Hotels & Restaurants
Originally designed by architect Erik Lallerstedt (1865-1955), Nybrogatan 57 is a newly renovated building by Oscar Properties, , a design and architecture firm in Stockholm. Built in 1936, this structure possessed initial characteristics of Art Nouveau followed by romantic nationalism. Today, functionalism is the root of these Swedish luxury apartment homes. These residences will have hotel-like amenities attached to them including room service, weekly housekeeping and each unit will feature a private wine cellar.
Posted by Suzanne at 21 March, 2013
When one conjures images of thatched huts, modern luxury doesn’t exactly come to mind. Architect Aires Mateus of Lisbon, Portugal took this rudimentary housing element levels beyond with Casa na Areia, a modern boutique hotel-type property near the pristine beaches of Comporta.
Formerly masonry buildings, Casa na Areia has been renovated to comprise four wooden-framed, thatched-roof beach bungalows: two one-bedroom, a larger two-bedroom and a main cabin which features the common living room, dining room and kitchen. The main house’s exterior and interior walls are constructed with horizontal bamboo work. All buildings are linked by wooden walkways upon the sand, a prevalent natural resource of this area. Guests enjoy the sunsets, flamingos and dolphins playing where the river meets the sea, as well as the 1,200 acre nature preserve surrounding this contemporary property.
Posted by Suzanne at 19 March, 2013
The hostel options are really improving in Madrid these days. Hopefully this new clean, crisp and very modern template for hostel design will take off all over Europe or even around the world. Although I never had the opportunity myself to back pack around Europe, one of my dear friends has backpacked through Europe and almost around the entire world a this point. I have heard many stories of the deplorable accommodations at hostels where she has stayed. Everything from complete lack of cleanliness to stolen items and beyond (I will not share them here). If U Hostel had existed when she began her journey, it surely would have been a slice of heaven when compared to others. It is actually noteworthy contemporary design and I had never imagined myself saying like that about a hostel until I saw this one.
Posted by KarenShearer at 14 March, 2013
Imagine traveling and staying in a place that feels like a house yet is magically nestled amidst nature—an adult treehouse to be exact! Let the adventure begin with Baumraum, a German architectural firm that envisions and builds these exceptional, eco-friendly and ultra-modern boutique hotels.
Aside from the innovative, contemporary design of these lofted luxury hotels, architect Andreas Wenning places utmost importance on materials and installation. Domestic timber is mainly used, with larch wood being a predominant material for its strength, beauty and sustainability. Finishes vary and can be natural, oiled, waxed, even varnished depending on the design vision. Energy-efficiency is key whether for hot or cold climates, with natural materials such as wood fiberboard, sheep’s-wool or coconut fiber matting being used for insulation.
Posted by Suzanne at 13 March, 2013
There are breath-taking views that surround you from every angle when visiting the Beresheet Hotel. It is located on the cliff’s edge in the Ramon Crater of Israel’s Negev Desert. The area is the largest nature reserve in Israel, subsequently there were many ecological constraints when building this incredible resort. The restraints acted to preserve the natural beauty of the location while allowing this magnificent hotel, designed by the talented team at Feigin Architects, to be built. The hotel is formally part of the Isrotel Exclusive Collection. It simultaneously provides both a luxurious and ecologically conscious place for visitors to stay, so that they may completely immerse themselves in the peaceful surroundings of the crater that is more than 1,500 feet deep, 25 miles long and 6 miles across at its widest point.
The hotel rests on a site that is 800 m above sea level, which ensures a comfortable temperature range year round, even though it is located in the desert. It was designed to meld into the surrounding environment, while simultaneously offering optimal views and complete luxury at every turn. The building materials, which are exposed internally as well as on the facade of the hotel, were carefully excavated from the nearby town of Mitzpe Ramon. Inside the structure, floor-to-ceiling windows were incorporated wherever possible to leave the glorious canyon views unobstructed by the building itself.
Posted by KarenShearer at 12 March, 2013
A century-old house in Stockholm was transformed into a boutique hotel called Ett Hem Hotel clad in rich colored wood, velvet and leather.
Studioilse was tasked to make this transformation possible.
The building was first constructed in 1910 and was previously a residence of a government official and his wife. Together, they gave the architecture its original arts and craft style along with the decorative ceilings and timber-paneled walls.
Posted by Michelle Lesser at 11 March, 2013
The interior of the AS Aperitivo, located in the Slovenian capitol of Ljubljana, was designed by the native born designer Nika Zupanc. The architects, Arhé d.o.o., designed the building by following the motif of the 150 year old tree which it was structured around. In a sense the two almost have grown together. With large glass walls there is such of sense of integration between the tree and restaurant, that it feels as though you are simply relaxing under the canopy of the tree itself.
Posted by KarenShearer at 28 February, 2013
