Last week, Hospitality Design magazine hosted the 2015 HD Design Awards ceremony in New York City. Malliouhana, An Auberge Resort received top honors as the year’s Best Resort. This iconic resort, originally constructed in 1984, was completely re-designed by SB Architects, in collaboration with TAL Studios (interior design) and SKS Studios (landscape design).
Winners of the 2015 HD Awards were chosen from among the largest crop of project entries ever – 560 entries spread over 20 categories. According to Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, Editor in Chief of Hospitality Design, “it reminded me that the industry is back in full force and that luxury is on the rise, as those categories were among the most entered.”
Set on 20 acres of oceanfront property on the island of Anguilla in the British West Indies, the newly-designed resort reopened on November 1, 2014, 30 years to the day after its original opening. Re-emerging after a three-year closure and a top-to-bottom renovation, the new hotel captures the original glamour and sophistication of the Caribbean in the 1950s and 60s, while elevating the experience to meet the standards of an Auberge Resort.
“We focused on creating the experience, using architecture as our language,” said Scott Lee, President of SB Architects. “At Malliouhana, our primary goal was to open the hotel up to the spectacular, 360-degree views of the sea. The journey begins from the moment of arrival, and continues through to the spectacular cliff-top restaurant – every element of the experience incorporates the view.”
Within the hotel’s signature white structures, the team opened up the interiors to connect to the endless views, re-imagined the resort’s indoor/outdoor experience through a complete re-design of the terraced restaurant, and re-invented the aging pools to create a thoroughly modern series of infinity edge pools. A thoroughly chic interior palette deftly complements the sophistication of the all-white structures.
