Byblos Art Hotel

If Romeo and Juliet had survived their wedding night, this might have been where they would have spent it. The Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà is a remodelled Venetian villa from the 15th century, which would have been around the same time Shakespeare was writing the play, based in Verona, and that's just one of the great things about this cultural goldmine.

It's best known for its modern art theme and collection, which includes the work of almost 40 world-renowned modern artists, such as Damien Hirst, Arnish Kapoor and Takashi Murukami. The hotel was conceived as a permanent exhibition for the pieces. Classic Venetian paintings hang as well, presenting a mixture of the 15th and 16th century Renaissance work with 20th and 21st century Modern work.

To add to the extensive art collection, each room is unique with a blend of both periods combining to create bright rooms with plenty of colour and classic flair. World-class designer/architect Alessandro Mendini helped with with interior design, expressing his interest in combining cultures.

In addition to the wealth of art and design, the hotel has its own park for wandering about with ornate fountains and old trees to visit. The food is as culturally refined as the art, with a private wine cellar and organic garden.

To finish it off, the location is of significance, with Verona holding a spot on Unesco's World Heritage Site list as a place of cultural importance, and the villa being built upon a Roman “casa fort.”

Adapted with permission from uniqhotels.com.