6 Excellent hotels for art lovers

Send art-loving travel clients to these beautifully curated gallery-inspired hotels

Some people travel to visit world-class art galleries, others want to sleep in them. Art lovers can immerse themselves in hotels that use their halls and walls to house and and pay homage to curated collections featuring some of the world's best artists. Here are six of Connecting Travel's most eye-catching examples.

1. The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland
The Dolder Grand presents around 100 works of art by 90 celebrated artists, among them Ferdinand Hodler, Urs Fischer and Max Bill. Most in public areas accessible to all guests and iPad art tours are available. The curator of the in-house art collection is the Schwarzenbach family, who are also the owners of the hotel and highlights include 'Femmes Métamorphosées – Les Sept Arts' by Salvador Dalí, and 'Le Monde' by Niki de Saint Phalle with the base of the statue created by Jean Tinguely. www.lhw.com/hotel/The-Dolder-Grand-Zurich-Switzerland

2. L’oscar London, England
L’oscar's collection of artworks includes Frank Cadogan Cowper's painting 'Venetian Ladies Listening to the Serenade'. Equally impressive is the original 1861 painting by Jules Joseph Lefebvre, 'Diva Vittoria Colonna'. Throughout the hotel, antique treasures and photographs of luminaries such as Roger Fry and Clive Bell provide a glimpse into the intellectual artistic circles of the past. Oil paintings of Virgnia Woolf add a sense of literary history. www.lhw.com/hotel/Loscar-London-London-England

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3. Le Negresco, Nice, France
Located on the French Riviera, Le Negresco owes its strong identity to Madame Jeanne Augier, who owned the hotel from 1957 to 2019. During this time, Le Negresco built up a large collection of more than 6,000 works of art displayed throughout the hotel. Each of the 102 rooms and 26 suites have also been personalised with contemporary, baroque or classic artwork, with period furniture to match. More recently, Le Negresco’s newly renovated rooms were added to the hotel’s 'Street Art' collection, with wall hangings by Pierre Frey. www.lhw.com/hotel/Le-Negresco-Nice-France

4. The Swexan, Dallas, United States
The art story of Hôtel Swexan began more than a century ago with the first of what is now four generations of the Barbier-Mueller family art collection. Influences from Switzerland and Texas are clearly discernible in the choice of art throughout the hotel. The hotel’s Samurai Art Collection is also the largest of its kind in the world outside of Japan. www.lhw.com/hotel/Hotel-Swexan-Dallas-USA

5. Saxon Hotels, Villas & Spa, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Saxon’s extensive art and artefact collection has been sourced from both established and emerging artists all over the world. In tribute to The Saxon’s proudly South African heritage, the hotel is also a keen supporter of local artists, and its collection spans more than 200 original pieces. The hotel also offers guests art-focused itineraries that encourage them to explore while visiting the city of Johannesburg, visiting well-known South African art galleries and local artists. www.lhw.com/hotel/Saxon-Hotel-Villas-Spa-Johannesburg-South-Africa

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6. Brown’s Hotel, A Rocco Forte Hotel, London, England
Made of 11 Georgian townhouses, Brown’s Hotel is an elegant example of boutique hotel, which remains true to its heritage while displaying pieces by contemporary artists, including British icons Tracey Emin and Bridget Riley. The hotel’s main dining room pays tribute to Tracey Emin. Curated by Olga Polizzi, Rocco Forte Hotels design director, the collection reaches into every room in the hotel, which has created an exclusive monthly morning art tour, where local gallery directors lead private tours. www.lhw.com/hotel/Rocco-Forte-Browns-Hotel-London-England

All the hotels featured are part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection. For more information, visit  www.lhw.com