Whether by totally transforming a city’s skyline, subverting old standards of hotel architecture or creatively reclaiming historic structures, these 12 unusual modern hotel designs have become destinations in and of themselves. These aren’t just cool-looking concepts that may or may not ever become reality – they’ve actually been built and are open for business.
Bella Sky Hotel by 3XN
Two wedge-shaped towers connected by a small skybridge taper down to the ground at 3XN’s Bella Sky Hotel,
a new landmark in Copenhagen. Not only does this unusual design
transform the city skyline, it also has the benefit of giving all 814
guest rooms view of the surrounding landscape.
Hotel Marques de Riscal, Spain by Frank Gehry
Whether they’re world-class museums or relatively small hotels in the
Spanish countryside, architect Frank Gehry’s designs are anything but
ordinary. The City of Wine complex
for the Marques de Riscal Winery in Elciego, northern Spain features a
wavy metallic exterior meant to reflect the colors of the winery’s
signature bottles with their silver foil and gold mesh covering. The
building houses a five-star, 43-room hotel as well as a restaurant, a
spa offering ‘wine therapy,’ a wine shop and a viticulture museum.
ParkRoyal Hotel by WOHA
Terrace after terrace of vivid greenery characterizes WOHA’s Parkroyal Hotel
in central Singapore. A series of towers is elevated above a wavy,
sculptural ground-level platform characterized by breezy courtyards that
blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Fogo Island Inn by Saunders Architecture
A cantilevered dining hall reaches out over the rocky coastline of Fogo Island, Newfoundland in Canada. The Fogo Island Inn, by Saunders Architecture and the Shorefast Foundation,
is a contemporary 29-room hotel merging traditional craftsmanship with
modern aesthetics for a dramatic look that pays proper tribute to the
landscape.
Sheraton Huzhou Hot Springs Resort by MAD
A ring of stacked hotel rooms rises from the south bank of Taihu Lake in China. The Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort by MAD Architects gives every room access to lake views, natural light and ventilation, no matter what floor it’s on.
Andels Hotel Lodz City by OP Architekten
A contemporary glass addition sits on top of a historic brick building in Lodz, Poland in this award-winning hotel design by OP Architekten.
The adaptive reuse project reclaimed an 1952 weaving mill with cast
iron pillars that had been abandoned since the 1990s, turning it into a
four-star hotel. Andels Hotel Lodz preserves the history of the original
structure while adding an eye-catching cantilevered glass box that
overhangs the building’s brick exterior.
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai
Whether or not you’re a fan of the ship-like design of the Burj Al Arab hotel,
there’s no denying that it has become a major landmark and symbol for
Dubai. Instantly recognizable, the structure by British architect Tom
Wright was inspired by wind-swollen sails and is the first thing many
ships see when they reach Dubai’s port.
Prahran Hotel Melbourne by Techné Architects + TuboHotel, Mexico
17 massive concrete water pipes make up the pub and other common areas of the Prahran Hotel in Melbourne, Australia.
The wood-lined industrial pipes are a nod to the neighborhood’s
heritage and to visuals of stacked kegs of beer. Another hotel takes
this concept even further: the TuboHotel in Mexico uses reclaimed
concrete pipes as the actual hotel rooms.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore
The world’s most expensive building at $5.7 billion USD consists of
three towers topped by a cantilevered rooftop structure covered in
infinity pools, gardens and lounging areas. Like the Burj Al Arab, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands
has become a symbol for its setting in a prime new business district.
Prime designer Moshe Safdie took inspiration from the form of a deck of
cards for the structure’s unique appearance. In addition to the vast
public SkyPark and all of its restaurants and gardens, the hotel
includes 2,561 luxury hotel rooms and suites.
Manta Resort Underwater Hotel Room, Africa
While Dubai continues working on its fantastical submerged hotel plans, other underwater accommodations are already open to the nautically inclined. The lone underwater hotel room of the Manta Resort
off the eastern coast of Africa near Pemba Island is tethered to the
sea floor, with an upper-level sun lounging area and a submerged
sleeping area with incredible views of marine life. It would be cool to
see this unique concept take off in other areas around the world.
Stockholm Waterfront Hotel
One of the most visually striking hotel designs of the 21st century, the Stockholm Waterfront Hotel by White Arkitekter AB is
a 400-room hotel, 3,000-seat congress hall and 2,000-seat dining room.
Located directly across from Stockholm’s Central Station, the structure
is connected to the congress building. The architectural solution of
fitting so much into a small triangular plot involves a large portion of
the hall suspended beyond the footprint of the site like a gigantic
canopy.
