P artnerships with celebrity chefs, international designers and starchitects is nothing new in the hospitality world.

But a new crop of creatives are finding themselves setting up shop in luxurious suites, as hotels seek to foster inspirational environments.

The trend is being driven by changing consumer demands.

Travellers no longer just want a room with a view: they want a portal into the local culture.

A hotel shouldn't just be a transient stop, but part of an enriching, authentic travel experience.

Hotels have responded enthusiastically, with guided neighbourhood tours, local cookery classes and lively event schedules all becoming commonplace. But some properties are taking things a step further, merging the world of arts into the hotel sphere by inviting artists and professionals to take up residency and share their talents with guests. It's not exactly a new trend - The Savoy, London hosted Claude Monet back in 1899 - but the latest iteration of creative collaborations is even more wide-ranging, with digital art exhibitions, poetic libations and even tarot reading experiences...

Artist in residence

Every self-respecting five-star lobby has an eye-catching mural or stunning sculpture these days, but increasingly, guests may find artworks in their room or photography exhibitions lining the corridors. At some properties, you may even find yourself chatting to in-house artists at breakfast, watching them sketch in their studio, taking part in creative workshops or purchasing their work to take home.

In 2022, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam launched a one-off year-long residence, inviting 52 artists to stay for a week. The resulting works were collated and reproduced into a beautiful coffee table book, with some works displayed in the hotel.