Hotel design plays a pivotal role in creating memorable experiences for guests. A good hotels should move beyond just a place to stay — becoming a destination in its own right. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best hotel designs that are redefining luxury and reshaping the guest experience. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast or a traveller in search of inspiration, these five designs are sure to impress.

Câlin guest house designed by studio contekst (with x-bond microcement flooring installed by indico painting)

The Câlin Luxury Countryside Villas (an X-Bond project)

A project designed for contemporary slow living, where tradition and heritage are still greatly valued. Located in Provence, guest house Câlin contains seven luxurious suites. An abandoned historic country house transformed by Studio Contekst, it’s the epitome of European elegance; rustic yet refined, and just a little eclectic.

Inside and out, it’s a union of organic textures and earthy colours, a true reflection of the countryside with its beautiful yet rugged materiality. Take a closer look at the flooring — it’s X-Bond Microcement. The sandy finish, with beautiful irregularities of visible trowel marks, is a perfect complement for the local plaster techniques on the exterior as well as the raw and unpolished finishes of the interior (mainly stone, timber, and concrete).

X-Bond flooring was installed by Indico Painting. Want the same look in your Melbourne project? Enquire about X-Bond Microcement flooring installation with our Alternative Surfaces team here.

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The StandardX, Melbourne

The StandardX is located in Melbourne’s most vibrant and eclectic neighbourhoods, Fitzroy — which called for a design as creative and unique as its surroundings. Designed by Woods Bagot with Hecker Guthrie on interiors, the aesthetic has been described as “modern retro” much like the suburb itself. The goal was to feel like you’re “immersing yourself in the neighborhood's unique pleasures, not escaping them”.

Amangiri, Utah

Any Aman hotel is worth a spot on this list, all known for minimalist architectural designs and unparalleled luxury. Amangiri is one of our favourites, constructed from monolithic concrete slabs inspired by its rocky surroundings. The lines between indoor and outdoor are frequently blurred for total immersion in the ancient desert landscape. The Amangiri hotel was a collaboration between three well-established architects: Marwan Al-Sayed, Wendell Burnette and Rick Joy.

7132 Hotel, Switerland

Nestled (literally) in the hills of an authentic mountain village, this Swiss hideaway is a total bucketlist destination. Each suite presents a different experience for architecture lovers, designed by four of the greats: Peter Zumthor, Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma, and Thom Mayne. It’s most known for the 7132 Thermal Baths, constructed from 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite.

Perivolas Hotel, Santorini

Designed by Costis Psychas, this luxury accommodation is a quintessential Greek villa — whitewashed walls, prime position on the cliffs of Santorini, soft cuvy edges, and a large infinity pool that stretches into the horizon.