10 Hotels Designed by Some of the Biggest Names in Fashion

Image courtesy of Vermelho Melides

The best hotels allow you to experience something distinct — something you wouldn’t be able to experience anywhere else. One of the ways a hotel accomplishes this is through design. Read on for 10 of our favorite hotels that are owned, designed or heavily influenced by some of the biggest names in fashion, from Oscar de la Renta to Christian Louboutin.

Staying at any one of these properties is akin to inhabiting a mini, impeccably designed world. You get to experience artistic talent firsthand. When you’re ready to travel, connect with Fora to plan your dream fashion-forward getaway.   

Vermelho Melides by Christian Louboutin in Melides, Portugal 

Images courtesy of Vermelho Melides

This 13-room stunner was designed by none other than Christian Louboutin (‘vermelho’ is Portuguese for “red”). It’s an undeniably luxe — but nonetheless laid-back — boutique gem in southern Portugal, a short drive from Lisbon and Comporta. 

The designer hand-selected the hotel’s furniture and artwork — ceramic appliqués by Giuseppe Ducrot, frescoes by Konstantin Kakanias — much of which comes from his personal collections. The Louis Benech-designed gardens are themselves a work of art.

“The unique charm of the hotel is in the details, where each artisan and artist has infused their own style and vision,” said Portugal-based Fora Advisor Arlette Diederiks.

Fora Advisor Rebecca Hanson agrees. She said every bedroom is a work of art, a unique story told by their local artwork and custom tiles. She especially loves the elegant, whimsical shell chandelier hanging in the common area, and the large leather keychain tassels in the rooms.

Even the hotel’s restaurant, Xtian, and its bar are sights to behold. Fora Advisor Sarah Collins said the latter was one of the most beautiful bars she’s ever seen, complete with red tiles and a silver bar crafted by Vila Real goldsmiths. 

Fora’s Head of Content Kelley Louise also fell in love with the hotel: “It’s eclectic, extravagant and sweeps you up into its own world.”

Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Jamaica

Image courtesy of Round Hill Hotel & Villas

Ralph Lauren designed the breezy, sophisticated rooms at this Montego Bay secret hideaway. The property was once an estate that grew sugarcane, pimento and coconuts. Choose from polished ocean-view rooms, sprawling suites in jungly environs and exclusive hillside villas. 

“I love the old English charm and tradition. It's a mix of preppy and island,” Fora Advisor Melanie Pink said. “It is laid-back luxury at its best.”  

There’s daily afternoon tea and a pre-dinner cocktail hour (both highly recommended by Melanie). Seaside Terrace is the hotel’s main restaurant, and serves seasonal, farm-to-table Caribbean cuisine highlighting the best local ingredients, much of which comes from the onsite organic garden.  

“This property is a hidden gem that guests come back to again and again,” Melanie added. “[People who come here] don't want to tell anyone so they can keep it just for themselves.”

Fora Perks:

• $100 hotel / resort credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Suite Dior, Paris

Images courtesy of Dior & Noel Treacy for Flickr

On the fourth floor of Christian Dior’s flagship store, on 30 Avenue Montaigne, is the unbelievably chic Suite Dior. The exclusive 1,600-square-foot pied-à-terre is, unsurprisingly, impeccably designed. Famed architect Peter Marino designed the soothing, elegant interiors, which are outfitted with furniture from the likes of Thierry Leproust, Yves Klein and Ethno Eames. Meticulously selected pieces of art — from artists like Peter Seal, Anne Peabody and Guy de Rougemont — imbue the space with a luxe, lively refinement. There’s a huge closet (of course) and a glistening marble bathroom complete with Dior products. 

But the real reason you want to book this suite — apartment, really — is for the privileged experiences staying here unlocks. You’ll get a personal staff of 20, plus 24-hour butler and concierge service (and security). You’ll have access to a private chef and Dior fashion expert. Get your makeup and hair done, enjoy an in-suite massage and savor fine wines from the suite’s wine cellar (all included in the nightly rate, we might add).

Guests of Suite Dior also get to enjoy private tours of Christian Dior’s workshop and entertainment space, plus the company’s archives and current workshops. They can even create their own signature fragrance with the help of a Dior perfume expert. Perhaps the greatest perk of all, however, is the private after-hours shopping.

Fora Perks:

• Round-trip private airport transfers, unpacking & packing service, expert seamstress, collection viewings and in-suite fitting, welcome drinks, Dior signature breakfast & more.
  
  

Armani Hotel, Dubai

Image courtesy of Armani Hotel, Dubai

This exclusive, discreet hotel occupies eleven floors of the famed Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. It’s the only way to actually stay within the global landmark. Fora Advisor Nadia Bess said the hotel is sleek, modern and detail-oriented. (Giorgio Armani personally selected just about everything, including the flower vases.)

Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the city skyline. Handleless doors only add to the pervasive sleekness. Nadia advises choosing a room on one of the lower floors, since the building gets narrower as it gets taller. 

Armani Hotel guests also have access to a secret tunnel connecting the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall.

“This allows you to get there much faster, saving your feet from long walks, avoiding the crowds plus giving you direct access to more than 200 major luxury fashion brands,” Nadia said. 

Plus, with Michelin-approved dining, a sprawling spa, lounges, bars and a killer breakfast buffet, Nadia touts that “you really don't even need to leave if you don't want to.”

