Le Clervaux Boutique & Design Hotel

Le Clervaux Boutique & Design Hotel has been transformed by JOI-Design from its former life as the Hotel Central into the most stylish destination in Clervaux, a picturesque medieval village in the mountains of northern Luxembourg renowned for its outdoor lifestyle and gourmet cuisine. JOI-Design’s concept for the hotel blends stylised baroque elements with contemporary features, spiced-up with wit and delightfully unexpected details.

The designers have preserved the unique character of the private villa, whose original structure dates back to the early 1900s and to which a contemporary glazed extension was added in more recent times. Striking red, black and grey tones define the colour palette throughout and ornate baroque patterns in sleek finishes are juxtaposed with clean minimalist lines. An imaginative use of graphic motifs lends a humorously irreverent twist to the overall design narrative, bringing the designers an accolade for the Most Surprising Visual Element at the recent Boutique Design Awards in New York City as well as the First Place Popular Vote at the Heinze ArchitektenAWARD in Munich earlier this month.

The ‘modern baroque’ interior concept is introduced to guests from the moment they enter the building. A plush crimson carpet on a polished ebony floor leads guests towards the lobby through a hallway with silver and grey damask-patterned walls and a finely-cut metallic charcoal chandelier shimmering above. The reception area has a relaxed, residential ambience. A glossy black lacquer desk and stylised translucent wingback chairs further play upon the modern baroque theme, and in one corner a ‘baby grand’ piano not only provides the opportunity to tinkle the ivories, it also bears refreshments.

However it is the hotel suites which are the star attraction here, all envisioned as self-contained spas fitted with jacuzzis, deluxe showers and freestanding tubs that are open to the bedroom to surround guests in a completely pampering experience.

JOI-Design has conceived three distinct styles for the 22 suites – Classique, Château and Young Spirit – to appeal to guests’ varied tastes, whether on a relaxing gourmet weekend away or an energetic walking or cycling holiday.

The Classique Suites combine the traditional detailing of the historical villa in which they are located with modern design elements. The colours, patterns and forms in these rooms suggest the notion of a Grand Hotel, offering premium comfort and style. Individual details, such as the table-lamp silhouette wall pattern, give the suites a fashionably smart aesthetic. In the Duplex Suites, original timber ceiling beams emphasise the heritage and character of the rooms while the simple detailing of the solid timber staircase is suggestive of a chic urban loft. Warm sandy beige and chocolate hues are accented by classic houndstooth touches, rich leathers, and gold and silver-toned fittings.

The more opulent Château Suites have been fitted-out with hues of deep red, graphite and black in a fresh interpretation of baroque style. Here the designers have woven a sumptuous palette of pattern and texture - damask, velvet, lacquer and leather evoke a playful sensuality. The TV, mirror and padded headboard lined with quilted leather are each surrounded by an ornately scrolled, black lacquer frame. Pendant lights, mirrored on the inside, disperse reflected sparkles of light across the room. For the bedside stands, finely stitched leather drawers sit within a polished white cube that is perched atop curvy turned legs.

A lighter feel has been given to the Young Spirit Suites; here smooth lines with soft curves offer a calm and understated alternative to the Classique and Château rooms. Raspberry tones add zest to the black, white and charcoal palette, and patterned surfaces are kept to a minimum. The sculptural forms and glossy finishes of the bedside and coffee tables, as well as the silver ball-shaped pendant lights, accentuate the light-hearted ‘young spirit’ of these suites. The more relaxed, informal mood of this newer part of the hotel has been designed especially with outdoor enthusiasts in mind; its rooms have been planned to have extra storage space for guests’ sports equipment.

The modern baroque theme is also played out in the guestroom corridors where motifs of varying scales have been overlaid and contrasted for the design of the walls, lighting and floor covering. The soft grey floral scroll in the carpet is punctuated by red room numbers within elaborate black insignias. These icons also appear on the corridor walls in the form of backlit, laser-cut steel. The interplay of colour and light continues with sculptural red chandeliers which cast oversized shadows on the walls to create an optical illusion.

In the restaurant Da Lonati, old also greets new. The foyer of the street entrance is as one might imagine for a 19th century villa with its grand carved oak staircase, dark timber doors and mouldings, and original ceramic floor tiles imprinted with a woodcut pattern that were relocated here from elsewhere in the villa. This traditional feel continues on into the private dining areas. The carpet design is a handsome pattern drawn from historical tiles in the hotel, which combined with polished dark parquet timber flooring, red and black damask-covered dining chairs and heavy drapes set against espresso walls, all emphasise the building’s noble heritage. A central ceiling light with a gold-lined black pleated shade completes the luxurious ambience of these rooms.

The main dining space is brighter in tone. Sunlight filters from its outdoor dining terrace through a glazed façade to illuminate the more modern décor. The room is configured to accommodate different types of seating arrangements, including banquettes along a crimson accent wall hung with mirrors mounted into white high-gloss frames. Translucent lamps suspended over the dining tables emit a warm glow, and cream, silhouette-patterned chandeliers become focal points above the window-side tables. Generous armchairs, also in red or black damask, add a luxurious note.