5 Standout Hotels in Europe and Asia
For hotels in Europe and Asia, designers go the extra mile.
1. Firm: CCD/Cheng Chung Design (HK).
Project: Shenzhen Marriott Hotel.
Site: Nanshan, China.
Standout: The trawling nets and sailboats typical of this location, once a quiet fishing village, find artistic interpretation in more than a dozen sculptures.
2. Firm: Kinnersley Kent Design.
Project: Athenaeum Hotel & Residences.
Site: London.
Standout: An urbanely British mix-and-match takes the form of the lobby’s herringbone parquet, chicken-wire chandeliers, and stills from the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.
3. Firm: Snøhetta.
Project: Treehotel.
Site: Harads, Sweden.
Standout: Viewed from below, a wooden cabin hoisted amid pine branches seems to melt away, thanks to the aluminum underside’s blown-up photograph of treetops.
4. Firm: Co-Direction Interior Design.
Project: Change Vacation Hotel.
Site: Dali, China.
Standout: Traditional latticework coexists with contemporary touches, such as the lighting cove that zigzags along the peaked ceiling of an angular guest room.
5. Firm: Hirsch Bedner Associates and Kume Sekkei Co.
Project: Four Seasons Hotel.
Site: Kyoto, Japan.
Standout: Aquatic delights span the centuries, from the 800-year-old koi pond at the heart of the property to the indoor swimming pool offering semi-submerged chaise longues.
