Get your culture fix in one of these exceptional art hotels

Calling all art lovers! If a visit to a local gallery or museum is the first thing you like to do in a new city, skip the queues and check yourself into one of these breathtaking curated art hotels instead.

With paintings, sculptures and bespoke designs featured throughout their halls and even in your own suite – some of which are available for purchase – these lodgings boast an atmosphere that’s both luxurious and culturally rewarding.

Featuring both up-and-coming local artists as well as established names like Picasso, Matisse and Andy Warhol, these are the top art hotels around the world you need to visit:

The Peninsula, New York

Located at the heart of New York’s most prestigious shopping, entertainment and cultural district, The Peninsula New York is by far one of the city’s most art-filled hotels.

On top of its impressive house collection, the hotel is always adding new artworks to its walls. Last year, the hotel celebrated its 30th anniversary with a curated art exhibition showcasing the best artists of the 1980s – from Andy Warhol and Francesco Clemente to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barbara Kreuger and Keith Haring.

Rome Cavalieri, Italy

Essentially a hotel housed within a museum, the Rome Cavalieri by Waldorf Astoria is an art connoisseur’s haven and a perfect base for your travels throughout the art, architecture and culture capital.

Home to a stunning collection of masters’ paintings, rare tapestries, French period furniture, marble and bronze columns, fine sculpture and more, the hotel features both traditional and contemporary artists, including Henri Vollet, Andy Warhol, Ennio Morlotti, Nicolas Tournier and Victor Brauner.

21c Museum Hotels, USA

Founded by two preservationists and contemporary art collectors, 21c Museum Hotels seamlessly blend artistic expression with high-end hospitality.

Starting in Louisville in Kentucky, the hotels quickly spread to eight cities throughout the US, with a Chicago opening in 2019 and another in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2021.

Each boutique hotel boasts its own distinct character and includes a gourmet restaurant and multi-venue contemporary art gallery open free to the public, with new exhibitions arriving every few months.

Anse Chastanet, St Lucia

A popular holiday destination and muse for visiting artists such as Lawrence Deligny and Peter Newman – who each created unique pieces for the hotel – Anse Chastanet in St Lucia is the Caribbean’s most exotic destination.

Surrounded by lush hills, soaring cliffs and pristine waters, each environmentally conscious room is unique: adorned with original artworks, vibrant murals, ‘sky ceilings’ and crafted wooden sculpture. Artwork is also available to buy if you’d like to take a little piece of Anse Chastanet home with you.

LINE, Los Angeles

Located in bustling Koreatown in the same building as a humming karaoke bar, the LINE LA is a fusion of rich Korean, Latino and American heritage. Built in collaboration with designer Sean Knibb in 1964, this 24-hour urban haven promises to be a second home for neighbours and travellers alike.

Featuring locally crafted dishes and a boutique shop by art and design collective Poketo, the LINE LA regularly hosts original workshops and impromptu art installations to encourage the creative expression of its guests.

La Colombe d’Or, France

Modern art’s home on the French Riviera, La Colombe d’Or began as a cafe-bar in 1920. A lover of art, the original owner would offer local artists accommodation in exchange for artworks – a tradition that continued over the years.

Today, the hotel is home to an extensive historical collection featuring works from Picasso and Matisse, Alexander Calder, Fernand Léger and most recently, a poolside installation by Irish-American artist Sean Scully.

Looking to add more stops to your 2019 travel itinerary? Check out Airbnb's top 19 destinations to visit this new year.