17 December 2021
The art of design: Hotel Indigo infuses spaces with unexpected design details inspired by neighborhoods
The boutique hotel brand from IHG Hotels & Resorts blends design inspired by neighborhood nuances and bespoke touches from local creators to ignite guests’ sense of curiosity and discovery.
With a design-driven ethos rooted in the art of storytelling, Hotel Indigo is a force in illuminating the world within its neighborhood. Each hotel is inspired by its own unique story, thoughtfully infusing details to spotlight the authentic and the unexpected.
A locale’s distinct style and architecture, rich history, colorful personalities and culinary culture come together at Hotel Indigo, creating an aesthetic that stirs curiosity and discovery from the moment guests step inside. Just as no two neighborhoods are alike, no two Hotel Indigo hotels are designed alike. Every property is intended to inspire connection among visitors and locals alike, with stylish yet approachable gathering spaces that spark conversation. Signature to Hotel Indigo, local creators are meticulously woven into both the interior design and the experience itself to bring the neighborhood to life within the hotel walls.
Whether exploring the destination through the lens of a local, popping in for an after-work aperitif or staying on a brief business trip, the artful local touches imbued into these properties from Miami to Adelaide will make finding a reason to travel again simple and, perhaps, inspire you to discover your own neighborhood at home with new eyes.
Americas
Hotel Indigo Miami Brickell in Florida
Situated in Mary Brickell Village, the new Hotel Indigo Miami Brickell tells stories of its neighborhood, where a symphony of Latin, Spanish, Native American and American folk influences are embraced and celebrated. The neighborhood itself is a mosaic of old and new – from ancient treasures to gleaming high-rises nestled beside bungalows. Hotel Indigo Miami Brickell was designed by internationally renowned architect and fashion designer Angel Sanchez of Coleman+Sanchez Studio. Guest room artwork and circular rugs draw inspiration from the Miami Circle, an archaeological site considered to be the only known evidence of an ancient structure built by the Tequesta around 2,000 years ago.
Hotel Indigo Lower East Side in New York
The Lower East Side is one of New York City’s most storied and dynamic neighborhoods, enriched with the culture of its first immigrant inhabitants passing through Ellis Island as well as the music, art and dance legends who have come to define generations. It is the birthplace of vibrant graffiti art that covered city streets in the 1980s and 1990s, including the works of legendary graffiti artist and Lower East Side native Lee Quinones. Music icons, including Blondie, the Ramones, Madonna and the Rolling Stones, have all spent time, gained influence and made an impact on this bold, energetic neighborhood. Today, the Lower East Side continues to inspire visitors and city dwellers to explore, play, create and thrive.
Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York’s design captures the vibrant, edgy and artistic spirit of its surroundings. Graffiti, found objects and street art motifs are infused throughout the hotel, just as they permeate the neighborhood. Upon entering, guests will be met with impactful sculptural art and intricate ironwork.
The hotel commissioned street artist Lee Quinones to help bring the distinctive neighborhood to life in the hotel experience. Quinones is one of the originators of street art in the 1970s and was instrumental in bringing the movement above ground. From a custom life-sized mural on the ceiling of the 14th floor sky lobby to the unique wall art within guestrooms and elevator lobbies, his work vividly brings the storied past and present of the Lower East Side to life.
Mr. Purple, the hotel’s rooftop bar and restaurant designed with an artist-loft ambiance, pays homage to the artists and musicians who took up residence in the neighborhood in the 1960s, transforming it into a realm of art and creativity.
Europe
Hotel Indigo Belgrade in Serbia
Like its Old Town surroundings, the recently-opened Hotel Indigo Belgrade’s architecture showcases the mishmash of cultures and styles born from the city’s fascinating history. Serbia’s capital sits at the meeting point of the Sava and Danube rivers and was historically a highly connected crossroad between east and west Europe used by traders, missionaries, tourists, ambassadors and craftsman. Landing in Belgrade, travelers from various empires, including the Romans, the Goths, the Huns, the Ottomans and the Austro-Hungarians, often left their own particular imprint on the city.
Hotel Indigo Belgrade’s 46 boutique rooms feature two distinct design styles. Drawing inspiration from the Brutalist architecture found in the city, the hotel’s Brutalism-inspired room style has concrete walls contrasted by unique artwork and textiles with unusual geometric shapes. The second room style was designed to evoke the Art Deco period of the city, with muted pastel colors and arches in the headboard mimicking the design influence of the era.
