The hybrid hotel is on the rise. Whether it refers to the integration of co-working spaces, unique leisure spaces or unconventional extras and immersive experiences, the term hybrid hotel is relatively broad. But in an ever-evolving industry, it’s a term that’s becoming increasingly common.

Alongside the rise of the third space, an influx of hybrid hotels have taken hold, with hotels across the Indo-Pacific region doing their best to entice a wider net of people with their offerings. From the luxurious and grand, to the boutique and artistic, we explore four of the region’s most spectacular hybrid hotels.

Naumi Hotel Wellington | The design hotel

For a line of hotels that prides itself on going outside the bounds of general hotel design, it’s no surprise that Naumi has embraced a hybrid model for its Wellington venture. Elaborately eccentric, Naumi Hotel Wellington’s joyful design brings together an eclectic mix of colour, texture and art to become part-gallery, part-accommodation.

Art is interwoven into the fabric of the hotel. Behind reception, a large-scale floral backdrop created by Art Dep’t NZ is covered in gold leaf, which is complemented by bespoke rugs by artist Karl Maughan. An impressive illuminated floral sculpture by Angus Muir continues the whimsical theme. Each room is intricately decorated, including a dining room that is luxuriously relaxed with dark wooden flooring and velvet covered booths, and the “pastel green dreamscape” which is the Parlour.

Particularly relevant to the hybrid model, Naumi Hotel has started a “Work From Naumi” package, which entices guests to work from the hotel by offering 2 hour access to its boardroom and unlimited barista-made coffee during their stay.

Material Creative
materialcreative.co.nz

Photography
Sam Harnett

Oakwood Premier Melbourne | The luxury hotel

Melbourne has just welcomed Australia’s first Oakwood premier, a 40-story luxury hybrid hotel overlooking the Yarra River in Southbank. The hotel has ensured its hybrid status through its combination of 400 luxurious rooms and serviced apartments that have a mix of short, mid and long-term stay capacity. Furthermore, the hotel has multiple meeting rooms, a co-working space and a lounge and games centre.

Designed by CHT Architects with interiors by SORA Interior Architecture + Design, the 139-metre-tall building is held aloft by raked structural columns and a cantilevered design gives the structure the appearance of floating. Its grey and bronze facade is illuminated with bespoke built-in lighting, transforming its appearance at night. Internally, three large brass chandelier installations and art by Mika Utzon Popov combine for a captivating lobby space.

CHT Architects 
chtarchitects.com.au

SORA Interior Architecture + Design
sorainteriors.com.au

Photography
Rhiannon Taylor

Ovolo South Yarra | The art hotel

Featuring art from French, Australian and American artists including Mr. Brainwash, Punk Me Tender, Pascal Guetta, Ben Tankard and Jisbar, the latest Luchetti Krelle iteration of the Ovolo hotels, Ovolo South Yarra contains one of the largest private Australian hotel art collections.

The six-storey structure was designed by Woods Bagot, laying the foundation for the hotel’s young and loud interior energy. Ovolo South Yarra embraces retro-futurism and pop art, with graphic wallpaper, chrome features, bold colours and “a heady dose of rock ‘n’ roll anarchy spritzed with jet-set flair,” according to Luchetti Krelle. 

The playfully named Lona Misa restaurant sits adjacent to a large, brutalist lobby which is offset by bright hues and memorabilia referencing 70s icons. Downstairs, jewel-toned furniture accompanies a checkerboard floor in the basement lounge, while blue walls and velvet feature in the backroom bar.

Luchetti Krelle
luchettikrelle.com

Woods Bagot
woodsbagot.com

Photography 
Sean Fennessy

Raffles Hotel Singapore | The heritage hotel

After an extensive restoration, Singapore’s renowned Raffles Hotel has newly opened a range of bars, restaurants, boutiques and social spaces which enhance the heritage charm of the hotel. Significantly, the addition of The Great Room co-working space – Singapore’s first co-working space in a hotel – has seen Raffles Hotel Singapore establish its place as a hybrid hotel.

IndesignLive contributor Rachel Lee-Leong spoke to Tamagin Blake-Smith, principal at Hassell, about the unique opportunities co-working spaces provide .“Co-working is not just a space solution. It’s about creating communities,” says Blake-Smith. He shares that this formed the premise for Hassell’s design of The Great Room at Raffles Hotel Singapore. 

Hassell
Hassellstudio.com

Photography
E.K. Yap