If you say you don’t like art, you’re probably wrong.
Sure, you might find exhibitions tantamount to torture, and the feeling of picking up a paintbrush equates more with panic than pleasure, but you do like it. We all do, in some way.
Imagine you, the anti-artsy human you are, walk into a hotel room to find bare walls. No paintings, no colored accents, just bare white walls, and a bed. It’s empty. It lacks character. It doesn’t feel like home. Whether you like it or not, the art hotels choose influence your feelings. And that’s why it’s important.
To celebrate art in all its forms, we’ve found a bunch of the best art hotels on the planet.
The Silo
Location: Cape Town
Price: $800+
Vibe: Art explosion
The rundown: The Silo has featured multiple times in our lists because it’s just that astounding. Set six floors above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in Africa, its striking industrial exterior is at glorious odds with its vibrant interior.
Its guestrooms are spectacular, boasting views over the Cape Town harbor, while its communal areas and hallways are packed with innovative color schemes, local art, and micro-exhibitions. Under the hotel is a subterranean space with regular exhibits for local artists. There’s no better stay to get a pulse on South Africa’s arts scene.
The Fife Arms
Location: Braemar, Scotland
Price: $600+
Vibe: 5-star passion project
The rundown: The dramatic Victorian setting for The Fife Arms is enough to win most over, but it’s the owners’ passion for art that transforms a stay here. Over 12,000 pieces of artwork and 16,000 antiques have found a home within its walls, making this one of the best art hotels in the world.
The owners, both gallerists, have amassed the collection over a number of years and feature pieces from world-renowned artists like Picasso, as well as some truly unique paintings by Queen Victoria and King Charles. The hotel offers guided art tours of the property as well as foraging and fishing experiences, making the most of the Scottish landscape.
21C Hotels
Location: Multiple locations
Price: Varying price points
Vibe: Art immersion
The rundown: 21C Hotels have honed a reputation for their unique fusion of art and accommodation. The brand has multiple locations dotted around the United States, each with a geographically relevant flavor.
Identifying as both modern art museums and hotels, each property features an exhibition space mainly focused on 21st-century artwork, a restaurant, and guest rooms designed with the spirit of the location in mind. Many of the hotels are in repurposed historic buildings, and several have been listed as some of the best hotels in the US.
Gladstone House
Location: Toronto, Canada
Price: $155+
Vibe: Uniquely Canadian
The rundown: Gladstone’s design explodes with color from the moment you walk through its unassuming front doors. It’s a relentless clash of styles, but great fun. The hotel itself has been closely associated with arts since the late 1800s, something its current owners have fully embraced.
Each guestroom was designed by a different Canadian artist, reflecting their unique style and voice without forgoing the bright and airy feel of the space. Depending on when you visit, there may be exhibitions, cultural experiences, and other events taking place. Either way, it’s a phenomenal base for diving into the local arts scene.
Perry Lane Hotel
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Price: $270+
Vibe: Fiction as fact luxury
The rundown: Perry Lane’s already garnered a name for itself in the luxury hotel scene, but its zany approach to decor is earning it one as one of the coolest art hotels around. And it’s Savannah, which is always wonderful.
Boasting an impressive art collection, the hotel is themed around a fictional woman named Adelaide Harcourt. Every decision made in the property is designed to mimic how Madame Harcourt would think, including the artwork. With over 1,000 pieces, the collection has been curated to emulate a single collector’s lifetime work. Super quirky, super wonderful.
Rome Cavalieri
Location: Koh Si Chang
Price: $150+
Vibe: Laid-back, long layover
The rundown: If you find yourself with a long layover in Bangkok and feel the call of the islands, you don’t have much choice. Koh Si Chang is the only island within striking distance of the big city. Thankfully, it’s still a knockout. Popular with Bangkok locals looking for a weekend escape, there’s more than enough reason to spend a day or two relaxing here.
Paree Hut Resort offers a beautiful little getaway to match your purposes. You won’t find high-end luxury here, but there’s no denying these cliffside huts are wonderful.
by travelers, for travelers.
