There are millions of different hotels around the world. They are all completely different and unique. Some hotels are cozy and modest, while others are luxurious and expensive. But there is another category as well. These are hotels that take your breath away when you look at them. When everyone, having looked at the photo with one eye, will say “Well, wow!”.
A luxury hotel on the island of Santorini (Greece) is located at an altitude of 90 meters above sea level, on the beautiful rocks of the caldera. It is considered one of the most amazing hotels in the world. With a snow-white facade and a delicate overall design, it is simply impossible not to notice. The amazing location of the hotel brings it a huge number of advantages. Firstly, from every point of the hotel offers a breathtaking view of the sea. Secondly, being high in the rocks, far from civilization, the Katikies hotel offers its guests privacy and a carefree holiday. The architecture was adapted to the surrounding landscape, matching its natural forms. But despite this, the amazing white hotel-resort stands out from other buildings. The hotel has two huge swimming pools, an outdoor jacuzzi and, of course, impressive and breathtaking landscapes around.
This wonderful hotel is located in the small village of Conca Dei Marini, located between the Italian cities of Amalfi and Praiano. The hotel and spa complex is set on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Salerno. A very romantic and beautiful place, reminiscent of hotels from old movies. However, this is how it is, because it was built in the 17th century, but at that time it was a monastery. Later, the building turned into a hotel that impresses with its beauty, unique history and architecture. After the reconstruction, it has retained its charm that has existed for many years.
The luxurious hotel has 20 rooms overlooking the ocean, coastline and tiered gardens. Over the years, some changes have been made to landscape and interior design. Many of the original elements of the building have been retained, but some new elements have been added. The hotel now features a stunning cliff-edge swimming pool and luxurious spa.
Ladera Resort is located on the island of Saint Lucia. In total it consists of 9 villas and 23 suites with open walls. The so-called Open Wall system is that the west side of each of the rooms is completely open and offers a magnificent view of the mountains and the Caribbean Sea. The idea of an open-walled resort was first realized in 1992. Since then, it has become a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. All suites and villas have their own pools. The amazing resort is on the fine line between luxury and minimalism.
The layout of the rooms has been carefully thought out to provide guests with maximum comfort and privacy. All guests can enjoy life and recreation away from civilization. This is facilitated by relaxing spa treatments, beautiful restaurants and many interesting events that are regularly held here. The rooms are decorated with beautiful French furniture and accessories made by local craftsmen, as well as 19th-century wickerwork. In addition, all villas and suites are decorated with paintings by local artists.
The Radisson Blu Hotel has gained worldwide recognition not because of its stunning location or spectacular views from its rooms, but because it houses the world's largest cylindrical aquarium. It is called Aquadom and is filled with about 1 million liters of sea water. 1500 tropical fish of 56 species swim in the aquarium, and miniature reefs are located at its bottom. The state of the amazing and unique aquarium is monitored by the specialists of the Sea Life Aquarium in Berlin, located next to the hotel. The aquarium, which consists of four parts connected together, is made of acrylic glass and has a cylindrical shape. The aquarium is located on a 9-meter concrete foundation. The aquarium and the hotel were built at the same time, or rather, the hotel was built around the aquarium, turning it into the main attraction of the hotel. The glass elevator allows visitors to go up to the observation deck, located under the glass roof of the hotel. For those wishing to spend more time here, the hotel offers 427 suites with tropical underwater views or city views.
The amazingly beautiful Glass Igloo Hotel is located in Finland. The windows offer a delightful winter landscape. Without a doubt, everyone, admiring the charming view, will want to spend as much time outside as possible. Unfortunately this is not possible due to the cold weather. But there is one place where the conditions are just perfect. This is a glass villa in the Kakslauttenen hotel. Here winter looks even more beautiful than it really is.
After a busy day at work, guests can unwind in the transparent rooms and fall asleep under the stars. The glass domes give a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape as well as the sky. The main idea is to create the impression of sleeping outside under the stars, but at the same time in warmth and comfort.
Jade Mountain is an unusual resort located in St. Lucia, in the eastern part caribbean. It is located above the Anse Chastanet beach resort. The hotel has bold architectural details, wonderful pools and bridges connecting individual rooms to the rest of the resort. Fine columns highlight the local architecture. The resort offers its guests an exclusive restaurant, a terrace, and a spa. Everything at Jade Mountain Resort is made with a focus on rest and relaxation. There are no telephones, no radio, no television. Internet access is available only at the reception.
The most amazing thing about it is the layout of the rooms. Each room at Jade Mountain Resort has only three walls. Each suite has luxurious bedrooms, a living room and a private pool with amazing sea views. And the absence of a fourth wall is a huge plus, because the open space allows you to admire the beautiful landscape, feeling like a part of nature.
