A ping pong table in a colorful lobby
Photography by Katie Kutuzova.

November 3, 2022

Words: Wilson Barlow

These Boutique Hotels Utilize Bespoke Elements to Nod to Their Locales

From Toronto, Canada, to Tbilisi, Georgia, these boutique hotels offer subtle nods to their surroundings with unique accents.

Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, with Atelier Ace

Ace Hotel, Toronto

Although the boutique chain’s first Canadian property is ground-up construction, its materials, like the massive concrete structural beams set in wood forms for a grainy texture, then edged in steel, were chosen to match the vintage feel of the brick-and-beam factories in the surrounding Garment District.

  • a staircase with metal beams lining the way up
    Photography by William Jess Laird.
  • a dining area with firewood in the storage space along the wall
    Photography by William Jess Laird.
  • the entrance to the Ace Hotel Toronto
    Photography by William Jess Laird.
  • a green counter is the welcome area of the lobby of the Ace Hotel Toronto
    Photography by William Jess Laird.
  • a look into the lobby of the Ace Hotel Toronto
    Photography by William Jess Laird.
  • a guest bedroom with a view of trees in the Ace Hotel Toronto
    Photography by William Jess Laird.

Cole Martinez Curtis and Associates

Luma, San Francisco

The first-ever hotel in the city’s industrial turned tech-centric Mission Bay area includes the triple-height lobby’s Jim Campbell installation, which consists of 4,000 individual wires each ending in a single LED—fitting considering that luma is video lingo for brightness.

  • Luma's Jim Campbell installation, which consists of 4,000 individual wires each ending in a single LED
    Photography by Nomadic People.
  • inside the lobby of the Luma Hotel in San Francisco
    Photography by Nomadic People.
  • a video screen in the Luma Hotel with abstract artwork on it
    Image courtesy of Luma.
  • a guest room in the Luma Hotel overlooking the water
    Photography by Nomadic People.

Studio Shoo

Ibis Budget, Tbilisi, Georgia

  • A ping pong table in a colorful lobby
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • Georgian alphabet letters compose the custom graphics on tabletops
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • a closeup of the colorful ping pong table
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • the cassettelike front desk with vintage record collection behind it
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • a woman walks beside the cassette like front desk
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • a bathroom with rounded sink and half circular cut out mirror
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.
  • inside a guest suite in the budget hotel
    Photography by Katie Kutuzova.

Inspired by the surrounding nightlife district’s street art, Georgian alphabet letters compose the custom graphics on tabletops and restroom walls while the cassettelike front desk and vintage record selection nod to the local music scene at this 3,400-square-foot property that elevates the typical budget concept.

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