Whenever I check into a hotel room the first thing I do is almost invariably to explore the bathroom.
There’s an urge to be reassured that the bath is deep and inviting, to discover what enticingly scented treats lie in wait in tiny bottles on the toiletries shelf, and to satisfy myself that the towels are luxuriously soft and fluffy.
A well-appointed bathroom is something that can make a hotel stay really memorable. Top hotels allocate serious budgets to their bathrooms, frequently employing leading interior designers and using expensive materials. It’s perhaps not surprising then that home bathroom trends are often inspired by styles and ideas that have filtered down from hotel interiors.
After a relaxing summer break many of us return home with a desire to recreate elements of the styles we’ve encountered on holiday. Yes, hotel bathrooms are sometimes unashamedly glamorous and aspirational, but you don’t always need to spend a fortune to achieve a luxurious look, and many hotels offer style pointers that you can easily incorporate into your own home.
From urban edge to bohemian beachside and country house chic, here are three very different hotel bathroom designs to inspire you to create your own holiday hotel style sanctuary at home.
Country house chic: Hotel Babington
This bathroom at luxury boutique hotel Babington House is the epitome of English country house chic.
Image Credit: Babington House
The tiled feature wall and the lovely roll top bath are the main focal points in this room, but the upholstered chair adds a sense of comfort and luxury, introducing a softness and elegance and making the room feel less functional and more like an inviting living space.
The carefully chosen accessories - a vintage 1930s mirror and the glass bonbon jars - are also objects that you would more usually expect to find in a living room.
How to get the look
- To recreate this look choose a traditional bath like the Shakespeare freestanding bath with traditional style taps - the Hampshire bath shower mixer is similar to the ones at Babington House.
- Opt for heritage paints in soft, neutral colours - greys, taupe or sage green, for example.
- Choose period style furniture and accessories like the Kensington heated towel rail and don’t be afraid to mix the old with the new.
Urban edge: Hotel Silken Puerta America
This contemporary Madrid hotel bathroom gives a feeling of glamorously chic minimalism with an urban edge.
Image Credit: Hotel Silken Puerta America
A restrained monochrome palette and generous use of marble combined with high gloss surfaces make the space feel smart and contemporary. Clever lighting and mirrored panelling make it seem bigger than it actually is. The chrome taps and fittings complete the contemporary feel. Both the bath and the basin are modern and sleek lined, but their gently curved edges add softness to the overall effect.
How to get the look
- Installing mirrored panelling is a great way of opening up a small space and making it feel bigger while at the same time creating a high impact feature wall.
- To achieve a basin with similar look that has a semi pedestal try the Positano semi pedestal basin.
- Nothing beats marble for sheer unashamed luxury, but if your budget won’t stretch to it, consider slate as a more affordable option.
- This style includes a contemporary square freestanding bath which can be achieved with the Verso back to wall bath from VictoriaPlum.com, combined with a freestanding bath tap.
Bohemian beachside sanctuary: San Giorgio Hotel Mykonos
This summer retreat on the Greek island of Mykonos is all about ease, enjoyment and laid back living.
Image credit: San Giorgio Hotel Mykonos
With its crisp whitewashed walls and rustic accessories the bathroom perfectly encapsulates this. The fringed hammam towel hanging on the wooden ladder handily doubles up as a sarong and there’s a range of soothing organic toiletries to seduce you after a long day of sea and sun.
Rainfall shower heads like the ones often encountered beach or poolside, as well as in hotel bathrooms, have become popular in recent years and are a great option to consider if you’re lucky enough to have space for a wet room.
How to get the look
- Opt for roughly finished walls and natural textures.
- Choose a simple counter top basin like the Calhoun.
- Complete the look with rustic style accessories - a handwoven basket or a wooden towel ladder.
- A rainfall shower head is the perfect way to recreate the holiday mood at home.
Which look is your favourite? Let us know by following us on Twitter @VictoriaPlumUK and using the hashtag #HotelStyleBathrooms.
