A luxury hotel is a luxury hotel, right? Wrong. Architects and designers around the world are constantly looking for the next best thing and in many cases designing a new hotel means breaking the traditional mold.
Today’s extreme hotels aren’t cookie cutter replicas of the same old hotels you see in every major city. They’re different, they’re spectacular, and they bring an air of creativity to the area in which they stand.
Dozens of extreme hotels have popped up in locations around the world. They promise not only stellar service, but a visual experience you won’t ever forget. Here are a few of our favorites.
Hotel Puerta America - Madrid, Spain
The Hotel Puerta America represents a collection of creative energies. Each of the hotel’s 13 floors was created by a different designer, each with his own vision and cultural flair.
Each floor represents a different nationality and it took nineteen architectural firms to get the final plans right. Guests at this incredible hotel are often encouraged to switch floors each evening so that they can experience the different styles of each designer.
Hotel Basico - Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Never has the design of a hotel done from one extreme to another. The simplistic Hotel Basico was constructed completely of concrete and recycled materials, inside and out.
The lobby floor, for example, is made up of old tires while the swimming pools are made of two old oil tanks (they were repurposed first, of course). You’ll find plenty of natural light in each room and will constantly be reminded that it’s ok to let go of traditional life to instead just kick back and relax.
Anassa - Cyprus
The Anassa hotel in Cyprus is so large that one viewing it from a distance might mistake it for an entire village. The interior design is a distinct blend of 21st century architecture and Mediterranean flair. The common areas are decorated with antique furniture while one of the restaurants has vaulted ceilings not unlike the old Byzantine churches.
Hotel Saint-James - Bouliac, France
What do you get when you put a contemporary hotel smack in the middle of a small wine village? Hotel Saint-James, of course. The luxurious interior is contrasted by the odd exterior, which is made of up steel grills that resemble those used by farmers to build the barricades to hold their livestock herds.
The grills used on the hotel were designed to rust over and can be adjusted by remote control by visitors staying in the room. They also change colors depending on the time of the day. One might feel like he’s staying in a cage with so many bars surrounding him, but the view when the grills are open is absolutely astounding.
Hotel on Rivington - New York, NY
The Hotel on Rivington in New York City stands an astounding 21 stories high and is comprised of glass walls. We don’t mind the windows, as light and space are things you rarely experience in the crowded city. The amount of glass is somewhat unsettling, but it is all one-way glass - meaning you can see out but the world can’t see in. Good thing, too - who’d want to take a shower in a glass box?
Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski - China
The Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski isn’t actually one large hotel, but a series of 31 villas housing over 100 unique rooms and suites. The original 11 homes that made up the structure are now reserved as presidential suites.
The hotel is located on the Shuiguan section of the Great Wall and was first created by over a dozen Asian architects. The spacious rooms and glass walls provide a sharp contrast compared to the Great Wall of China looming in the distance.
Michel Bras - Laguiole, France
Michael Bras designed his hotel in the Aubrac region of France, which only serves to prove that extreme hotels don’t have to be located in a big city. The luxury hotel is made up of a series of bedroom pavilions that resemble the region’s local farming huts. The materials were obtained from local sources and the restaurant focuses on using local produce from the region. Finding a luxury hotel in the middle of this region is a little odd, but it wouldn’t be an extreme hotel if it wasn’t.
Designers from around the globe are regularly clamoring to design the next best extreme hotel. Some are truly imaginative, while others are a reflection of the way architecture and society have changed over the past few decades. Keep your eyes peeled and you might be surprised at what you find the next time you drive through the big city or, perhaps, the countryside!
Great list of hotels. I’m going to Madrid soon so I’ll definitely check out Hotel Puerta. And as long as we’re still talking about Spain, how about the Frank Gehry-designed in Elciego?
When we visit a new city or country we usually try to take the time to visit one or two of their most unique hotels. Although many think of a hotel as just a place to call home for a few days, many like the hotels you showcase above are attractions in themselves and are often more fun than some of the other “tourist” attraction in the area.
We have also found that hotels that are built to stand out also have the best restaurants.
i love most the Anassa - Cyprus, Thanks for sharing those hotel info.
Beautiful photos. I’d love to visit the Commune. Wouldn’t mind the Hotel on Rivington either.
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