Eight Hotels That Are Also Amazing Museums
LODGING & ACCESS TO ART
Erica Bray
September 7, 2022·6 min read
Sleep where world-class artwork resides. A growing number of hotels and resorts essentially double as museums, with some featuring million-dollar pieces by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol and Norman Rockwell—each piece procured with the help of in-house curators, hotel art consultants, or hotel owners who happen to also be respected art connoisseurs. These hotel collections enable you to transform a stay into an extended museum visit, minus the lines and admission fees. Overnighting at one of the U.S. properties mentioned below may also result in a unique souvenir: creative inspiration to take back home.
21C MUSEUM HOTEL
Louisville, Kentucky
Is it a contemporary art museum or a boutique hotel? In this case, it’s both. 21c Museum Hotel has grown into a beloved hotel chain of nine properties across the country. The original 21c Museum Hotel is a 91-room property located, fittingly, on Museum Row in Louisville. All the hotel locations feature a rotating mix of curated exhibits and installations from both established and emerging artists, such as José Toirac, Chuck Close, and Kehinde Wiley. Wiley rose to global fame after painting the official portrait of President Barack Obama that now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The 21c Museum Hotel galleries are open 24/7 and are free to the public.
The Art Hotel Denver, Curio Collection by Hilton. Photo courtesy of Hilton
ART HOTEL DENVER
Denver, Colorado
Experience a Rocky Mountain "artistic" high. Art Hotel Denver lies the heart of the city’s Golden Triangle Museum District, making it an appropriate springboard to the neighborhood’s trendy galleries, bars, and restaurants. You needn’t leave the hotel to enjoy the city’s artistic eye candy, though. Right from the start, its entrance dazzles thanks to Leo Villareal’s Multiverse, a ceiling installation of 22,000 LED lights. The spectacular sights continue at check-in, with stunning tapestry by Ed Ruscha and sculptures by Deborah Butterfield and Kiki Smith. The multisensory experience of 20th- and 21st-century artwork continues throughout the hotel and includes original pieces commissioned specifically for the Art Hotel Denver. Each floor is inspired by a specific artist, whose work is woven into the guest rooms and suites.
Photo courtesy of Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas, Nevada
Art is an immersive experience at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The eclectic offering throughout the property includes massive murals, soaring digital art installations, innovative street art, and hundreds of works by both emerging artists and those who are globally renowned. Art by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Maya Hayuk, Alex Da Corte, and Shepard Fairey are a small sampling of what you’ll find at The Cosmopolitan. Even grabbing your morning coffee comes with a side of art, as the on-site Starbucks features a giant installation by French artist Georges Rousse. Want a masterpiece of your own to take home? Head to one of the resort’s Art-o-mats, repurposed cigarette vending machines that sell small, original works by artists from around the world.
THE SAGAMORE SOUTH BEACH
Miami Beach, Florida
This swanky Art Deco spot in Miami’s South Beach is better known as “The Art Hotel.” The nickname for the all-suite hotel is well-deserved. It’s one of the few hotels in the world with a year-round art program that changes with each season, not to mention the opportunity for art talks and docent-like tours of the hotel’s diverse collection by its resident art advisor. The ultra-modern, all-white walls of the lobby and beyond evoke the sensory space of an art gallery, with intriguing murals, artists’ quotes, and sculptures throughout. Staying at The Sagamore during popular art fairs such as Art Basel or Miami Art Week places you in the center of the action, with the chance to mingle with celebrities and art lovers from all over the world.
CONRAD INDIANAPOLIS
Indianapolis, Indiana
The artwork on the walls of the Conrad Indianapolis is no afterthought. Its “Art Stays Here” program is a partnership with the Long-Sharp Gallery, which is located on the first floor of the hotel and features a rotating mix of exhibits, including works by Picasso, Joan Miro, and Roy Lichtenstein. The gallery owner has extended her expertise to curated artwork featured throughout the hotel. This includes an entire floor dedicated to artists based in Indiana. Unique to the Conrad Indianapolis are its art ambassadors. These two dozen in-house connoisseurs have received extensive training on the exhibits and provide personalized tours of the hotel's collection.