Soneva Gill by Six Senses is an amazing holiday destination located in the Maldives. The hotel occupies one of the largest lagoons in the region. The resort consists of oversized water villas. Each villa offers breathtaking ocean views. Favorable weather and beautiful white sandy beaches make the region ideal for a resort.
The resort is a 20-minute boat ride from Male International Airport and occupies one of the 1,190 islands that make up the Maldives. The luxury resort offers a new type of living, different from any hotel or resort. Here, guests can rent one of the stunning houses and enjoy life surrounded by water. It's a strange but amazing feeling to look out a window or an open door and see the water all around.
The Plaza Athénée is located in Paris and is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Chic design, stylish interior - a successful combination of innovative accents and traditional classic details. The hotel is located on Avenue Montaigne, known as a haute couture street. Charles de Gaulle Airport is 30 minutes by car from the hotel. Staying at this hotel will turn into a real fairy tale. The hotel has a business center, fitness center, sauna, spa, conference rooms, dining room, several restaurants. Each room has DVD players, plasma TVs, safes and internet access. For those who want to take a break from family life, babysitting services are available. It is worth noting that pets are also allowed in the hotel.
Today, people increasingly want to find something attractive, but unique and unusual. This is exactly what the Grotta Palazzese restaurant can rightfully be called. Palazzese is a unique and delightful restaurant located inside a vaulted limestone cave. The restaurant is only open during the summer months. The limestone cave overlooking the sea is another detail that makes this place unique. Guests of the hotel can enjoy their dinner here and at the same time admire the beautiful scenery, listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and feel the sea breeze caressing the skin. This place is definitely worth a visit, if only for the thrill of dining in a cave near the sea. The hotel is located a little higher. Both the hotel and the restaurant have a very sophisticated look.
Marina Bay Sands Hotel
The hotel is located in Singapore and has many unique elements. Marina Bay Sands, considered the most expensive hotel in the world, offers 2560 rooms. It also has the world's largest outdoor swimming pool, 200 meters above ground level. The pool is three times the size of the Olympic pool and is located on the 55th floor. So those who are afraid of heights should be especially careful. Marina Bay Sands also has a casino, a convention center, a theater and a lotus flower museum, so there are many other places besides the pool that can attract visitors. The hotel was designed by architect Moshe Safdie.
If there is a desire to completely retire, hide from the world, then you should go on vacation, allowing you to be alone with yourself away from the hustle and bustle of big cities.
Hotel "Moscow" on Okhotny Ryad, 2 is one of the largest in the capital of Russia. It was originally built between 1933 and 1935. The project was developed by a group of architects, which included Leonid Ivanovich (?) Saveliev and Oswald Andreevich Stapran, with significant participation of Alexei Viktorovich Shchusev.
The hotel complex was dismantled in 2004, and a building was erected in its place, which was built according to the original original drawings and almost completely reproduces the former forms of the previously dismantled one (as the developers say).
Photo 1. Hotel "Moscow", the central facade of which overlooks
Manezhnaya Square
The history of the construction of the first stage
The Moskva Hotel was included in the list of the first buildings of this type in Soviet Russia. It occupies a whole block, bounded by Okhotny Ryad Street and squares - Manezhnaya and Revolution Square. The massive building became the dominant feature of the surrounding area.
It should be noted that the area of Okhotny Ryad was considered at the beginning of the 20th century one of the most unfavorable in terms of sanitary conditions in the city of Moscow. Since this place was planned under the new government as a site for the construction of the Palace of Labor, the surroundings began to be cleared and brought to a more dignified appearance.
Excesses, which resulted in the demolition in the 1920s of the chapel in the name of Alexander Nevsky and the Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, were not done. But, meanwhile, all the fetid dilapidated shops were destroyed here, most of which were located at the southern tip of this area, and the local market was moved from the very center of the capital to Tsvetnoy Boulevard.
Photo 2. View of the hotel complex from Okhotny Ryad Street and
Theater Square
The authors were, as mentioned above, the architects Stapran and Savelyev. The future building was to be erected in the then fashionable style of constructivism, which clearly conflicted with the architectural appearance of the area: massiveness and strict asceticism did not fit in here.
By the time the frame frame of the building was almost completed, Alexei Shchusev, a well-known architect of the pre-revolutionary school, was involved in the implementation of the project for the construction of the future Moskva Hotel. Why?
The fact is that by the onset of the 1930s, the architecture of the country of the Soviets began to move away from the avant-garde style in the outline of buildings and turned towards the urban heritage of the past, i.e. classical style, which became a factor in the emergence of the so-called "Stalinist Empire".
So, Alexey Ivanovich had to correct the initial idea of his young colleagues.
