Sleep in a Museum —Explore the World's Top Art Hotels

Every hotel has some kind of art plastered on its walls. Most are fitted with cookie-cutter prints that appear in every room and were selected purely because they matched the color scheme.

The following hotels make art a priority. In fact, these hotels are art. You no longer have to visit a museum to appreciate paintings and sculptures from around the world: A few brands are bringing contemporary masterpieces to their guests with an innovative and eye-opening approach to hospitality.  The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai is the best representation of this phenomenon. But just in case you can’t make the international journey, we’ve added five impressive art hotels right here in the U.S.

The Swatch Art Peace Hotel — Shanghai, China

Artist Ling Han Ye at work (Swatch Art Peace Hotel)

Located in the heart of Shanghai’s Bund, the Swatch Art Peach Hotel is literally a work of art. Thinking outside of the box, this five-star hotel serves one very important function: It houses artists. “We have 18 artists in residence in the hotel,” says creative director Carlo Giordanetti. “The vision was to renew the commitment of Swatch to the world of contemporary arts. Art always been a part of the brand, since the beginning.”

The artists stay for free at the hotel for three to six months in order to produce art. Some live and work in the same studio, and others have two separate spaces. The goal is to allow artists to freely create their works in a place that is fully supportive both financially and creatively.

On Nov. 1, the hotel celebrated its third anniversary with a celebration honoring its unique venture. Over the past three years it has hosted 139 artists of 34 nationalities, including Swiss, American, Chinese, and Italian. It’s designed to be a place of creativity, while also being a bit provocative. “It’s a free space for free expression of artists in a country that isn’t necessarily about freedom all of the time,” Giordanetti says. “The project has a strong meaning.”

The Happiness Suite (Swatch Art Peace Hotel)

Swatch Art Peace Hotel houses artists, but the hotel is still open to the public. One floor has rooms that guests can reserve, but be warned: These aren’t your typical hotel rooms. The suites are grand, modern, and eccentric, with oversize showers, art-filled walls, and even a bed centered in a nest. It’s an art lover’s dream, and although you aren’t on the same floor as the artists, interaction in shared spaces such as the lobby is a possibility.

If you’re not looking to unload a wallet full of yuan on a swanky hotel room, there are still ways to enjoy the artists’ work. “If you are a tourist, you can come in, experience the space, and see part of the collection,” Giordanetti says. “We currently have 80 to 100 pieces on display that are part of our Faces & Traces exhibit.”

Related: 7 Museums for 7 Days in Amsterdam

21c Museum Hotels — 5 Cities

The rooms are like mini art galleries (Photo: 21c Museum Hotel)

In 2006, art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson set out to make contemporary art a part of people’s lives. The result was the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, Ky. With rotating exhibitions featuring works of emerging and internationally acclaimed artists, the hotel provides guests with the unique opportunity to experience art at every turn. This innovative concept also combines a trifecta of culture — contemporary art, world-class dining, and unmatched Southern hospitality.

And the 90-room boutique hotel in Louisville was just the beginning. 21c now has hotels in Cincinnati; Bentonville, Ark.; and Durham, N.C.

There are plans to open an art hotel in New York in 2016.

Bellagio — Las Vegas

One of the many Fabergé items at the Bellagio (Photo: Bellagio/Facebook)

At first glance, Las Vegas might seem a bit superficial. But if you look a little closer, art is everywhere. The Gallery of Fine Arts at the Bellagio hotel presents world-class art right on the Las Vegas Strip. The gallery regularly displays works by famous artists and currently has an exhibit displaying the largest public collection of Fabergé items outside of Russia. Beyond the gallery, the Bellagio also displays famous pieces of art prominently throughout the hotel, including original Picasso paintings in its Picasso restaurant.

Chambers — New York City

The art covered halls of the Chambers NYC hotel (Photo: Charmbers NYC)

Chambers in New York City is one part hotel, one part art gallery. As you stroll through the lobby, hallways, and guestrooms, you’ll encounter more than 500 works of contemporary art from established and unknown artists. Chambers’s unique approach to decor — whether sculptures, paintings, murals, or art installations — will appeal to the art lover in everyone.

Adding to the artistic appeal, renowned designer David Rockwell has created soothing modernist interiors throughout the hotel, emphasizing comfort and harmony. There are countless museums in New York, but with the works of art residing inside this hotel, you won’t have to leave to experience the art scene.

Related: Hang With the In Crowd at New York’s Trendiest Boutique Hotels

Hotel Palomar —San Francisco

The lobby of San Francisco’s Palomar Hotel (Photo: Kimpton Hotels)

Hotel Palomar is the epitome of hip. The 198-room hotel is so sleek and modern that the entire place essentially doubles as an art gallery. Part of the Kimpton hotel chain themed as “Art in Motion,” the Palomar routinely borrows paintings from museums to display throughout the hotel.

The Palomar has impressive art of its own, but it’s also conveniently located just steps away from some of San Francisco’s top museums, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Hotel ZaZa — Dallas

The rich collection of paintings in the dining room of Hotel Zaza (Photo: Hotel Zaza)

The ZaZa Hotel has its own art gallery onsite called the ZaZa Art House and Social Gallery. Whether it’s fashion installations or runway shows, photography, painting, sculpture, or pop-up exhibits, this contemporary gallery provides a unique cultural experience for guests.

The hotel itself is also bursting at the seams with original art. In addition to the lobby, each room is decorated with its own original art — meaning that no two spaces in the hotel look the same.

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