While many of America’s iconic design hotels transport guests to a bygone era with visual nods to the past, some of the exciting properties across our 50 states offer up a wholly unique sense of place informed by leading-edge contemporary design. Whether it’s through avant-garde architecture, modern art programs, or futuristic furnishings, these 4 incredible hotels prove that 21st-century design can be just as ravishing as the trends of yesteryear.
Conrad Washington D.C. (District of Columbia)
Renowned architecture firms Herzog & de Meuron and Rottet Studio collaborated on the design of Conrad’s exquisite outpost in the heart of the District of Columbia. Among the most striking characteristics of the 11-story hotel are its all-glass facade and curvy marble-clad lobby atrium, which features a colossal color-changing moon pendant installation suspended from the ceiling.
The West Hollywood EDITION (West Hollywood, CA)
For the California debut of his EDITION brand, boutique hospitality pioneer Ian Schrager teamed up with famed British architectural designer John Pawson to create this impossibly chic Sunset Boulevard hideaway. The West Hollywood EDITION eschews the glitz and glamor typically associated with its hometown, introducing instead a mood board defined by understated minimalism and pops of color.
The Maven Hotel (Denver, CO)
Located in Denver’s trendy Dairy Block micro-district, The Maven Hotel was designed by local studio Johnson Nathan Strohe and NYC-based Crème/Jun Aizaki using an impressive and unexpected array of industrial materials, such as raw rolled steel, beetle-kill wood, and concrete. Inside, Denver-based art curator NINE dot ARTS incorporated over 700+ original works by well-known and emerging Colorado talent into the rooms and common areas, such as custom printed vinyl wallpapers and 2D mixed-media murals.
The Setai (Miami Beach, FL)
While part of The Setai Miami Beach sits in a restored Art Deco building from the 1930s, it’s the addition of a soaring 40-story glass tower that sets this luxurious hotel apart from other storied beachfront properties in Magic City. By fusing together elements of Miami’s signature Art Deco style with contemporary interpretations of traditional Asian motifs, architect Jean Michel Gathy and interior designer Jaya Ibrahim amplify the old-meets-new theme throughout the zen-like grounds.