It was no longer possible to make significant changes due to the already built monolithic box, but Shchusev managed to tweak a lot without infringing on the pride of Savelyev and Stapran, and create a laconic decor, executed in the spirit of neoclassicism.
So there appeared an eight-column portico with an open terrace, six floors high, numerous balconies along the facade and loggia-arcades from the side of the main entrance. Turrets appeared on the corners of the building, and after all the innovations, the building itself received a certain plasticity, which was helped to express the division into fragments of the entire facade.
The building of the Moskva Hotel was originally supposed to be of different heights: the main facade from the side of Manezhnaya Square had 14 floors, and the building along Okhotny Ryad - only 10.
It is worth noting that the building was supposed to have an architectural connection with the future Palace of the Soviets, which was planned to be erected on the site of the destroyed Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and therefore the central facade is oriented to that side and now “looks” directly at the recreated religious building.
In those same years, the architect Shchusev began to implement the plan for the construction of the second stage of the Moskva Hotel, but then the practical implementation of the project was not started.
Two additional buildings began to be erected only in 1968. It was a 10-story building on the side of the Revolution Square and a 6-story building facing the Theater Square. For these purposes, some buildings were demolished, located next to the already built part of the hotel complex, incl. and the Grand Hotel.
The work was completed in 1977 on the eve of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution.
Although they tried to build the buildings in the same architectural concept as the former buildings, the decor of the facades turned out to be somewhat dry. Many critics expressed particular complaints about the building from the Theater Square, which was an ordinary concrete box.
The history of the construction of the first stage of the Moskva Hotel is connected by a legend with Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin himself, the head of the Soviet state of that time.
Allegedly, the architect Aleksey Viktorovich Shchusev presented to the leader a design project for the main facade in two versions, combined in one drawing and separated by a median line: the left one was more pompous, and the right one was made in more strict forms. Stalin's signature crossed the center line, and they were afraid to decide which of them was actually approved. So they built the facade with some asymmetry.
In confirmation of this, they point to the right and left risalits that differ from each other.
The legend may be beautiful, but it does not correspond to the facts. Stalin never put his signatures on architectural projects.
"Restoration by demolition" - the architectural trend of Luzhkov's times
In 2004, the old buildings of the Moskva Hotel, which occupied a whole block, were dismantled, and in their place they began to build a remake, which in its forms was supposed to resemble the previous building. By 2013, the main works were completed, and a new history of this complex in the center of the capital will soon begin.
It is worth noting that a lot of money was allocated for the construction, of which about $ 90 million were simply stolen. Many believe that the restructuring of the building was required precisely for these purposes - sawing.
The Moskva Hotel was built only in the 30s of the last century, and here it was possible to get by with a sparing reconstruction that would bring the building to the level of the world's best hotels, especially since such experience was already available in the capital. As an example, we can cite the hotels "Metropol", "National", "
The architecture of a hotel or hotel complex is a complex and multifaceted concept, including the appearance of buildings, their internal layout, landscape organization of the territory and interior decoration of the premises.
Architectural structures, like other phenomena of modern artistic culture, are difficult to drive into the rigid framework of any style or direction. They are often on the verge of being a complex combination of various traditional and innovative architectural techniques. Therefore, it seems logical to conditionally divide the motley variety of modern hotels into groups according to the principles of their location and construction method. Each group has some common architectural features. Modern high-rise hotels - complexes with a very high level of comfort, offer a wide range of services, have a developed infrastructure. Often such hotels are included in the world-famous international chains - Sheraton, Hilton, etc. A variety of restaurants and bars, conference rooms, shops, underground parking, outdoor and indoor pools and fitness centers, as well as equipped with all modern means of communication business centers make them attractive for both tourists and people traveling for purely business purposes. The architecture of such hotels is extremely functional and modern, using the latest achievements in building technologies, modern structures and building materials.
In Europe, where many original architectural monuments have been preserved, where cultural and historical traditions are strong, there is a clear tendency in the architecture of hotels to respect history, when old buildings take on a new life. in the capitals and historical cities with a rich cultural tradition, these hotels are usually located in close proximity to numerous attractions. The most fashionable of them are located in old buildings of architectural and historical value in the existing urban development. Many hotels have existed for a long time, have their own history and traditions, and are proud of their famous guests. The level of comfort in them is at the highest level, since in the process of reconstruction and renovation they were equipped with all the means of modern engineering equipment. At the same time, the external appearance of the building and the interior were restored, they were returned to their original appearance, the authentic atmosphere of a bygone era was recreated. The interiors and all the decoration of such hotels are made in the style and traditions of a certain historical period.
