The days of the luxury fashion experience beginning and ending at the doors of a boutique are long gone. While many brands—among them, Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton—are taking advantage of the rise of the metaverse through immersive online experiences, others—particularly heritage fashion houses—are doubling down on their physical offerings. And what better way to immerse oneself in a brand than by sleeping in a design of its creation? The best luxury fashion hotels and suites work by crafting an all-encompassing experience that sees every design detail carefully considered.
Rather than opting to slap monograms and logos over every cushion, blanket, and throw, fashion designer hotels and suites act as a subtle extension of the brand experience, providing designers and creative directors with the opportunity to showcase facets of the brand that would otherwise go unseen. Sure, you know how Gucci would design a bag, but what about how it would design a hotel suite? Well, as the Gucci Royal Suite at The Savoy in London shows, it’s not all monogrammed canvas and supple leather, with the Italian fashion house’s maximalist approach translated through jewelled tones, plush velvet, and patterned wallpaper.
For luxury fashion houses and designers, a branded hotel or suite serves as a tangible way to express and cement the brand’s identity through a broader lifestyle lens. With ‘conscious consumption’ on the lips of many, fashion houses and designers are continually looking for ways to engage consumers that go beyond the accumulation of material goods. Plus, while branded hotels and suites naturally attract customers of said brands, they also serve as a way to capture the interest of those who mightn’t necessarily have previously purchased the brand’s physical products.
For fashion lovers who want to truly experience the suite life, these are the best hotels and suites by luxury fashion houses and designers.
The best stylish designer hotels and suites
1. Bulgari Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
Bulgari is no stranger to the hospitality industry, with the Italian luxury fashion house having opened hotels and branded residences in several of their key markets around the world, including Dubai, Milan, London, Paris, Rome, and Shanghai. However, our favourite outpost is the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo; bringing la dolce vita to the Japanese capital, the hotel is spread across the 40th to 45th floors of the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu. Contemporary Italian style meets Japanese craftsmanship, with homegrown makers and artisans responsible for the majority of the materials and decor in the space.
The resultant space is glamorous without being ostentatious, with elements from both cultures harmonising with one another. In a particularly serendipitous turn, one of the traditional Japanese motifs used on the textiles lining a corridor resembles the form of Bulgari’s iconic Diva collection. Elsewhere, the quintessentially Italian indoor-outdoor way of living comes to Tokyo, with multiple leafy terraces dotted throughout the space — with Japanese yuzu trees sitting alongside Italian lemon trees.
Rooms and suites are elegant in their restraint; think warm wooden floors, handcrafted silk headboards, and throws crafted by Kyoto kimono textile makers. The Bulgari influence is whispered rather than shouted, with rooms decorated with framed vintage Bulgari advertisements. The spa is the veritable jewel in the crown of the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo; sleek in its design yet bold in its execution, it sees gold and emerald green glass mosaic tiles turn the pool into the centrepiece, surrounded by wood-framed cabanas with sun—or more rather, city—loungers.
Fashion house: Bulgari
Price: from $2400AUD/night
Address: 2 Chome-2-1 Yaesu, Chuo City, Tokyo, Japan
2. Suite Coco Chanel, Ritz Paris (Paris, France)
Overlooking the Place Vendôme, this suite was where Gabrielle Chanel lived for 34 years, referring to the Ritz as “ma maison” (my home). Dedicated to the designer and founder of the eponymous French luxury fashion house, the Suite Coco Chanel is designed to capture her timeless personal style. Good bones—think intricate cornices on the ceiling and panel moldings on the walls—and an abundance of natural light play host to Chanel’s (both the designer and the maison) signature black-and-white colour palette, with much of the designer’s own furniture and art interspersed amongst the Ritz Paris’ singular take on luxury. The Suite Coco Chanel comprises a separate living room and bedroom, bathroom, and dressing room, with Gabrielle Chanel’s own Coromandel lacquer screens and artwork complemented by a plush suede sofa, marble mantle, crystal lamps, and Venetian mirrors. Equal parts lavish and intimate, it’s a must-stay space for fans of the venerable maison.
Fashion house: Chanel
Price: from €43,000/night (approx. $70,450AUD/night)
Address: 15 Place Vendôme, Paris, France
3. Gucci Royal Suite, The Savoy (London, England)
Guccio Gucci, founder of the eponymous fashion house, once worked as a luggage porter at The Savoy. Nodding to the shared history between the Italian luxury fashion house and the storied London institution, the Gucci Royal Suite at The Savoy spans the entire fifth floor of the hotel. The expansive space brings the Gucci world to life, with the more is more ethos of the brand under the tenure of former creative director Alessandro Michele communicated through a rich colour palette of burgundy, peacock blue, canary yellow, and gold, as well as a melange of patterned wallpaper and cushions (and a very light touch of monogram), and jacquard and velvet upholstery.
