Located in a wooded valley opposite a historic Victorian Spa, Hepburn at Hepburn adds an up-to-the-minute design aesthetic to the area while staying sympathetic and in tune with its surroundings

Architect: David Edelman
Interior Designer: David Hicks
Landscape Designer: Jack Merlo

Melbourne-based architect David Edelman has had a long association with the Hepburn region, having spent many holidays there as a child in the Fifties. His love of area led him to buy land opposite the renowned Hepburn Spa in 1995 which he has now developed into a holiday retreat comprising 14 luxuryholiday villas. Located directly opposite the newly renovated Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, which dates back to the 1890s, the project provides a high level of accommodation in a sensitive bush land environment. (continue reading…)

The grand English home is alive and well and thriving in central London, now at the Corinthia with a thoroughly contemporary twist and cutting -edge lighting

Interior Eesigners: GA design international
Massismo Restaurant: David Collins
Lighting: Lighting Design International

Opened in May of this year, the Corinthia Hotel is ‘an intricately restored grand hotel with a 21st-century approach,’ says general manager Matthew Dixon. ‘Its modern elegance is defined by a blend of classic Victorian architecture with outstanding craftsmanship and contemporary art, mirroring the energy, style and history of the area.’

The hotel’s exterior introduces elegant and contemporary interiors, set off by an inner foyer and garden. Two restaurants, a cocktail bar, luxury spa, boardroom meeting facilities, a grand  ballroom and 294 guest rooms – including 45 suites – follow. (continue reading…)

A former French colonial governor’s mansion – via a detention centre – is now a luxurious boutique hotel that blends its past architectural heritage with Asian touches and contemporary design to sit happily in the modernage

Architect: Duangrit Bunnag
Interior Designer: Marisa Noeypatimanond

Conserving the site’s architectural heritage, Hotel de la Paix at Luang Prabang blends existing colonial buildings with new structures designed by architect Duangrit Bunnag in keeping with traditional Laotian architecture.

This intimate exotic retreat is a UNESCO World heritage site dotted with ornate Buddhist temples, art galleries and traditional craft boutiques and is nestled between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The original building is of historical interest, as it was first built as a governor’s mansion, then later used as a political detention centre. Now the hotel is a member of Design Hotels.

The main courtyard, which features gardens, pools and outdoor fire pit, is the hotel’s centrepiece around which the 23 suites are focused, as well as each one having their own private garden, and some having private pools. Of the 23 suites, two are Governor Suites, two are Heritage Suites, four are Pool Suites and 15 are Garden Suites. Two of the Pool Suites provide exclusive access to private towers, once used as watchtowers. With panoramic views across the town towards the mountains, these make a good spot for an intimate dinner. (continue reading…)

This next-door neighbor to Frank Gehry’s iconic Guggenheim has plenty to say about design in its own right, plus interiors by Javier Mariscal

Owned by Silken Hotels

You don’t have to love architecture and design to enjoy a stay at the Gran Hotel Domine in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao, but there’s plenty here for those who do.

The five-star hotel’s proximity to the Guggenheim museum – a building which symbolises Bilbao’s metamorphosis from an ailing post-industrial city into a thriving cultural destination – is perhaps its biggest draw; indeed, you couldn’t get much closer to Frank Gehry’s architectural tour de force without falling over it, but the Domine also boasts an interior by one of Spain’s most famous designers, Javier Mariscal. (continue reading…)

This boutique hotel may be located in a region not renowned for its subtle design aesthetic, but care and consideration was exercised here – with stunning views of the sea and the Dubai skyline as highlights, lavish touches were not required

Architect: DSA Architects International
Interior designer: WA International

When WA International was given the task of designing the interiors for One and Only The Palm, in Jumeirah, Dubai, it was decided that a contemporary take on the Andalusian Moorish style was largely the way to go.

By utilising a range of materials, such as marbleinlay floors, decorative textured plaster walls, mashribiya cut latticework screens, back-lit etched glass and embossed metal throughout, WA International has created an exotic boutique resort hotel.

Inspired by traditional Moorish Arabesque courtyards, the lobby is light and spacious with a fountain taking centre stage. White marble flooring with a floral water-jet cut pattern leads guests in to the hotel where the style can further be seen in the decorative frieze details and in the etched-glass backdrop to the reception desk.

Associate Helen Skea of WA International says: ‘The lobby lounge with its striking views over the exquisitely landscaped gardens and sea beyond, offers a relaxed vantage point.

‘We designed and specified oversized opulent furnishings in natural hues with accents of blue, hinting at the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf. We combined it with hand-carved carpets to create a more residential and cosy atmosphere within the lobby lounge.’

The 90 luxurious guest rooms and suites, and three private villas have been designed with contemporary glamour in mind. Natural colour palettes are used with accents of grandeur – golden accessories and dark-wood furniture. All the guest rooms feature bathrooms with oversized, freestanding baths and rain showers. (continue reading…)

Founded in London in 1978, WA International established its Interior Design Studio in Dubai in 1993 to meet the demand for its interior design services in the rapidly growing five-star hospitality sector of the Middle East.

WA International has built a client base of top hotel and resort brands that extends beyond the Middle East, to include Europe, Asia and Africa, while garnering a reputation for producing award-winning interior designs.

Helen Skea’s portfolio of stunning hotel and resort properties demonstrates her ability to capture a sense of timelessness and originality. Her ability to coordinate and facilitate the successful completion of large hotel projects is considerable. Projects include Le Meridien Karachi Airport, Pakistan, Lagouna Beach Resort Hotel, Sharm el Sheikh, Intercontinental Muscat, Oman and One & Only The Palm, Dubai. (continue reading…)