27 February 2025
There are so many inspiring destinations to travel to, so to help you choose, I present five design destinations each month, featuring new restaurants, cafés, shops, and hotels that we shouldn’t miss—along with a relevant (design) hook.
This month: Brussels, The Hague, Algarve, Madrid, and New South Wales.
Enjoy the last bit of summer in Australia, where the hottest openings of the past year are all located in New South Wales. If you love surfing, this is the place to be. The founders of The Slow in Bali have opened SEA SEA, a hotel in Crescent Head that pays tribute to 1970s surf culture. Expect lots of wood in the interior, great music, and, of course, the option to rent a surfboard.
Design Stays? Besides SEA SEA, it’s worth driving three hours further north to Il Defino in Yamba. Just looking at the photos makes you feel the sea breeze – this bungalow with four suites sits directly by the ocean. Expect Italian flair in a summery interior.
More tips on the Australia page
In March, Brussels becomes a hotspot for design lovers visiting Collectible. The design fair has built a solid reputation and even launched a second edition in New York. Around the fair, there’s plenty to explore in the city. A short walk takes you to Eliane, already the most exciting restaurant opening of 2025. Michelin-starred chef Kobe Desramaults keeps it small and intimate, serving an 18-course menu to just 18 guests. The interior is designed by Frederic Hooft, known from Arca in Sint-Martens-Latem and L.E.S.S. Eatery in Bruges. Another must-see: until March 9, you can visit the Here We Are! Women in Design 1900 – Today exhibition at the Design Museum Brussels.
Design Stays? Leon16 is a small bed and breakfast within walking distance of Collectible. It has a shared living room with a kitchen and only two rooms: a garden room and a spacious first-floor room with a bathtub.
More tips on the Brussels page
March in Portugal’s southernmost province brings an average temperature of 18°C, making it the perfect place to get an early taste of spring. The terrace of Austa is ideal for this—it was recently awarded Restaurant & Bar Interior of the Year 2024 at the Dezeen Design Awards. The restaurant is located near Almancil, a quiet region west of Faro. The area around Tavira is breathtaking, thanks to the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a natural park surrounding a 60km-long lagoon with the sea behind it. Here, you’ll find many bird species, including flamingos and storks, and you can go horseback riding across vast plains.
Design Stays? Quinta do Pinheira, newly opened this year, is a farmhouse on a former wine estate featuring five rustic holiday homes and a shared swimming pool. A 15-minute walk takes you to the nature park, where you can enjoy hours of hiking.
More tips on the Portugal page
March marks the final stretch of the Madrid Design Festival, running until March 15. Across the city, you can visit exhibitions, Open Studios, and events. A highlight is the exhibition The Line Dreams at Fernán Gómez, Centro Cultural de la Villa, which explores the relationship between space and light through sculptures by various designers. Nearby, stop by Hermanas Arce for a coffee or lunch.
Design Stays? In the cultural heart of the city, in the Cortes district, you’ll find the budget-friendly Armesto Rooms. The designers behind Bos-Cos in Seville created its interior.
At Museum Voorlinden, you can still catch Nick Cave’s exhibition The Devil: A Life this month, before Daniel Buren’s graphic work takes over from April 1. Although Voorlinden is a bit outside the city, as it’s located in Wassenaar, it’s well worth the visit – especially if you stay at De Plesman, opening on March 1. This hotel is perfectly located between the city and the museum (a 15-minute drive). In The Hague, you can enjoy Sicilian cuisine at Nona and take a yoga class at The Yoga Alley.
Design Stays? De Plesman is housed in the former KLM headquarters, named after the Dutch airline’s founder. The interior was designed by Nicemakers, the interior team behind The Hoxton Hotels in Amsterdam, among other projects. You can stay for a weekend or a longer period.
More tips on the The Hague page
(Credits: SeaSea by Tommaso Riva, Collectible by Max Radford Gallery at COLLECTIBLE New York 2024 © Simon Leung, Austa by Daniel Schäfer, Armesto Rooms via their website, De Plesman by Chantal Arnts)
