Recent years have seen a remarkable evolution in the design of hotels. For most people (when budget is not a question:) choosing a hotel for a single night, a vacation or business is no longer based only on the service, the quality of food, the stars ratings or other comfort factors… . Choosing a hotel is choosing a place of luxury, an exotic ambiance, a place that defines a trend and reflects a mood.

We selected for you 20 original and distinctive hotel designs that are setting new standards in high-end hospitality. Here are the first 5 of a 4 parts serie.

Barcelo Raval Hotel in Barcelona

Photo © 2009 Jordi Miralles. All rights reserved

Barcelo Raval is a contemporary hotel in central barcelona. Designers like Jaime Hayon, Marcel Wanders for Mooi, and Vitra have all had joined forces to create a this breath taking design. .  Facelift realized by the architect Jose Maria Guillen White.
The elliptical shape of the building makes this hotel unique. The theme is carried throughout the interior decorations with elliptical shaped decorations hanging overhead. 

Manned Cloud by Jean-Marie Massaud

Technical characteristics:

Capacity: 40 passengers + 15 crew members
Size: L 210m x W 82m x H 52 m
First deck (500 m2) : Restaurant, lounge, library, fitness
Second deck (600 m2) : 20 cabins, terrasses, spa, bar
Speed : 5000 km / 72 h.
Maximal speed: 170 km/h
Cruise speed: 130 km/h

Awards: Etoile APCI Observateur du Design 2008

Mondrian South Beach by Marcel Wanders

Located on newly-fashionable West Avenue, Mondrian is a quiet enclave just minutes from the bustling center of South Beach, offering spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. The visionary style of designer Marcel Wanders is apparent from the moment you pull into the porte-cochere: guests walk through a grand entryway appointed with custom-designed furniture, lighting and accent pieces, evoking Wanders’ design homage of “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle”. Upon entering the soaring lobby, the floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of Biscayne Bay. Immediately the eye is drawn to the masterpiece of the room–an iconic, signature “floating staircase.” Black and gold patterned furnishings and oversized brass bell shaped lights add a touch of whimsy and welcome guests to sit and socialize or enjoy the view.

Helix Hotel by Leeser Architecture

The Helix Hotel in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Bay doesn’t have floors like we’re used to - instead it spirals in sections of a corkscrew from top to bottom with no clear breaks, flowing from retail to residential, and hotel suites to saunas. The hollow center keeps foot traffic flowing while infusing interior spaces with coastal air and natural light, while on the outside GROW panels are fast at work harnessing solar and wind energy. Because of its unique design, every room has a slighly different view — perfect for watching over the contruction of Zaha Hadid’s Sheikh Zayed Bridge just next door.

Leeser Architects‘ design of the Helix Hotel won the invitation-only competition sponsored by Al Qudra Real Estate and QP International. In cooperation with environmental design consultants at Atelier Ten, the Helix Hotel, which nearly floats right into the Persian Gulf, will maximize use of local natural resources likes sun, wind, and ocean water while keep guests comfortable in all 208 rooms.

GROW panels made from 100% recyclable polyethylene will be installed on the exterior and will collect energy from both the sun and the wind. Interior temperatures will be managed by a cascading ocean-fed waterfall in the atrium that will help maintain interior climate and humidity levels, while a retractable glass wall will open up to cool sea breezes that constantly circulate fresh air.

Future Hotel Room by LAVA

Central task for the project’s research was to meet the expectations and requirements of hotel guests using tomorrow’s technology. In the showcase space, a symbiosis of technology and space can be experienced. The room features the latest technology in the fields of media and communication in combination with prototypical products developed by renowned manufactures. Human comfort was the main guideline: while the technology functions almost invisible in the background, it provides the possibility for individual control of media, light and climate. Some of the innovations are anti-jet-lag lights, an active comfort bed, a personal spa area, an intelligent mirror and a large media display window. 

LAVA designed a spatial continuum, integrating all areas into one single gesture. The free-formed harmonic outer skin takes up the infrastructure and becomes the interface between technology and the human body, characterised by fluid transitions accentuated by singular edges. A combination of soft and hard material creates a well-balanced differentiation of functional aspects.

Tobias Wallisser, Chris Bosse and Alexander Rieck founded LAVA - Laboratory for Visionary Architecture, a worldwide operating network, just more than one year ago. The partners were responsible as associate architects for world-recognised structures such as the Water cube in Beijing and the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany. A couple of weeks ago, they unveiled the design for the Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower in Abu Dhabi.

If you like this, have a look a the following previous articles

• 4 Wooden architecture masterpieces

• 2 Unusual Homes. Amazing Architecture

• 8 dazzling beach houses