Guests are greeted by an eye-catching reception specially designed to mirror the shape of a local monument, Knez Mihailo, with locally made Serbian rugs hanging above. The use of gold throughout the lobby, reception area and elevator reference the nearby National Museum, originally built as a bank. Those who look closely will notice the elevator walls are covered in hidden poems by some of the nation’s most famous poets. The hotel's living room pays homage to the union of trade routes with an eclectic mix of styles through the ages, from Pirot rugs, a national treasure from Southern Serbia, to 70’s inspired floor lamps.
Hotel Indigo – Stratford Upon Avon in the UK
Paying homage to the town’s heritage and a slice of bygone England, Hotel Indigo – Stratford Upon Avon thoughtfully infuses classic English materials such as wool and raw wood into the interior design of each guest room. A combination of antique furniture pieces and modern fixtures create a contemporary space that celebrates the past with a modern twist. Guests will also discover a carefully curated selection of contemporary artwork, murals and, as the birthplace of William Shakespeare and home to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, artifacts inspired by Shakespeare throughout the property.
Hotel Indigo Venice - Sant’Elena in Italy
Venice is filled with beauty and history, but despite its immense popularity, there are still pockets of the city yet to be discovered. The Sant’Elena neighborhood is a global hub for modern art and culture, nearby the Venice International Film Festival, the Murano Glass Factory and the Giardini della Biennale, a year-round hub for modern art and culture that truly comes alive during the Venice Biennale.
Hotel Indigo Venice - Sant’Elena, a converted 1930s monastery, is nestled among the palaces, cathedrals, and museums of its fairy-tale city. The hotel’s interior design and bespoke touches speak to the historical importance of the building and its surroundings. This peaceful sanctuary is composed of two wings joined in the center by a former chapel and boasts an interior courtyard and large windows with high ceilings, evocative of the neighborhood’s existing architecture.
Hotel Indigo Venice - Sant’Elena’s interior design blends the building’s original features with oriental influences inspired by local tradition and history, with touches of modern elements contrasting the classic Venetian style. Sumptuous velvet pillows are layered atop leather seating while brass lighting scattered throughout the hotel plays contrast to the deep wood paneling of the lobby walls and the emerald green marble bar top. Public areas are dotted with ebru paintings, a reference to the city’s history of introducing the marbleized papers into their famed repertory of woodblock prints, copperplate engraving and book leather binding.
To the delight of diners, Savor Restaurant and Bar calls upon the 16th century trade relationship of the Venetian and Ottoman Empires with handmade Les Ottomans wall plates adorning its walls, depicting figures of Ottoman Empire royalty.
Middle East
Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown in the United Arab Emirates
An art and design-lover’s paradise, Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown is perched along the banks of Dubai Creek, just minutes from the glitzy, avant-garde Dubai Design District. Historically, Dubai has grown in parallel with the development and extension of the Dubai Creek. The Creek’s journey is a story of the transformation of Dubai from a trading post to the city of the future, which has influenced the hotel’s architectural and interior approach.
Every detail of Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown has been thoughtfully designed, with striking works of art showcased throughout. The hotel features over 200 curated pieces of art with the intention of building a collection that helps tell the hotel’s neighborhood story. It has partnered with local creatives through associations with the Alserkal Cultural Foundation, Tashkeel and XVA gallery, and each floor is dedicated to one artist, giving guests an opportunity to enjoy the art on the way to their contemporary rooms. Featured artwork is not only from local artists, but also from Dubai-based expatriates who have drawn inspiration from the city, the Emirati culture and the heritage of local vernacular.
Each of the four food and beverage outlets showcase dynamic works of art as well. The Bakala Jooos juice bar and concept store is surrounded by creative artwork, from a printed wallpaper commissioned by artist Daniel Wegera to woven tapestry rugs. Open Sesame, the property’s social eatery, features a breathtaking entrance with fabrics designed by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. The result is a modern take on Emirati heritage with souk-inspired stalls and embroidered abaya patterns in the entrance.
