These 6 maximalist hotel rooms will wow you

A dramatic red canopied bed surrounded by tapestries and shaded lamps and velvet accents in a room at The Witchery in Edinburgh

Rooms at The Witchery in Edinburgh are dramatically decadent

(Image credit: The Witchery)

published 7 November 2024

There is a place for bare bones hotel rooms — just not on this list. These six accommodations are a feast for the eyes, with ornate woodworking, dramatic draperies, lavish wallpaper, gilded frames and other over-the-top touches. Stepping into each one feels like entering a human-sized jewel box.

Arq Pichola by The Leela Palace Udaipur, India

Two gilded mirrors in a bathroom with golden sinks at Arq Pichola by The Leela Palace Udaipur — Gilded bathrooms are part of the charm of Arq Pichola

The Leela Palace Udaipur "needs no introduction," Elle India said, as it has "become synonymous with luxury, defining the very essence of grandeur." The property's newest collection of villas, Arq Pichola, offers the same ritzy experience, with expansive views of Lake Pichola. Deep blue lapis stones, gold-plated ceilings and brass-inlaid wooden floors are among the glittery design elements that pay homage to India, along with traditional Thikri art on the walls.

Maison Proust, Paris

A work of art in a gold frame on a bold wallpapered wall next to red curtains and a white bed — Rich red curtains and gilded touches add to the ambiance at Maison Proust

Opulence is the polestar at Maison Proust. The hotel takes its inspiration from French writer Marcel Proust, with "lavishly furnished Belle Époque-style suites" and a "sublimely elegant salon/bar," Condé Nast Traveler said. Rooms are named after Proust's circle of friends and filled with "19th century paintings galore" and thousands of vintage books. The rich jewel tones and deep brocade add to the hotel's romantic feel, and in the spa, the "swoon-worthy Moroccan-style heated pool exudes unpretentious luxe at its best."

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Mining Exchange Hotel, Colorado Springs

A king corner room at the Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs — King corner rooms at the Mining Exchange Hotel offer great views of downtown Colorado Springs

The Mining Exchange Hotel offers a vintage take on elegance. More than a century ago, this was a stock exchange for precious metals and today it is a "glamorous addition" to the downtown Colorado Springs scene, FOX 21 said. Elements of its past are apparent in the rooms, from the exposed brick walls to vaulted ceilings, alongside new additions like warm leather furnishings and bold patterned wallpaper and bed frames. Every type of sleeper is comfortable; each room comes with two firm and two soft pillows.

Royal Mansour Casablanca, Morocco

A platform bed on top of a geometric design rug with a marble wall and wooden wall behind it — Rooms at Royal Mansour Casablanca are a mix of colors, textures and patterns

A few steps from the Old Medina, in an Art Deco skyscraper, is the rejuvenated Royal Mansour Casablanca. Its "sheer splendor" can "feel a little overwhelming," Vogue said, but soon your eyes will "adjust to all that shimmer and all that marble." In the guest rooms, marble walls and rich wood paneling plus patterned rugs and drapes come together for a sumptuous look accented by "exquisitely lacquered wooden desks carved into elegant modernist curves" and "delicate glassware and ceramics created by local artisans in smoky caramels and golds." When you are ready for dinner, head to the elevators and go up to the equally swanky Le Sushi Bar and Le Rooftop.

The Maker, Hudson, New York

A room at The Maker hotel in Hudson, New York, with art on the walls and a stained glass window and blue velvet blanket on a white bed — The Maker is a moody escape in New York

No two rooms are alike at The Maker. The 11 accommodations, spread across three buildings, have their own themes but are tied together by commonalities like rich woodwork, fireplaces, stained glass windows and original art. One standout is The Architect suite, which "could have been the apartment of some Bauhaus luminary," Travel and Leisure said. The "best part" of it is the "massive — like, swimming-pool sized — bathtub, made using two slabs of Roman black marble."

The Witchery, Edinburgh

A gold-themed room at The Witchery with a canopy bed and elaborate pillows and open window with a view of Edinburgh — The Witchery's room are downright bewitching

The Witchery offers maximalism at its finest. Each of the nine suites in this Edinburgh charmer feels like its own cabinet of curiosities, filled to the brim with antiques, tapestries, statues and baubles. Book the Inner Sanctum for an over-the-top experience, as you must "climb the stone turret staircase" to enter this accommodation "swathed in crimson, claret and port," Condé Nast Traveler said. Everything is grandiose, from the "claw-footed, roll-top bath" to the "huge four-poster bed made from an old church pulpit." The Witchery is also known for its baroque Original Dining Room and candlelit Secret Garden featuring a painted ceiling.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.