Chloe Berman checks out designer-brand hotels for dedicated followers of fashion
Fashion hotels are very much in vogue. Since Donatella Versace led the way with the Palazzo Versace in 1994, a number of fashion houses have spotted an opportunity to offer something bold in a crowded luxury hotel market.
A growing number of designers including Missoni and Bulgari are forging partnerships with established hotel chains to ensure their hotels have substance as well as style. And with high-profile openings expected next year from Armani, Versace and Missoni, the fashion hotel trend is about to make its mark.
Future hotspots for development will be Dubai – where Armani and Versace go head to head in 2009 – and prestigious shopping locations such as Milan and London.
In the meantime, even the fussiest fashionista will find something they like, be it the sleek Bulgari Hotel in Milan or Christian Lacroix’s ritzy Hotel du Petit Moulin in Paris. Here’s the best of the bunch.
G Hotel, Galway
Celebrity milliner Philip Treacy, who counts Madonna among his clients, designed this flamboyant 101-room hotel.
The public rooms may be an acquired taste with black-and-white vortex carpets and bubblegum-pink walls, but the bedrooms are more elegant with artwork that reflects the Galway coast setting.
The team of butlers, valet parking attendants and cocktail mixologists make guests feel as glamorous as the celebrities who don Treacy’s hats.
Book it: Doubles from £150.
Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast, Australia
Donatella Versace was the first designer to take her brand into the hotel sector. The ostentatious Versace style is present in every detail of the Palazzo Versace, from the antique chandeliers to the crystal glasses in the minibar, and most are for sale in the on-site boutique.
This is pure unabashed luxury and has a location to match, 100 metres from the beach and next to its own private marina.
Book it: Doubles from £230.
Bulgari Hotel, Milan
A more understated option, the Bulgari Hotel is in a quiet area of the city but close to the main shopping area. This is an idyllic place to chill out after pounding the pavements, with meditation areas, landscaped gardens and a gold mosaic swimming pool.
Ferraris for hire, personal shoppers and private boat trips over Lake Como are also available for guests happy to splash out.
Book it: Doubles from £550.
Hotel du Petit Moulin by Christian Lacroix, Paris
The unassuming entrance of this former bakery in the Marais district makes way for a striking and theatrical interior.
Christian Lacroix, known for his outlandish style, has designed each of the 17 rooms with its own theme. The walls are covered in huge floral prints and bold colours, and the furniture ranges from rustic to oriental.
Book it: Doubles from £150.
Pelican Hotel by Diesel, Miami
The quirky industrial style of Diesel is obvious throughout this 30-room boutique hotel in the heart of South Beach.
Travellers can find a room to match their personality, from ‘Psychedelic(ate) Girl’ to ‘Executive 50s’. Or, for the ultimate in kitsch, try the penthouse with a six-foot fish tank, 50in TV and canary yellow dining room table.
Book it: Doubles from £110.
Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh (opens spring 2009)
Fashion house Missoni has signed a deal with Rezidor to launch its own hotel chain. Missoni Edinburgh will have a prominent position on the Royal Mile and
offer a Missoni-themed restaurant and spa with fitness centre and swimming pool.
Armani Hotel, Dubai (opens late 2009)
Armani’s first foray into the hotel business will be 160 rooms in the Burj Dubai, currently under construction in the downtown area of the city and already the world’s tallest building. Armani also plans hotels in Marrakesh and Milan.
Palazzo Versace, Dubai (opens late 2009)
Versace’s second hotel project is rumoured to include a ‘chilled beach’ with cold air pumped through pipes under the sand and giant aquariums with fish from the Red Sea. The property, on the edge of Dubai Creek, will include 215 suites, restaurants and a spa.
- Photo gallery – images of G Hotel, Bulgari Hotel and Hotel du Petit Moulin
- Hotel Girl – Chloe Berman’s hotels blog for Travel Weekly