The decoration uses expensive materials; it can be oak panels for wall and ceiling cladding, tapestries and tapestries, typesetting parquet, marble, bronze and gilding are widely used. The interiors are replete with authentic restored details and antique furniture, amaze with luxury and give the impression of complete correspondence to a certain era. It can be Baroque or Empire, Rococo or Art Nouveau. The tendency for old buildings to find new life and a new destiny has led to the fact that impregnable castles, which were spared by time, have become today strongholds of hospitality. The medieval castle of Amberley Castle has been rising among the majestic hills and vast lakes of West Sussex for almost nine centuries, one hundred and twenty kilometers from London. It strikes with a delightful atmosphere of privacy and serene peace, in which the unique flair of antiquity and the highest level of comfort inherent in a world-class country hotel coexist. In total, the hotel has nineteen suites individually decorated with antique furniture and luxurious fabrics, which have all modern amenities, with televisions, video players, telephones and other equipment delicately camouflaged in historical surroundings.
Recently, a slightly different approach to the architectural solution of hotels located in historical buildings has become more widespread. Taking care of the appearance and facades, the architect reserves the right to create a completely new interior in style and spirit. So, located in the very center of London near Trafalgar Square, the five-star One Aldwych hotel strikes with a sharp contrast: a building from the turn of the century and an ultra-modern interior. The high pace of everyday life and the poor environmental situation in modern megacities make a person turn to face nature, draw vitality from it. The advantages of a quiet and measured provincial life, tranquility and solitude in the bosom of nature, national flavor and local cuisine make "agritourism" more and more attractive. Hotels offering such a holiday are usually located in the countryside in buildings of traditional architecture. Hotel "Borgo" in Tuscany, Italy is located in an old building, typical of Mediterranean architecture, in a wine estate in the province of Chianti. Today, just like centuries ago, delicious wine and fresh olive oil are produced here. Vast vineyards and picturesque olive groves spread around, the peaceful atmosphere of patriarchal Italy reigns.
National flavor is one of the main features characteristic of the architecture of country hotels intended for recreation. The use of techniques, details and materials traditional for the area in the architectural appearance allows the building to harmoniously fit into the environment and optimally adapt to natural and climatic conditions. In addition, the national flavor, present both in the architectural appearance and in interior design, is an important emotional and aesthetic factor that affects the formation of a positive image of hotels.
To give pleasure to the guest, to make his stay at the hotel pleasant and not boring, to entertain him and surprise him, to amaze his imagination and remain in his memory for a long time is a peak that not all hotels manage to achieve. It submits only to those who firmly know the formula for success: an expressive architectural form must be filled with the content of high-class service.
In Russia and the CIS, interesting hotel projects are rare - for obvious reasons. However, there are several hotels. Our selection includes ten Russian designer hotels, two in Georgia, and one each in Azerbaijan and Ukraine, with room rates ranging from 2,350 to 30,000 rubles per night.
Barvikha Hotel&SPA
Barvikha Hotel&SPA
Where: Russia, Barvikha, Rublevo-Uspenskoe highway, 114/3
When open: late 2008
Architecture/Design: Antonio Citterio, Ekaterina Rutkovskaya
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 30,000 rubles. per double room (breakfast included)
The hotel building would fit perfectly into the Expo town, which, as you know, is always designed by the very best architects. At the same time, it is perfectly inscribed in the surrounding landscape - and here we mean not only the most expensive village in Russia, Luxury Village, where the hotel is located, but also the pine forests near Moscow: the hotel’s wooden facades become, as it were, their continuation. The interior is also dominated by natural materials (wood, marble, linen) and colors (chocolate, vanilla, sand), and the furniture made by B&B Italia according to Antonio Citterio's designs especially for the hotel does not shout about its exclusivity, but is organically included in the space. // barvikhahotel.com
11 Mirrors
11 Mirrors
Where: Ukraine, Kiev, st. Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 34A
When open: November 2012
Architecture/Design: Anatoly Kirik and Marina Leo
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 18426 rubles. per double room (breakfast included)
In working on the project of this hotel, its owner Vladimir Klitschko became for the designers Anatoly Kirik and Marina Leo what Stalin was for Iofan: an ideologist and, in fact, a co-author. Which speaks only in favor of the boxer: the hotel has become the only one in the CIS that is included in the Design Hotels international association. In addition, in 2012 it won the International Hotel Award for Best Small Hotel. The narrow eleven-story building with a granite facade combines modern design and 19th-century architecture. The interior of the hotel is dominated by mirrors and glass - which means air and lightness, which are always in short supply in large capitals. // 11mirrors-hotel.com
Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
Rooms Hotel Kazbegi
Where: Georgia, Stepantsminda, st. Vakhtang Gorgasali, 1
When open: summer 2012
Architecture/Design:
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 8469 rubles. per double room (breakfast included)
From the village of Stepantsminda (until 2007 - Kazbegi), climbing to the second highest point of the Caucasus, Mount Kazbek, which rises above the village in all its glory, starts. Nata Dzhanberidze and Keti Toloraya from the Rooms Bureau came up with a compelling reason not to leave the village. The mountains, which through the panoramic windows of all rooms enter the space of the hotel and construct it, certainly attract all the attention of the hotel guests. The interior, as it were, only frames this grandiose picture: natural wood, stones, light and air, home comfort that does not contradict modern conciseness - if there is a place more in tune with Kazbek, then only a tent under its top. // roomshotel.ge
This panorama deserves special attention.
