Industrial design hotels rock. From a decomposing gravel quarry converted into a remote luxury hotel to a city-view diamond factory refashioned to rock ‘n’ roll suites, it takes a keen design eye to blend clean and hard industrial architecture with warm interior charm. Done successfully, ultra-modern yet old-world classic spaces add to the travel appeal of any city.
The best industrial design hotels around the world take gritty materials like weathered wood, stone, and exposed brick and turn broken-down industrial structures into wanderlust suites. Here are the six best around the world.
Sir Adam Hotel
Amsterdam
The 19th century Van Moppes diamond factory was designed strategically with giant windows so workers who ground, sharpened, and polished the diamonds could have enough natural light. Today, that same building, located in Amsterdam’s De Pijp district, is home to the Sir Adam Hotel— a funky boutique stay where cool concrete is warmed by vintage music influences and a rock ‘n’ roll vibe. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out over killer city views and rooms are stocked with oversized rain showers, calacatta-tiled bathrooms, Crosley record players, curated local art, a pillow menu, and … an electric guitar. A gym and music library are also on-site and Sir Adam recommends hand-picked city experiences with local hosts to take you around town.
The Source Hotel
United States
The Source Hotel sits in a 303 neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, that used to be a rough and tumble train tracks. Now, it’s a thriving art district. The towering clean and modern architecture of The Source Hotel includes concrete floors, furniture by Muuto, and select soft finishes by Winter Session. Rooms are a mix of Scandinavian and Japanese design with clean Baltic birch casework and high ceilings. Some suites include operable glass garage doors. Views stretch all the way to the Rocky Mountains with downtown Denver only minutes away. Bonus: There is on-site brewery and the food and market hall next door used to be an iron foundry. The Source Hotel also has an event space if you’re looking for an industrial wedding venue.
Fabriken Furillen
Sweden
Isolated on a remote peninsula on the Gotland island is a deserted beach and eco-friendly hotel built in the ruins of an old gravel quarry. Fabriken Furillen is the brainchild of photographer Johan Hellström, who began converting the space into an 18-room hotel and restaurant in 1999. He reimagined the factory’s existing infrastructure by starting with the deteriorating worker’s canteen (now the restaurant). In contrast to the stark beaches and limestone formations outside, the interior design of Fabriken Furillen is warm. Soft shades of gray and white coddle you amid clean Scandinavian hits while recycled local material like hardwood, concrete, and limestone bring the outside in. The restaurant on-site uses fresh ingredients from the hotel’s farm.
The Silo Hotel
South Africa
Luxury South African hotel, The Silo, takes its name and skeleton from the historic grain silo complex opened in the 1920s which played a prominent role in South Africa’s industrial and agricultural growth. The grain silo was the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa for some time and now the grain elevator houses the hotel and sits above Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) – Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art. High above the V&A Waterfront, The Silo Hotel was redesigned by Heatherwick Studio with geometrical floor-to-ceiling windows in each room that glisten from the outside like diamonds. The hard industrial bones of this hotel meet with old-world elegance in the interior design, with grand chandeliers, and a blend of vintage and modern furnishings.
1888 Hotel
Australia
A historic wool store overlooking Darling Harbor in Sydney, Australia, got a new-age makeover when Ovolo converted it into a pop-art hotel for young, adventurous travelers. Every detail of 1888 Hotel is convivial and vibrant, from free social happy hour to the punchy Australian artwork, gritty exposed brick, and sun-kissed patio. Bright yellows, blues, and reds bring energy to the historic body. The on-site wine bar Mister Percy was named after a former wool classer who worked at the OG store. Guests also enjoy free breakfast, free in-room minibars, and free self-service laundry.
Tuve Hotel
Hong Kong
The crowded energy of Hong Kong makes Tuve Hotel a minimalist retreat where the cool industrial composition of raw materials, oxidized metals, and white marble keep the areas clean, open, and allow you much-needed breathing space. Located in the Causeway Bay, Tuve Hotel is all about its atmosphere, aiming for an industrial lobby, restaurant, and rooms bathed in soft light and scented with calming sandalwood. Each room is edgy yet impeccably bare. We mean really empty, almost naked of embellishment — an intentional approach that nods to the sedate style of industrial design.
