welcome beyond
Welcome Beyond hand-picks small hotels and holiday houses that are truly original, reflecting their owners’ passion for distinctive architecture and design. Some border on quirky, several are quite posh. And a few are downright rustic. What all properties have in common is that they’re exclusive — in the best sense of the word. Each is singular, memorable and definitely worth writing home about. Welcome Beyond was created by Chris and Oliver Laugsch, two Berlin-based brothers who share a passion for architecture, design and travel. Pictured - Saddle Peak House, Los Angeles (photography by Joe Fletcher). www.welcomebeyond.com
wALK JAPAN
Walk Japan specialises in fully guided and self guided walking experiences, exploring the diverse landscapes and rich heritage of Japan. With an unrivalled range of walking tours across the length and breadth of the country, Walk Japan’s focus is firmly on opening up beautiful and interesting areas of Japan, many little known, that are otherwise difficult to access and fully appreciate. www.walkjapan.com
eden villas in sri lanka
Founded by Jack Eden, Eden Villas is Sri Lanka’s leading luxury villa specialist, offering a gorgeous selection of high-end properties along the south coast of Sri Lanka. From historic inland retreats to lakeside hideaways, and from modernist hilltop villas to ultra-glamorous beach houses, Eden Villas has 29 breathtaking properties to choose from, all of which come fully staffed and with the services of a devoted Concierge team, drawing on over 20 years of Sri Lanka expertise. www.edenvillas.com
leven, manchester, uk
LEVEN Manchester is an artfully designed new hotel in the city’s vibrant Village neighbourhood, housed in a landmark early 20th Century red brick warehouse on the corner of Chorlton Street and Canal Street. The building’s red brick walls and Crittall windows hold a rich history dating back to Manchester’s industrial past, including former uses first as a cotton warehouse, and more recently a brewery and comedy club. Following an extensive interior and exterior reimagining, the property is now open as a 42-key hotel, with relaxed spaces for socialising, co-working and living. www.liveleven.com
PROJECTS / PAST CLIENTS
INHABIT HOTELS, london, uk
Inhabit is a hotel brand with a heart for community, a head for life-enhancing hospitality and wellness wisdom to share. The brand opens Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, a new property in a leafy corner of historic Paddington, London in early 2022, following its opening of London’s first mindfulness-focused hotel, Inhabit Southwick Street in 2019. The new Inhabit Queen’s Gardens offers considered spaces, nourishing food and beverage, and hosts that share a passion for maintaining a healthy mind and body. The 157 fresh, uplifting guest rooms include interior touches such as Kalinko Homewares and Studio 306 Cushions from Aerende, made by people recovering from and living with mental health illnesses. Award-winning sustainable design social enterprise Goldfinger Factory have produced bespoke joinery for the hotel. Culture A, the hotel’s art curator, has selected artworks by emerging and established artists to compliment the meditative mood of the hotel. www.inhabithotels.com
vora villas, santorini, greece
Overlooking the volcano with stunning views of the Aegean Sea, Vora is a new handcrafted property raising the bar for design hotels in the Greek island hot-spot of Santorini. Four heavenly private villas have literally been carved into the caves and cliffs, suspended high above the sea to create Vora. The sublimely private villas were inspired by the volcanic environment and combine minimalistic Cycladic design with custom-made furniture and a soothing natural colour palette. Construction machinery could not reach the hotel site and so everything has been hand-built over a four-year period - a serious labour of love for owner, Santorini native Yannis Bellonias, and design and architecture firm, K-Studio. www.voravillas.com
bellonias villas, santorini, greece
Natural, simple elegance is at the heart of Bellonias Villas. Here you’ll find 26 beach suites scattered alongside the black volcanic sands of Kamari beach, on the east coast of the island overlooking the mountain of ancient Thira. This boutique hotel is also home to Elia Restaurant, a pool-side cocktail bar, and its own private stretch of beach, making it the ideal choice for couples and families who seek stylish, unpretentious luxury and chilled beachside relaxation in a peaceful part of Santorini. www.belloniasvillas.com
bluegr hotels, crete, greece
Family-owned bluegr Hotels & Resorts features some of the best hotels in Greece, combining the three pillars of quality tourism: exceptional service, hospitality excellence and breath-taking locations. Minos Palace Hotel & Suites, Minos Beach Art Hotel and Candia Park Village are bluegr’s trio of luxury hotels on the famous Greek isle of Crete.
