For centuries, artists have drawn inspiration from every corner of the globe—some from the cultural powerhouses of New York, London, and Paris, and others from more surprising muses in places you might not expect. Today, destinations like St. Barths, São Paulo, and Charleston are proving that the world’s most exciting art scenes aren’t always where you’d think.
Luxury hotels across the map are embracing this creative energy, curating immersive programs that connect travelers with local artists, cultural heritage, and contemporary works. The result? Guests don’t just visit a destination—they experience it through the eyes of its most imaginative storytellers.
St. Barths St. Barths may be famed for its turquoise waters and French-Caribbean glamour, but it’s also an unexpected haven for art lovers, where cutting-edge contemporary works meet the island’s laid-back allure. From the avant-garde exhibitions at Space Gallery, showcasing visionaries like Philippe Pasqua and Michael Kagan, to Fergus McCaffrey’s museum-quality shows featuring icons such as Katharina Grosse and Robert Longo, the island offers a cultural richness that rivals major art capitals.
Rosewood Le Guanahani’s newly unveiled Art Programming—developed in close partnership with the gallery Artists of St. Barth—transforms the resort into a living canvas where guests can experience the island’s creative pulse both on property and beyond. The signature guided art tour offers a three-hour, curator-led immersion into St. Barths’ vibrant scene, beginning with the resort’s own curated collection before venturing into Gustavia for open-air installations, a champagne toast at the Artists of St. Barth Gallery, and a private boutique visit with artist Véronique Vandernoot. On property, rotating seasonal exhibitions bring works by talents such as Antoine Verglas, GC Artists, Dvis Dformes, and Roger Moreau into the resort’s gardens, reception areas, and public spaces, creating an ever-evolving showcase of paintings, sculptures, textiles, and photography that reflects the island’s distinctive artistic spirit.
Ibiza Six Senses Ibiza is redefining the way travelers experience the island, positioning itself not only as a sanctuary for wellness and sustainability but as an unexpected destination for contemporary art. This season, the resort debuted two major collaborations - Tanit, a solar-powered monolith by acclaimed designer Sabine Marcelis, and a new digital installation by London-based video artist Giorgia Ascolani.
Set within the resort’s subterranean Beach Caves, Marcelis’s Tanit reflects the light and energy of Ibiza’s ancient goddess of fertility and the moon, absorbing sunlight during the day and lighting up after dark. Just steps away, Ascolani’s installation, True Divine Love, projects a series of animated panels onto a sculptural wall, combining folkloric symbols, surrealist elements, and natural motifs inspired by plant lore, constellations, sea life, and ancestral imagery.
Together, these installations embody the resort’s unique blend of ancient inspiration and modern minimalism, adding a new dimension to Six Senses Ibiza’s cultural programming and inviting guests to see the island through the lens of an artist.
Sao Paulo, Brazil São Paulo may be best known as Brazil’s business capital, but it’s also one of the world’s most unexpected art destinations, where the city’s grit and glamour fuel a constant wave of creative reinvention. From globally renowned institutions like MASP and the Pinacoteca to vibrant street art enclaves such as Vila Madalena’s Beco do Batman, the city offers a cultural landscape as dynamic as its skyline. With its blend of world-class museums, independent galleries, and open-air murals, São Paulo invites travelers to experience art not as an occasional encounter, but as a vital part of everyday life.
Rosewood São Paulo doesn’t just display art—it lives it. Anchored in the vibrant Cidade Matarazzo, the hotel is effectively a private, immersive museum housing a permanent collection of over 450 site-specific works by roughly 50 Brazilian artists, curated by Marc Pottier and spanning indigenous, street, and contemporary creators. Each corner reveals a story: Sandra Cinto’s hand-painted tiles evoke natural landscapes; Laura Vinci’s golden leaf sculptures add poetic whimsy; Vik Muniz transforms the lobby with reflections on legacy and identity; and murals by street artist Speto weave in the city’s tradition and grit. The experience extends beyond static installations with the hotel’s Art Tour, led by the dedicated Art Concierge team, guiding guests through both public and private areas to explore the dialogue between architecture and art—culminating in a celebratory toast atop the Bela Vista rooftop.
