Check in, and step into a museum. Around the world, hotels are curating their own collections of art, artifacts, and historical pieces, so guests can sleep surrounded by the stories of the place itself. Whether in Europe, Africa, Asia or South America, these hotels are proud of their heritage, and invite guests to explore the local culture without leaving the property.
EUROPE
A Timeless Journey Through Florence at Hotel Brunelleschi
The Hotel Brunelleschi, rising around the Torre della Pagliazza and the former Church of San Michele, blends medieval architecture with contemporary refinement. With 96 rooms and suites, two acclaimed restaurants, including the 2-Michelin-starred Santa Elisabetta, helmed by chef Rocco De Santis and breathtaking views of the Duomo, the hotel offers a rare glimpse into Florence’s past. Tucked just underneath the ancient Torre della Pagliazza, guest can find the Museo della Pagliazza. This boutique museum is not just a collection of artifacts; it’s a living chapter of Florence’s history. After descending the foundations of the 6th-century Byzantine tower, visitors can find the remnants of a Roman calidarium, once used for ancient bathing rituals, alongside fragments of medieval prison lore and a Renaissance collection of Montelupo ceramics.
Casa Epper: A Place of Inspiration at Hotel Eden Roc
Hotel Eden Roc, a luxurious resort set along the Swiss shores of Lake Maggiore in Ascona, offers guests an inspiring experience at their museum Casa Epper, where historical significance and contemporary art intertwine. The museum is tucked away by the hotel’s entrance, and was once the birthplace of artists Ignaz and Mischa Epper's artwork. Today, guests can trace their footsteps surrounded by the picturesque Ascona hills by engaging in workshops and discussions accompanied by visual exhibitions. Casa Epper has hosted numerous exhibitions, like the “Immagini del Momento," taking visitors on a journey through the beauty of Italian boat house culture captured by photography, Olaf Tamm.
During their visit, travelers are also invited to practice mindfulness in the garden, dotted with more artwork, spending their time reading, meditating, or practicing yoga. After this peaceful afternoon outing, guests can savor authentic Swiss cuisine on the property, indulge in a holistic spa treatment at the Eden Roc Spa, or take a short walk to the Ascona piazza.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa’s Hidden History Beneath the Surface
The Gainsborough Bath Spa in Bath, England holds layers of history that reveal the city’s Roman and Georgian past. Built within two former hospitals, its foundations sit atop a 4th-century Roman mosaic uncovered during an excavation in 1864, along with a Victorian-era time capsule that remains part of its story. In 2007, archaeologists discovered more than 17,000 Roman coins, known as the Beau Street Hoard, among the site’s foundations, a portion of which is displayed inside The Gainsborough Bath Spa. The coins, dating back over two millennia to around 32 BC, were found carefully stacked in leather bags and buried for safekeeping, likely during a period of political unrest in the late Roman Empire. Together, they weigh about 120 kilograms and represent one of the largest and best-preserved hoards ever found in Britain. The Gainsborough Bath Spa reflects centuries of evolution, from Roman spa complex to 19th-century healing hospital to contemporary wellness destination, where guests today bathe in the same natural thermal waters once used by the Romans, connecting the modern experience to Bath’s ancient heritage.
AFRICA
Inside Jack’s Camp: The Curiosity and Culture of Botswana
Guests staying at National Selection’s Jack’s Camp, a luxurious, nine-tented retreat set amid the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans of Botswana, will find themselves immersed in a world where comfort and heritage converge. At the heart of the camp stands a large mess tent, home to the renowned Natural History Museum. Part of the National Museums of Botswana network, it showcases a remarkable collection spanning generations, much of it accumulated through the travels and personal history of the Bousfield family, including legendary adventurer Ralph Bousfield, son of the camp’s namesake, Jack Bousfield. After a day of safari, visitors can explore the museum, delving into the region’s natural and cultural history, as specimens from the region, as well as East and North Africa, are thoughtfully displayed within the “cabinets of curiosities” hand-picked by Ralph Bousfield himself.
