Where the Past Becomes Part of the Stay
Some hotels have been welcoming guests for generations; others give historic buildings an entirely new purpose. Heritage & Historic Hotels spans centuries of architecture—from ancient monasteries, castles and coaching inns to grand mansions, Art Nouveau landmarks and Art Deco icons. Some were built as hotels, others have been brilliantly adapted. What connects them is a respect for what came before, allowing original architecture, craftsmanship and stories to remain part of the experience rather than becoming simply a backdrop.
Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel | Venice, Italy A Venetian Gothic legend reborn, with Pierre-Yves Rochon bringing light, colour and contemporary refinement to one of Venice’s grandest hotels Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of Venice’s great historic hotels, centred on the 15th-century Palazzo Dandolo and now meticulously restored rather than reinvented by…
read moreVan Oys Maastricht Retreat | Eijsden, The Netherlands Eight centuries of history, reimagined through slow luxury, gastronomy and the landscape of South Limburg. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A historic estate on the River Maas transformed into a contemporary retreat across a château, former farmstead and new-build Carré. ● Quiet, tactile interiors use stone,…
read moreKaboom Maastricht | The Netherlands Amsterdam School heritage outside, playful hyper-functionality within. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A 1905 heritage building opposite Maastricht Central Station hides a radically contemporary interior by Roger Haan of INTER/ALTER. ● Almost every design decision has a practical purpose — from suitcase-proof tiled corridors to recessed linen-cart niches and…
read moreHotel & Swimclub Zenden | Maastricht, The Netherlands Wiel Arets turns three historic townhouses and a medieval vaulted cellar into a study in radical white minimalism. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A striking intervention by Wiel Arets Architects, where three monumental Maastricht townhouses are stitched together into one continuous, almost abstract interior. ● The…
read moreKruisherenhotel | Maastricht, Netherlands Late-medieval Gothic architecture meets uncompromising contemporary design inside a 15th-century monastery. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of the Netherlands’ most convincing examples of adaptive reuse: a Gothic monastery and church transformed into a contemporary hotel without disguising the original architecture. ● Henk Vos’ interiors and Ingo Maurer’s lighting installations…
read moreUrban Nature Bad Gastein - Austria Bad Gastein’s historic bathing culture reborn with a playful new attitude — and an extraordinary pool above the Alps. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● BWM Designers & Architects transformed the historic Badeschloss of 1791 and a bold 35-metre contemporary tower into one architectural composition built around Bad Gastein’s…
read moreInterno Marche Design Experience Hotel - Tolentino, Marche, Italy A living museum of Italian design, where 60 years of creative history become part of the stay Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A former leather factory and Poltrona Frau headquarters transformed into a 30-room casa-museo, with more than 400 pieces tracing six decades of Italian…
read moreVilla Argentina - Dubrovnik, Croatia Dubrovnik’s grande dame returns, with Adriatic views, Mediterranean gardens and a carefully restored modern soul Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of Dubrovnik’s great historic hotels returns in August 2026 after a major transformation by Croatian architecture studio 3LHD, preserving the character of the original villa while radically improving…
read moreHôtel Nelligan - Montréal, Canada A landmark Old Montréal address reborn with richer interiors, local craftsmanship and a new social energy Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A comprehensive redesign by Montréal studio Atelier Zébulon Perron respects the hotel’s historic stone and brick architecture while giving it a sophisticated new identity. ● Local design runs…
read moreEl Cortés - Mexico City A 1915 mansion in Roma Norte where historic grandeur meets the creative energy of contemporary Mexico City Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Owner Carlos Zaragoza spent three years restoring this former presidential residence, preserving its Art Nouveau and Neoclassical character while surrounding it with contemporary Mexican art, craft and…
read moreArthouse Hotel Glasgow – Scotland Victorian grandeur, Glasgow creativity and one of the city’s best restaurants under one roof. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A thoughtful restoration by A-nrd that lets the building’s Victorian fabric — stained glass, timber floors, decorative plasterwork and extraordinary birdcage lift — remain the star. ● Glasgow’s creative community…
read moreThe Zetter Bloomsbury | London, United Kingdom Six Georgian townhouses become a richly layered home for art, antiques, books, and Bloomsbury eccentricity Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● James Thurstan Waterworth avoids the polished sameness of contemporary boutique hospitality, layering antiques, mid-century furniture, vintage textiles, British art, and objects that feel collected rather than decorated.…
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