Six Exceptionally Designed Hotel Lobbies Across the Globe

Posted in Issue March/April 2026, News, Projects

Whether grand and glamorous, or small and intimate, there’s no doubt when designing a hotel lobby that it has to make an impactful entrance – after all, first impressions don’t come around twice. SPACE selects six spaces that expertly form the first chapter of their hotel’s story, inviting curiosity and lustre for what’s to come.

WORDS BY SPACE EDITORIAL

THE SHELBOURNE
MIAMI, USA

A reimagined historic gem on the shores of Miami Beach, The Shelborne by Proper exudes nostalgic Art Deco and Miami Modernism charm. London and Barcelona based studio, ADC Atelier, approached the transformation with a deep respect for the building’s mid-century roots while ushering in a fresh, tactile luxury – the material story unfolding through honed Perlino marble, travertine, and finely grained wood. The grand 4,000-square-foot lobby bar, which incorporates the restored 18th Street façade and double-height windows, is a fresh introduction to the hotel that cultivates a tactile dialogue between craftsmanship and culture, where every detail has been selected not just for function, but for feeling. 

Pieces like Arflex’s Edo sofa, Respire wall sconces by DCW Editions, and vintage-style lounge chairs from Royal Stranger sit alongside custom rugs by Cotlin Raw and Larsen Fabrics’ refined upholstery – each element part of a considered composition. Emerging Latin American artists add narrative depth, grounding the visual language in place and time. In the west lobby, Kenny Nguyen’s sweeping hand-dyed silk installations respond gently to shifting light, while Regina Jestrow’s large-scale textile works animate the space with kinetic presence. Nearby, Lauren Shapiro’s ceramic sculptures offer organic, grounded contrast – part artefact, part living form.

HOTEL PARK AVE NYC
NEW YORK, USA

For Lore Group’s latest opening, art, material and proportion do the talking, with a design in dialogue with the city. The brand’s creative director, Jacu Strauss, worked with the property’s already strong bones to make it distinctively Lore Group, creating inspiring moments as soon as you step inside. In the lobby, the eye is instinctively drawn upwards from bold marble flooring, following the vertical pull of a 12-foot timber sculptural installation that appears to climb infinitely as it reflects back through the mirrored ceiling above. Pebble Jumble, designed by Strauss and commissioned from Jan Hendzel Studio, dominates the space in scale without overwhelming. Crafted from British timbers, smooth ‘pebbles’ in shades of blue and natural wood varieties appear to balance precariously on top of each other. Its presence is warm and grounding – a soft contrast to the city’s usual palette of glass, steel and stone.

Having collaborated on several Lore Group projects previously, this first US commission extends a subtle thread across the brand’s locations. “While each of our hotels draws inspiration from its local neighbourhood and history, having our sculptures across multiple properties creates a subtle connection across our portfolio. I love the idea of guests recognising them across Lore Group properties from London to New York,” Strauss reflects.

LA FOLIE BARBIZON
BARBIZON, FRANCE

Nestled in the French forest less than an hour from Paris, La Folie Barbizon was founded by entrepreneur Lionel Bensemoun as a creative retreat for artists to collaborate and collide. Building on its art-led concept, the country house has since been turned into a unique 21-room hotel by Chapitre Six. Led by interior architect Marion Collard and artistic director Sarah Valente, art remains at the heart of things, with around 20 artists from diverse disciplines contributing to the design of the spaces, furniture and narrative for each room. Upon entering the La Folie Barbizon, the sentiment hits immediately with a bold lobby clad in sunshine yellow ply, recycled terracotta flooring and bespoke furniture pieces made for the space. 

ROSEWOOD AMSTERDAM
THE NETHERLANDS

After a decade-long restoration project, Amsterdam’s former Palace of Justice has been reborn as Rosewood’s first hotel the Netherlands. Built in 1665 and situated on the UNESCO World Heritage listed canals, the iconic property is the last new hotel development permitted within a monumental building in Amsterdam. Interiors by renowned design firm Studio Piet Boon celebrate Dutch craftsmanship, seamlessly blending historic grandeur with contemporary elegance. Curated artifacts, bespoke furnishings and artistic elements reflect the city’s rich cultural tapestry throughout the hotel, from lobby to guestroom. As you enter the elegant loggia at the front of the hotel, you are greeted by Studio Molen’s striking metal cityscape, Statica. Further ahead, Innovative Media features a collaboration with Amsterdam’s Nxt Museum bringing digital art to life on a large screen in the lobby, with a focus on emerging digital artists. With more than a thousand artworks placed throughout the property, the hotel’s collection moves between traditional and contemporary – honouring the legacy of Dutch Masters while giving space to a new generation of artists. From Frank Stella’s vibrant Polish Village reliefs to Maarten Baas’ whimsical Grandfather Clock, each artwork offers a narrative rooted in Amsterdam’s culture. 

ME MALTA
ST JULIANS, MALTA

Finding its home in Zaha Hadid’s iconic Mercury Towers, arriving at ME Malta is a journey of two parts. Entering at ground level, the gilded elevator lobby sets the tone immediately, with flowing gold panelling and a sculptural centrepiece acting as a transportive portal to what lies beyond. Where many hotels treat reception as an extension of the street – a social spill-out space designed to pull passers-by inside – ME Malta takes a more exclusive approach. Positioned halfway up the tower, the space opens up to reveal a dramatic double-height lobby-come-lounge bar, its interior architecture shaped by the simultaneous sense of cocooning and vastness found in Malta’s natural grottoes. Interiors by Istanbul-based studio Autoban channel the daring, upscale attitude of the ME brand while drawing on Malta’s natural textures, island history and layered geography with a grounding, subtle palette. Imposing turquoise columns, scalloped timber detailing and a sweeping, seemingly weightless staircase anchor the room. Calm and composed, it’s a place where guests can leaf through a curated selection of coffee-table books on Maltese history and culture or linger over a glass of champagne while planning the days ahead with the concierge.

CAPELLA TAIPEI
SONGSHAN DISTRICT, TAIWAN

Located along the verdant corridor of Dunhua North Road in Taipei City, where century-old trees line boulevards reminiscent of European promenades, Capella Taipei’s design showcases the distinctive creativity of interior architect André Fu. At the heart of Fu’s design vision lies the concept of a modern mansion. On crossing the cobblestone driveway, the city’s clamour gently recedes, and the visitor arrives at a tranquil courtyard with sculpted greenery and magnificent bronze doors. The arrival experience continues to unfold through a series of intimate salons. Inside, a tiered console table displays an artfully curated collection of local objets d’art. Above it hangs a commissioned tapestry by Taiwanese artist Lee Chen-Lin, whose intricate weaving captures the ethereal beauty of Taiwan’s misty peaks and verdant valleys. Moving through to the Plume lobby lounge, a mural commissioned from French artist Elsa Rameau features a motif of the Taiwan blue magpie against a deep terracotta and camel sand palette. The lounge leads to the Rotunda, a cylindrical chamber with a prominent spiral staircase tracing the curve of a calla lily. At the heart of this architectural statement is Quiet Dynamics, a bold vertical sculpture by Joel Escalona.