Courthouses, banks, department stores, and centuries-old palazzos are finding new lives as hotels.

There is something slightly ironic about one of hospitality’s most interesting current ideas: the newest hotel in town may be sitting inside one of its oldest buildings. As luxury hotels become increasingly polished, history offers what a new-build cannot easily reproduce. Unusual proportions, original stonework, grand staircases and the occasional former bank vault arrive with an identity already intact. The challenge is preserving enough of it without turning the hotel into a museum. These are some of the recent openings that have managed exactly that.

Rosewood Amsterdam

Rosewood’s first Dutch hotel opened in 2025 inside Amsterdam’s former Palace of Justice, a building dating back to 1665 that served as the city’s principal courthouse for more than 175 years. A decade-long restoration preceded its transformation, with Studio Piet Boon bringing a contemporary Dutch sensibility to the interiors. Original architecture remains part of the experience, joined by a collection of more than 1,000 artworks.

Corinthia Rome

On Piazza del Parlamento, Corinthia Rome occupies a neoclassical palazzo formerly associated with the Bank of Italy. Built in the early 20th century, the building retains original frescoes and architectural details, while its former vault now serves a different purpose as part of the subterranean spa. Opened earlier this year, the 60-room property makes good use of Rome’s greatest design advantage: there is already plenty worth preserving.

Six Senses London

London’s Whiteleys department store was once a Bayswater institution. Now the landmark building has been reworked as The Whiteley, with Six Senses London at its centre. The restoration retains recognisable elements including the façade and dome, while 109 rooms and suites, residences, restaurants and the brand’s first Six Senses Place bring an entirely different rhythm to the building.

Mandarin Oriental Vienna

Mandarin Oriental Vienna opened at the end of 2025 within a listed early-20th-century former courthouse in the city’s First District. Goddard Littlefair handled the interiors, drawing on Viennese design without attempting a period recreation. The original architecture provides the grandeur; the contemporary additions make it feel like somewhere to stay now.

Hotel Lucile, Los Angeles

One of the newest examples is also among the most unexpected. Hotel Lucile opened in Silver Lake in September inside a former church built in 1931. Stained-glass windows and the rooftop cross remain, while the former sanctuary now houses a restaurant and bar. The choir loft has become a space for coffee and drinks, giving the 25-room hotel a character that would be difficult to design convincingly from scratch.

Romègas Hotel, Valletta

In Valletta, Romègas occupies a restored 16th-century palazzo, bringing contemporary hospitality into one of Europe’s most architecturally distinctive capitals. With just 22 rooms, its intimate scale allows the original building to remain the protagonist rather than simply the backdrop.