Dolphin Capital Partners and Kerzner International Holdings Limited have broken ground on the site of One&Only Kéa Island in Greece. Situated in a 60-hectare beachfront site on the west side of Kéa Island, the ultra-luxury development on the Aegean Sea will encompass 75 resort villas, as well as a limited number of One&Only Private Homes for purchase. As part of the brand’s strategic expansion, One&Only Kéa Island will be the

US property developers are tapping the centuries-old bathing practices of Europe as they seek to differentiate their wellness amenities and increase wellness ROI, according to Design for Leisure (DFL), creators of hydrothermal spa and wellness areas. The company says more US hotels, resorts, spas, condo/apartment developers and luxury home owners are adding self-service hydrothermal bathing circuits like those typically found in European spas and bath houses. DFL has seen an

London's Design Museum has been named the winner of the European Museum of the Year Award. Moving to its new £85m (US$115m, €96.4m) home in Kensington's former Commonwealth Institute Building in 2016, the museum was reimagined by architecture firm OMA, along with Allies and Morrison and interior designer John Pawson. Since moving, the museum has become an "inspiring, socially-aware museum", according to the awarding judges, who also acknowledged the museum’s

An elegant London hotel situated in a converted former bank building has been named the best new hotel in Europe at a ceremony held by the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design (AHEAD). The Ned hotel, spa and club, with interiors designed by Alice Lund and architecture practice EPR, opened in April 2017. The creative team has transformed the Grade I-listed former Midland Bank Building to include 252 bedrooms, nine

The food and hospitality company founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, film producer Meir Teper and Hollywood legend Robert De Niro has officially launched its first European hotel in Shoreditch, London. The Nobu Hotel Shoreditch, located on Willow Street, features 148 bedrooms, a fine dining restaurant, a cocktail lounge and a fitness centre, all set within a strikingly jagged building created by Ben Adams Architects – developing an original vision conceived

German architect Ole Scheeren, best-known as the designer of a series sculptural towers in Asia, has announced his first project to be built in Europe: a spectacular residential high-rise in the city of Frankfurt. Riverpark Tower, commissioned by developer GEG German Estate Group, will emerge through the conversion of a forty-year-old concrete office building. Büro Ole Scheeren, the architect’s eponymous practice, will cut some floors and insert new, larger horizontal

Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his business partners Robert De Niro and Meir Teper are continuing to expand their Nobu Hospitality lifestyle brand in Europe, with plans to open a new hotel and restaurant in Barcelona, Spain. The trio have partnered with Selenta Group, a Spanish real estate and hotel company, to transform and co-manage the city’s Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya into the Nobu Hotel Barcelona – “a powerful stage

French architect Manuelle Gautrand has been awarded the 2017 European Prize for Architecture, becoming the first woman to receive the prestigious accolade. The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture – which jointly present the prize – praised Gautrand and her eponymous practice “for making special places and distinct spaces that celebrate ordinary life in our complex urban cities and our

German fitness operator McFit has launched a new gym concept centred around design and music. The first John Reed Fitness Music Clubs launched in the cities of Bonn and Salzburg in late July 2016. To date, nine have been opened in Germany, Austria, Italy and Hungary, and McFit wants to have 30 studios open by the end of 2017. Each club has its own unique design, with furnishings and features

Nobu Hospitality has revealed new design information about its hotly-anticipated Shoreditch property, which is scheduled to open in London in the next few months. Nobu Hotel Shoreditch, located on Willow Street, will be the first European hotel for the food and hospitality company – which was formed by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, film producer Meir Teper and Hollywood legend Robert De Niro. The 150-room hotel has been designed by Ben Adams

The JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Venice, designed by Matteo Thun & Partners, has won the European Hotel Design of the Year prize. The announcement was made at the European Hotel Design Awards, which took place in a star-packed ceremony last night at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel in London. Matteo Thun and his team created a contemporary resort on the man-made Isola delle Rose island – located

International hospitality interior design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) have announced a major expansion into Western Europe with the opening of one new office in London and investment in another, which will focus on bespoke, high-concept boutique projects. In addition to opening the new division, the firm have also appointed a new principal to its main London office. Matt White, who has 25 years of luxury hospitality design experience, including

The finalists for the 2016 European Hotel Design Awards have been announced following a preliminary round of voting, with a shortlist that showcases some of the continent’s most innovative new projects across the sector. The shortlist includes an apple-themed hotel and spa in Germany, a resort recreating an authentic Mallorcan village in Spain, and a Clodagh-designed getaway inspired by Portugal's trading history. The ten shortlisted categories include best new build,

