Chief executive officer SERDAR KUTUCU
Chief executive officer SERDAR KUTUCU of Slow
Unique concept: Grupo Habita
The Mexican hospitality brand Grupo Habita stands out for its effort in challenging concepts and designs for every new hotel it launches. The group — led by Moisés Micha and Carlos Couturier — is known for working closely with young, up-and-coming talents that have since become stars. Such as Joseph Dirand, Nicholas Schuybroek, and Dimore Studio. Each Habita concept is consistently groundbreaking. I admire the way in which Carlos and Moises manage to integrate local art into each property. A result of their active presence on the art scene, as well as a genuine commitment to local culture and trade. Which, at the end of the day, is what Design Hotels is all about. Their Hotel Americano (today: Hotel Selina Chelsea) in New York was such a pioneering property and it had a lot to do with the tremendous resurgence of the West Chelsea neighbourhood.
Unique guest experience: Les Roches
It has always been a dream of mine to have a home in the South of France. Now I have found it in Les Roches Rouges. It is a cosy, easy hangout that pays homage to the classic French Riviera style of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Designed by Festen Architecture, who have filled the space with plenty of details that are authentic to the South of France. Terracotta ceramics by Céramiques du Beaujolais are scattered throughout alongside vintage furniture and various Provençal objets d’art inspired by the sea. Which, together with the property’s clean modernist lines, create a stunning environment that toes the line between classic vintage and modern design. The hotel is located on the Provence coast, so the waterfront setting offers endless sea views and plenty of space to think … about this unique guest experience.