Asia Pacific
Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets
Marking the brand’s Australian debut, the 145-room Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets welcomes visitors with deep connections to the neighborhood and intriguing design features. Housed on the site of a former textile factory, the property’s “Raw and Refined” design ethos celebrates the neighborhood’s commercial past with an exciting blend of heritage-listed and modern architecture as well as eye-catching contemporary details throughout. The hotel’s public spaces feature striking brick archways mimicking those in Adelaide Central Market circa-1900 grand façade, colorful street art-inspired murals by acclaimed Australian collage artists, including Tristan Kerr, and an exposed terracotta brick feature wall etched with intriguing neighborhood references such as “Six o’clock Swill” and “Mad March” – the name given to Festival month in the city. Continuing its cultural tribute, exclusive Adelaide Festival-inspired poster art is featured in the corridors and rooms, while a rotating selection of artworks create an engaging, ever-changing backdrop in public spaces.
Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora in Japan
Hakone Gora is a town of two tales. In its 100-year history, Japan’s intellectuals and socialites have escaped from bustling cities to experience vibrant nature and pastel-colored onsens (hot springs) while creating a modern neighborhood filled with contemporary museums, digital art and the perpetual draw of the cherry blossoms. These stories form the Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora neighborhood experience, where guests can immerse in the history through the hotel’s artwork and design.
The hotel’s interior design is influenced by Hakone Gora’s past. Ancient patterns from local Yosegi-zaiku woodwork have inspired wood patterns throughout the hotel’s lobby while parquetry woodwork decorates the ceilings and guest rooms. Contemporary artwork references Hakone’s nature through ukiyo-e paintings, fireflies, fallen leaves and mountainous landscapes. Nostalgia and novelty sit at the core of the guest room design, with playful headboard artwork from Studio Café SHIMA that reflects the early Showa-period scenery of Gora. Photography features quirky motifs, including a courier dressed in traditional costume holding a ‘selfie stick,’ a classic bus painted with the Yosegi-zaiku pattern, soccer players, and a UFO or drone mid-flight.
Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora offers a modern twist on the onsen ritual with traditional wood finishes reminiscent of the Meiji-period bathhouses contrasted with a dramatic digital art wall installation. The installation represents Hakone’s four seasons with rotating expressions of warmth, new life and the location’s natural landscape through colorful digital lighting.
Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park in Malaysia, Opening Fall 2022
Hotel Indigo will make its debut in the heart of Malaysia’s capital city with a 180-room property located at the base of the picturesque Bukit Nanas. Kuala Lumpur’s multicultural influences will be embedded in the hotel’s DNA through a visionary design that captures the historical cham of local heritage buildings and the breadth of nearby modern architecture. With greenery from one of the country’s oldest forest reserves woven throughout the hotel to bring the forest inside, memorable features include an interactive Green Wall in the lobby and a spot of quiet serenity amidst the bustle of the city found in the concrete sky jungle and a Secret Garden. From the use of distinctive local ingredients in its dining selection through to graffiti walls made in collaboration with local artists, Hotel Indigo Kuala Lumpur on the Park promises to provide guests with an inspiring mix of cultures and experiences.
Greater China
Hotel Indigo Diqing Moonlight City
Atop the commanding heights of Dukezong Ancient Town, Hotel Indigo Diqing Moonlight City takes its Neighborhood Story inspiration from Shangri-La, epitomizing the legendary lost paradise of idyllic beauty and tranquility. The ancient town of Dukezong, with its labyrinthine lanes laid out in the shape of an eight-petal lotus flower, is one of the oldest and culturally rich places in Shangri-La. Shaded by sensuous greenery that’s symbolic of the surrounding nature, the hotel entrance features a ceiling with a hollowed design by which natural lights collect and illuminate the hotel lobby to reawaken the esoteric tales of the Ancient Tea Horse Road.
Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal
As the first Hotel Indigo in China’s Jiangsu province, Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal exudes its own distinctive ambiance that encourages guests to explore and experience the surrounding neighborhood – a rich blend of vibrant modernity together with the ancient Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The hotel’s charming interior design concept by HBA Design-works is inspired by Prosperous Suzhou, a renowned 18th century masterpiece painting depicting the bustling urban life of Souzhou. The meticulous interior further draws upon the deep architectural and cultural influences of Suzhou’s history and fuses them into a characteristically contemporary style.
Continue the art and design journey on Instagram at @HotelIndigo or through Hotel Indigo’s newest and upcoming properties, including Hotel Indigo NYC Downtown - Wall Street, Hotel Indigo Omaha Downtown in Nebraska, Hotel Indigo Vancouver Downtown - Portland Area in Washington, Hotel Indigo Bintan in Indonesia as well as Hotel Indigo Karuizawa and Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden in Japan.
To learn more about Hotel Indigo, visit www.hotelindigo.com.
Ends
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