The Artistic Soul of Hemingway’s Eden
Tucked away in Nairobi’s leafy Langata suburb adjacent to the Giraffe Sanctuary Forest, Hemingways Eden Residence is where art and the everyday seamlessly blend. Once the home of the late artist Tonio Trzebinski, the intimate nine-room boutique hotel has evolved into a living gallery that blurs the line between home, studio and sanctuary. At its heart sits the Artisanal Gallery, a curated compilation of contemporary African art, design, and fashion, where guests can browse or even participate in creative workshops. Throughout the residence itself, original works by Tonio and his son Stanislaw Trzebinski line the corridors, guest rooms, and gardens. Tonio Trzebinski’s textured, expressionistic canvases, often layered with three-dimensional elements and themes of nature, decay and transformation, sit alongside the bronze and ceramic pieces of his son Stanislaw Trzebinski, whose biomorphic forms fuse human and organic references in a celebration of nature’s design. Together, the works turn the entire property into a living gallery, creating a space that encourages visitors to dwell in an environment where art is as much part of the experience as comfort and hospitality.
The Saxon’s Exclusive Nelson Mandela Archive
Located in the tranquil, tree-lined suburb of Sandhurst, within minutes of Johannesburg's world-class shopping and business hub, lies the Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa. A uniquely perfect blend of rich cultural history and contemporary five-star service, many discerning travelers, including royalty, statesmen, Nobel Prize-winners, and best-selling authors have returned time and again to experience the unparalleled amenities, characteristics and historical ties for which the Saxon is known. The Saxon, with its serene surroundings, is where Nelson Mandela chose to edit his best-selling autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. Exclusive to Saxon guests is the opportunity to visit the Nelson Mandela archive and get a glimpse of his personal journals and artwork in an intimate museum setting. Guests also have the unique chance to view his Nobel Peace Prize, step into his former office, and learn about his life on a much deeper, more personal level than what’s shown in the museum. Additionally, the Saxon’s Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite was once occupied by Mandela during his six-month stay at the property and is a fitting tribute to Madiba. The suite features bespoke pieces of art and furniture with an authentically African look and feel that takes guests on a journey through Mandela’s life, from his days as a young militant through his years as a wisely statesman. Images here.
ASIA
Baros Maldives: Preserving Culture Through the Maldivian Lounge (pictured)
As the third resort ever established in the Maldives (opened in December 1973), Baros Maldives stands as a beacon of history and authenticity. It helped shape the very concept of Maldivian island hospitality and has quietly evolved while preserving the essence of its origins. For guests wishing to explore the culture of the archipelago more intimately, the Maldivian Lounge — the resort’s on-property museum — offers a curated window into the nation’s history and way of life. Inside, artifacts from everyday island living sit alongside tools, instruments, and objects influenced by centuries of connection with Africa and Europe.
Guests will find traditional embroidery tools used to create Maldivian attire, containers once used to collect toddy, and rare maps dating back more than 400 years from the private collection of Baros’ late owner, Dr. Maniku. The Maldivian Lounge is a quiet celebration of identity, a blend of heritage and contemporary luxury. By weaving history into the guest experience, Baros allows guests to feel more connected to the resort and destination, leaving their trip feeling truly moved and eager to return to get that feeling once again.
SOUTH AMERICA
The Singular Patagonia: Where History and Hospitality Merge at the End of the World
The Singular Patagonia Hotel is a secluded historical escape at the so-called “end of the world” in Chilean Patagonia, located within the premises of the historic Cold Storage Plant, built in 1915 by the “Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego”. In 1996, given the historical, architectural and industrial relevance of the complex, it was avowed as a National Historic Monument. Today, antique machinery is still intact and visible in the transit areas of the museum-hotel as part of a private collection throughout the property. Both hotel guests and external visitors interested in learning about the property’s roots are invited to join the Cold Storage Plant Tour, a guided two hour experience that immerses them in the history and origin of the Sociedad Explotadora Tierra del Fuego, the most important cold storage plant in the region. The tour is complete with visits to the boiler rooms, condensers, blacksmith, and turnery, as well as the centennial dock that served hundreds of ships for the exportation of meat, fat, skin, and wool to Europe.
