HOTEL DESIGN AROUND AUSTRALIA: WHEN ART AND HOSPITALITY MEET
James Tolic, The Sunseeker
We all know that any kind of travel requires somewhere to rest your head when the sun goes down, right? Sure, you could pull into the closest dingy motel or overpriced chain hotel, but we’re here to put a stop to that. With so many amazing spaces up for booking, a night spent in less than average accommodation is a night wasted (in our books, anyway!).
While all accommodation is a joint effort of sorts, Australia is home to some pretty ingenious projects, where innovative minds, communities and interdisciplinary creatives meet. From pavilions that spotlight artists, to boutique hotels that are illuminated by their surroundings, there’s something to satisfy every facet of mindful partnerships.
Sticking true to our spotlight on collaborations, we’ve searched high and low to discover some remarkable projects that have creative partnerships and alliances at their core. Feast your eyes, hit the websites and press that booking button, this is an excuse for a mini vacation if there ever was one.
HOTEL RAVESIS, BONDI
With a smack-bang beachfront location, a palette of “millennial pink”, peach and green, arched doorways and windows, classic WWI/Art Deco characteristics, and some absolutely superb room styling, Hotel Ravesis is a Sydney icon in more ways than one. But make no mistake, it was far from a one-man job to (re)design this hotel and achieve the status it holds as a cultural landmark. Interior designer Carina Hicks was welcomed on board the Ravesis team to create pure Miami/Cuba-inspired magic, with furniture sourced from Vela Living and MCM House, and artworks by Daimon Downey, Akila Berjaoui, and Mel Vugich lining the walls. Beachside, boutique, Bondi, beautiful - this collaborative project truly has it all!
James Tolic
THE SUNSEEKER, BYRON BAY
Byron’s newest cool kid on the block, The Sunseeker, really is nostalgia incarnate. The boutique, bungalow-style accommodation is a creative reimagining of an 80’s brick motel (here we go again with our obsession of redesigned motels!), offering a secluded hideaway just far away enough from the hustle and bustle of Byron’s main hub. It’s not just the look of this super cute accom that has it sitting at the top of our must-visit list, the purpose of it as an institution is to spotlight the community within which it exists. Byron is notoriously jam-packed with colourful personalities, creatives, makers, artists and craftspeople, and the thoughtful team behind The Sunseeker have made it their mission to honour this trait; whether it be through the landscaping, interiors, or their design and branding.
Kara Rosenlund
HALCYON HOUSE, CABARITA BEACH
From it’s very beginning, Halcyon House is a collaborative project to its core. Originally purchased by two sisters in 2011, Halcyon House has come a long way from its humble beginnings as The Hideaway, a rundown surfers motel. The site was first intended as a family refuge, however, it wasn’t long before Siobhan and Elisha Bickle decided to allow others to share in their creation. Two years of planning and 15 months of building later, Halcyon House opened its doors. With the build led by Sydney-based architect Virginia Kerridge and each room designed by Brisbane-based interior designer Anna Spiro, the beautiful space that results is truly the byproduct of a meeting of creative minds. The interiors are furnished and decorated with a combination of vintage pieces, sourced collectively by Anna, Siobhan and Elisha.
ALEX HOTEL, PERTH
“...the inside of our hotel is only part of our story”.
Thoughtfully designed and socially aware, the creators of the Alex Hotel understand the value of and have a deep respect for the surrounding community. Located within Perth’s bustling and vibrant cultural centre, the creativity of the neighbourhood acts as an ecosystem within which the accommodation sits - each restaurant, gallery, museum, bar, event and exhibition breathes life into the other. Within its walls, the hotel itself is also full of life. Guests are encouraged to spend time in the cooperative, collaborative communal spaces. From workspaces to the bar and lounge, and all the way up to the rooftop terrace the hotel is a community in itself.
OVOLO NISHI, CANBERRA
Formerly Hotel Hotel, Ovolo Nishi is the product of a collaboration between Ovolo Hotels and interior design and architecture firm, Luchietti Krelle. Featuring 17 micro-rooms, the creative design was guided by Ovolo’s ethos of effortless living with a twist on what we come to expect from “hotel aesthetic”. Upon entering the building, it’s immediately clear that every aspect of the interior space has been carefully considered - the entrance staircase is seriously a sight to behold. And true to its promise, what follows is equally charming and innovative in every sense of the word. 14 ‘Snug Sun rooms’ and two ‘Original sun rooms’ make up the accommodation - sundrenched, intimate spaces filled with industrial timbers, exposed concrete, brass, leather and a palette of soft burgundies and bottle greens. Simple and chic, the perfect place to rest your head in Canberra - the city set to become one of Australia’s newest cultural destinations.
Jesse Hunniford
MONA PAVILIONS, TASMANIA
No - not the actual Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, but staying in the MONA pavilions is as close as it gets. The museum itself has to be experienced first hand to truly be understood - amongst a list of things, it’s described as ‘Disneyland with cocktails, a purveyor of cheese toasties and a really elaborate marketing stunt’. But let’s get to why we’re really on the topic of MONA - this playful spot hosts some seriously flash ‘luxury dens’, that are equally as quirky as the museum. Located on a private peninsula overlooking the Derwent River, each pavilion is named after an influential Australian artist or architect and features artworks from the Mona collection (the likes of Brett Whiteley, Sidney Nolan and Arthur Boyd). Each pavilion boasts bespoke furniture by Tasmanian designers and furnishings from Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola and Ron Arad. A collaboration match made in art world heaven, really!
WORDS | Lucy Francis
IMAGES | Supplied
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