CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY—Known for its majestic snow-capped Dolomite mountains, the Northern Italian town of Cortina serves as a base camp of sorts for die-hard skiers and fashionistas who like to shop and dine après ski in the high season.
Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, is located right in the heart of the Alps. Led by MHZ Studio, an architecture and interior design studio based in Milan, the resort underwent a series of enhancements ahead of the ski season. With a rich history, having first opened in 1901, the property is now a newly minted member of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection brand and ready for its crowning touch.
“It was the perfect opportunity for a complete restyling to restore the property to its original splendor, which has distinguished it for years,” said Alessandro Zarinelli, partner at MHZ Studio.
The project’s scope included upgrades to Cristallo’s accommodations—which encompasses 74 guestrooms, 20 suites and two presidential suites—as well as the hotel’s lobby.
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| Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa |
“They have been upgraded to the higher standard of security and comfort, and restyled to meet the expectations of the clients,” said Zarinelli. “We are currently finishing up the second phase of the renovation, which will be complete in December when the property will celebrate its first ski season as part of The Luxury Collection.”
Gustavian style, once reserved for royal palaces, was the spark of inspiration for the resort’s re-do. The aesthetic was named after Sweden’s King Gustav III, who spent much of his early life in the French court during the reign of Louis XVI. He developed a subtle interpretation of the French Louis XV and Louis XVI style with Nordic neoclassical influences.
“We worked this into the design using pale colors and light-filled rooms with parquet floors and wood-paneled walls enriched with fabrics and stenciled paintings, completed with an abundance of crystal chandeliers and hand-carved and painted furniture,” he said. “The dramatic juxtaposition of the Gustavian style’s formal elegance and the modern-day touches provides for a truly luxurious guest experience. While introducing the latest technologies for the guest safety and comfort, the rooms maintain extraordinary period details and luxurious finishes,” he said,
Spa facilities evoke a warm feeling with local, natural stone selected for the ground floor paving. Elsewhere, the restaurant, veranda and other rooms have parquet flooring paired with rich rugs for added warmth.
There is also elaborate wood paneling with typical motifs from the Dolomite region present throughout the hotel. The pale wood paneling in the guestrooms and suites is hand-painted with floral detailing and the walls are decorated with delicate moldings and fabric.
“A distinguished colorway defines every floor to give different characteristics. The first and second floors have light painted finishes in cool tones of blue and yellow filling the rooms with light and remembrances of summer sunshine all year round,” he said. “The third and fourth floors feature warmer, cozier shades of green and red, giving the rooms the warmth of a typical mountain atmosphere. On the ground floor and public spaces, a specific palette of these shades distinguishes the various areas.”