Fora Perks:

• $100 food / beverage credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Tortuga Bay Puntacana Resort & Club, Dominican Republic

Image courtesy of Tortuga Bay Puntacana Resort & Club

This yellow-hued retreat in Punta Cana was designed by — who else? — Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta. The resort sits on a 1,500-acre ecological reserve, and its 13 villas reflect de la Renta’s knack for refined simplicity. Each villa comes with a kitchenette and, of course, a walk-in closet.

Play a game of tennis and pickleball, go bird watching, snorkel, windsurf or go on a guided eco tour of the surrounding Ojos Indígenas Ecological Reserve. Activities abound, and your dedicated Embajador will arrange any and everything for you while you’re there.

Melanie touted Tortuga Bay’s personalized service as well as its attention to detail — down to the personalized name tags on your complimentary bike.

Fora Perks:

• Complimentary 50-minute massage for two, complimentary three-course meal for two, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible. 
  
  

Suite Coco Chanel at the Ritz Paris

Image courtesy of Vincent Leroux for Ritz Paris

If ever there was a hotel that emulated Coco Chanel, its the Ritz Paris. The legendary hotel, right off Place Vendôme, is opulent, classic and effortlessly sophisticated without being gaudy or over-the-top.

Chanel lived at the hotel for over 20 years, lovingly referring to it as "ma maison," or my house. The sprawling Suite Coco Chanel was created in her honor, designed to resemble her nearby apartment on Rue Cambon. It's outfitted in black and ivory — the interior-design equivalent of a little black dress and pearls. (Except the suite is anything but little; it's over 2,000 square feet.) Giant windows let in ample natural light, which makes the suite's crystal chandeliers sparkle.

Fora Perks:

• Complimentary roundtrip private airport transfer, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible. 
  
  

Bvlgari Hotel London

Image courtesy of Bvlgari Hotel London

Bvlgari as a whole brings Italian vibrancy and design to any city their hotels are located in. This is especially true of their London location. The brand was founded by Sotirio Bvlgari, a Greek silversmith who set up shop in Rome. Silver details are found throughout the Bvlgari in London, and silk curtains display a pattern inspired by a brooch the founder designed back in the 1800s.

Black-and-white photographs line the walls. Dark wood and muted colors add to the overall moody, handsome and stylish feel. The hotel spa is equipped with a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, sauna, ice bath and zero-gravity floatation apparatus believed to help with circulation, digestion, pain and more. 

Head to Sette, the main restaurant, for elevated Italian from the team behind New York City’s Scarpetta restaurant group. Then grab a nightcap paired with a DJ set at Nolita Social, the sexy hotel bar.

Fora Perks:

• $100 food / beverage credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Portrait Milano, Milan

Image courtesy of Portrait Milano

Portrait Milano is a fashionable gem in the Lungarno Collection, a curated group of Italian hotels owned by the Ferragamo family. The Ferragamos partnered with Florentine architect Michele Bönan, who drew from the city’s dignified mansions when designing this 73-room stay, located within the 16th-century Archiepiscopal Seminary. 

The hotel is centered on the historic Piazza del Quadrilatero, the fashion district’s oldest public square. It’s brimming with stylish boutiques and restaurants. In keeping with the fashion theme, Portrait Milano’s rooms are handsome and refined, with pops of ruby red or emerald green. 

The hotel is a see-and-be-seen spot with an eye for fashion and art — plus an amazing wellness program. The Longevity Spa masterfully combines centuries-old traditions practiced by those living in the world’s Blue Zones with high-tech techniques (cryotherapy, IV therapy, near-infrared light therapy, transmyocardial laser revascularization therapy…).

Fora Perks:

• $100 food / beverage credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Hôtel du Petit Moulin, Paris

Images courtesy of Hôtel du Petit Moulin

Each of the 17 rooms in this eclectic, delight of a hotel is the work of French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. The hotel is tucked away in the Marais, housed in what was once Paris’ oldest bakery. The charm and warmth persist.

Expect furry blankets, patterned wallpaper, slanted ceilings and colorful whimsy. In one room you’ll find zebra-striped walls. In another, a bright-orange desk or a black-tiled bathroom. There are no bad rooms, and each comes with a distinct personality, united only by a bespoke dynamism and cheeky sense of play.

Linger over breakfast in a bright dining room, which also houses the charming honesty bar. Even better, hotel guests get complimentary access to the gym, hammam and jacuzzi over at their sister hotel, the Pavillon de la Reine, arguably one of the best hotels in Paris. 

Fora Perks:

• Welcome amenities, breakfast daily & an upgrade whenever possible.
  
  

The Royal Suite by Gucci at The Savoy, London

Image courtesy Jack Hardy for The Savoy, London

Gucci and The Savoy go way back. Guccio Gucci once worked as a luggage porter at the hotel. Rumor has it that the guests’ leather luggage inspired him to start his own leather-goods company, which, as we know, evolved into the fashion behemoth the brand is today. 

The Royal Suite was, in the hotel’s words, designed as “a reflection of the Gucci world.” There’s a living room, private bar, walk-in dressing room, jacuzzi and steam shower. Furniture and décor pieces were sourced from the Gucci Décor collection. The space is sprawling and quintessentially British, with unmatched views of the Thames.

The Gucci x Savoy match extends beyond the Royal Suite, however. Shop the brand’s wares at Gucci Valigeria, a luxury pop-up. It’s especially well suited “for those fashion-focused clients who want to have something rare-ish,” Fora Advisor Bijoy Shah said.

Fora Perks:

• $100 food / beverage credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Ready to travel in style? Connect with Fora to plan and book your dream trip.