Photo courtesy of Joule Hotel
THE JOULE, DALLAS
Dallas, Texas
The public spaces of The Joule are decorated with the private collection of its proprietor, Tim Headington, an oil tycoon who poured $78 million into the hotel’s renovation and expansion in 2013. The downtown Dallas hotel was once a dilapidated neo-Gothic bank building. It now combines historic preservation with contemporary design—with works by Tony Cragg, Roger Hiorns, Tony Tasset, Andy Warhol, and Ellsworth Kelly, and others, adorning its public spaces. Alongside these modern-day masterpieces reside more than 70 large-scale glass mosaics by mid-century American artist Millard Sheets. The mosaics, originally commissioned in the 1940s for the city’s former Mercantile Building, were salvaged from demolition and lovingly restored.
Photo courtesy of The Nines in Portland
THE NINES, PORTLAND
Portland, Oregon
The creative energy of Portland is reflected throughout The Nines. It boasts an extensive collection of commissioned pieces by the state's own artists, as curated by Paige Powell (a close friend of Andy Warhol). More than 400 pieces of art, from paintings to mannequin sculptures to audio-visual installations, wow guests. The grand stairwell chandelier is one such work. The installation by Melody Owen rises from the lobby to the seventh floor and uses glass, LED lights, and steel to recreate the audio waves of bird songs from the Pacific Northwest. Join the art gallery tour offered every Wednesday to learn the stories behind some of the hotel’s most intriguing pieces, or rent an iPad from the front desk to take an interactive walking art tour of the hotel.
Photo courtesy of Nemacolin
NEMACOLIN
Farmington, Pennsylvania
Tucked into the rolling mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, Nemacolin is a sprawling 2,200-acre luxury resort that features an eclectic collection of world-class art handpicked by the Hardy Family, whose billionaire legacy includes the founding of 84 Lumber. For a fee, daily guided tours will introduce you to the diverse collection of 1,000 pieces valued at more than $45 million. Highlights include whimsical statues throughout the grounds; original Tiffany windows and lamps; and works by Norman Rockwell and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, among many other notable artists. The resort is also home to memorabilia from Elvis and Marilyn Monroe; a vintage airplane once owned by Steve McQueen; and a section of the Berlin Wall. In addition to the extensive private collection, Nemacolin features three art galleries and the opportunity to shadow artists in residence.
21C MUSEUM HOTEL
Louisville, Kentucky
Is it a contemporary art museum or a boutique hotel? In this case, it’s both. 21c Museum Hotel has grown into a beloved hotel chain of nine properties across the country. The original 21c Museum Hotel is a 91-room property located, fittingly, on Museum Row in Louisville. All the hotel locations feature a rotating mix of curated exhibits and installations from both established and emerging artists, such as José Toirac, Chuck Close, and Kehinde Wiley. Wiley rose to global fame after painting the official portrait of President Barack Obama that now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The 21c Museum Hotel galleries are open 24/7 and are free to the public.
The Art Hotel Denver, Curio Collection by Hilton. Photo courtesy of HiltonART HOTEL DENVER
Denver, Colorado
Experience a Rocky Mountain "artistic" high. Art Hotel Denver lies the heart of the city’s Golden Triangle Museum District, making it an appropriate springboard to the neighborhood’s trendy galleries, bars, and restaurants. You needn’t leave the hotel to enjoy the city’s artistic eye candy, though. Right from the start, its entrance dazzles thanks to Leo Villareal’s Multiverse, a ceiling installation of 22,000 LED lights. The spectacular sights continue at check-in, with stunning tapestry by Ed Ruscha and sculptures by Deborah Butterfield and Kiki Smith. The multisensory experience of 20th- and 21st-century artwork continues throughout the hotel and includes original pieces commissioned specifically for the Art Hotel Denver. Each floor is inspired by a specific artist, whose work is woven into the guest rooms and suites.
