Even its irreverent name, an odd mix of upper- and lowercase letters, suggests the whimsy of the duoMo hotel. Noted industrial architect Ron Arad headed the design team for this futuristic hotel in Rimini, hometown of Italian director Federico Fellini. Rimini served as the backdrop for so many Fellini films that first-time visitors often feel a sense of deja vu.
In every sense, duoMo (“cathedral” in Italian) is Fellini-esque. The hotel sits on a narrow street that is barely passable by a single car but perfectly positioned near monuments, ruins and trendy shops. Guests enter through lacquered red doors that spring open like the levers of a pinball machine to see the reception desk.
Opened in 2006, the 34 guest rooms and nine suites are minimalist in style and extremely inviting. The decor includes platform beds, a soft white padded floor and avocado sliding doors covering the windows. .
Oversize pod bathrooms have white Corian walls and slatted teak floors, an egg-shaped Alessi lavatory and bidet, an illuminating rain shower that drains into the floor, and a window overlooking the bed. All rooms offer Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and fluorescent lights on dimmers.
The noMi club at the front of the hotel is a place where yuppies congregate on Sunday evenings when aperitivos are free and the retractable glass wall allows the crowd to spill onto the street. By morning, the space is transformed into a sedate breakfast room. With every comfort and impeccable service, duoMo is an experience to remember.
duoMo hotel, via Giordano Bruno 28, Rimini, 011-39-0541-24215, duomohotel.com. Rates range from $235 to about $400.
