Hotel illustration from Alejandra Villagraat 360 Magazine for use by 360 Magazine

Best Luxury Hotel × History

Have you ever entered a place and feel the historic energy coursing through your bones? In this week’s compilation, we suggest hotels around the world that are filled with history and will certainly make you feel like taking a stroll down memory lane. 360 Magazine is happy to see such beautiful hotels have a huge history attached to them.

NEW: Hotel Motto – Vienna, Austria

The historic building has housed hotels for over three centuries with the first property, The Gold Cross, opened in 1665, which then morphed into Hotel Kummer in 1872 to became a social hub for artists, painters, sculptors, writers, actors, and musicians who gathered for coffee, wine and Austrian delicacies in the hotel’s public spaces. In 1904 the building was refurbished by Ludwig Schwarz, who preserved the original slanted corners and the oversized columns that frame the lobby and entryway to the hotel. The décor of the upper floors was especially elaborate and the interiors have been partially preserved to this day, even after the allied occupation of post-World War II Vienna when the hotel was taken over by the French from 1945 to 1955. Another historical nugget is that Hotel Motto was the birth home of Josef Strauss, son of the famous composer Johann Strauss, who called the hotel home in 1827.

Today Hotel Motto boasts of 83 rooms and 8 suites showcasing fabric-covered walls with floral patterns; custom-designed carpets and tiles are inspired by the framework of the original vintage furniture, and the herringbone hard-wood flooring is seen throughout the property.

NEW: Maalot – Rome, Italy

Located in the original residence of famous Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti (1797 – 1848), known for operas such as Don Pasquale, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Maria Stuarda, Maalot Roma aims to attract a multigenerational clientele looking for a vibrant yet cozy locale to gather with their loved ones in the most central part of Rome. A restaurant and a bar are immersed in a glass roof veranda. Signature elements of the 30 distinctive rooms showcase paintings of hats that depict the “setting your hat down and feeling at home” mood.

Designed to celebrate life and social gathering, Maalot’s restaurant Don Pasquale is set to be an all-day dining experience for locals and hotels guests. Named after one of the most renowned works of Gaetano Donizetti, the restaurant is a place to relax, enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine alone or in good company.

NEW: Atelier Inès. Arts & Suites – Naples, Italy

Set in Naples’ Vergini district, right in the center of the old town, the grounds where this new hospitality experience is located were between 1900 and 1930 an open-air cinema and theatre. Annibale Oste’s grandfather then erected the building in 1947 and since then it has been the home of the Oste family. In 1980 the ground floor started hosting Annibale’s art studio where he designed and hand-made each and every art piece found around the world in hotels, art galleries and concept stores, public spaces, private collections, and so on.

Nowadays Annibale’s son Vincenzo, together with artist wife Inès, are at the helm of the family hotel featuring six bespoke suits, a showroom, a jewelry boutique, and a common living area dedicated to art and gastronomy experiences. Guests can join creative workshops to craft their own pieces of jewelry and interior design and enjoy a one-to-one lesson with Vincenzo.

Vilòn Roma: Rome, Italy

Opened in 2018, this boutique hotel caters to cultured, independent globetrotting guests while also welcoming the city’s urban elite. However, the history of the building dates back to the middle of the 16th century. Then it was the historical residence belonging to the powerful and princely Roman family of the Borghese. In 1841, Princess Adelaide (who’s hotel restaurant was named after) entrusted the building to the French nuns of the order of the Daughters of the Cross and they founded, the First School for Poor Girls in an attempt to create an institution for less fortunate girls, where they could receive an education that would equip them for a more positive future.

In recent history, the Vilòn welcomed modern-day royalty when Harry and Meghan stayed at the exquisite Vilòn Suite in September 2019.

Borgo Santo Pietro: Tuscany, Italy

Situated in the heart of Tuscany near Siena, Borgo Santo Pietro is a 5-star luxury resort with a holistic spa, cooking school, Michelin-starred restaurant, 300-acre organic farm, vineyards, and 13-acre beautifully manicured gardens. Each of our 22 rooms and suites is individually styled, inspired by the villa’s rich history, with bespoke details executed by local craftsmen and our in-house artisans using traditional techniques. Pioneer of nature-meets-luxury hospitality and slow-living concept, Borgo Santo Pietro lives up to its history of healing and seclusion – once a place of pilgrimage many found refuge, healing, and regeneration in the place that we now call Borgo San Pietro.

Life House Nantucket: New England, USA

Life House Nantucket is the oldest continually operating inn on the island. The 1833 building on Cliff Road, at one of the highest points on the island, was once a personal retreat for Captain Robert Calder in between whaling expeditions before he opened it up to travelers in 1870.

Today, Life House Nantucket is a nonchalant innkeeper’s eclectic escape that reflects her flair for cultivating the island’s native botany and practicing holistic wellness.

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