Inspired by Cowley Manor’s search for an up-and-coming British sculptor, we’ve come up with 10 of our favourite hotels to inspire even the most ardent art aficionado…
1. Cowley Manor, Cowley, Gloucestershire, UK
Cowley Manor rates pretty highly in the style stakes with its clubby ambiance, rockstar-esque snooker room, eclectic sitting room, cowhide seats, and notorious mock hunting trophies made from papier-mâché on the bar-room wall. The list goes on. And, as every self-respecting style-hunter knows, the best way to spot new trends in the design world is to keep an eye on emerging talent.
Enter The Coutts Cowley Manor Arts Award. Until 30 September, this fabulously funky hotel will be transformed into a spectacular art venue. Hotel residents, restaurant guests and picnic-goers will be able to enjoy 27 incredible sculptures by the latest and greatest to come out of the Royal College of Art.
This is in fact a competition, and the winning installation will take up permanent residence in the 55-acre grounds of the Grade II-listed manor. If you’re looking for a little (or large) something for your own back garden, several of the sculptures will be up for sale.
Read the full review here: Cowley Manor, Cowley, Gloucestershire, UK, and check out their great offers, including a 15% exclusive discount for i-ecape guests
2. Artist Residence, Penzance, Cornwall, South West England 
At this hip boutique guesthouse, housed in a Grade II-listed Georgian mansion in the port town’s historic heart, 9 artists were given rooms as blank canvases. Choose one that appeals to your inner artist – perhaps colourful Pinky Vision, mural-lined Jo Peel or butterfly-themed Ephemeral Opulence. Charlie, the affable art student-turned-manager, brings an enthusiastic young vibe to the mix. She’ll keep you up to speed on anything from the Cornish art scene to the nearest sandy beach. Charlie’s concept is to “mix hospitality with art” and the gallery, with its playful jumble of new and refurbished furniture, is a fabulous space for relaxing. Marvel at the works on the walls, read the paper, play with your laptop, drink a cuppa, or just chill out.
Read the full review here: Artist Residence, Penzance, Cornwall, South West England
3. Hotel des Academies et des Arts, Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, France
It’s not every night you fall asleep with the silhouette of a white body leaping over your head, but stay here and you’ll sample this fairly novel experience. The ‘corps blancs’ are the chef-d’oeuvre of artist Jérôme Mesnager, who has been painting them on walls around the world (including the Great Wall of China) for the last 25 years. These permanent guests appear in various poses in the 20 bedrooms, and are scattered through the communal areas – including a giant that spans 5 floors on the courtyard wall. Meanwhile, the internal spiral staircase circles miniature ladders laden with diminutive white bodies; the work of sculptor Sophie de Watrigant.
The hotel is set in the chic 6th arrondissement, just around the corner from the Jardin du Luxembourg, and it was the quartier’s artistic heritage that inspired owners Laurent and Charlotte to create such a unique environment.
Read the full review here: Hotel des Academies et des Arts, Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, France
4. Casa Angelina, Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Amalfi coast’s first real design hotel adds slick white décor, bold artwork and delicate cuisine to those famous sea views. This ‘lifestyle hotel’ is a breath of minty-fresh air among a fusty neighbourhood of dated bathroom suites and colour-clashing tiles. Bedrooms are as white as a sunlit snowdrift, with furnishings as modern as Mies and funky as Philippe. Colour comes in splashes among the cool and airy living spaces: star-pricked ceilings, vibrant oil panels and outlandish rainbow-glass sculptures from Cuban surrealist Sosabravo. Find generous sitting rooms with LED-starred ceilings, psychadelic Murano-glass sculptures and colourful oil paintings (some of them for sale).
Read the full review here: Casa Angelina, Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Italy
5. Art Hotel Luise, Berlin, Germany
Berlin has long been at the cutting edge of wacky art, but this place takes the biscuit. You can drink spritzers under a giant horse’s head. You can sleep in a pseudo aircraft cabin on a tilting mattress as if you’re coming in to land, or clamber into an oversized bed to make you feel like a kid again. Artists of every ilk have left their mark – provocative female nudes, neon glows, comic graffiti, even an arrangement of dog bowls – on the walls of most rooms, and a portion of the cost goes to their royalties. If you don’t mind sharing a bathroom, you can get a cool room in the heart of Berlin for next to nothing (or for nothing if you donate one of your paintings).
Read the full review here: Art Hotel Luise, Berlin, Germany
6. Hotel Casa de la Real Aduana, Patzcuaro, Mexico
In 2004 Hotel Casa de la Real Aduana opened as an intimate hotel – one of the best in Mexico, thanks to its artist owners Gemma and Didier. All who stay are captivated by the art, which ranges from a funky collection of Mexican dolls to an exquisite carving of the Virgin and Child. From the lemon verbena tea brought to your room in the evening to breakfasts at the long table by the open fire, the attention to detail is enchanting and you’re made to feel at home from the moment you arrive.
Read the full review here: Hotel Casa de la Real Aduana, Patzcuaro, Mexico
Look out for this little hotel or you might miss it altogether. However, once you’re past its unassuming frontage there’s plenty to capture your attention. Conceived as an ‘art hotel’, this suburban sanctuary is a great entry point for first-time travellers to India who want a rapid initiation into its art, philosophy and culture. Small enough to be a guesthouse but with the conveniences of a large hotel, including a spa and concierge service, Le Sutra packs quite a punch with its 14 original and immaculate themed rooms.
