For some travellers, a hotel is a comfortable base between excursions. For others, it’s the very reason to travel. If you find yourself noticing the sweep of a staircase, the texture of a handwoven textile, or the way light filters through a space – then you already know that design isn’t an afterthought. It’s the experience.
At RASK, we’ve long admired hotels where architecture and interiors go beyond aesthetics to tell a story – about place, about culture, about a way of living. These are not stays you pass through; they are spaces you inhabit, and that inhabit you in return.
Design is now one of the defining elements of modern luxury. Not in the form of excess, but in the way a space makes you feel, and how it frames your connection to the world outside. The most remarkable design-led hotels are the ones that create a sense of belonging: a desert retreat pared back to stillness, a city hotel layered with art and texture, a villa designed for families to gather without ever feeling crowded.
Good design shapes how you move through a space and, by extension, how you experience a destination. It slows you down, draws your eyes to details you might otherwise miss, and turns the everyday act of staying in a hotel into something transformative. With that in mind, here are some of the design-led hotels we have big soft spots for – each a masterclass in how space, style, and storytelling can transform the way we travel.
1. Santani Wellness Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka
High in the hills outside Kandy, Santani is where architecture and philosophy meet. Built on a former tea estate, the resort was designed by Thisara Thanapathy Associates with sustainability at its core: chalets on stilts for natural ventilation, reclaimed wood, and floor-to-ceiling glass that frames the valley rather than distract from it. The effect is minimalism as sanctuary – calming, grounding, and deeply attuned to its landscape.
This is a place that feels intentionally pared back: no televisions, limited Wi-Fi, and an atmosphere that nudges you to slow down. The spa, carved into the hillside, is as much a journey through light, stone, and water as it is a menu of treatments.
RASK Recommends: Book a Mountain View Chalet for uninterrupted valley vistas and add an Ayurvedic treatment in the hillside spa — the perfect combination of design, setting, and wellness.
2. El Fenn, Marrakech
It’s not hard to find vibrancy in Marrakech, but El Fenn takes it up a notch. Co-owner Vanessa Branson has filled this riad-turned-boutique hotel with works from her private collection alongside pieces by the likes of Antony Gormley and Fred Pollock. The result is part gallery, part hotel – every corridor, courtyard, and bedroom brimming with saturated colour, mid-century design, and contemporary Moroccan art.
The atmosphere is unmistakably Marrakech: bold, joyful, and immersive, yet grounded by intimate courtyards and rooftop views that offer a pause from the city’s hum. El Fenn feels less like a hotel stay and more like stepping into a living, evolving canvas.
RASK Recommends: Book a room with a private terrace for sunset over the medina rooftops, then head down for dinner in the courtyard, where the atmosphere is as memorable as the food.
3. Le Coucou, Méribel
Tucked into the Trois Vallées, Le Coucou brings a fresh, modern energy to the heart of the French Alps. Designed by Patrick Jouin, the interiors blend traditional alpine charm with contemporary elegance – think warm woods, muted palettes, and intimate lighting alongside sleek modern touches. Every corner feels purposeful, from the grand open lounges to the serene spa, creating a sense of calm after a day on the slopes.
The hotel’s design invites connection: with family, with friends, and with the mountain surroundings. Natural materials, subtle textures, and artful detailing make every space feel thoughtful and welcoming, while large windows frame the snowy peaks like living paintings.
RASK Recommends: Book a Chalet Suite with mountain views for the full alpine immersion, and reserve a treatment at the spa’s sauna and steam facilities – the perfect end to a day on the slopes.
4. Rosewood São Paulo, Brazil
It’s a showstopper. Nestled in the historic Cidade Matarazzo, Rosewood São Paulo transforms a former maternity hospital into a modern design marvel, blending Brazilian heritage with contemporary elegance. Think Jean Nouvel architecture, Philippe Starck interiors, and details like warm Brazilian wood, marble, and locally sourced furnishings – every corner feels considered, eclectic, and distinctly São Paulo.
The hotel is home to two striking pools, but the real gem is the lagoon-style pool. Lush, lazy, and lined with cabanas, it’s the perfect urban oasis to unwind, just like Charlie and Jonas did earlier this year.
RASK Recommends: Book a room overlooking the lagoon-style pool – mornings with filtered light over the water and evenings with the glow of the cabanas are unforgettable. Pair it with a treatment at Asaya Spa, South America’s first Rosewood spa, for the ultimate blend of design, comfort, and rejuvenation.
5. Villa Nai 3.3, Croatia
Croatia is quietly becoming one of Europe’s most compelling luxury destinations, and Villa Nai 3.3 shows exactly why. Tucked into the hills of Dugi Otok, it blends into its surroundings with stone walls, green roofs, and terraces framing the Adriatic – a masterclass in understated, sustainable design. Architect Nikola Bašić has created a retreat that feels both contemporary and timeless, where natural textures, minimalist interiors, and serene colour palettes let the landscape take centre stage.
