Zerotwonine

You know that 029 loves everything travel & lifestyle related. And we go weak in the knees for exceptionally designed hotels. That is why we wanted to share with you this excellent article, courtesy of The Frog & Princess - about their favourite design hotels.

Because when it comes to jet-setting around the world and staying in exquisite hotels, well Mrs. Princess and Mr. Frog have quite some expert experience under their Gucci belts, or maybe Hermès?

Without further ado…The Frog & Princess’ favourite design hotels from two very stylish individual.

My Favorite Design Boutique Hotels.

Definition: boutique hotel = a small, luxury hotel offering premium services, often located in a fashionable location.

Etymology: from boutique ’small, exclusive shop’.

Hotel Keppler

PZ loves boutique hotels. So does her Frog. I drool over the gorgeous modern designs, charming ambiance and cool high-tech facilities. The small number of rooms also mean better client attention and less likely to bump into troops of noisy children.

Boutique hotels have mushroomed all over the world, in answer to travelers looking for small, luxury, intimate accommodations, the alternative to the large mass-market chain hotels. Boutique hotels are the fastest-growing niche market in many cities with individual, chic hotels quickly ascertaining its presence as THE place to be.

They tend to be life-style focused, brand-marketed and intent on creating a dream and not just of practicality for providing a place to sleep. The origins of boutique hotel I’d say started with Blakes Hotel, London by hotelier designer Anouska Hempel. Each of the 51 rooms carries its own unique individual design, earning its reputation as “The Couture Hotel.” Although I’ve been lucky to dine there, I have stayed at the sister hotel Blakes in Amsterdam (now The Dylan) and I can most certainly say if Amsterdam wasn’t so beautiful, I’d be happy to stay in the red oriental bedroom all day.

Blakes, Amsterdam

So here I’d like to share with you some PZ favourites – old classics and new – just to spread the joy. There’s so many of course that it’s a really tough selection!! So note there will be further posts on this topic. Please do share your must-stay boutique hotels wherever it may be and I’ll add them with your mention in future posts.

Paris:

L’Hotel

- L’Hotel (Oscar Wilde’s haunt on the Left Bank). Winner of the best urban hotel in the world 2008, Harper’s Bazaar. 20 rooms individually decorated.

Hotel Keppler

- Hotel Keppler by Pierre-Yves Rochon. 39 divine rooms. New.

London:

Haymarket Hotel

-The Haymarket Hotel by Tim and Kip Kent. A landmark building by the
legendary John Nash.  50 rooms.

The Sanderson

- The Sanderson hotel by Philippe Starck.

Barcelona:

Casa Fuster

- Casa Fuster. Restored Landmark building in the modernist style (like Gaudi.)

Hotel Omm

- Hotel Omm by architect Juli Capella and interior designers Sandra Tarruella and Isabel López. 91 rooms.

Singapore:

New Majestic Hotel

- New Majestic Hotel. 30 individually designed rooms, mixing vintage and designer.

Hong Kong:

Abeo

- Abeo. 52 rooms. State of the art technology and architecture

Lang Kwai Wang Hotel

- Lang Kwai Wang Hotel. Boutique hotel style but 162 rooms (pretty typical in HK). Gorgeous though with fantastic panoramic views.

PZ.

http://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/my-favorite-design-boutique-hotels/