The world’s trendiest place to stay? Inside designer Christian Louboutin’s very first hotel

Could this be the most fashionable hotel in the world? It is sure to become a top choice for the well-to-do.

Vermelho, the very first hotel ever designed by legendary shoe designer Christian Louboutin, has opened its doors in Portugal.

The newly built 13-room ‘secret hideaway’ is located in the heart of Melides, a small coastal town in the Alentejo region of the country.

The name ‘Vermelho’ comes from the iconic shade of red that covers the sole of the designer’s shoes.

Christian Louboutin, who founded his eponymous brand in Paris in 1992, says: ‘I realized that many people have the fantasy of designing or owning a hotel. I like to make my dreams come true. That’s why Vermelho was born.’

The newly built 13-room ‘secret hideaway’ is located in the heart of Melides, a small coastal town in Portugal’s Alentejo region

Christian Louboutin, who founded his eponymous brand in Paris in 1992, says, “Many people have the fantasy of designing or owning a hotel.” The name ‘Vermelho’ comes from the iconic shade of red that covers the sole of the designer’s shoes

The French fashion connoisseur continues: ‘This project allows me to empty my storage full of antiques and objects that I have bought over many years! In addition, it is an opportunity to showcase the excellence of many of the artists and craftsmen I admire.”

The designer first arrived in Melides twelve years ago and was soon “mesmerized” by the “dreamy atmosphere” of the village’s pine forest and “the unique beauty of the sunlight on [its] lagoon’.

In love, he restored a small fisherman’s hut in the village and returned there every June to design his winter shoe collection.

Louboutin’s new hotel, which welcomed its first guests in April, will bring fashion enthusiasts from around the world to Melides and is said to offer an “at home experience” amid decor that offers an “eclectic, maximum aesthetic.”

The retreat is filled with antiques and items the fashion connoisseur has acquired “over many years.”

The hotel is said to offer a ‘home experience’ amid decor that offers an ‘eclectic, maximalist aesthetic’

Louboutin says the hotel’s launch gave him the opportunity to “display the excellence” of many artists and craftspeople he admires

The designer first arrived in Melides 12 years ago and was soon “mesmerized” by the “dreamy atmosphere” of the village’s pine forest and “the unique beauty of the sunlight on [its] lagoon’

In building Vermelho, he enlisted the help of the architect Madalena Caiado, with whom he collaborated on the design of his house in Lisbon, which is just over an hour north of Melides.

Walk into the lobby and you’ll see a ‘giant’ green and gold giant glass-blown chandelier crafted by artisans in India.

Greek painter Konstantin Kakanias decorated the walls of a suite on the second floor of the hotel, with the artist noting, “The suite I painted for Vermelho is essentially inspired by the famous Villa Kerylos. [an Ancient-Greek-Revival-style villa built in the early 1900s] in the south of France, but also pays homage to 17th and 18th century Italian villas with frescoes and imaginary places that I would have loved to visit.

“Like Christian himself, it is a mosaic of memories, feelings and desires.”

While staying at the boutique retreat, guests can enjoy spa treatments and massages

Guests can enjoy cocktails at the Vermelho bar (left), home to a decadent silver leaf bar. The hotel is said to ’embody the essence of the bold spirit that so defines Christian Louboutin’

Striking decorative elements in the building are the colorful tiles, which are made in the Portuguese region of Azeitao

The on-site restaurant, Xtian, is run by Chef David Abreu

There are more ‘lavish’ works by sculptor Elisabeth Lincot – her ‘Lagrima de Loros’ installation in the hotel consists of a hundred glazed ceramic bird heads.

Other striking decorative elements in the property are the colorful tiles, which are made in the Portuguese region of Azeitao.

During a stay, guests can indulge in spa treatments and massages, or enjoy cocktails at the Vermelho bar, home to a decadent silver leaf bar.

The hotel’s restaurant, Xtian, is said to serve the ‘culinary treasures of Portugal’. It’s run by chef David Abreu, whose signature dishes include wild boar stew, followed by ‘drunken pears’ – pears cooked in a wine-based syrup – for dessert.

A statement summarizes the ethos of the retreat: ‘Vermelho Melides embodies the essence of the daring spirit that characterizes Christian Louboutin. ‘

Rooms are priced from £452. Visit vermelhohotel.com.