SEXY AT SIXTY!
When it comes to hotels with a difference, the Miss Sixty Hotel is right near the top of the list. With an unusual design and top of the range facilities, it’s right at the forefront of innovative hotel construction.
The hotel is owned by the Italian Sixty Group, who also own the upmarket high-street fashion labels Miss Sixty, Killah and Energie, with 300 stores worldwide and concessions in leading department stores such as Selfridges and House of Fraser. With their clothes famed for their urban, fashion-forward and adventurous feel, it hardly comes as a surprise to find that the hotel is all of these things and a few more.
Situated in the Northern Italian town of Riccione on the Adriatic Coast, the hotel was opened in July 2006, the first of a chain of 4 star hotels owned by the brand. The idea for the hotel was conceived by Studio 63, who have also fitted out many of the Sixty Group’s stores, and the hotel retains the cutting-edge design of the shops themselves. Only here it’s taken one step further. In a pioneering move, each of the 39 rooms across four floors has been individually designed by 30 young artists from all over the world. The rooms are named after the artist who designed them. Though the artists had free reign over their designs, each of the rooms has a retro vibe and the colour schemes are clashing and experimental. The walls are huge canvases filled with futuristic artwork, the light installations are unique and the furnishings are modern. It’s most definitely a place for those looking for something that goes against the grain; the hotel screams high fashion, and it’s anything but subtle.
This is something that’s also reflected not only in the artist’s visions, but also in the facilities here. Each room comes with a LCD flatscreen TV and a wi-fi connection, and there’s also a pillow menu, room service, minibar, laundry facilities, whirlpool bath and a welcome drink. Adjoined to the hotel is a large Sixty store stocking the season’s on-trend clothing and accessories from all the Group’s labels.
Creative Director Wichy Hassons admitted that he found hotels boring, and his aim with this hotel was to create a place where guests would want to come and ‘hang out’. Rather than just a place to stay, the hotel is more of an experience. Webcams are provided upon request by the hotel so guests can make use of an innovative new service where they can chat to each other from their rooms to create a community feel.
The idea of a fashion chain opening a hotel is still a somewhat new one, and guests can expect to pay for the privilege of staying in a hotel associated with a leading fashion brand, but image is everything here and it’s not just an Ikea job either. Everything has been specifically created and the services on offer ensure that guests are looked after. It is hoped that this will be the first link in a chain of Sixty hotels in livelier locations, and while Riccione is hardly Milan, it’s still worth a visit.
Words: Kay Weston
