Imagine stepping into your favourite designer’s boutique, the attention to detail, sense of pampering, professionalism partnered with personalisation, and unmistakable style motifs are all part of the retail experience. Now imagine that world expanding, providing everything you need to stay awhile. Design has never been so important, and many of today’s designers are diversifying their portfolios — as hoteliers. Their luxe-brand-led hotels are a 24/7 expression of identity for those labels once limited to boutiques, keeping devotees engaged and more deeply immersed in their brands.
These hotels invite travellers to eat, and sleep, not just wear, familiar branding and learn more about the designers’ personalities in the process. Recognisable colours, textures, service standards and fragrance create a familiar, yet multi-sensory experience. And their brands are cementing their place in the competitive world of hospitality, shrewdly benefitting from the considerable head start that comes with a pre-existing reputation for international excellence.
Hotel Vermelho — Melides, Portugal
Christian Louboutin’s iconic red-soled shoes are worn by a diverse list of celebrities, ranging from Doja Cat to Nicole Kidman, David Beckham and Princess Caroline of Monaco. And since 2023, a small number of devotees have been privileged to spend time in the French designer’s boutique hotel, whose name appropriately includes the colour with which Louboutin is inextricably linked. With just 13 bedrooms/suites and two villas, it feels more like a home than a hotel – in fact, the designer used the same architect (Madalena Caiado) for his own city residence. With a blend of maximalism and classic Portuguese motifs, the coastal abode is filled with pieces handpicked by Christian, making it a deeply personal creation. Hotel Vermelho may be small in terms of accommodation, but there’s a restaurant (Xtian), bar (Vermelho), yoga classes and an enveloping temple-like spa for two.
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The Karl Lagerfeld — Macau, China
2023 was certainly a stellar year for designer-led hotels. Along with Hotel Vermelho, The Karl Lagerfeld was born. Sadly, its namesake never saw the property to completion. The hotel was nearly nine years in the making and now serves as homage to the late designer — Lagerfeld himself is said to have handpicked the 4,000 works on display in the hotel’s Book Lounge. Guests can also enjoy sumptuous facilities including two large pools, a French podium garden, and a 111Skin spa, in the grand and palatial building that blends classic Chinese motifs with dark colours, chandeliers and gilt tones. The Karl Lagerfeld offers a vastly different experience from Hotel Vermelho, favouring large-scale, modernistic styling and dramatic design over intimacy.
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Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts — Global Portfolio
Bvlagri Hotel Tokyo
Somewhat of a veteran of the designer brand hotel industry, Bvlgari was one of the earliest adopters of this business model. It’s first hotel launched in Milan back in 2004. This was followed by properties in Shanghai, Dubai, Tokyo and London, with many more openings scheduled in the future, in destinations including Bodrum, Abu Dhabi and Miami. Its scope, therefore, is markedly different to the other hotels on our list, presenting as a resort-operating group, rather than an individual hotel — an approach akin to the spread of the designer boutiques from which it was born. Guests can expect plenty of the brand’s hallmark glittering, yet chic design in its Milan flagship property. As well as Michelin-level dining and the kinds of trappings you’d find in an elite private members’ club.
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Fendi Private Suites — Rome, Italy
Those seeking the ultimate merge of designer shopping and bedrooms will adore the Frendi Private Suites. Situated above the brand’s Roman flagship boutique, this is a maison on many levels. A short stroll from the Eternal City’s major sights, it offers its guests hyper-intimacy, with just a handful of suites. These can be found on the third floor, while a Palazzo Prive (decadent private lounge) is on the second floor, and Zuma (Japanese fusion) restaurant occupies the top two levels. Embodying Fendi’s philosophy of innovation, tradition and artisanship, the property oozes Italian aristocratic sophistication.
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Louis Vuitton Hotel — Paris, France
It’s entirely logical that the arguably best-known luxury luggage brand should open a hotel (will guests be checking in with anything other than bags boasting the iconic LV monogram, we wonder?). And it makes similar sense that it should be in France’s capital city, on the landmark Champs-Élysées. It’s set to honour Louis Vuitton’s long legacy on a grand scale. But unlike some of the other arrivals, this is not the brand’s first venture in the world of hospitality. However, it is the first to be presented exclusively as a Louis Vuitton-branded hotel. Set for completion in 2026, the 6000 square metre property has an exterior that emulates a vintage LV trunk and occupies the site of the former Elysée Palace Hotel. While there are many nods to heritage, this hotel is looking firmly to the future — focusing on innovative, eco-friendly systems throughout.
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