Minos Beach Art Hotel is a five star luxury hotel, located on the edge of Mirabello Bay, and the island’s original luxury design hotel since its inception in the 60s. Today it’s a chic, minimalist retreat celebrating Cretan art and design in relaxed surroundings.
With a spectacular seafront location near the picturesque towns of Agios Nikolaos and Elounda, the five star, adults-only Minos Palace is rightfully regarded as one of the best hotels in Crete. Amidst minimalist surroundings and beautifully landscaped grounds on a private peninsula, this adults-only hotel resembles an island-within-an-island, with 360 degree sea views.
Resembling an authentic Cretan village with its picturesque neighbourhood vibe, Candia Park village offers a truly incomparable family holiday experience to all of its guests and is one of the best family hotels in Crete. www.bluegr.com
son brull hotel & spa, mallorca, spain
Set in the foothills of northern Mallorca, this magnificent honey-coloured property was originally built as an ‘alqueria’ (an Arabic farmhouse) in the 12th century during Mallorca’s Arab rule, before becoming a Jesuit monastery in the 18th century. Today it houses Son Brull, one of Mallorca’s best boutique hotels, whilst maintaining its unique architectural heritage. Within the walls and grounds now sit 23 contemporary, minimal bedrooms, local art, four extraordinary sleek new two-bedroom villas, a dreamy spa, swimming pool and outdoor dining and lounging areas, locally inspired restaurant and an atmospheric former olive mill housing a cocktail bar. www.sonbrull.com
Hannah lohan interiors
Hannah Lohan is an interior designer based in London, specialising in creating exceptional interiors for a broad variety of clients, from boutique hotels, bars, restaurants and pubs, to styling shoots for television, press and advertising. Recent hotel work includes the refurbishment of The Dunstane Houses, a relaxed yet refined hotel in the centre of Edinburgh, the design of Cotswolds countryside restaurant Hook, at The Fish Hotel and the playful Tree Perches also on the Farncombe Estate. Current projects include one of the most beautiful pubs in the UK, The Farmers Arms and the wider Woolsery Project in north Devon - a new manor house hotel within a converted building, celebrating the decadence of the Georgian era - opening in 2021. www.hannahlohaninteriors.com
naumi hotels new zealand
Naumi Hotels is a Singapore-based private hospitality label synonymous with personal luxury and prime locality. It remains a family owned business since first opening the doors to Naumi Singapore in 2007. It operates a total of seven properties across Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. In late 2020, Naumi Hotels opened a trio of new properties in New Zealand - The Dairy Private Hotel by Naumi and The Central by Naumi in Queenstown, and Naumi Studio Wellington. The Central and The Dairy look set to raise the bar when it comes to design-led, affordable boutique accommodation both locally in Queenstown and in New Zealand as a whole, whilst Naumi Studio Hotel represents the creative reimagining of an iconic historic listed property in Wellington, full to the brim with the work of local artists and designers. Each property has its own story and its distinct vibe, with Naumi’s signature playful approach woven throughout. www.naumihotels.com
naumi hoteL SINGAPORE
Naumi Hotel Singapore is an intimate retreat for travellers in the heart of Singapore. Based in the city centre, Naumi Singapore is designed to be an unexpected oasis in the city, with 73 keys. In addition to the Habitat, Oasis and Patio rooms, Naumi Singapore is home to two suites inspired by Coco Chanel and Andy Warhol. The hotel features art by local and international artists, including a four-story high external graffiti mural of a policeman pulling up a wheel clamped sports car by graffiti artist, Tr853-1. Cloud 9 is the hotel’s rooftop pool and bar - this is Singapore’s original rooftop infinity pool from which to soak in Singapore’s mesmerising skyline. www.naumihotels.com
CULTURE A
Culture A curates high impact art collections to transform interiors. Working with a host of international clients, from hotels and luxury retail brands to high-end residential property owners, Culture A and its founder Anne T. Rogers create unique, impactful art experiences through innovative storytelling - from concept design to production and installation. Recent projects include the creation of an art collection for two new London hotels from Inhabit Hotels and Montcalm (whose new Montcalm East property is pictured above), as well as two residential projects in New York, and the creation of AI-generated art through databases of meditative landscapes and abstract art. www.culture-a.com