It’s true, hotel collaborations are nothing new.
From Picasso, Matisse and Miró famously exchanging artwork for hotel stays in the 20th century, to today’s chefs with signature dishes and in-house restaurants, in-room playlists with wonderful musicians and designer brands curating bespoke suites, merch collections, pop-up events and experiences, the worlds of hospitality and art have always crossed paths.
Some make perfect sense. Some feel a little forced. And then there are the rare ones where two creative worlds blend so beautifully that you wonder how they were ever separate in the first place.
This is one of those.
Hidden away in the pristine Swiss Alps, Drei Berge Hotel is the kind of place that feels less like a hotel and more like someone’s incredibly well-curated imagination brought to life.
The brainchild of creative director Ramdane Touhami, every single touchpoint has been delivered with creative precision. Nothing is random. Everything is fascinating.
The level of detail is slightly obsessive. And that’s exactly the point!
Which makes what happened next even more interesting.
When Touhami was creating Drei Berge, he made a very unusual decision. Out of the hotel’s 19 rooms, two would be left completely untouched. Blank canvases.
These would become the only design collaboration in the entire hotel and there was only one creative duo he trusted to bring them to life.
Enter Emily Adams Bode Aujla and Aaron Aujla , the couple behind New York fashion label BODE and design studio Green River Project.
Fittingly, they were also the very first guests to stay at Drei Berge.
Named after champion racehorses Buckpasser and US Top 10, the two suites tell the story of two fictional rival equestrian trainers. One room is blue, the other yellow, and both feel like you’ve wandered into a beautifully strange film set somewhere high in the Swiss mountains.
While the rest of the hotel embraces a traditional Alpine aesthetic, these rooms bring in BODE’s unmistakable Americana.
Dark timber panelling wraps around the walls and ceilings, showcasing Green River Project’s incredible craftsmanship. Vintage horse-show ribbons, jockey silks and equestrian trophies create a sense of nostalgia, while bespoke monogrammed linen and cushions take inspiration from mid-century American horse blankets, with each champion’s name embroidered into the fabric. Curated vintage furniture and custom textiles complete the spaces, creating a warm, eccentric world of their own.
On paper, Alpine Switzerland and American equestrian nostalgia might not seem like obvious partners. But that’s exactly why the collaboration is so, so good.
The BODE suites debuted in 2024, however unions like this built on creativity, curiosity, storytelling and a genuine respect for craft are timeless.
Here are a few other delightful and impressive things you might not know about Drei Berge behind the Wes Anderson-esque, green-painted exterior;
The lobby features a huge hand-painted mural hidden amongst historic mountain flags - a subtle nod to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.
Touhami has a strict no-plastic philosophy, which is why the bathroom products are housed in vintage-style aluminium tubes with heavy metal caps.
The hotel’s lounges feature oversized posters celebrating the fictional “Anarcho Mountaineers”a rebellious climbing club created to playfully challenge traditional Alpine culture.
The custom carpets aren’t just decorative patterns; they’re inspired by the contour lines found on Swiss topographic maps.
None of the 19 rooms have televisions. Instead, guests are encouraged to look out at the mountains, pick up a book, or simply experience where they are.
Every room is named after a famous mountain peak rather than a number.
Even the morning coffee has been considered, served in porcelain cups (you definitely want to steal) sourced from Arita, Japan.
The hotel is currently undergoing renovations and is slated to reopen with a new fully vegetarian and wellness-focused concept at the end of 2026. Shifting from a traditional alpine lodge to a dedicated well-being retreat. The design footprint and the BODE rooms will be preserved. Stay tuned in via their channels for this!
If you could manifest the ultimate collaboration for your creative space who & what would it be…?
Think outside the square, you may just create a starburst.
Julz X
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