Looking for Some World-Class Art? It Can Increasingly Be Found in an Unexpected Place

What if some of the most exciting art destinations on a trip aren’t just limited to museums, but also found where groups lay their heads at night? Hotels have increasingly become unexpectedly wonderful hubs for exceptional art, offering rotating galleries, artist residencies, live performances, curated tours, and interactive art as part of a visitor’s stay—ultimately unlocking an approachable and immersive gateway to the arts.

Read on to learn about some hotels that are taking their art game seriously.

Courtesy of Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel. 

At Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee, guests can explore rotating gallery exhibitions featuring artists from around the country, with new exhibitions debuting every quarter, alongside artist residencies, live performances, and hands-on creative programming throughout the property. Later in 2026, the hotel will debut new self-guided audio tours through the Saint Kate app, allowing guests to explore the property's museum-quality art collection at their own pace.

Courtesy of Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel. 

For those looking for a more in-depth experience, the hotel's curator in residence also leads guided tours that provide exclusive insights into works by renowned artists including Jeffrey Gibson, Damien Hirst, and Deborah Butterfield. Even the guest rooms embrace creativity with amenities like record players and vinyl records, ukuleles, and art supplies. The hotel also features its immersive Canvas Rooms, four art-inspired accommodations designed entirely by local Milwaukee artists that transform an overnight stay into a living work of art.

Just steps away, the iconic Pfister Hotel is another Milwaukee art gem. Home to the largest hotel Victorian art collection in the world, the property invites guests to experience the collection through guided tours led by its on-site archivist, making fine art feel engaging and accessible in an unexpected way. The hotel's new Storyteller in Residence program gives guests a preview of the property's many delights before they even step through the door. This yearlong initiative invites a local creator to share the history of The Pfister's art and architecture through digital narratives across social media and the hotel's blog. Together, the two properties also serve as close gateways to Milwaukee's broader cultural scene through partnerships with nearby theaters, galleries, and sports and concert venues.

Courtesy of Aspen Meadows Resort 

Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, Colorado is a Rocky Mountain treasure that’s grounded in modern art. Designed by Bauhaus legend Herbert Bayer, the resort houses an extensive art collection (including its own museum devoted to Bayer, where entry is free) featuring both indoor and outdoor installation pieces. Visiting groups can join Aspen landscape architect Ann Mullins for guided walking tours throughout the summer, or self-guided tours are on offer year-round. 

Courtesy of Aspen Meadows Resort 

The Gordon Hotel in Eugene, Oregon celebrates local artists with nearly 200 works on property, but the true star here is the lobby “ArtBar” stocked with items like acrylics, clay, and an all-important sink for cleanup. Paired with an ongoing artist in residence series and artistic prompts that can be actioned at any time with provided materials, there’s plenty of inspiration. The hotel also leans into digital art in a big way with a two-story, 21-screen Great Wall. Eugene-based Harmonic Laboratory was commissioned to create the piece, which rotates, and the space is often taken over by digital art students from the University of Oregon, showcasing new talent. 

Courtesy of Groups Today.

Main photo courtesy of Pfister Hotel.