Best Small Hotel
Courtesy of Design Hotels
Duomo Hotel, Rimini, Italy
by Ron Arad
Intergalactic shapes in metal, wood, and Corian, "shower pods" in the guest rooms, a front desk carved out of polished steel in the shape of a giant, tilting doughnut: the Duomo represents the thrill of the future. But it's a vintage version of the future—a dash of space-age optimism for the 21st century, from a designer best known for his sculptural furniture. Arad's 43-room hotel on the Adriatic Coast is a seductive celebration of form over function, and it dazzles.
"Ron Arad's design is innovative in its use of materials and scale, and creates spaces that let you escape." —Cathy Leff
Honorable Mentions
Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego, Spain, by Frank Gehry; 21C Museum Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky, by Deborah Berke
Address Book
Duomo Hotel
28 Via G. Bruno, Rimini, Italy; 39-0541/24215; www.duomohotel.com; doubles from $342.
Hotel Marqués de Riscal
1 Calle Torrea, Elciego, Spain; 800/325-3589 or 34/945-180-880; www.luxurycollection.com; doubles from $1,100.
21C Museum Hotel
700 W. Main St., Louisville; 877/217-6400 or 502/217-6300; www.21cmuseumhotel.com; doubles from $209.
