HOTEL MURANO

In the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find a different kind of art at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, WA. The entire hotel is devoted to glass, displaying works from more than 45 glass artists from around the world.

Hotel Murano is a converted Sheraton that opened in March 2008 in the heart of downtown Tacoma, which has a long association with the glass-making industry. In fact, the hotel is only steps away from the Museum of Glass. Formerly a bleak industrial wasteland, downtown Tacoma has been undergoing a revival for several years (of which Hotel Murano is part) and is now abuzz with hip galleries, music joints and restaurants.

Each floor of the Murano is devoted to a different artist. The rooms contain one-of-a-kind hand-blown pieces such as lamps and vases, as well as sketches that showcase the artist’s inspiration. Educational displays in the halls and lobby offer biographies on the artists and background and insight into the glassblowing process.

The hotel’s common areas are filled with striking pieces by international artists such as Costas Varotsos, who created the massive 100-foot-high steel and glass creation in front of the hotel, Massimo Micheluzzi, who created the stunning chandeliers, and Vivek Skov, who designed the three multi-colored glass Viking ships in the lobby.

Though you can’t buy the art off the walls or from the lobby installations, three display cases on third floor contain a rotating variety of pieces for sale from local glass art galleries. There are also smaller pieces for sale in the museum shop.

Tours are offered to the public every third Tuesday of the month, but make sure to reserve in advance. 253-238-8000, www.hotelmuranotacoma.com

GRAMERCY PARK HOTEL

If you want to hobnob with Andy Warhol in the lobby or Keith Haring at the bar, then hop on over to New York’s Gramercy Park Hotel. You won’t literally find those artists there, but you’ll certainly find their legacies.

Designed by artist Julian Schnabel and owned by former Studio 54 proprietor Ian Schrager, the Gramercy Park Hotel contains a dazzling collection of all-star New York art throughout the guest rooms and public spaces. In the lobby you’ll find pieces by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Richard Prince, Keith Haring, and Julian Schnabel himself, just to name a few.

Aside from the art lining the walls and in the halls, the hotel itself is a work of art. Its décor exudes Schnabel’s signature romanticist vibe from every corner, and includes a collection of hand-made, eclectic furniture such as medieval-style armchairs and gold-fringed red velvet sofas. Schrager was seeking to deviate from the usual cool-minimalist design ethic of his other hotels, and he really outdid himself here. From the decadent deep-burgundy color palette to the sumptuous materials such as marble and mahogany, it’s hard to tell where the hotel ends and the museum begins.

Though you can’t buy the priceless artworks here, most of which are on loan from famous collectors, you can certainly admire it while having a drink in the bar or lounging before the lobby fireplace—a true artistic experience without ever having to step outside the hotel. 212-920-3300, www.gramercyparkhotel.com

By Karen Elowitt and Susannah Sachdeva for PeterGreenberg.com.

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