Art Lovers Love These Hotels
As aficionados of various kinds of art, Bill and Mary Thompson were thoroughly enjoying their stroll through a space that was filled with it. A dramatic floating staircase that doubles as a sculpture welcomed them to the venue. A light fixture that resembles a floating cloud, the work of world-famous architect and designer Frank Gehry, was suspended from the ceiling.
The goal of the collection's curator, "Don't take life too seriously," was evident throughout the building. Just one example: a work titled "The Orange Pencil," which was inspired by a psychological study during which participants answered questions while holding a pencil under their noses.
The Thompsons might have been visiting any of museums or galleries in the United States or elsewhere, but they weren't. Instead, they were checking out the paintings and sculptures at a hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
The Hotel AKA Alexandria is one of a number of hotels and inns that house displays of art in various forms. Those who stay at these properties combine inviting accommodations with an opportunity to satisfy their craving for a fine-art fix.
Architecture vies with paintings for attention and admiration at the Hotel Marcel in New Haven, Connecticut. Its design echoes tenets of the Bauhaus architectural movement, which was born in Germany in the early 20th century and stressed simple, functional shapes and unpretentious color schemes.
The hotel features a highly curated collection of artwork throughout public and guest-room spaces. These original pieces and site-specific installations spotlight contemporary, local and emerging artists, with many pieces created by women. The property is perfectly located for exploring the city's vibrant art scene, including at nearby Yale University's galleries.
The boutique Hotel ZaZa Houston is likewise perched in a culture and arts hot spot. The collection of global and local pieces displayed in the lobbies, other public spaces and guest rooms was hand-picked by ZaZa's owner. At times the hotel offers special packages that include tickets to the city's Museum of Fine Arts, ongoing exhibitions and other perks.
The Bordessono Hotel and Spa in the Napa Valley town of Yountville, California, shares its outstanding wine offerings with an in-house art shop. The Andrea Schwartz Gallery curates rotating exhibits, and the works, many by local artists, are available for purchase. Not far away, the Yountville Art Gallery offers a collection of pieces by regional artists.
After admiring the paintings that adorn the walls of the Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs, guests can take part in a "Peaks and Paintbrushes" package to flex their artistic ability. They receive art supplies and recommendations for scenic locations in the area where they can seek to capture the beauty of the region on canvas.
An added bonus is The Vault, a galley nestled within the old stairways of the historic hotel that showcases works by local artists. That location recalls the birth of the establishment in 1902, when it provided temporary housing for mining magnates and investors.
Another historic hotel with an exception art collection is The Langham. Its Renaissance building was constructed in 1922 as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and designed to echo the Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome, which accounts for its granite exterior, life-size equestrian statues and painted dome ceiling. The structure was converted to a hotel that opened in 1981.
Its art collection totals close to 270 pieces, many of which were sourced from the Copley Society of Art. That is the oldest nonprofit arts association in the Unites States, dating back to 1879. The Wyeth Room, named for the famous American illustrator and painter, displays two of his murals: one depicting Alexander Hamilton and the other portraying Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase.
The Lord Baltimore Hotel, located in the city of that name, is another Renaissance building, this one with French influences. It was constructed in 1928 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Rubell family, which owns several hotels and an art museum in Miami, purchased the Lord Baltimore in 2013 and had it filled with some 2,500 original works of art. In 2018, the hotel launched a series of exhibitions championing local talent, and pieces from those shows have been added to its permanent displays.
When the Pfister Hotel opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1893, it was billed as the Grand Hotel of the West. The goal of the owner was to create an art-filled "palace for the people." The lavish hostelry featured such then-groundbreaking innovations as electricity throughout the building and individual temperature controls in every room. Today, it holds what is claimed to be the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world. Guests can enjoy it through a self-guided walk or a scheduled tour with the artist-in-residence.
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WHEN YOU GO
stayaka.com
hotelmarcel.com
hotelzaza.com/Houston
bardessono.com
miningexchangehotel.com
langhamhotels.com
lordbaltimorehotel.com
thepfisterhotel.com
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Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Copyright 2025 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
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