Photo courtesy of Cosmopolitan of Las VegasTHE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas, Nevada
Art is an immersive experience at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The eclectic offering throughout the property includes massive murals, soaring digital art installations, innovative street art, and hundreds of works by both emerging artists and those who are globally renowned. Art by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Maya Hayuk, Alex Da Corte, and Shepard Fairey are a small sampling of what you’ll find at The Cosmopolitan. Even grabbing your morning coffee comes with a side of art, as the on-site Starbucks features a giant installation by French artist Georges Rousse. Want a masterpiece of your own to take home? Head to one of the resort’s Art-o-mats, repurposed cigarette vending machines that sell small, original works by artists from around the world.
THE SAGAMORE SOUTH BEACH
Miami Beach, Florida
This swanky Art Deco spot in Miami’s South Beach is better known as “The Art Hotel.” The nickname for the all-suite hotel is well-deserved. It’s one of the few hotels in the world with a year-round art program that changes with each season, not to mention the opportunity for art talks and docent-like tours of the hotel’s diverse collection by its resident art advisor. The ultra-modern, all-white walls of the lobby and beyond evoke the sensory space of an art gallery, with intriguing murals, artists’ quotes, and sculptures throughout. Staying at The Sagamore during popular art fairs such as Art Basel or Miami Art Week places you in the center of the action, with the chance to mingle with celebrities and art lovers from all over the world.
CONRAD INDIANAPOLIS
Indianapolis, Indiana
The artwork on the walls of the Conrad Indianapolis is no afterthought. Its “Art Stays Here” program is a partnership with the Long-Sharp Gallery, which is located on the first floor of the hotel and features a rotating mix of exhibits, including works by Picasso, Joan Miro, and Roy Lichtenstein. The gallery owner has extended her expertise to curated artwork featured throughout the hotel. This includes an entire floor dedicated to artists based in Indiana. Unique to the Conrad Indianapolis are its art ambassadors. These two dozen in-house connoisseurs have received extensive training on the exhibits and provide personalized tours of the hotel's collection.
Photo courtesy of Joule HotelTHE JOULE, DALLAS
Dallas, Texas
The public spaces of The Joule are decorated with the private collection of its proprietor, Tim Headington, an oil tycoon who poured $78 million into the hotel’s renovation and expansion in 2013. The downtown Dallas hotel was once a dilapidated neo-Gothic bank building. It now combines historic preservation with contemporary design—with works by Tony Cragg, Roger Hiorns, Tony Tasset, Andy Warhol, and Ellsworth Kelly, and others, adorning its public spaces. Alongside these modern-day masterpieces reside more than 70 large-scale glass mosaics by mid-century American artist Millard Sheets. The mosaics, originally commissioned in the 1940s for the city’s former Mercantile Building, were salvaged from demolition and lovingly restored.
Photo courtesy of The Nines in Portland THE NINES, PORTLAND
Portland, Oregon
The creative energy of Portland is reflected throughout The Nines. It boasts an extensive collection of commissioned pieces by the state's own artists, as curated by Paige Powell (a close friend of Andy Warhol). More than 400 pieces of art, from paintings to mannequin sculptures to audio-visual installations, wow guests. The grand stairwell chandelier is one such work. The installation by Melody Owen rises from the lobby to the seventh floor and uses glass, LED lights, and steel to recreate the audio waves of bird songs from the Pacific Northwest. Join the art gallery tour offered every Wednesday to learn the stories behind some of the hotel’s most intriguing pieces, or rent an iPad from the front desk to take an interactive walking art tour of the hotel.
Photo courtesy of Nemacolin NEMACOLIN
Farmington, Pennsylvania
Tucked into the rolling mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, Nemacolin is a sprawling 2,200-acre luxury resort that features an eclectic collection of world-class art handpicked by the Hardy Family, whose billionaire legacy includes the founding of 84 Lumber. For a fee, daily guided tours will introduce you to the diverse collection of 1,000 pieces valued at more than $45 million. Highlights include whimsical statues throughout the grounds; original Tiffany windows and lamps; and works by Norman Rockwell and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, among many other notable artists. The resort is also home to memorabilia from Elvis and Marilyn Monroe; a vintage airplane once owned by Steve McQueen; and a section of the Berlin Wall. In addition to the extensive private collection, Nemacolin features three art galleries and the opportunity to shadow artists in residence.
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