Hotels have always been serious business and the ultimate expression of good hospitality design. Nowadays more than ever, hotels are places that need to capture the imagination of global travellers, particularly as most of us now travel all the time – if not in person, than virtually via online and social media channels, #hashtags, geotags etc.

As cliche as it sounds, hotels not only need to be our home away from home, they are also places where serious work and/ or leisure, relaxation, escapism and nurturing takes place. They also need to work, really really hard – both front and back of house, withstand the test of time, wear and tear, and transcend the dreaded “trends”.

Here’s a selection of the hotels we’ve talked about on Yellowtrace in 2019, both in Australia and (mostly) abroad. Some of them we’ve had the good fortune of visiting in person. Others we’ve visited by proxy. All of them lovely and worthy of your attention.

See All Yellowtrace 2019 Archives Here. 2018 Archive / 2017 Archive / 2016 Archive / 2015 Archive / 2014 Archive / 2013 Archive / 2012 Archive / 2011 Archive / 2010 Archive

1. Casa Popeea Boutique Hotel in Romania by Manea Kella. 2. L’Arlatan Hotel in Arles, France With Interiors by Artist Jorge Pardo. 3. Santa Monica Proper Luxury Boutique Hotel by Kelly Wearstler. 4. Il Palazzo Experimental Venice Hotel by Dorothée Meilichzon. 5. August in Antwerp by Vincent Van Duysen.

6. Krakani Lumi in Mount William, Tasmania by Taylor and Hinds Architects. 7. Barefoot Luxury Villas in Cabo Verde by Polo Architects & Going East. 8. Menorca Experimental Hotel in Spain by Dorothee Meilichzon. 9. Kandalama Hotel in Sri Lanka by Geoffrey Bawa, photographer by Rui Cardoso. 10. Casa Cook Chania on Greek Island Crete by Lambs and Lions & K-studio.

11. The Royce Hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne by SJB. 12. Son Julia Boutique Hotel Refurbishment in Palma de Mallorca by Jorge Bibiloni. 13. Villa Lena in Tuscany by Hesselbrand Set in a Former Horse Stable. 14. Whitworth Locke Hotel in Manchester, UK by Grzywinski+Pons. 15. Hatch Student Accommodation in Cork, Ireland by Kingston Lafferty Design. 16. Nowhere but Sajima in Yokosuka, Japan by Yasutaka Yoshimura Architects.

17. Sister City Hotel Opens in New York. 18. Rural Guesthouse in Spain by Lucas y Hernández-Gil. 19. Dá Licença Boutique Hotel in Estremoz, Portugal. 20. Renovation of Yule Mountain Boutique Hotel in Hangzhou, China by Continuation Studio.

21. Monteverdi Tuscany Boutique Hotel Reveals its 15-Year Restoration by Ilaria Miani. 22. Parilio Hotel on Paros Island, Greece by Interior Design Laboratorium. 23. Vora Villas in Santorini, Greece by K-Studio. 24. Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Greece by k-studio.

See All Yellowtrace 2019 Archives Here. 2018 Archive / 2017 Archive / 2016 Archive / 2015 Archive / 2014 Archive / 2013 Archive / 2012 Archive / 2011 Archive / 2010 Archive