Grand Designs: Hotels by Famous Architects

“Most of us want to see great buildings of one kind or another when we travel. But true architecture lovers take it to another level, chasing down notable work in their favourite styles and by their favourite architects. If you’re one of those building geeks, welcome: this edit’s for you. Five buildings that were designed by some of the biggest names in the discipline, from Mies van der Rohe to Frank Gehry.

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The Langham, Chicago, Illinois
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Chicago has long been a focus for architectural innovation and experimentation. One of America’s most influential architects was pioneer of Modernism, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Leaving his native Germany for Chicago in 1938, he brought his Bauhaus influence to the city, and went on to design many iconic minimalist buildings – no other city can claim to have more of Mies’ designs than Chicago. Downtown landmark The Langham is the perfect base from which to explore the influence of this celebrated architect.

If you want to see more hotels in Chicago, visit our Chicago hotels page.

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Hotel Marqués de Riscal, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Elciego, Alava, Spain
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Since its unveiling in 2006, Frank Gehry’s extraordinary Hotel Marqués de Riscal has been a bucket-list retreat for anyone interested in design. Its tilted walls, zigzag windows and cathedral-height ceilings are a work of art, and quite unlike any other building in the world. Canadian-born Gehry is known for his bold architectural features and unusual shapes, and Hotel Marqués sees him at his wild, exuberant best. While in Spain, travel west to Barcelona to see his Olympic Fish Pavilion.

If you want to see more hotels in Alava, visit our Alava hotels page.

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Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai
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The brief behind Burj Al Arab was to establish a building as synonymous with place as architectural landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building and Sidney Opera House. British architect Tom Wright stepped up to that brief, designing a distinctive structure in the shape of a dhow’s sail to reflect Dubai‚Ô≤s seafaring heritage moving into the future. Nearly two decades on, it remains emblematic of Dubai – which is quite a feat in a city that seems to add a new showstopper development every week.

If you want to see more hotels in Dubai, visit our Dubai hotels page.

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Parco dei Principi Hotel, Sorrento, Italy
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In 1961, architect Gio Ponti transformed the remains of an incomplete English Gothic-style dacha into this design classic. Inspired by its historical legacy, extraordinary location and colours of the Amalfi coast, the hotel features stunning graphic patterns on blue tiles, ceramic pebbles on the lounge bar wall, and a sleek pool. The original Ponti design still looks incredibly modern. Set in a vast botanical garden on the sea’s edge, Parco dei Principi Hotel has a private beach and breath-taking views across the Gulf of Naples.

If you want to see more hotels in Sorrento, visit our Sorrento hotels page.

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Hotel Central Luzern, Lucerne, Switzerland
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The wonderful Hotel Central Luzern is an early example Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel’s work. In 2000, he transformed this 1907 building into a modern, deluxe hotel, meticulously designing every detail of the interior, from movies stills projected onto the ceilings to clever coloured lighting the rooms. Nouvel continues to explore new possibilities and break down boundaries with all his buildings – he currently has forty projects across thirteen countries, including a new Paris Philharmonic Hall and a branch of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi.

If you want to see more hotels in Lucerne, visit our Lucerne hotels page.”