From Barefoot Luxury to Urban Chic

From Barefoot Luxury to Urban Chic

Design Hotels™ announces 35 new member hotels. With the latest new member – The Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam – Design Hotels™ increases its portfolio to 200 hotels. The Conservatorium, from the dream team behind Mamilla Hotel, Piero Lissoni and Moshe Safdie, joins Design Hotels™ together with an array of urban hubs and remote getaways. The 35 newest additions offer a mix of global influences, local flair and eclectic design.

'This is an exciting year with 200 member hotels and we are delighted that The Conservatorium Hotel marks this occasion," says Claus Sendlinger, founder and CEO of Design Hotels™. 'More than a numerical milestone it reflects that with measured growth focused on quality, our portfolio has grown in terms of geography, diversity, and above all, the community of creative individuals who are the soul of the hotels and the DNA of our brand. The new destinations reflect that while European hoteliers are continuing the path of innovation, entrepreneurs in North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania are also forging ahead with creative new concepts."

The Local Connection

Throughout 2010, Design Hotels™ welcomed a diverse range of hotels to its portfolio. While very different in concept, the new member hotels share one of the company's most important criteria for membership: a deep connection to and awareness of their locality. This quality enables them to reflect, refine and even define their neighborhoods. For instance, Georgi Akirov, owner of The Conservatorium Hotel is transforming Amsterdam's former music conservatory, an iconic landmark building. In Stockholm's central square, Italian-born brothers Alessandro and Stefano Catenacci have revived two glorious 19th century buildings to create Nobis Hotel. Also known as -Stockholm's new living room' the contemporary luxury hotel features many public areas for locals and travelers to interact.

Art Meets Design

Contemporary art is a key component of several new properties. In Athens Dakis Joannou, art collector and visionary hotelier, is opening a third iconic new property after Semiramis Hotel and Periscope. New Hotel, opening in May, will be a living piece of art by Brazilian design icons Humbero and Fernanda Campana. At The Met Hotel in Thessaloniki, Christina Chandris has left a very personal mark on her family's property by fusing a gallery with a hotel. With the soon-to-open Templar Hotel in Toronto, exciting things are also happening in Canada. Local design hero Del Terrelonge and partner John Wee Tom are unifying custom-built furnishings by Italian brand Poliform and eclectic art installations within a modernist glass-front building.

The Rural Escape

Rural destinations are also on the rise. In Morocco, a restaurateur, an architect and a journalist will open their first hotel The Great Getaway Marrakech Hotel & Spa in July 2011. Located on the legendary -Road to Amizmiz,' which leads to the High Atlas Mountains, the complex of luxury tents, private lodge and riads invites guests to an adventure off the beaten track. At Kenoa-Exclusive Beach Spa & Resort in Barra de São Miguel, Brazil, first-time hotelier Pedro Marques has worked with emerging architect Osvaldo Tenório to create an edgy eco-chic retreat.

To learn more about the 35 new members and the people behind them, please visit www.designhotels.com/200