If you love art, history and culture, your holidays are no doubt elevated by close proximity to fascinating local artwork, or a museum full of intriguing exhibits.
But let’s dial things up a little more. How about staying in a fabulously unusual retreat… with an art gallery or museum right there on site?
Dotted around the world, each one of these unique places to stay offers a little something extra, in the form of rare historic finds or inventive art you won’t see anywhere else. Highlights include floating art-rooms designed by the award-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the famed Insect Circus Museum, and David Bowie’s old typewriter.
Oh, and you could even travel to Ibiza and become a living piece of art yourself, courtesy of a glass-walled suite in the middle of the hotel’s lobby.
Browse the full collection here.
(While you can’t reserve the one you like best with a sticker, you can click through to the property site and book your stay, which is even better!).
Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: Simose Art Museum | Japan
Otake City, Hiroshima, Japan
Eat, sleep and dream in an architect-designed, art-infused Japanese garden by the Seto Inland Sea, with individually-styled villas and an on-site French restaurant.
Bedrooms: 1 per villa
Sleeps: 2 per villa
An on-site Japanese art museum designed by Shigeru Ban, with moveable, floating- island-inspired exhibition rooms.
Great Livermere, West Suffolk, England
A vibrant and eclectic mid-century haven with creative upcycling, fun games and intriguing art (including the TV-featured Insect Circus Museum), secluded in a historic Suffolk village close to Bury St. Edmunds.
A room dedicated to the TV-featured Insect Circus Museum: once a “warm-hearted and witty” travelling attraction featuring costumes, toys, puppets, and ephemera.
Kings Worthy, nr Winchester, Hampshire, England
A futuristic, architect-designed Smart House that’s styled and themed in detail-rich homage to David Bowie, peacefully secluded in a historic Hampshire village close to Winchester.
A Smart House filled with authentic memorabilia and some of Bowie’s former possessions on display, some of which are considered to be design classics.
Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA
Be part of history, with a unique stay aboard a restored World War II sub, floating proudly in Wisconsin's historic Manitowoc River.
A restored World War II submarine with an on-board ‘time capsule’ museum that also features movie-showings and personalised tours.
Mexico City, Ciudad de Mexico
An artistic sanctuary in Mexico City, designed by a multiple award-winning architect and furnished by a renowned interior designer, for a remarkable escape packed with unique and captivating style.
An artistic three-storey sanctuary designed by the award-winning architect Álvaro Siza, with a first-floor pop-up art space by Kasmin Gallery.
Watchet, Somerset, England
Five ultra-creative, individually-styled retreats that form part of a community-focused arts hub, elevated on the Somerset coast with incredible far-reaching views.
Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per pod
Sleeps: 6
A community-focused arts hub with free-entry galleries and artist studios to explore, as well as a regular programme of events and workshops.
Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
A fascinating boutique hotel and spa, converted from a former power station and beautifully located in the heart of South Africa's iconic Garden Route.
A former working power station with turbine machinery integrated into the unique architecture, and a fascinating selection of curios to view.
Misterton, Nottinghamshire, England
An historic Grade II-listed retreat, stylishly re-imagined as a creative and contemporary art studio with soothing views across the River Idle.
A Grade II-listed former pump house, now a stylish and light-filled studio filled with work created by local artists.
Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy
Stray from the beaten Tuscan track at Art Hangar, in an industrial hangar transformed into a unique loft space that's perfect for creative dreamers.
An industrial hangar creatively transformed by an architect and an artist, with unique art on display throughout.
San Marcello Piteglio, Tuscany, Italy
An award-winning sustainable sanctuary, deeply immersed in protected Tuscan nature with luxury lodges, home-grown cuisine, and al fresco activities designed to re-acquaint you with the natural world.
Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per lodge
Sleeps: 4
An on-site outdoor sculpture and art park featuring works by leading global artists, along with a gallery hosting temporary exhibitions.
Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
A vibrant, wow-factor, Ocean Drive-style Art Deco retreat on the shores of San Antonio, with Instagrammable outdoor pools, live music, and jaw-dropping art everywhere you look
A Paris-curated in-hotel art gallery with urban pieces, and the opportunity to be a living piece of art in the glass-walled Zero Suite… in the middle of the hotel’s lobby!
Wark, Northumberland, England
A globally-unique and ultra-luxurious Net Zero conversion of a 19th century church, in beautiful rural Northumberland close to Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Water.
An in-church gallery space featuring a selection of curated North East artwork and ceramics.
