5 European Hotels Supporting Artists

Hotel room art has a bad reputation for being generic. We’ve been equally underwhelmed by the mass-produced swoosh paintings or stylized prints of the closest famous landmark. That’s why I’ve always appreciated hotels that take the opportunity to turn their rooms and lobbies into gallery spaces, highlighting the work of local artists in a way that enriches the guest experience, further connecting them to their surroundings. Some hotels even will go out of their way to host artists for immersive residency programs, producing art that is created on-site and working out ways to integrate the creative process into the guest experience.

Throughout Europe, you’ll find many unique hotels that have truly embraced the artistic spirit and are working to give artists a platform to express themselves. From sunny Italian villas to moody Irish castles, here are some of Europe’s most unique art hotels.

In the hills of Tuscany, Villa Lena is part hotel and part art haven. Among many of the residency programs it hosts—for chefs and yoga teachers—the artist residency is one of the most special. Each artist is given their own space to work on the property of the 19th-century villa, and also has the opportunity to host workshops with guests—plus creative retreats. Much of the work created during the program can still be seen on display throughout the hotel, whose abstract design combines luxe touches with the dreamy feel of the Italian countryside.

Not far from Dublin, this Irish castle has prided itself on a thousand years of history, but now it has just opened up space for new artists. Among the storied halls of this luxurious hotel, the new gallery space features the work of artists in the early stages of their careers. The newly-opened gallery features work by artists under 30 years old and the hotel plans to host workshops with well-known artists, actors, and designers.

Just a short train ride from Lisbon, the Pestana Cidadela Cascais was already a beautiful sight being a luxury hotel located inside the seaside city’s historic fort, but now it is expanding to build an entirely new art district. Using the existing walls of the 16th-century fortress, the hotel is curating new galleries and inviting artists from all around the world to stay, create, and show their work there. If you stay in the hotel, you might also get to experience one of their unique Author Rooms, designed by one of the former resident artists.

In Northern Italy, this agriturismo gives its guests plenty of room to stretch out and explore with over 180 hectares of land and just 11 boutique guestrooms. Using this beautiful landscape as an exhibition space, La Raia has installed an art path with permanent works by artists like Remo Salvadori and Michael Beutler that immerse the visitor into the landscape, provoking philosophical themes of sustainability.

On the ground floor of this eclectic hotel, guests will find a studio where the hotel’s resident artist is working hard on their projects, including a piece of artwork that they will leave behind for the hotel to add to its ever-growing collection. The hotel hosts multiple artists throughout the year and the galleries are free to visit. The residency and artist studio is just one of the many highlights of visiting this thought-provoking hotel that also boasts its own functioning pawn shop—so you can pay for your stay by selling your own artistic items!

Supplement your museum visits with stays in one of these artsy hotels. Chat with a curator today to start planning your personalized trip to Europe.