The Saint
Suite Living
Alexander Atkins reviews Edinburghs Hotel Missoni
Whenever someone is after mesmerizing color combinations and exclusive patterns in the form of prêt-a-porter knits, my first recommendation is always Missoni. Missoni garments consistently offer an unparalleled level of quality and design. By extension the Missoni Home range is equally as pleasing, making detailed carpets, throws and fabrics to upholster furniture with. It seems only logical that the company now has expanded beyond the luxury goods industry and into the hospitality industry. With the 2009 launch of Hotel Missoni Edinburgh, Missoni has prominently placed itself at the epicenter of Edinburghs cool Royal Mile district.
Historically speaking, the Milan-based family-run business, founded by Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, traces its roots to Olympian tracksuit making. Spanning three generations of designers, and with the glamorous twenty-seven year old Margherita Missoni set to catapult the family business into a new dimension of the fashion stratosphere, it is clear that this brand will remain a pioneer of style and now lifestyle. The Hotel Missoni in Edinburgh is the first establishment of the Missoni hotel chain, and is located on George IV Bridge next to an array of trendy restaurants and bars. Other branches are set to open in Kuwait and Brussels, making it possible to stay in incredibly designed and aesthetically pleasing hotels on several continents, the whole year round.
At the Edinburgh hotel, emphasis on a primarily black and white palette is initially introduced in the foyer. Vibrant bursts of color in the form of prints and knits on furniture and fixtures bring the immediate space within the building to life. The entire interior and its intricate color combinations were designed by Rosita Missoni, aptly demonstrating how she remains as relevant to design as in 1953, the year Missoni revealed its first collection at La Rinascente in Milan. The bar, located in the lobby, immediately ensures a warm and vibrant atmosphere for the hotel. Conceptually speaking, the bar serves as crossroads or merge of fashion and entertainment, where people can come together and enjoy a colorful environment complemented by great music.
Regarding the rooms, the hotel offers a variety of different spaces that promise to stimulate an all-encompassing sensory experience, based purely off of the typical Missoni aesthetic. Thankfully the hotel has understood the need of the modern and fast-paced urban traveler, by encorperating IPod and WIFI access in each room, alongside a free-to-use Nespresso machine and complementary laundry service. Whilst often pillaging the minibar proves costly upon check-out, at Hotel Missoni all contents are included in the room rate, making those midnight munchies that much tastier. The Italian décor and interior culminates in the bathrooms of each room, which offer rain fittings in the showers, and a variety of luxurious bath lotions and creams. The comfortable Missoni Home bathrobes serve as the most appropriate loungewear for after-hours comfort and opulence, and are available to purchase at Harvey Nichols on St. Andrew Square.
The hotels suites, although less overtly lavish than regular luxury suites, offer incredible views of Edinburgh and a certain Italian intimacy unique to Hotel Missoni. Inclusive breakfast (which can be brought to the private dining area within the suite) and an interior space carefully decorated with an eclectic flair, previously unique to the houses of the Missoni family, ensure a pleasurable stay for any type of guest.
Standard room from approximately £150 per night. Suite from £450 per night.