Projects to build a museum in a historic Polish city square and to recover an orchard in Spain have been named the joint winners of the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2016. The annual award celebrates the creation, recovery and improvement of public spaces “as clear indicators of the democratic health of our cities”. This year, 276 candidatures from 33 countries were submitted to the prize, and the winners

Architects from across the UK have reacted with shock after waking up to the news that the country will leave the European Union (EU) following a referendum on its membership. Over 72 per cent of the electorate cast their votes yesterday (23 June) and the final result showed 51.9 per cent to in favour of Brexit. While the Leave campaign have begun wild celebrations, British Prime Minister David Cameron, a

At the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin this week, Starwood announced its continued expansion in Europe with a record 18 organic hotel openings in 2015 and more than 30 hotels under development and expected to open in the next five years. Starwood will be launching the Tribute Portfolio brand in France, diversifying its brand footprint in Italy and expanding its mid-market brands in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Russia

In an exclusive interview with CLAD, New York-based designer Clodagh has revealed her inspiration for the design of the Six Senses Douro Valley resort, which recently opened in Portugal. The resort and spa – the first to be operated by Six Senses in Europe – is located in a 22-acre, 19th century vineyard set within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Speaking in the latest issue of CLADmag, Clodagh said the

A Parisian hotel created inside a 19th century bathhouse, once frequented by novelist Marcel Proust, has won the top prize at the 2015 European Hotel Design Awards at a ceremony in London. Les Bains in Paris – designed by Tristan Auer and French studio RDAI – claimed the Hotel Design of the Year Award for the sophisticated new interiors which have been created within the existing 1885 building. Located in

Europe’s most prestigious architecture prize will today (17 November) be awarded to the Spanish designer Santiago Calatrava Valls. The European Prize for Architecture is presented annually to individuals who have “blazoned a new path and direction for an architecture that is deeply humane and committed to forward the principles of European humanism.” Calatrava – who is also a structural engineer, sculptor and painter – is famous for his artistic neo-futuristic

The 72,000sq ft (6,689sq m) Governors Island European-style hydrotherapy spa planned for New York has gained approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission to proceed, bringing it one step closer to construction. The Governors Island project, located a short ferry-ride away from Manhattan and Brooklyn, includes three landmark buildings designed by architecture firm Rogers & Poor. The buildings, which were once used as officers’ quarters, date from the early 1900s, and

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is set to unveil its first resort in Europe on 15 July in 10 hectares (22 acres) of the Portuguese UNESCO World Heritage Site of Douro Valley. Designed by New York-based Clodagh, the 57-bedroom 19th century property features an interior palette of light greys and sandy tones. Using eco-friendly materials, Clodagh – owner and founder of Clodagh Design – has blended nature, Portuguese tradition, water,

The International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) got off to a bang today (2 March), with Starwood announcing that it is on course to open more than 40 new hotels and resorts across Europe in the next five years. The hotel giant – which recently saw CEO, president and director Frits van Paasschen resign “by mutual agreement” – will concentrate on a combination of fast-growing and established markets as part of

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts have revealed further spa details for its first Italian hotel in Venice - and its first resort in Europe - opening in March 2015. Architecture practice Matteo Thun & Partners is in charge of converting historic buildings on the Isola delle Rose (Rose Island – also known as Sacca Sessola ) into a sustainability-focused 266-key luxury hotel, holiday villas, convention centre and a spa –

The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel by Starwood Hotels & Resorts has opened on Lotus Mountain in China's Dalian, in a prime location overlooking Xinghai Square, Xinghai Bay and the Yellow Sea. The city of Dalian’s ports were used in ancient times as an international trading hub. As a nod to its heritage, the city hosts European-inspired events to attract tourists – for example the Dalian International Beer Festival

Nestled in the fjords near Tromsø, Norway, plans have been unveiled for a rare floating hotel – in the shape of a giant snowflake. The floating ice crystal, known as the Krystall Hotel, will be rooted to the ground by an underwater concrete pillar. The aim of the structure is to be as self-sustaining as possible and have minimal impact on the environment, whilst offering an experience of 5-star luxury.

Nobu Hospitality – a chain famous for its Michelin-starred sushi, celebrity partners including Robert de Niro, and its glitterati clientele – is opening its first hotel in Europe. The site, located in the Shoreditch area of London, will be built in the chain's signature ‘east meets west’ style. London-based Ben Adams Architects and Californian Studio PCH are collaborating on the overall design of the project. The hotel, currently under construction,

The Paris Peninsula Hotel and Spa is expected to open in August this year, only a few paces from the Champs Elysées and l’Arc de Triomphe. Construction of the first Peninsula hotel on European soil began in 2010 and upon completion, the neoclassical 200-bedroom hotel’s spa will be situated on the first level of the three-floor basement and will cover more than 1,800sq m (19,375sq ft). Spa consultant Hydroconcept has