Top 10 hotels nominated for the “Hotel Design Award 2025” by 196+ Forum Milan Jury

The jury for the “Hotel Design Award 2025,” set to be presented at the 196+ forum Milan on April 7, has selected ten hotels from eight countries. These finalists were chosen from a total of 26 applicants representing 13 European nations.

The 11-member expert jury, chaired by Christian Walter, Global CEO of the PKF hospitality group, evaluated the entries based on architectural originality, design quality, and the integration of the hotel’s concept with its surroundings. Walter noted that the selection process was particularly challenging due to the high standard of applications. However, the final ten nominees stood out for their distinctive interior and exterior design, reflecting their environment and, in many cases, existing buildings. Each hotel also demonstrated a strong element of storytelling in its design.

The selection includes three hotels from Italy, two from the Netherlands, and one each from Germany, Denmark, Greece, Switzerland, and Czechia. Michael Widmann, also a Global CEO of the PKF hospitality group, emphasized the award’s growing prestige over the past decade and highlighted how the chosen hotels exemplify a design approach that engages with their location and built environment.

The Hotel Design Award has become a significant recognition in European hospitality architecture and design. The winner will be announced at the upcoming forum in Milan, where the industry will celebrate creativity and innovation in hotel design.

The ten nominated hotels in alphabetical order:
25hours Hotel Paper Island (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens (Athens, Greece)
Château Neercanne (Maastricht, Netherlands)
John & Will Silo-Hotel by Guldsmeden Bremen, Germany
Lasserhaus Arthotel (Brixen-Bressanone Bolzano, Italy)
Palazzo Petrvs (Orvieto, Italy)
The Home Hotel (Zurich, Switzerland)
The Social Hub Florence Belfiore (Florence, Italy)
The Usual Rotterdam (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
W Prague (Prague, Czechia)

Member of the jury in alphabetical order:
Luca Cerretani, PKF hospitality group
Giovanni Franceschelli, Rizoma
Francesca Heathcote Sapey, Teresa Sapey + Partners
Patricia Holler, Checa Woid
Silvia Pedretti, Nii Pedretti
Oliver Piva, Studio Piva
Andreas Profanter, NOA
Christian Walter, PKF hospitality group
Michael Widmann, PKF hospitality group
Evgeniya Yatsyuk, Zaha Hadid Architects
Olga Yatsyuk, Zaha Hadid Architects