French architects and interior designers Philippe Starck used wood, glass and marble as core materials in his design for the Hotel Fasano in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 92 room hotel overlooking Ipanema beach enjoys a spirit of sophisticated casualness, with many furnishings in the vein of 1950s and ’60s Brazilian design, including pieces by Studio Branco&Preto, Sergio Rodrigues and exclusive creations by Philippe Starck himself. The 91-room Fasano rises along the eastern end of Ipanema Beach. The immediate surroundings are unspectacular, but walk a few blocks and you’ll find a tree-lined street of fashionable cafes, pricey restaurants

No tub but the rain-forest shower head and wall-to-wall white marble felt luxurious, as did the bath towels the size of Luxembourg. The sliding bathroom door featured a black-and-white mural of ’50s-era Rio celebrities.

The Hotel Fasano was the talk of Rio in 2007, eclipsing the fabled Copacabana Palace as the top play den for Brazil’s rich and famous. While the initial hype may have faded and celebrity sightings are less common, the Philippe Starck-designed hotel still retains an aura of exclusivity, especially from its bossa nova-chic lobby and sexy rooftop pool. Almost makes you feel sorry for those slumming it down below on Ipanema Beach.

Visit the Hotel Fasano website – here.   Visit Philippe Starck’s website – here.