the terrace of Hotel Riomar, a beachfront hotel
Photography courtesy of Tribute Portfolio.

April 13, 2023

Words: Edie Cohen

6 Experiential Hospitality Properties Around the World

There’s nothing sleepy about these experiential global properties, which invite guests to commune with nature—and each other.

Design Destinations Worth Exploring

Beach Club at the Sanya Edition, Marriott in China by Various Associates

  • palm trees add shade to this poolside lounge in China
    Photography by SFAP.
  • a bar at a poolside lounge in China
    Photography by SFAP.
  • a birds-eye view of the Beach Club at the Sanya Edition by Marriott
    Photography by SFAP.
  • a poolside lounge lit up at night
    Photography by SFAP.

At the first property in this country by Marriott’s edgy-sophisticated sub-brand, a poolside lounge (with full bar) sited to nestle among existing trees is sheltered by a series of woven-bamboo canopies that act as sunshades by day and dramatic light reflectors during nighttime festivities.

The Morrow, Hilton Curio Collection in Washington by INC Architecture & Design and Rottet Studio 

  • a hotel's lounge area with light blue seating and tan accents
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.
  • a lounge with midnight blue furniture and furnishings in The Morrow, a Hilton hotel
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.
  • tan leather booth seating under gold pendant lights in Le Clou
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.
  • midnight blue chairs surround a dining table in Le Clou, a restaurant in The Morrow
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.
  • a guest room in The Morrow, Hilton Curio Collection with blue accents
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.
  • a blue vertical panel behind the bed inside a guest room of a hotel
    Photography by Kris Tamburello.

The hotel’s guest accommodations by Rottet offer serenity and escape while its myriad INC-designed gathering spots convey a communal vibe—note the greenhouse-esque glass-enclosed lobby, the encompassing seating of Michelin-starred chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s brasserie-style Le Clou restaurant, and the snugly sociable midnight-blue Vesper cocktail lounge.

citizenM in Miami by Gensler and Concrete 

  • seating nooks that resemble beach chairs in a mixed-use Miami property
    Photography courtesy of CitizenM.
  • a rooftop pool inspired by a cruise ship at a Miami property
    Photography courtesy of CitizenM.
  • a living room with beach and cruise ship inspired furnishings in a Miami property
    Photography courtesy of CitizenM.

The international brand’s second location in the city, at the $4 billion mixed-use Miami Worldcenter, celebrates affordable luxury—concepts not mutually exclusive here. Among the property’s draws are a rooftop pool inspired by a cruise ship, seating nooks that look like beach chairs, and a living room–like lobby filled with Vitra furnishings and—in a demonstration of regionalism—quirky art and accessories sourced via an open call to locals.

Eastwind Oliverea Valley in Big Indian, New York by Julija Stoliarova/Eastwind 

  • a rustic a-frame cabin
    Photography by Lawrence Braun.
  • inside a minimalist, midcentury furnished a-frame cabin
    Photography by Lawrence Braun.
  • a minimalist bedroom inside a rustic a-frame cabin
    Photography by Lawrence Braun.
  • a bathroom in a rustic cabin with tan vertical tiles topped with green floral wallpaper
    Photography by Lawrence Braun.

The third property from this glamping-minded boutique brand founded by a trio of hospitality veterans—chef/restaurateur Dan Cipriani and husband/wife duo Björn Boyer and design director Julija Stoliarova—boasts hygge-infused rustic-luxe suites and A-frame cabins with mini­malist, mid century–furnished interiors. Wood-barrel saunas, a firepit, and hammocks invite even more connection to the surrounding Catskills.

Hotel Riomar, Tribute Portfolio in Ibiza, Spain by Estudio Vila 13 

  • the terrace of Hotel Riomar, a beachfront hotel
    Photography courtesy of Tribute Portfolio.
  • a porcelain-tile mural of nude beachgoers in the lobby of Hotel Riomar
    Photography courtesy of Tribute Portfolio.
  • a modern bedroom with beachfront views in Hotel Riomar
    Photography courtesy of Tribute Portfolio.
  • Photography courtesy of Tribute Portfolio.

This beachfront hotel captures (and exudes) the island’s sexy, laid-back vibe by way of an indoor-outdoor lobby, its wow moments being a porcelain-tile mural of nude beachgoers (painted by Portu­guese artisans) and a terrace for daytime sun-worshipping and evening revelries. Crisply modern guest rooms offer expansive views of either the Mediterranean Sea, the rural land­scape, or a 16th-century church.

Yiche Atour Automobile Concept Hotel in Shenzhen, China by BloomDesign 

  • a circuit board sculpture in the lobby of a car-themed hotel
    Photography by Lu Hahax/BloomDesign.
  • metal grills on the front facade of a car themed hotel in China
    Photography by Lu Hahax/BloomDesign.
  • model racing cars hand above above the bed in a car-themed hotel
    Photography by Lu Hahax/BloomDesign.
  • a retail area inside an automobile concept hotel in China
    Photography by Lu Hahax/BloomDesign.

An experience-based destination aimed at young travelers, the hotel is car-themed—from the front facade’s metal grilles and neon arrows reminiscent of traffic signals to reception’s scrap-parts installation and model cars and racing games in the guest rooms. Worth a drive-by is the giant circuit-board sculpture in the lobby and the retail setting with open shelving and circular fixtures.

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