W St.Petersburg
W St.Petersburg
Where:Russia, St. Petersburg, Voznesensky prospect, 6
When open: June 2011
Architecture/Design: Vladimir Grigoriev / Antonio Citterio
How much is the night:on booking.com - from 14,160 rubles. per double room (breakfast not included)
Hotels of the W network have some constant that does not change from city to city (for example, a branded W-bed), and a variable that expresses the author's style of designers and architects. In this case, the Italian designer Antonio Citterio also had the task of fitting the hotel into a culturally and historically rich urban context. Citterio brilliantly coped with the task - literally in places: chrome and gold dominate in the color scheme. The restrained beauty, straight lines and open spaces characteristic of St. Petersburg form the interiors of the W Hotel, into which the dome of St. Isaac and other views of the city penetrate through the huge windows as the most important detail. // wstpetersburg.ru
JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel
Where: Azerbaijan, Baku, Azadlig square, 674
When open: December 2012
Architecture/Design: ReardonSmith Architects
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 10,007 rubles. for a double room with a single bed and from 12,508 rubles. per double room with double bed (breakfast not included)
It cannot be said that the architectural solution of the hotel was striking in its novelty and courage, but, perhaps, this is exactly what a lifetime monument to a successful resource-based economy should look like: glass, symmetry and elevation above the city. The specialists of the British firm ReardonSmith, with all evidence, acted within the framework of the order - and settled in this Procrustean box with all possible elegance. And although the rooms at the JW Marriott Absheron are quite standard for a five-star hotel, without interior revelations, the designer managed to solve the most difficult task in the lobby and other public spaces. Namely - to pronounce the word luxury so that it does not sound abusive. // marriott.com
Grand-Hotel & Spa Rodina
Grand-Hotel & Spa Rodina
Where: Russia, Sochi, st. Grape, 33
When open: July 2006
Architecture/Design: Mateo Thun, Domus Aurea Design Interiors Group
How much is the night: on booking.comfrom 23 200 rub. per double room (breakfast included)
A vivid example of a sharp, and therefore spectacular, discrepancy between form and content: minimalism in the packaging of Stalinist architecture. The living quarters were designed by the court decorators of the Queen of the Netherlands Beatrix - Suzanne Logger and Patrick Brugman from Domus Aurea Design Interiors Group. They have developed every detail of the interior of all forty rooms of the hotel especially for Rodina. There is, however, a semantic link between the outside and the inside - public spaces with marble floors and crystal chandeliers, designed by the Italian Mateo Thun, throw a bridge from Stalinist neoclassicism to modern ideas of beauty and comfort. // grandhotelrodina.ru
Rooms Hotel Tbilisi
Rooms Hotel Tbilisi
Where: Georgia, Tbilisi, st. Kostava, 14
When open: October 2014
Architecture/Design: Nata Janberidze and Keti Toloraya (Rooms design bureau)
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 19395 rubles. per double room (breakfast not included)
The second hotel of the chain, named after the design studio Rooms, which was engaged in the design of both hotels. Rooms Hotel Tbilisi is located in the very center of the Georgian capital in the building of the former printing house Samshoblo. Thanks to the efforts of Nata Dzhanberidze and Keti Toloray, the concrete ruins acquired a loft-bohemian chic. The key components of interior decoration are wood and leather. Plus, each room (141 in total) is decorated with handmade wallpaper, including silkscreen patterns. The lobbies and rooms are lined with vintage items that add to the atmosphere of the hotel. // roomshotels.com
DoubleTree by Hilton Moscow - Marina
Where: Russia, Moscow, Leningradskoe highway 39, building 1
When open: October 2014
Architecture/Design: ADM bureau, Frontarchitecture arch bureau together with Martin Hulbert Design
How much is the night: on the hotel website - from 12,000 rubles. for a room with two single beds and from 13,500 rubles. for a double room with one large bed (breakfast not included)
Located on the banks of the Moskva River, the hotel was designed by ADM according to the strict standards of the Hilton brand, in practice, which means extremely simple forms and straight corridors. The architectural studio Frontarchitecture was responsible for the interior design. The interiors are done in warm colors and furnished with natural materials. // hilton.ru
Mriya Resort & Spa
Mriya Resort & Spa
Where: Russia, Crimea, Yalta, p. Opolznevoe, General Ostryakova street, 9
When open: August 2014
Architecture/Design: Norman Foster
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 7,099 rubles. per double room (breakfast included)
This year-round resort, which includes a five-star hotel (408 rooms and 14 villas), medical and spa centers, was designed by the famous Norman Foster, the author of Wembley Stadium and the Millennium Bridge in London. In September 2016, the complex, shaped like either an elegant flower or an alien ship, was recognized as the best in Europe according to the World Travel Awards, an analogue of the Oscar for the tourism industry. // mriya.me
Boutique Hotel Rodniki
Boutique Hotel Rodniki
