Rima Suqi spotlights hotels with art collections in Travel + Leisure:
“Hotels really can’t get away with putting mallard prints on the wall anymore,” says Paul Morris, who oversees six international art fairs including the Armory Show in New York City, VOLTA in Basel, Switzerland, and Art Toronto for the Merchandise Mart. “People are more art savvy, and artists have turned into celebrities. It creates higher expectation levels all around.”
When Morris isn’t traveling the world to art fairs, he bounces between his office in New York City and the Merchandise Mart’s headquarters in Chicago, where he likes to stay at The James. It’s no surprise why: the hotel has art books in every room and curated exhibits in the lobby.
Morris also loves the Gramercy Park Hotel for its impressive art collection that’s partly curated by legendary artist and award-winning film director Julian Schnabel. Schnabel has decorated the public spaces not just with art, but with statement furniture as well.
Across the pond in Athens, the Semiramis also has a standout collection, thanks to owner Dakis Joannou’s impressive trove of contemporary works. Wander in and you’ll see pieces by art world bad boy Jeff Koons and Japanese sensation Takashi Murakami, all displayed inside a hotel designed by Karim Rashid (known for his ultra-modern take on everything from furniture to trash cans).
Best Hotel Art Collections (Travel + Leisure)