Proving too much is never enough, each item is beautiful on its own yet it’s synergistically that they all shine. Each square metre of the Gucci Royal Suite has something to admire or ogle, from the porcelain displayed on the antique gilded dressing table to the Gucci backgammon set. With the veritable visual feast in front of you, a good view is rendered almost obsolete. However, the Gucci Royal Suite boasts that too, with panoramic views over the Thames river.
Fashion house: Gucci
Price: from £17,500/night (approx. $33,700AUD)
Address: Strand, London, United Kingdom
4. Sir Paul Smith Suite, Brown’s Hotel London (London, England)
Two British icons unite at the Brown’s Hotel London. A testament to Sir Paul Smith’s colourful and eccentric style and idiosyncratic wit, the Sir Paul Smith Suite combines contemporary and traditional design cues to create a hotel suite that feels akin to visiting the designer in his own home. The designer’s trademark sense of humour begins before you enter the suite; with guests greeted by an unpolished brass banana in lieu of a doorknob. Inside, the living room is the star of the show, with floor-to-ceiling windows illuminating the space which houses an impressive gallery wall displaying artworks hand-selected by Sir Paul Smith himself. Antiques sit alongside modern pieces, while the brand’s signature colourful stripes are speckled across the space.
Fashion house: Paul Smith
Price: from £5,500/night (approx. $10,590AUD)
Address: 33 Albemarle St, London, United Kingdom
5. Portrait Firenze by Ferragamo (Florence, Italy)
Part of the Lungarno Collection, a company founded and owned by the Ferragamo family, Portrait Firenze in Florence crafts an intimate take on luxury. Expressing the Italian luxury fashion house’s elevated approach to design through a pared-back moody colour palette that places the focus on luxurious textures like leather, cashmere, and gilded gold details teamed with white painted brick and dark woods, Portrait Firenze cultivates a welcoming yet chic ambiance. The house’s personal art collection features prominently throughout the hotel, with photographs of the golden era of Hollywood—including the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Grace Kelly—pictured holidaying in Florence. A testament to its unfussy approach to luxury, Ferragmo’s Portrait Firenze is a pet-friendly hotel.
Fashion house: Ferragamo
Price: from $1900AUD/night
Address: Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, Firenze, Italy
6. Casa Camper by Camper (Barcelona, Spain)
Proving it’s not only luxury fashion houses entering the hospitality game, boutique hotel Casa Camper was founded by iconic Spanish shoe brand Camper. The brand has outposts in both Barcelona and Berlin, with the former being our pick of the two. Nestled within a 19th-century building in the historic Raval quarter, the 40-room boutique hotel is underpinned by a functional approach to design. Minimalist rooms are defined by clean lines and sharp silhouettes, with sleek furniture standing out against rust red walls. The pared-back ethos extends to the bathrooms, which feature slimline sinks and look out to a vertical garden. Eco-friendly elements feature, with a chemical-free water purifying and recycling system in the shower. Rather than a traditional in-room mini bar, Casa Camper offers a 24/7 snack bar on the ground floor, which is free of charge for guests.
Fashion label: Camper
Price: from $500AUD/night
Address: Carrer d’Elisabets, 11, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain
7. Symphony Style Kuwait by Missoni
A cacophony of colour greets visitors at the Symphony Style Kuwait, with interiors designed by Rosita Missoni, the matriarch of the Missoni family and co-founder of the eponymous fashion house. While the Missoni family no longer owns the Symphony Style Kuwait (formerly known as Hotel Missoni Kuwait), the brand’s design influence still permeates the entirety of the hotel. Rosita Missoni designed the 169-room hotel to feel like her own home; Hans Berger wishbone chairs and Eero Saarinen tables sit on hardwood floors, while every other conceivable inch of surface area is bedecked with the colourful shades and striped patterns Missoni is known for. Greens, pinks, purples, and blues reign supreme in rooms and suites—each of white looks out over the Kuwait City skyline—while even the pool receives the Missoni touch courtesy of colourful striped tiling.
Fashion label: Missoni
Price: from $250AUD/night
Address: Symphony Style Mall Arabian Gulf Road Salmiya, Kuwait
8. The Dior Suite, The St. Regis New York (New York, United States)
Promising a taste of Parisian glamour in New York, The Dior Suite at The St. Regis New York is rendered in soft grey and cream tones with pale blue and pink accents and a welcome dose of gilded gold detailing. Comprising a primary bedroom, living room, one-and-a-half bathrooms, and a dressing room, the suite is inspired by the luxury French fashion house’s Parisian atelier and features custom Louis XVI-style armchairs and settees, Dior-inspired couture illustrations, and stunning views over Central Park.