Where: Russia, Vladimir region, Alexandrov, 80 km from MKAD
When open: February 2013
Architecture/Design: Mikhail and Dmitry Ganevich from the architectural bureau "Atrium"
How much is the night: on booking.com - from 21,000 rubles. for a suite with a bedroom and a living room and a terrace overlooking the forest (breakfast included)
The complex, consisting of 6 cottages (2 rooms each), a spa center and a restaurant, contrary to stereotypes about a Russian country hotel, does not look like a hut or a manor. Asymmetrical buildings made of concrete and glass with sloping roofs are made in a modern style. The interior decoration used mainly stone, wood and shingles. Each room is equipped with underfloor heating, a fireplace, a dressing room and a terrace with a garden. The hotel also has a complex with a Finnish bath and a Japanese furako bath. // rodniki-hotel.ru
Today, given the rapid development of tourism, special attention is paid to the development of the hotel business. The value of a hotel or hotel complex in the modern tourism infrastructure can hardly be overestimated. And this is no coincidence, because for travelers of our days, the hotel should become a cozy and comfortable home for a while, where they want to return again.
Many specialists are working on solving this issue, and not the last place in this is the work of an architect who, at the design stage, lays the foundations for the hotel's image. The architecture of a hotel or hotel complex includes both the external appearance of buildings, their internal layout, and the landscape organization of the territory and the interior decoration of the premises. Each component is important, but only together, uniting into one harmonious whole, they become a complete artistic image, corresponding to the general idea of the hotel. At the same time, the architectural appearance becomes the visual factor that makes the very first and strongest impression on a person.
And today, almost all modern architectural trends and trends are reflected in the architecture of hotels. Being a complex and complex object in its purpose, combining social and entertainment functions along with housing, the hotel allows the architect to realize all creative ideas and create an expressive and memorable image. To do this, architects often use planning techniques and building materials traditional for the area. In combination with unexpected innovative ideas, the architects manage to provide an attractive and memorable image of the hotel complex for tourists. Given the different approach to the architectural design of hotels, they can be divided into several groups - modern hotel complexes, hotels located in historical buildings and exotic hotels.
Modern high-rise hotels
The architectural appearance of such hotels usually does not have a national color - it is, first of all, a visual image modern architecture, striking the imagination with the boldness of forms and technical solutions. The architecture is extremely functional and modern, using the latest achievements in building technologies, modern structures and building materials. The latest engineering equipment - systems of energy and water supply, ventilation and heating allow you to create your own microclimate inside the hotel complex, a comfortable environment for a person.
Having autonomy, such complexes enable a person to realize their needs for entertainment and recreation without going beyond it. In addition, such hotels have all the conditions for the successful holding of various business events - congresses, conferences, etc.
These hotels include the seven-star Burj al-Arab Hotel. It is the largest building in the Middle East, taller than the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is built in the shape of a yacht sail. It stands on a triangular artificial island 280 meters from the coast of Jumeirah. The building has steel diagonal bracing on the outer sides of the walls and is set on concrete piles that extend into the seabed. The total area of its premises is 111,480 m2, and the height of the building is 321 m. The hotel is equipped with the fastest elevators in the world. Their average speed is seven meters per second. On the top floor there is a restaurant with a fantastic view of the sea and the coast. The luxurious hotel accommodates two hundred two-level rooms. The area of the smallest single room is 169 m2. The most exquisite materials were used to decorate the interiors of the hotel: marble, precious woods, natural stone, leather, and even precious metals - more than 8 thousand m2 of the hotel is decorated with pure gold of the highest standard.
Designers have taken care not only of the beauty of the facade and interior decoration, but also of the convenience of the staff, which provides guests with a truly impeccable service. Each floor has its own reception service and butler service for every guest. The hotel has 6 chic restaurants, one of which is underwater.
Today, modern hotel complexes are closely connected with the entertainment industry. This trend can be seen in the example of hotels located in the territories of theme parks, such as Disneyland. Under these conditions, the hotel is so consistent with the surrounding fairy-tale reality that it becomes a kind of decoration against which guests get an amazing feeling of an illusion come to life. The architecture of hotels in the world gambling center Las Vegas is characterized by the fact that they are based on the sights of various countries.
