Off the beaten track? Check. Postcard-perfect views? Check. Design cred to show off on IG (if you get reception)? Check. We pick the best new designer hotels to check into – and what to pack.
For the history and architecture buff, the recently renovated 34-room The Qvest in Cologne, Germany sits in a 119-year-old heritage building that used to house the city’s archives. It retains the grand neo-Gothic architecture, but gets a swishy art-gallery update for the interiors thanks to the Bauhaus and mid-century modern touches such as furniture by the likes of Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen and Mies van der Rohe.
Clockwise from left to right: Cotton-blend wrap dress, $750, Diane von Furstenberg. Wool pullover, Carven. Michael Kors Collection acetate sunglasses, Michael Kors. Calfhair and leather shoulder bag, Lanvin. Patent leather Mary Janes, $900, Bottega Veneta
The Huus Gstaad opened last month in the ski town of Gstaad in south-western Switzerland, a hotspot for the jet set during the winter months. Perched 1,111m above sea level, the 136-room hotel retains the Alpine chalet style of the original ’80s building it now occupies, but boasts contemporary and homey Scandi touches on the inside – the brainchild of Norwegian architect and designer Erik Nissen Johansen.
Clockwise from left to right: G. Kero cotton-blend shirt, Rue Madame. Nicholas Kirkwood leather boots, On Pedder. Nylon backpack, $2,450, Prada. Embroidered leather gloves, $179, Scotch & Soda. Silver bracelet with charms, $337, Pandora
Ibiza may have a rep as clubber central, but the four-month-old La Granja estate situated in an idyllic hamlet on the Spanish isle tones things down with its lure of farmstead living. A tie-up between arty agricultural outfit Friends Of A Farmer and independent hotel collective Design Hotels, the estate boasts a 200-year-old stone farmhouse that houses 10 suites and offers activities with a hipster-meets-hippy cachet – think slow-food workshops, communal farming, Indonesian gamelan and even Burning Man.
Clockwise from left to right: Rimowa x Ong Shunmugam Classic Flight aluminium and embroidered wool luggage, Rimowa. Magic Alhambra 18K yellow gold drop earrings with malachite and diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels. Valentino Garavani leather cross-body bag with beads, $4,960, Valentino. Lambskin and cord slides with glass pearls, $1,240, Chanel. Jacquard shift dress with sequins, $6,295, Burberry
Opened in May in the Welsh countryside of Llanbister, The Life House is the latest addition to the string of contemporary homestays by British company Living Architecture. The three-bedroom bungalow is made for the serious zen-seeker – complete with a Contemplation Chamber to chill out. Designed by renowned architect John Pawson, its austere Nehera-esque aesthetic takes cues from Japanese homes and Benedictine monastery cloisters, and is kitted out in minimalist furnishings such as Miele kitchen appliances and Pawson-designed crockery.
Clockwise from left to right: Leather tote, Jil Sander. Sabbia rhodium-plated 18K rose gold earrings with diamonds, $18,400, Pomellato. Velvet pants, Joseph. Serpenti 18K pink gold necklace with rubellite, $54,400, Bulgari. Leather boots, 3.1 Phillip Lim
This story first appeared in Female’s January 2017 issue.
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