What makes it truly special is the sense of discovery: secluded olive groves, panoramic sea views, and a calm that feels increasingly rare in more crowded European destinations. It’s a place where design, nature, and luxury converge, offering a sanctuary that feels both intimate and expansive.
RASK Recommends: Opt for a suite with a private terrace overlooking the Adriatic and olive groves, and indulge in a spa ritual using local olive oil – an experience that grounds you in both place and moment.
6. Orient Express La Minerva, Rome
Steps from the Pantheon, Orient Express La Minerva, which opened in April 2025, occupies a 17th-century palazzo that feels both intimate and alive. Interiors by Hugo Toro highlight Italian craftsmanship at every turn – carved travertine panels, textured plaster walls, and Murano glass lighting catch the eye without ever overwhelming it. Details, from the historic skylight over the bar to the rooftop with sweeping city views, create moments of quiet surprise in a city known for grandeur.
RASK Recommends: Book the Stendhal Suite for its original frescoes and marble bathtub, and take a cocktail at La Minerva Bar as the city lights flicker on – a reminder that Rome is best experienced slowly.
7. Rosewood Doha, Qatar
Opened in July 2025, Rosewood Doha rises along the Lusail Marina promenade, a striking composition of curves and light inspired by coral reefs. The architecture, by Qatari designer Ibrahim M. Jaidah, channels both the fluidity of the sea and the warmth of the desert, creating a hotel that feels modern yet grounded in place. Interiors echo this balance: neutral sands, cool coastal blues, and hand-selected artworks that tell the story of Qatar’s cultural heritage.
Design details are everywhere – from sculptural lighting that casts patterns across polished floors to a dramatic lobby ceiling that draws the eye upward, reminding you that this is as much an architectural experience as a hotel stay. Public spaces are deliberately framed to encourage both contemplation and connection, whether in the shaded lounges overlooking the water or in intimate corners dotted with bespoke furnishings.
RASK Recommends: Take time to wander the promenade at sunset, then visit Sense® Spa for a treatment inspired by local wellness traditions – a chance to experience the hotel’s design philosophy in motion, where space, light, and ritual converge.
8. Cheval Blanc Seychelles
Cheval Blanc Seychelles feels like a private world, tucked into the lush hills of Anse Intendance. The villas are generous and airy, with high sloping roofs, wide terraces, and interiors that frame the Indian Ocean in every direction. Jean-Michel Gathy’s design honours Creole traditions while keeping the spaces modern and unforced – natural stone, timber, and rattan sit alongside clean lines and soft textiles, creating a balance between elegance and ease.
What makes it truly distinctive is the sense of flow between inside and out: infinity pools spill toward the sea, private decks merge with the landscape, and even the spa is designed as an immersive experience in nature. Art and craft punctuate every corner – handwoven fabrics, local carvings, and subtle decorative details that give the resort character without ever feeling staged.
RASK Recommends: Wander the beachfront at dawn, then retreat to a villa with a private pool. End the morning with a Guerlain Spa ritual, inspired by island botanicals – a moment that is as restorative as the surroundings themselves.
9. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
In the heart of Mayfair, the Mandarin Oriental stands with quiet authority. Its red-brick façade stretches tall and elegant, referencing the Georgian streets outside, while inside, Studio Indigo has layered subtle nods to Asian heritage over British sophistication. Light and texture are everywhere – a twisting wooden atrium sculpture, a cascading fabric installation above the sushi counter, and a bronze ceiling at the bar that shifts from day to night.
Every corner invites curiosity. Wander the lobby and notice how shadow plays across the walls, or catch the way natural light hits the atrium at sunrise – the hotel rewards attention with small, memorable moments of design and craft.
RASK Recommends: Grab a cocktail at the bar and linger beneath the bronze ceiling as it glows against the city skyline – it’s a quiet, cinematic moment that feels like it belongs only to you.
These hotels don’t shout. They just make you notice. A terrace that catches the light at sunrise. A hallway that curves unexpectedly. A bar where shadows and textures play together in a way that feels deliberate, not staged.
Each property has its own rhythm. Marrakech hums with colour and craft. Croatia leans into its raw coastline and olive groves. London balances restraint with little surprises at every turn. The Seychelles stretches infinity pools toward the sea, letting the horizon take centre stage.
Luxury in these places isn’t about scale or opulence. It’s the way spaces move, the way details land, the way a design makes you pause and remember. And that’s the kind of stay worth travelling for.
Discover them, wander through the stories they hold, and let the design guide the journey.