For example, the Paris - Las Vegas hotel is France on the American continent, and the New York - New York hotel consists of many "Manhattan" skyscrapers, in front of which there is a small copy of the Statue of Liberty. Las Vegas also has its own little Venice - the Venice Hotel, which allows guests to visit Venice, the most romantic city in Italy, without leaving the States. The Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and other Venetian sights have been recreated with the highest authenticity in the hotel complex. The construction of this hotel cost $4.2 billion.
Entering the entertainment industry to a new level was marked by the opening of the Bellagio hotel-casino, which is a real Art Museum, for which paintings by famous artists were specially bought: Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Picasso and other celebrities.
Construction of hotels in Las Vegas continues. So, D. Trump, an American billionaire, announced his intention to build the highest hotel on the territory of the famous Street quarter in Las Vegas. The hotel will be similar to the International Hotel and Trump Tower in New York. Construction of the 64-storey hotel, consisting of 1,000 rooms and 50 luxury apartments, is scheduled to begin in 2005. Its cost is estimated at 300 million dollars. The duration of construction can be 18-24 months. The 197 m tall hotel building will exceed the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas (187 m), which will be built in April 2005. Moreover, its cost is estimated at $2.6 billion. The 196-meter-high Palazzo Hotel is being built next to it, the construction of which will cost $1.6 billion. It is planned that it will be put into operation in 2007.
New life for old hotels
The trend of preserving and restoring old hotels can be traced almost all over the world. This is especially noticeable in Europe, where many original architectural monuments have been preserved. In the architecture of hotels, the tendency to respect history is most noticeable, and old buildings are given new life. In European capitals and historical cities with rich cultural traditions, such hotels are usually located in close proximity to other historical attractions.
The most fashionable of them are located in old buildings of architectural and historical value in the existing urban development. Many hotels have existed for a long time, have their own history and traditions, and are proud of their famous guests. The level of comfort in them is at the highest level, since in the process of reconstruction and renovation they were equipped with all the means of modern engineering equipment. At the same time, the external appearance of the building and the interior were restored, they were returned to their original appearance, the authentic atmosphere of a bygone era was recreated. The interiors and all the decoration of such hotels are made in the style and traditions of a certain historical period. Such hotels have become world famous.
For example, the Parisian Hotel Meurice is considered the most prestigious hotel in France and is part of the famous Dorchester Group, which includes the most luxurious hotels in the world. During the 183 years of its existence, the hotel was reconstructed three times (in 1907, 1947 and 2000). The architect and designer who carried out the renovation project were well aware that the Meurice is not just the oldest hotel in Paris - it is part of its history. In Paris, which is called the living room for the whole world, there are a large number of hotels located in renovated old buildings. These are the Saints-Peres Hotel, a charming and noble old mansion with completely restored interiors, and the Lotti Hotel, which first opened in 1910, where the rooms are decorated in the styles of Louis XV and Louis XVI.
The Lancaster Hotel, built in 1889, was completely renovated in 1996 and still perfectly exemplifies the "art of living the French way" of the Second Empire. The great and only Ritz is located in the very center of Paris. The preservation of historic buildings is also at the heart of the urban planning policy of other Western countries. In Zurich (Switzerland), which, while remaining one of the largest business centers in the world, combines the sophistication of antiquity and the elegant simplicity of modern cultural center, is "Dolder Grant Hotel". Located on a high hill in an old city park, it was built about a hundred years ago in the Art Nouveau style (French L "Art Nouveau - new art). The appearance of the hotel corresponds to the surrounding landscape and resembles a castle.
The tendency for old buildings to acquire new life and a new destiny has led to the fact that even real castles, which time spared, have become strongholds of hospitality today.
For example, the medieval castle Amberley Castle, which has been rising for almost nine centuries among the majestic hills and vast lakes of West Sussex, 120 km from London, strikes with a delightful atmosphere of solitude and serene peace. The hotel has a total of nineteen suites individually decorated with antiques and luxurious fabrics that offer all modern comforts.
Recently, another approach to the architectural solution of hotels located in historical buildings has become more widespread. Taking care of the appearance and facades, the architect reserves the right to create a completely new interior in style and spirit. So, located in the very center of London near Trafalgar Square, the five-star One Aldwych hotel strikes with a sharp contrast - a building from the beginning of the century and an ultra-modern interior.
Exotics of the hotel business
The architecture of hotels in this group depends on those design features that affect the safety of residents. So, for example, for the equipment of the underwater hotel "Jules" Undersea Lodge "two researchers-oceanologists Jan Koblik and Neil Money converted their underwater laboratory, located at a depth of 21 m under water in the Emerald Lagoon in Florida. The hotel is designed for 6 guests, equipped with a shower room, kitchen, living room, there is even a telephone, living area - 600 m2.
