Destinations known | The 5-star hotels with the best art collections: Dali, Botero and Murakami thrown in for the price of a night’s stay, or African contemporary art if you prefer
- Luxury hotels are trying to outdo each other with the art displayed on their walls and in their public spaces, and with their support for contemporary artists
- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it’s hard to say which is the best hotel for art. That hasn’t stopped art experts from trying
Google tells us that there are more than 4,400 four- and five-star hotels in the world.
Given that the majority are clustered in the most visited cities and not everyone with US$250 or more to spend on nightly accommodation is especially brand loyal, it’s easy to see why owners look for ways to make individual properties stand out from the crowd. And there’s only so much appeal in tours that put the “authenticity” into the city.
Hence, the rise and rise of the hotel art collection. Luxury properties around the world are increasingly trying to outdo one another by turning their wall space and corridors into galleries for artwork that has been acquired or specially commissioned.
The Peninsula Hotels chain is a fan of the latter.
Last week, the five-star brand announced the return of its “Art in Resonance” programme – originally introduced in 2019 – through which artwork is commissioned and sent travelling around the world, to the group’s hotels.
From now until May, visitors to the Hong Kong Pen will be able to view new work by Lachlan Turczan – an American artist who works with water, light and sound – along with pieces from the group’s collection by Elise Morin and Saya Woolfalk that have been further developed for this exhibition.
