Patrick J. Baglino, Jr. Interior Design: The g Hotel. Galway, Ireland.

the g hotel exterior. Over one-hundred "mirror ball" light pendants hang in the Grand Salon

This spot is Most Excellent! The g is located in Galway, Ireland, a city bursting with life, energy and vitality. Steeped in history yet with a decidedly forward-thinking attitude, it has earned the reputation of being the unofficial arts capital of Ireland.

The exuberant spirit of Galway has been captured in the g. Overlooking Lough Atalia, the hotel offers all that you would expect from an international five star hotel and more. The hotel ethos is to ensure that all customers receive the best of Irish hospitality with professionalism and individual service - ensuring that guests will enjoy a truly five star experience in the heart of the west of Ireland.

The g's design director is renowned milliner, Philip Treacy, a native of Galway, and his special touch is evident everywhere from the bespoke concierge wall to the artwork in every room. The emphasis is on luxury and glamor, underlining the commitment at the g to a truly unique hotel experience.

Hotel design director, Philip Treacy, shares the following:

"I create hats people love to wear. With the g, I have created a place where people will love to be.

Good design can enhance any experience, from wearing a beautiful hat to walking into a beautiful hotel. It is this philosophy that has guided my work on the g. Twenty-first century travelers are discerning creatures. We want to escape, but we also want to indulge our desire for comfort and luxury. Bland, corporate hotels no longer suffice. They capture nothing of the essence of their location and could, too easily, be anywhere. So we go looking for a new hotel experience - one which encapsulates the mystery of a new location and offers the kind of luxury that feels like a 'home from home', albeit a touch more glamorous!

The best hotels have always managed to convey this sense of place, as well as of occasion. And of course they have to have superb service - for it is high levels of service that can turn a good experience of staying in a hotel, into a great one. Because my own experience of staying in hotels has informed these impressions, the invitation, from a Galway-based developer, to design an elegant and glamorous hotel experience in Galway, was a challenge I couldn’t resist.

I am from Ahascragh in County Galway and Galway City is a place I am always telling my friends they should visit. It has a bohemian and artistic character that has long embraced its 'worldliness', rather than just its Irishness, and it is different from almost anywhere else in Ireland. For this reason, it is the right location for a totally new kind of hotel experience.

Working in conjunction with Irish architects and designers Douglas Wallace on the g hotel I have brought together an eclectic mix of styles - from baroque to contemporary, and many places in between - to create an overall effect that seeks to surprise as well as to delight. But it is the impression of glamor that I most want to convey. After all a good hat, no matter how much it costs, has the ability to make the wearer feel a million dollars. Walking into the g has the same effect. It is like walking onto a film set. Each guest will respond to this experience in a quite different way but, for each of them, it is their moment on the red carpet."

Brilliant. I couldn't agree more!