World Events: Hotels for… Art Basel

“Since its founding in 1970 Art Basel has become one of the art world’s premier gatherings. Whether you hope to see emerging or established artists, any art-lover should add this event to their destination shortlist.

The event is now international, with offshoots in Miami and Hong Kong, but the original remains the biggest. It’s also a great reason to visit Basel – a cosmopolitan Swiss city well-equipped for an international art show and full of excellent museums. Plan your visit with our rundown of hotels for art enthusiasts.

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Der Teufelhof Basel
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The clean white exterior of Der Teufelhof Basel is accented by its blue-grey window shutters and green patches of clinging ivy. It consists of two 18th-century townhouses, known as the Gallery Hotel and Art Hotel. Der Teufelhof Basel is a double-threat, serving as both a hotel and an artistic showcase; it even includes a German-language theatre. Inside the rooms of the Gallery Hotel, the plain walls and minimalist design host a rotating selection of artworks. In the Art Hotel, every five years a group of artists redecorates its interior without any clear direction, with impressively eclectic results.

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The Passage
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Just beyond the western edge of Basel’s old town, the Passage provides a contemporary feel just a stone’s throw from history. It’s also near the shopping drag of Freie Strasse. A functional four-star, the Passage is sparsely furnished according to its minimalist style, but the pieces it does have are considered and imaginative, and it’s well-placed for public transport links around the city.

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Hotel D Basel
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Hotel D Basel is directly on the Rhine’s left bank in the heart of the city’s old town. Basel actually has two old towns, divided by the river: Altstadt Grossbasel to the left, and Altstadt Kleinbasel to the right. Hotel D Basel is in the main section of Altstadt Grossbasel, but Basel’s relatively small size means you can explore both its old towns on foot with ease. Hotel D Basel offers straightforward comfort in an unpretentious setting. There are 24-hour fitness and business centres, as well as a continental breakfast – perfect for no-frills travellers.

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Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel
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The Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel occupies what was Basel’s first 1950s apartment block. Back then, brutalist concrete was the building material of choice, and this hotel is no exception, though its plush furnishings are tasteful enough to make the space cosy. Imagine a skilled interior designer who is also an end-of-days survivalist – now imagine their emergency bunker. That roughly approximates Nomad’s hip feel. The hotel is on artsy Aeschenvorstadt, steps away from Kunstmuseum Basel, the largest public art collection in Switzerland.

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Hotel Spalentor Basel
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Hotel Spalentor Basel is well set-up if you want a bit of play to go with the intellectual rigours of art-browsing. It has a host of leisure options, with fitness facilities, a games room and free bikes so you can enjoy a leisure cycle around the city or use pedal power to get to the Messe Basel venue where the art fair takes place.”