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Modern loves
Celebrate romance in 21st century style at hotels that combine grand glamour with contemporary cool
THIS PICTURE The elegant Gilded Lounge suite in signature white. BELOW Alfresco dining at The Patio restaurant.
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words • Morag Bruce and matthew williams
omance doesn’t have to be old-fashioned – it can be cool and contemporary. Stay with us, cynics. With chocolates on pillows and single red roses banned, Livingetc has chosen three hotels that offer very different takes on the idea of ‘romance’, yet each is relaxed and modern, and perfect for any interiors lover’s lover. Avant-garde fashion designer Martin Margiela’s creative vision for the suites in La Maison, in the capital of romance, Paris, was never going to be twee, for example – it’s both lavish and poetic. If happiness means escaping the crowds, sweep your other half off to Areias do Seixo, a stylish retreat among the dunes on Portugal’s wild Atlantic coast. For the glamour factor, though, it’s tough to top the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. Once a magnet for privacy-seeking stars such as Marilyn Monroe, the hotel has recently had a complete refurbishment that is a modern take on the golden age of Hollywood.
La Maison Champs ElysEes Paris The lowdown Cool Belgian fashion designer’s take on Parisian chic Best for Hipsters in the mood for love The historic spaces of a imposing town house hotel on a need-to-know street, just off the world’s greatest avenue, have been transformed by one of Belgium’s greatest fashion exports (let’s call him the Antwerp Seventh) – Martin Margiela. And his design house’s off-beat, poetic style is all over La Maison. In both the public spaces and the 17 Couture guest rooms, period details have been fully restored and mixed with dramatic trompe l’oeil panels, ghostly draped furniture and witty twists, such as the taxidermy birds whose feathers provide the only shot of colour in the glamorous ground floor White Lounge. White is Margiela’s signature colour, but he does dip into the dark arts in the black Cigar Bar across the hall – moody and très sexy. Book it Couture suites from £1,000 (lamaisonchampselysees.com) M a rch 2012
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Traveletc FYi
In Portugal, Valentine’s Day is called Dia dos Namorados, or Lovers’ Day. A local tradition is to give gift baskets, which can be filled with chocolates, wine or something more personal…
ABOVE The hotel’s famous oval pool. RIGHT A fire in a Loft guest room makes a dramatic focal point. BELOW The Spanish colonial-style lobby.
Areias Do Seixo Portugal The lowdown Dramatic design on the Atlantic seaboard Best for Retreating from the world in style
TOP A stylish mix of natural textures in the Nha Cretcheu room. ABOVE The hotel’s sleekly modern exterior. RIGHT Earthy elements in the Terra room.
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M a rch 2012
With rugged scenery and wild surf rolling onto empty beaches, the coast north of Lisbon is perfect for retreating from hectic lives. And this part of the world has something else going for it in Areias do Seixo, a collection of 10 unique rooms, one penthouse and four villas tucked away among the sand dunes of Costa de Prata, a 35-minute drive from the capital. The architecture may be modern, but the interiors take their inspiration from India and Morocco, blending natural textures with glamorous touches, such as a huge driftwood bed next to sparkling chandeliers. Giant drench showers, private hot tubs – so far, so romantic, but if you do leave your room, the hotel also has a luxurious spa, an outdoor pool and an organic restaurant serving local specialities from the wood-fired oven (plus, unusually, a vegetarian menu). Book it Weekend rooms from £250 (i-escape.com)
Hotel Bel-Air Los Angeles The lowdown A hotel icon is reborn after a complete refit Best for Feeling like a film star from a bygone age No icon wants to feel as if she’s past her prime, so after a two-year renovation, the Hotel Bel-Air is back to claim its title as the go-to glamorous hideaway. This was a gentle refit, though, and sensitive to the hotel’s bones and place in Tinsel Town’s history. So the familiar Spanish colonial architecture splashed in Bel-Air Pink remains, as does the famous oval pool, the 12 acres of lush planting and the swans on the lake. The new interiors draw inspiration from Hollywood’s golden decades from the Thirties to the Fifties. As well as the existing luxurious guest rooms, three new Loft guest rooms have been added – Livingetc loved the double-sided fireplace (above). There are also Canyon View suites and speciality suites for the grandest romantic gestures – our favourites are the Grace Kelly and the Swan Lake. Beautify and relax in the La Prairie Spa before tucking into dinner in celebrated chef Wolfgang Puck’s eponymous restaurant. Book it Double rooms from £339 (tablethotels.co.uk) M a rch 2012
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