Design Today: Design Focus New Treats

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New Treats W

hotels worldwide has added new hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic

destinations such as Taipei, Barcelona and Bali. These properties are a unique mix of innovative design and holistic lifestyle experiences

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Taipei is W Hotels Worldwide’s first property in Taiwan. Located in the buzzing central business district of Xinyi, this 405room hotel has been designed by architects G A Design International Ltd of London.

Encased in radiant glass, this 31-storey hotel enjoys the panoramic vista of the iconic 101 Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings.

Upon arrival at the hotel, the guests will come across ‘The Chain’—made of strong stainless steel with a mirror finish—that symbolically anchors the energy of the W Taipei into the ground and is juxtaposed with a gigantic green wall

filled with plants organically grown throughout Taiwan. A cutting-edge collection of design installations brings to life the hotel’s design concept of ‘nature electrified.’

The 405 guest rooms and suites, designed as private sanctuaries inspired by nature, overlook the Yangmingshan mountain range that surrounds Taipei. Warm-coloured stones, burnished wood and lush, electrified floral carpeting contrast with modern, subtle lighting inspired by Chinese lantern boxes. The hotel also features an eclectic assortment of signature restaurants and lounges. Outside on the WET®, pool sky deck, alfresco dining means an urban barbecue overlooking Taipei’s technicolour city lights.

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Warm-coloured stones, burnished wood and floral carpeting contrast with modern lighting inspired by Chinese lantern boxes

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Retreat & Spa Bali, is the first W retreat in the über-chic beach enclave of Seminyak in Indonesia. Designed by SCDA Architects, AB Concept and Poole Associates Private Limited, W Retreat & Spa Bali—Seminyak radiates with a contemporary twist on traditional Balinese design, reflecting the island’s rich, natural beauty and cultural heritage. The property features 158 retreats and suites (with views of the Indian Ocean), offering a sensational swirl of high-energy interiors, vivid design, cutting-edge technology and modern amenities. Seventy-nine villa retreats are also available, each with a private entrance and pool.

Guest retreats are enveloped in aquatic green hues,

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inspired by Bali’s surrounding seascapes. While some guests will find the silhouettes of traditional theatre puppets thrown onto the walls of a suite, others may greet Bali’s tropical weather through open skylights above their baths. Bed throws are stitched by hand to resemble leaf patterns; beaded pendant lamps are inspired by local fishing nets; and headboards are made of synthetic embossed leather. Light, weathered oak has been used for surfaces, while bedside tables are formed with sheets of floating glass and framed with light.

The retreat’s modern interpretation of Bali’s traditional design is also seen in the chic resin contours of the W Lounge and its eye-catching, back-lit bar that glows in electric LED hues, while woven lampshades resemble pagoda roofs.

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Barcelona is the first hotel in Western Europe for W Hotels Worldwide. Created by architect Ricardo Bofill, who is known for architectural icons, such as the Shiseido headquarters in Tokyo and the

headquarters for Cartier and Christian Dior in Paris, this luxury hotel is located on the Nova Bocana (the new entrance) of the Port of Barcelona. The design, the materials and the colours, reflect various elements of nature.

Dramatically shaped like a sail, with a slivered glass faรงade,

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The thatched cabanas on stilts look like a humble Mayan village from the outside, but inside, they are full of comfortable modern updates

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The slender 26-storey hotel sits perpendicular to the dock to allow for unprecedented sea and city views from virtually every guest room

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the slender 26-storey hotel sits perpendicular to the dock and reflects the sky and the Mediterranean Sea. The building’s outline is highlighted by a line of white LEDs. It features 473 guest rooms, including two WOW suites and one Extreme WOW suite. It also boasts of Spain’s first Bliss® Spa; a SWEAT® state-of-the-art fitness facility; WET® with a glamorous infinity pool surrounded by sun

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The hotel’s interior design evokes the sea.

Colours reminiscent of coral and sand, used in the rooms, bring to mind a seabed terraces and fully equipped cabanas; a second floor destination restaurant with unparalleled views of the Barcelona

shoreline; the signature W Living Room experience and a sleek rooftop bar. The hotel also features a unique Great Room (W’s interpretation of a ballroom) with unobstructed sea views, large-scale outside terraces, including a pool area, and other spectacular public spaces.

The entire hotel’s interior design evokes the sea. The

beige and the dark stone refer to rocky beaches. Fish and coral shapes make up the finer details. Low-level furniture and other fittings were also chosen so that they don’t block views of the sea and the city. The transition from day to night is also a part of the experience for the guests. Light, airy spaces pass into dark and mysterious rooms.

Photographs courtesy: W hotels worldwide