The Italian city of Merano plays host to the latest artist-designed boutique hotel. Like its contemporaries, the Aurora hotel (pictured above), located near the gorgeous city of Bologna, boasts individually designed and themed rooms. From sleek, Nordic Alpine lodge to smoldering Italian boudoir, the Aurora has something for everyone’s interior taste.
 
Taking the trend one step further is the Daddy longlegs (pictured below)art hotel in South Africa. A stay at the thirteen-room boutique hotel is like being in an interactive art exhibition. Each room has been designed by an artist, designer, musician, poet or photographer who has drawn inspiration from the local culture of Cape Town. The result is a collection of rooms that feel more like art installations than places to lay your head – though the spacious areas and comfy looking beds promise a restful stay. by Bill T