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The new W isn’t Bogotá’s first contemporary design destination to draw inspiration from the myth of El Dorado and stolen riches, but it has certainly taken the bling quota in the Colombian capital up a notch. Designer Ilan Waisbrod, of New York-based outfit Studio Gaia, took the lead on the interiors, creating a 17-storey treasure hunt comparable to the collection of priceless trinkets on display at the city’s Gold Museum. Black tunnels, which link dazzling spaces and curvaceous hideouts, evoke the quest by Colombia’s Spanish conquerors for the country’s hidden riches, while sustainable furniture, crafted by Waisbrod, earns environmentally friendly brownie points. Jean-Georges Vongerichten has installed a fourth version of his Market restaurant chain, which, decked out in wood panels, has a more organic feel than the gilded lobby – dressed with 1,200 gold butterflies – or the hotel’s destination bar, which features a cosmic intervention by artist Venuz White.
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