Artful Escapes: Bayerischer Hof
Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt lends his wabi-sabi aesthetic and affection for earthier antiques and organic materials to Munich’s reigning grande dame hotel
Over the past 17 years, Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt has been revamping Bayerischer Hof, lending his wabi-sabi aesthetic and affection for earthier antiques and organic materials to Munich’s reigning grande dame hotel since 1841. His latest intervention, a collaboration with Japanese architect Tatsuro Miki, reshapes the lobby with high coffered ceilings, low-slung seating, and clay-plaster walls the pale yellow shade of whipped butter.
Vervoordt created a pleasant geometric tension by contrasting curved Bauhaus corners and atrium-level arched cutouts with the square-shouldered doorways in the adjacent reception—now boasting a long, walnut counter and a table set with minimalist, ikebana-style florals. Upstairs, he remastered Panorama Suite 7 with antiques, a loggia, and walls wrapped in the same clay-plaster finish as the lobby. All in all, this continuing reinvention of the property beautifully encapsulates one of the most sought-after trends in hotels—longevity.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Summer Issue in the section “Artful Escapes.” Subscribe to the magazine.