Fashion label: Dior
Price: from $10,500USD/night (approx. $15,950AUD)
Address: Two East 55th St, New York, NY, United States
9. Vermelho Hotel by Christian Louboutin (Melides, Portugal)
The brainchild of iconic footwear designer Christian Louboutin, Vermelho Hotel is a boutique luxury hotel in Melides, Portugal. Inspired by the time the designer spent in the small Alentejo village, the 13-room boutique hotel combines Louboutin’s distinctive style with Portuguese tradition and artisanal craftsmanship. Cultivating opulence by embracing heritage; baroque Spanish crowns serve as decor, as do sculptures by Italian master Giuseppe Ducrot and vintage chaise loungers and wallpaper. Vibrant shades, frescos, and hand-painted tiles showcase local craftsmanship while embodying Louboutin’s singular approach to design, with pops of the designer’s signature red hue (‘vermelho’ means red in Portuguese) found throughout the space, gracing velvet upholstery and framing windows, and found embroidered on the beige cotton bed slippers.
Fashion label: Christian Louboutin
Price: from $1250AUD/night
Address: R. Dr. Evaristo Sousa Gago 2, 7570-635 Melides, Portugal
10. 1, Place Vendôme by Chopard (Paris, France)
Home to some of the most lauded luxury fashion, watch, and jewellery houses—think Bulgari, Cartier, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Dior—Place Vendôme is the ideal place for a luxury hotel. The debut hospitality offering by Swiss watch and fine jewellery house Chopard and the Scheufele family—who have owned the brand since 1963—1, Place Vendôme is a 15-room boutique hotel which sits in the former Hôtel de Vendôme. Applying the same deft touch to the hotel as it does to the métiers d’art found across its jewellery and watches, Chopard has meticulously selected every element of 1, Place Vendôme to sit in complete design harmony. The careful restoration and redesign sees the material palette, textures, and ornamentation all come courtesy of Europe’s finest artisans to bring the hotel to life — think a dramatic Murano glass necklace installation by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel and an intricate mosaic inspired by the house’s Animal World collection. Highlights include a scent-extracting Chinese-inspired fumoir and a library laden with the favourite tomes of the Scheufele family.
Taking a decidedly intimate approach, the hotel is exclusively available for Chopard customers and their guests. With Chopard paring the former 29-room hotel down to five rooms and 10 suites, private spaces are generously sized and each feature distinct design cues. The attic-level Astronomie suite takes a vibrant pop art approach, while Paraiba boasts embroidered wallpaper and a mosaic shower room.
Fashion label: Chopard
Price: $POA
Address: 1 Place Vendôme, Paris, France
11. Tortuga Bay Hotel by Oscar de la Renta (Higüey, Dominican Republic)
The Tortuga Bay Hotel was designed and co-founded by late designer Oscar de la Renta in 2014. Nestled in his native Dominican Republic, the resort is ideally placed on a private beach in an ecological reserve and spans 30 suites and 13 villas. The space takes on an airy, breezy tone that befits its coastal locale, with a material palette of mahogany, wicker, and rattan complemented by Oscar de la Renta fabrics.
Fashion label: Oscar de la Renta
Price: from $1400AUD/night
Address: Punta Cana Resort & Golf Club, Higüey, Dominican Republic
Notable mentions
Although they don’t technically fit the brief of (current) hotels or suites conceived by fashion designers, these luxury fashion house hospitality collaborations also warrant a look in.
12. The Dior Spa at Hôtel Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
While not technically a designer hotel or suite, the The Dior Spa in the Hôtel Plaza Athénée deserves a mention. Dior and the Hôtel Plaza Athénée have been united in their approach to luxury since Monsieur Christian Dior opened his first store on Avenue Montaigne opposite the hotel in 1943. Naturally, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée was the first choice for the inaugural Dior Spa which made its debut in 2008. The space underwent a renovation last year and has been reborn with warm, calming, all-encompassing interiors characterised by a soft neutral colour palette, organic curvilinear shapes, natural materials, and vast archways; all complemented by Dior home decor. The redesign was accompanied by a new high-tech treatment menu designed to cleanse the face and body of the stressors of urban life. The pièce de résistance is the Dior Light Suite, a treatment room inspired by light therapy with a ceiling that mimics the sun’s light in an effort to resynchronise the body’s rhythms and restore energy.
Fashion label: Dior
Address: 25 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, France
13. Maison Moschino by Moschino (Milan, Italy)
While Maison Moschino only had a brief tenure from 2010 to 2014, its whimsical foray into the hospitality industry makes it deserving of recognition in our book. Housed within Viale Monte Grappa 12, a 1840s neoclassical railway station in Milan, the boutique hotel retained the exterior of the heritage building while crafting a fanciful tale within. Inspired by contemporary fairy-tales, entering Maison Moschino was akin to falling down a rabbit hole, with the four-floor boutique hotel crafting a surreal and unexpected story in every space. Each room took on its own unique tone, with highlights including Life is a Bed of Roses and the Sweet Room (with oversized pillows resembling cupcakes and tarts).
Fashion label: Moschino
Address: Viale Monte Grappa 12, Milan, Italy
Words by T. Angel
