Radisson Blu, Frankfurt

Forty-seven years after Arne Jacobsen created Radisson SAS’s first hotel, in Copenhagen, the fast-growing group continues its tradition of tapping A-list designers. At its latest property, Adam D. Tihany has created public spaces in a style he calls Industrial Luxe: glimmering décor and functional objets d’art (such as an iconic suspended wine tower) contrast with the exposed concrete of the structure itself. The futuristic blue glass–and-metal skyscraper— which floats between the autobahn and Frankfurt’s exposition grounds—provides a surprising bit of whimsy in an otherwise buttoned-up city. Italian architect Matteo Thun painted the 16 floors in reds, pinks, and white, then gave each of the 428 rooms a distinct style, following one of four themes—Chic, Fresh, Fashion, At Home.