Samaritana, boutique hotel
-“Cut!”- The scene was final, all lights went out and Anita could not feel the cold, her soul was filled with Rome, its shadows and whispers and the rumor of a huge team hanging behind the cameras. It was, is and always will be a masterpiece.
Masterpieces touch the nerves of us all, no matter gender, age or origin. Federico Fellini put in images a “Dolce Vita” that is such pure art you can still breath it while visiting Rome today…but If you take a closer look, the ingredients can also bring us to the magic of Palma and its hidden treasures from Moorish imprint to Renascence legacy and this was what we had very present when we sat down with the owners of this unique touristic project: Samaritana, pied-á-terre.
Let’s share the script of our very own “La Dolce Vita”:
Initially 9 suites that turned out to be, due to the exquisiteness of the final result, 9 pied-à-terre, a home away from home where clients can savor the true taste of the island and the specificity of the beauty of Palma. They should transpire Mediterranean taste, non-plus ultra comfort and very personalized design. We had the guidelines and as a team of designers with Fellini in our poetic hearts and boutique hotel demanding standards on the tip of our pencils, we kicked it off with senses and a history research.
The kitchen had to be key to the design as it was to be the soul of the “house”. It is around a kitchen table and its cooking fire that memories are weaved, memories our clients wanted their customers to cherish. We instinctively headed for colorful hydraulic tiles, personalizing each one with specific colors that transport us to specific cities on the island. So, Artá was designed in nude shades, Fornalutx in curry, Soller of course in orange and Deia in blue as its hangs closest to the sea, but also high up near the endless blue skies, just to give some examples.
When one material is the prima donna (hydraulic tiles) and her makeup is chosen (the colors), all else falls into place slowly but steadily: Wooden flooring for extra comfort, linen dressing of curtains and cushions as it is the material that, to us, best translates the elegance of easy living by the sea and luxus in a relaxed tone.
Lamps were chosen in contrasting styles as we did want the final result to be a collected one and not a story with one unique flat line: we used Lampe Gras clean functional yet very cared for modern design on the bedroom walls and a classic background floor lamp for the living area. Wicker touches on wood as bedside tables just to remind us that around the corner there is a “mimbrería” where time has truly stopped and you can pause and go through the artisans working hands and their rhythm, so very different than frantically touching a screen on an iphone…the appetizer of staying in Palma at Samaritana.
Everything required in a high standing hotel unit had to be there, but to that we added the soul, the details, the photos grand sized on the walls that are the background music and warm welcome any customer will ravish and delight with.
They say “the devil is in the detail” we say, “every detail tells a story”, a story our clients were absolutely astounded with and we are certain their clients will be overwhelmingly surprised by and hopefully they will write the opening of their own personal script of “La Dolce Vita” in Palma.
We want to sincerely thank Carmen and Ignacio for giving us full trust and carte blanche; we acknowledge the final result is tango and it takes two: our team and our clients’.
I personally want to thank Chrsitine Leja and Marie-Luise Leja as very scarcely have I seen such complementary creative minds. It was a pleasure ladies!
We want to thank Marta Oltman, the smiling woman that grounds us and designs every piece to the millimeter so we can understand the real world has optimized measurements!
And last but not least, all the “crew behind the cameras”, Jessica, Gaspar, Ben & Biel…this is not a golden globe award, but we certainly won a priceless prize!
Monica Cernich
Senior Interior Designer