Designer Dreams (and hotels)

We are pretty much in holiday season and that means a lot of planning to do: who's coming, which company to fly, what to wear and, most importantly, where to stay. Now, I know this is not e very realistic post but I had a look at some of the hotels and resorts around the world entirely designed by famous fashion houses and their creative directors. This current brand-driven world we live in has given cause for many of the well known fashion houses to translate their vision into luxurious urban hotels and exclusive resorts in exotic destinations. We have chosen our favourite five, all completely (Italian, duh) different from each other but each perfect for a different type of fashionista in need of a stylish holiday.

The Bulgari Resort in Bali is exactly my kind of place. I love that sense of feeling stranded and being far away from any remotely westernised city. This complex of Italian/Balinese style hangs 150m over the see on a cliff, which gives its main pool and 59 villas absolutely breath-taking views. Every villa has its own private courtyard garden and a dining lounge but food is also served in the two pool-side restaurants. A lift connects the complex on the cliff with the private beach club downstairs and guests can enjoy the beauty salon and fitness centre at the spa. One single 1300sq-meter 3-bedroom villa with its own built-in bar, dining and living area, swimming pool and full service quarters. And I don't know why but it looks like the kind of place where one should wear loads of Bottega Veneta, no?

If I'm not mistaken, Palazzo Versace is the oldest all five hotels in this post. It's located just outside Brisbane, in the Golden Coast of Australia. Even without the bright medusa and green motif mosaic at the front door it is undeniable that everything about this place is 100% Versace. Now, all the gold and turquoise and blinding-white may seem a little overwhelming were it not for the immense windows that surround the main building and its beautiful view over the pools and the sea. The furniture is obviously all by the fashion house, which has added its own boutique to the hotel so guests can literally blend into the deco. The three restaurants, spa and fitness studio give the final touch to what looks like the most old-school glamourous experience one could get these days.

Moschino's hotel in Milan has a much more relaxed atmosphere than the ones before. Different bold designs can be found in every corner; from the massive tea cup as a coffee table to the hanging-dress headboards or a wolf put to bed ready to eat you every single thing adds up to the modern but elegant dreamy feel of the hotel, which they describe as "where the ordinary world is described with a stroke of surrealism". The building is also pretty much around the corner from Corso Como and Corso Garibaldi and it includes, of course, a spa and a restaurant, 'Clandestino.Milano'.

I would've never expected to find a Missoni hotel in Edinburgh, but it was a pleasant surprise. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe coming up in August is the best occasion to treat yourself to an amazing dose of the ever-famous colourful stripes and triangles (towels and bathrobes, hello?) in a very urban interpretation of Italian style. The hotel, situated on the popular Royal Mile, provides all its guests with in-room Nespresso machines and contains two restaurants and a trendy cocktail bar. With my best friend directing a play at the festival I have the perfect excuse to see first-hand what Rosita Missoni has been up to in Scotland.

And, of course, there had to be one in Dubai. Armani has chosen the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, to hold his first hotel. It includes 166 guest-rooms and 144 Armani residences as well as 5 restaurants, an ARMANI/Privé nightclub, a private member's club (ARMANI/Club) and an Armani/Spa. All stylishly furnished by ARMANI/Casa's minimalistic ways. The complex also offers, of course, Armani/Dolci, Armani/Fiori and Armani/Galleria so guests can decorate their rooms or take a little bit of Dubaian Armani with them.

Which one would you die to go to?
I'm off.

[Pictures: hotel websites and Style.com]