Minimalist rooms are being upsized with luxury additions that go the extra mile to keep guests happy.
1. Amanemu, Nagoya, Japan
Traditional low-slung tiled rooftops and dark cedar exterior walls reflect traditional ryokan architecture at Amanemu. The hotel also features timber sliding shutters, custom-made furniture, woven fabrics and private in-room onsen.
2. At Six, Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm’s new hotel is a nod to the Scandinavian aesthetic, teaming wooden floors and furniture with matte brass fittings and crisp white linen. Highlights include a modern art collection, exhibitions and a two-storey rooftop restaurant, bar and terrace headed by celebrity chef Frida Ronge.
3. Brae, Victoria, Australia
With only six suites, weekends at Brae in Victoria, Australia, are booked out six months in advance. In the guest rooms, king-size beds sport organic cotton linen, while mini-bar aperitifs come complete with DIY cocktail recipes. There are even turntables that play the owner’s favourite records.
4. Bric-a-Brac, Battambang, Cambodia
The contemporary rooms at this three-room hotel retain their French colonial heritage with original floor and wall finishes and period furnishings. Hypoallergenic goose-down mattress toppers, down pillows and pure linen or cotton natural fibre sheets evince an emphasis on sleep quality.
5. Canopy, Reykjavik, Iceland
Set across six interconnected houses, Canopy takes its design cue from Icelandic themes including ocean, ice and volcanic rock. The emphasis is on warmth, comfort and functionality, with local artworks and textiles, and Canopy-designed sheets for better sleep.
6. Como The Treasury, Perth, Australia
Voted Australia’s best hotel in 2016, this 48-room contemporary venue exudes warmth, but is minimal, with a nature-washed colour palette and Italian oak furniture. Little piles of reference books and botanical artworks inject colour.
7. Kensho, Mykonos, Greece
Overlooking Ornos Bay, Kensho’s 10 suites and 25 rooms were individually designed by global creatives who succeeded in seamlessly blending the indoors and outdoors. There’s also a hammam, twin massage rooms and cave spa, plus a Mediterranean restaurant.
8. La Zebra, Tulum, Mexico
An arm’s stretch from the sand in Tulum, Mexico, La Zebra’s castaway comfort – think wood fixtures and sand-coloured fabrics – may be eclipsed from April 12 till May 28. It’s when the hotel collaborates with Copenhagen’s two-Michelin-star restaurant Noma on special menus for guests.
9. Mandalina, Kas Peninsula, Turkey
Opening on Turkey’s Kas Peninsula in May 2017, Mandalina’s 12 suites have high ceilings, glass walls and sea views. The barefoot chic interior has Ottoman overtures, including handcrafted wooden doors, local stoneware and hammam-style bathrooms.
10. Milu, Florence, Italy
In a historical building in Florence’s fashion and design district, Milu has five contemporary floors connected by an early 19th-century staircase. Each bedroom has its own colour palette matched with Italian-made furniture, lighting and design pieces.
11. Renaissance, New York, USA
Calling itself New York City’s first digitally enhanced hotel, The Renaissance enhances its minimalist design approach with high-tech touches, including a motion-sensitive digital wall that creates visual tapestries.
12. Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
In the Okavango Delta’s Moremi Game Reserve, this hotel’s 10 new luxury pavilions are styled “safari chic” with natural fabrics, and wood and cane ornaments. Private pools, outdoor showers and al fresco sitting areas are perfect for immersion in nature.
13. Tower Suites, Reykjavik, Iceland
Alongside gadgets such as Apple TVs and iPads, Tower Suites, on the 20th floor of one of Reykjavik’s tallest buildings, has in-room brass tripod telescopes and binoculars for making the most of 360-degree views of the Icelandic capital. Turn it up a notch with bubbly on arrival, and a wholesome organic breakfast.
14. II Sereno, Lake Como, Italy
The antithesis of Renaissance palazzos, II Sereno on Italy’s Lake Como celebrates minimalism through its neutral colour palette and natural materials. Think wood-panelled walls and ceilings, wool carpets and gossamer olive-green curtains. An outdoor terrace with lake views adds to its allure.
Written by Penny Watson for Silverkris.
This article was originally published on March 10, 2016.
PHOTOS: AMANEMU, THE RENAISSANCE, CANOPY BY HILTON, MANDALINA KAS PENINSULA, KENSHO, COMO HOTELS, SANCTUARY RETREATS, BRIC-A-BRAC, HOTEL MILU, AT SIX