ART HOTELS THAT DOUBLE AS GALLERIES

Hotels have always had pieces of art as part of their exclusive decoration. In the age of instagram, this element also becomes a marketing tool to achieve everything from social media visibility to brand positioning, as well as helping to connect with the customer and improve their experience in the establishment.

Courtesy of The Silo Cape Town Boutique hotels around the world and chains such as 21c Museum Hotels (part of Accor Hotels), Ritz Carlton, Rosewood Hotels ‹or Four Seasons are already betting on art to convey their brand image and create an identity that connects with their customers. According to Mía Nielsen, art curator at The Drake hotel in Toronto, the selection of art should begin by asking what kind of experience you want to create for a guest, especially if it will focus on the local environment or will opt for broader concepts. At The Drake hotel, art is used "as an essential way to celebrate what's happening locally," creating a new context where locally produced art is embedded in a higher cultural conversation. In the case of 21c Museum Hotels, which Accor Hotels recently acquired, the focus is more global. His vision is to develop "a multi-site museum", a single institution with exhibition space in the eight hotels that make up the chain, according to its artistic director, Alice Gray.

Courtesy of 21c Museum Hotels

Beyond the connection with the destination that welcomes them, art can serve to contribute to generating a memorable experience in the hotel, which is essentially what lifestyle establishments seek. In this case, hotels strive to select art that connects with the clientele that can ultimately be reflected in it. Multimedia, murals and original works can be selected to send a message of innovation to the clients. Facilitating customer interaction with art is the best way to capture their attention. If the result connects with the public, it can easily generate interactions on social networks, a return on marketing and free advertising (and more budget to spend on art).

Courtesy of Chambers Hotel