This is a hotel room in Marseille — aptly named Panic Room — designed by Tilt, an internationally renowned graffiti artist. Part street, part minimalist luxury, it’s dizzying but calm at the same time, isn’t it?
If you’re craving a holiday where you can sleep inside an art installation, Au Vieux Panier is the hotel to book, with six guest rooms in total, each audaciously conceptualized by talented designers. I think I could handle the view from the rooftop terrace.
Would you ever? Are you usually bold in your hotel choices when you’re on vacation, preferring a wholly unique experience than your friends and family might choose, or do you lean toward location, practicality, and comfort? (My designer brain always chooses differently than my mom heart! And sigh, budget usually ends up being the biggest determining factor.)









































{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Very cool hotel….yes, deciding on a hotel is always tricky…What I choose for 2 of us – is a bit different than when I choose for “Family” trips. For us having breakfast included is wonderful and these days internet is another bonus..but like you budget often is one of the final determinates…but one can always dream!
Yes, budget constraints tend to trump all, for our family!
That said, I tend to be on the more liberal side when it comes to spending money on things that are unique or will make a good memories, which is a good deal of what makes life worth living.
Well put, Janae! I totally agree.
Definitely a budget question. :) Although I thought staying on a houseboat in Amsterdam with the kids was different and cool, but if we had been alone we probably would have upgraded that houseboat significantly;)
A houseboat in Amsterdam sounds super cool!
hahaha.
i just googled “tilt.” well, played Google, well played.
whoa! That was pretty cool!
You’re so rad for discovering that, Isabel.
after i read your comment, i had to google “tilt” and it’s so weird but cool!!
I am a member for JetSetter so I get their daily updates of cool hotels idyllically situated in beautiful cities around the world. It’s fun to fantasize about the romantic get-away, but in reality I’d rather use up hotel membership points and save up the difference for some fun souvenirs. :)
It is always about the budget. But, then we end up in beautiful places like the Devil’s Garden Campground in Arches National Park or a KOA campground across from a wonderful travelling carnival. This is not to say that we don’t stay in hotels, but our camping experiences always provide something we wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.
It’s hard to beat camping at Arches!
If I had unlimited funds I would totally go for the crazy awesome rooms. Alas, I am but a poor grad-school-student’s-wife and cannot afford even the simplest of hotel rooms. We moved across the country last year and booked hotels as we went along and always ended up with the cheapest ones we could find (which makes sense since we only planned to stay at each one for about 7 or 8 hours), but I think it would be rad someday to do it again and stay at unique and inspiring hotels.
Yes! I say definitely do it again some day. How fun!
We considered this hotel the last time we traveled there. Sadly, it was unavailable since we were there during the autoshow….this was all BC (Before Children). I’m sure our selection would be based now on where we could find the best rate for a suite!
oh my gosh that room is amazing…that is right up my ally!!!!
Funny, I interviewed Tilt about his work for the hotel for the New York Times! I don’t think I could stay there… a little bit too bold. BUT awesome.
Looks fun! We stayed in the Cité Radieuse when we were in Marseille. We’re big fans of le Corbusier.
I honestly don’t think I’d ever want to stay in a hotel like that one. It’s a little too bright. When I go on vacation, I generally pick nice hotels that have a sense of calm because I’m trying to escape chaos. Yet, I’m willing to stay in an awesome hotel even if it’s the most expensive part of my trip.
wowzers!i love this!i wish i knew about this palce when i went to the Marseille a couple of years ago.I would absolutely love stay there, but not more than 3 nights… i have a feeling i’d get a migraine after a while!
I have to admit, I choose my hotels based on comfort and whether or not I have my sweet 12-year-old Shih Tzu accompanying me on my trip. While I most likely would be able to sleep in a room such as the one above, I probably would not want to. Too loud and too much eye-clutter for my taste when I am awake! :)