Read the full review here: Le Sutra, Mumbai, India
8. Casa Margot, Mendoza, Argentina
Casa Margot is found in the small town of Chacras de Coria on the eastern side of the Andes. Hidden behind tall gates, it could pass for just another large house in a desirable suburb. But when the gates open, and the majestic red-brick building comes into view, you know you’ve found somewhere special. Once home to renowned Argentine sculptor Eliana Molinelli, Casa Margot has conserved her story: original photographs hang on the walls and her emotive sculptures are dotted around the garden. But the new winemaker proprietors have added their own tasteful touch, and brought their wonderful Valle de Uco wines into the picture.
Read the full review here: Casa Margot, Mendoza, Argentina
9. Surya Samudra, Kovalam, Kerala
If you long to luxuriate in a peaceful, exotic beachside setting then Surya Samudra is for you. Revamped and reopened in December 2009, it’s set in 20 acres of landscaped gardens. The polished dark-wood cottages, reconstituted by local craftsmen from 100-year-old traditional Keralan homes, are surrounded by coconut plantations. Set well apart, they perch on a hillside overlooking the Arabian Sea. Each has its own writing desk should you feel inspired to work on your next opus.
The 20 acres of stepped, landscaped gardens climb uphill, with many a palm tree and Ganesh sculpture. The infinity pool is hewn out of a single granite rock with magnificent underwater sculptures.
Read the full review here: Surya Samudra, Kovalam, Kerala
10. Fazenda Catucaba, Near Sao Luis do Paraitinga, Southern Brazil – New!
A beautiful 1850s farmhouse forms the centre of this 450ha estate (2.5 hours from São Paulo), which holds mountains, lakes, stables, coffee plantations and organic vegetable gardens within its grounds, and borders a lush Unesco-listed rainforest. There’s a sculpture trail in the hills above, with 10 angular timber works by New-York-based Belarussian Pasha Ra. Fazenda Catucaba offers residence to artists from all over the world who come to create in peace. More art is displayed in the farmhouse, much of it for sale.
Read the full review here: Fazenda Catucaba, Near Sao Luis do Paraitinga, Southern Brazil – New!
These 2 central Antwerp apartments (sleeping 2-4) overlook the flea market of Vrijdagmarkt and are set in a classic Belgian townhouse. The owner has lovingly decorated them so that you can enjoy the best of the past and present, with black and white pictures of the king and queen over the bed in one apartment, Danish-style retro chairs in the other, and colourful kitschy prints in both. Modern wet rooms with rainfall showers, full kitchens, and light and airy lounges with quirky details mean the apartments feel full of fun and life; places where you want to live, not just stay.
This beautiful 1913 B&B in a part Art Deco, part Art Nouveau townhouse is full of wonderful period details - carved wooden stairs, stained glass doors and windows, and original tiles. There’s only 1 guest room - a vast top-floor suite with a clawfoot tub, a stunning shower room and a roof terrace where you can relax after soaking up Ghent’s vibrant atmosphere. A lavish breakfast is served whenever you want, and you’re greeted like an old friend by the generous hosts, who will put you on the insider track to Ghent and invite you to join twice-weekly cooking classes with a world-class chef.
There isn’t a hipper address in Antwerp than 24 Nationalestraat, right next door to the city’s fashion museum and around 500m from the flagship store of Dries Van Noten. And at Room National you’ll find everything you need for a stylish stay: the 2 suites have large bedrooms, living rooms and kitchenettes, and there’s a seriously sexy double room. All come with luxe linens, sculptural lights and sheepskin rugs, and there are chic restaurants aplenty on the surrounding streets.
This home-from-home is set in the former Sint Niklaas hospital, dating back as far as the 14th century. Now its 3 bedrooms offer some of the finest views of Bruges’ famous bell tower, along with warm and friendly hospitality from experienced owner Anne. The house seeps character and comfort - relax over breakfast in front of the fire, learn about the city’s secrets over mint tea in the lounge, and use the giant medieval map covering one wall to familiarise yourself with Bruges’ maze of cobbled streets and winding canals. Afterwards, head out to explore the chocolate shops, waffle stands and gourmet restaurants nearby.
This vibrant B&B offers 2 colourful and kooky rooms in the heart of Ixelles, Brussels’ leafy ex-pat area. Forget any preconceptions of this city as dull, grey and bureaucratic: Ursule la Libellule encapsulates creativity and exuberance, making it a light and bright base for exploring the true beauty of Brussels. Hire a bike and meander past graceful Art Nouveau buildings, browse the gourmet market nearby, enjoy an outdoor dip at a pretty 1930s lido, and take gentle boat rides through the local park.
The long days make late spring a fine time to explore the awe-inspiring landscapes of Iceland. To say that the scenery is staggering doesn’t do it justice: volcanoes tower over grassy plains, herds of shaggy Icelandic ponies huddle against the wind, and the sheer scale of the mountains makes the farmhouses scattered beneath them resemble children’s toys.
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May is magical in Croatia – the seaside resorts aren’t too crowded, the sea is warm enough to swim in, and the weather is sunny but not too hot. The stunning coastline has more than 1,200 islands, many with beautiful beaches, clear waters and pretty stone villages fragrant with pine trees and bougainvillea.
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Bali is hot at this time of year, in more ways than one. The dry season has begun, reducing humidity and bringing clear days that are perfect for exploring forest-clad volcanic peaks, paddy terraces and stunning temples – or just lounging around the pool and indulging in some much-needed R&R. 
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