You can get into Jules "Undersea Lodge only with scuba gear, the "entrance hall" is arranged on land and resembles a descent into the pool. Guests enter the hotel through the so-called wet room, where you can change into ordinary clothes and take a shower. Visitors get around at the hotel without breathing apparatus, as the pressurized room is filled with air.The control of maintaining normal conditions in the hotel is carried out at the station located on the surface, in the Emerald Lagoon.The station is connected to the hotel by a cable, through which air, water and electricity are supplied to the hotel.It is believed that that Jules "Undersea Lodge" is the world's first underwater hotel. The creators of the underwater hotel initially hatched plans to build a network of similar facilities. But at the moment, with the development of this idea, they are in no hurry.
Tree-top hotels are also popular. The peculiarity of the hotel complex "Ariau Jungle Tower" is precisely that it is located on the trees. The hotel is located at the confluence of the Rio Negro with the Amazon, 55 km from the capital of the Amazon - Manaus .. And this is not just an eccentricity of architects. There were several reasons for raising the numbers to a height of 50 m. Firstly, in a particularly unfavorable season, the water level here rises by 20-25 m. In addition, there are a lot of all living creatures in the Amazon that are not averse to feasting on a gaping European tourist, for example, cute piranha fish. But despite this, "Ariau Jungle Tower" is very popular among the world's elite. At one time, Bill Clinton, the presidents of all Latin American countries and German President Roman Herzog visited here. VIP-guests took part in the conference, which are held here very often. Despite the "minor" inconveniences, the hotel is so mesmerizing with its exotic beauty that there is simply no end to the guests.
The newlyweds book the tower "Tarzan in Love" for their honeymoon, located at an altitude of 60 m. Who abruptly occupies apartments in the "Imperial Tower". And for ordinary guests, the whole range of familiar services - rooms with baths and air conditioning, guides who speak several languages, and, of course, two swimming pools, four meters above the ground.
Tree hotels are not uncommon today. There are similar “hanging hotels” in other regions of the world. For example, in Turkey, the Kadir "s tree houses" tree hotel has been operating for more than 17 years. It has a capacity of 300 beds and is a couple of dozens of cobbled huts built right on the branches of giant trees.
In recent years, work has been actively underway to create space hotels. On May 25, 2002, an agreement in principle was reached between the Russian company Atlas Aerospace and the international corporation Mircorp on the creation of an orbital hotel for tourists. Of course, there are serious disagreements between them about what should be the world's first space hotel. Mircorp offers the traditional version, which has been used in the world so far, that is, a universal station. From the point of view of Atlas Aerospace, in addition to the high cost, such a station has a significant drawback - high costs for operation and maintenance during periods of forced downtime. It was for these reasons that the Mir station was flooded.
Atlas Aerospace proposes to use a fundamentally new approach - modular construction, in which individual parts of the station are highly specialized, inexpensive, can be launched into orbit and sunk autonomously, if necessary. A flexible approach allows you to build a ship from modules for a specific task. At the same time, it is planned to significantly change internal design in the space module, to adapt it to more comfortable living, to increase the volume of living quarters. The life support system of the hotel will be powered by the engines of the ship delivering tourists into orbit. Thus, when the crew is not on board, it is just a blank, the stay of which in space costs nothing to the owners on Earth.
According to the calculations of the partners, the initial price of the project (the main ligaments that ensure the operation of the hotel in the mode of simultaneous reception of two tourists) is $100 million. At the visiting station, as partners prefer to call it, there will be two chairs. The cost of each ticket with regular launches can drop to $10-15 million. In addition to tourism, the visiting station has a second promising purpose - a platform for alternative scientific programs. There are other areas of activity, for example, the possibility of going into space for countries that are not members of the ISS Space Club today. And, finally, the hotel can become a unique platform for various shootings. Experts admit that despite the different approaches, this is the first major joint project in the history of commercial astronautics with the participation of two companies.
The stage when each private company sought to go into orbit alone has passed. Time has shown that for the implementation of space programs, cooperation of the financial and technical capabilities of former competitors is simply necessary. NPO Energia is the general contractor for the joint project. Instead of conclusion In the modern world there are a huge number of hotels. They differ in purpose, capacity, number of storeys, type of construction, level of comfort, location and other features.
All these features, in turn, have an impact on the architectural and planning solution, and hence on the image of the hotel. Indeed, today the hotel has ceased to be just a place for a temporary overnight stay. A high level of comfort is no longer enough. To succeed in the competitive struggle, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the modern market. Just to entertain the guests and ensure their comfort - now this is not enough, you also need to surprise, and maybe even stun.