Bermuda Rosewood Bermuda is redefining the island’s identity, inspiring visitors to see Bermuda not just as a picturesque getaway, but as a vibrant, unexpected art destination. In collaboration with the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, the resort is bringing a rotating exhibition—featuring works by celebrated still-life painter Janet Fish—directly into its public spaces. It kicks off with an exclusive evening event, and highlights will remain on display across the property as part of a dynamic cultural exchange. In return, Rosewood warmly hosts Masterworks’ visiting guests—a creative symbiosis that immerses travelers in Bermudian artistry and storytelling.
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston’s historic charm is well known, but the city is also emerging as one of the South’s most compelling art destinations. Beyond the pastel façades of Rainbow Row and the cobblestone streets of the French Quarter lies a thriving creative scene anchored by the Gibbes Museum of Art, the Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art, and an array of independent galleries showcasing both Lowcountry landscapes and contemporary works.
At the heart of this cultural movement, the Grand Bohemian Charleston transforms the traditional hotel stay into an immersive art experience. Its Grand Bohemian Gallery houses a curated collection of paintings, sculptures, and jewelry from both local and international artists, refreshed frequently to ensure each visit feels like a new exhibition. Every piece is for sale, creating an opportunity for guests to take home a tangible memory of their time in Charleston.
This fall, the property will host the Jean Claude Roy Dinner Series (November 2025), part of the Kessler Collection’s larger art pillar that integrates fine art into the DNA of each property. Known for his vivid, palette-knife landscapes, Roy’s works will not only fill the gallery but also inspire a multi-course dinner where each dish is thoughtfully paired with the emotion and color story of the paintings on display. The result is a night that blurs the lines between culinary art and visual expression—solidifying Charleston’s place as an unexpected hub for cultural immersion in the South.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico In the heart of one of Latin America’s most exciting emerging creative capitals, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende offers a luxurious retreat, a living gallery, and a direct link to the city’s arts scene. The hotel showcases works by leading Mexican and Latin American artists and regularly hosts rotating exhibitions from rising talents. Its Art Concierge delivers deeper access to culture with private gallery tours, studio visits, and authentic hands-on experiences:
Beyond the hotel, the UNESCO-listed historic center hums with a new generation of makers, cultural innovators, and designers, including Daniel Valero of Mestiz, whose passion for bold color and collaborations with the luxury house Hermès have brought San Miguel’s artistry to an international stage. Here, creativity is multidimensional, and woven through craft, design, performance, and innovation. This makes the city not only a showcase of artistry, but a place where ideas are born, evolve, and inspire the world.
Santa Monica, CA Nestled along the serene shores of Santa Monica, Shutters on the Beach offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness the city's rise as one of Southern California's most compelling creative hubs, and experience an exceptional blue-chip art collection. Meticulously curated by renowned fine art advisor, Cynthia Greenwald, the beachfront property's collection includes 15 pioneering American Artists who wrote the earliest chapters of Contemporary Art History (1970s - current). Following the recent renovation of its iconic lobby (led by acclaimed LA-based design studio Nickey Kehoe), Shutters recently acquired a few new pieces, including a sizable, commissioned Sky Over Water by Los Angeles-based artist Grant Levy-Lucero, Quiet Moon by Ann Craven, and LA Uncovered #5 by Robert Rauschenberg. Some of these artists continue to create work in the movement today and a self-guided art tour, akin to a gallery, is available on site (see here). For guests wanting to take it a step further, a private art tour with Cynthia herself can be arranged. Highlights from the collection include:
Fast becoming one of Southern California’s most compelling creative hubs, the city once known primarily for its sun-soaked shoreline is home to the sprawling Bergamot Station Arts Center, thought-provoking residencies at 18th Street Arts Center, more than 170 vibrant street murals, and recent turns hosting Frieze LA.
