas Heatherwick has worked his magic with the hotel’s statement ‘pillowed’ windows that create an overall effect of a lantern bobbing along the V&A Waterfront at night.　theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo