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The Antartica Suite at Hotel Rangá is a futuristic vision in black and white. This spacious suite takes inspiration from the south pole and all it has to offer. Keep reading to learn how hotelier Friðrik Pálsson found inspiration for this unique design.
Hotel Rangá’s Antarctica Suite: The Story
The creation of Hotel Rangá’s Royal Suite in 2006 was a huge success. As a result, hotelier Friðrik Pálsson and other staff members realized that guests wanted a wider selection of luxury accommodation. So after much debate, they decided on a theme: The Continents.
The plan was to create four junior suites to represent Asia, Oceania, South-America, and North-America. What’s more, there would be African and Icelandic (in place of European) influences on display in two of the master suites. However, Friðrik and his comrades couldn’t decide how the last master suite should be decorated.
Stylish in Black and White
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“There was this idea of a religious theme but we weren’t sure that would fit. Then, someone came up with simply making the suite black-and-white,” Friðrik says. “As we are discussing this someone realizes we haven’t made an Antarctica suite yet!” And so, the continent that was almost forgotten became a reality as the seventh suite.
The black-and-white idea still worked though. The team found black and white couches and rugs, painted the windowsills black, and decided on alternating black and white lamps and light fixtures.
Friðrik emphasizes that there’s no single architect for any of the suites’ interior. Each comes together through a group effort involving owners, daily staff, carpenters, friends, family, and more. For example, he remembers discussing the bathroom – shaped to look like an Antarctic pod house – with the electrician. “We are working on it at one point and the electrician said: “Aren’t you picturing this as a hut out on the ice? Then you need to have outdoor lighting above the doors.” He got to decide, and that’s why we have two small outdoor light fixtures there.”
Hotel Rangá has five room categories
A Unique Chessboard Made of Glass
While much of the decorations in the other suites come from the corresponding continents, there aren’t many furniture makers in Antarctica so the interior is from all over. The couches are Italian, the two life-size Adélie penguins guarding the bathtub come from Canada and the futuristic class cabinets and chessboard are by the Samverk glass manufacturer in Hella, a village 10 minutes from the hotel.
The Wandering Albatross
The pièce de résistance however, is the Wandering Albatross mural on the ceiling by English artist Derek Mundell. This beautiful painting watches over guests with its wingspan of nearly 12 feet. It’s such details of design that elevate the Hotel Rangá experience. “We try to travel the unbeaten path and allow ourselves the things that bigger hotels can’t,” Friðrik says. “Tinkering with the details makes everything more personal and special.”
