Invited to Dusseldorf to see the reworked factory production and design facility of German bathroom fitting manufacturer Grohe, the hotel was reached at the end of a long tiring day. What a pleasure it was then to enter into something that was well designed and different. It set the designers in our party arguing about its merits – quite an unusual event in itself. We were split into those who disliked its stark approach to those who liked its strong sense of colour and materials and the clever planning.

Design of the entrance, restaurant and bar areas was sharp and fairly conventional. The use of a reflecting pool at the bottom of the staircase gave a nod in the direction of zen and minimalist design with a strong Japanese flavour. With clever lighting reflecting the movement of the water onto the walls in an ever changing pattern the simplicity of wall treatments and the staircase itself set off the large panes of glass through which could be seen the trees outside. The combination of geometric simplicity and stark materials contrasting with the organic forms and reflections to create an area of contrasts – black marble and chrome set against glimmering elusive reflections and the wavering organic forms of the leaves in the pots outside.

The glass reception desk made a cool blue accent in all this but the glass walled lifts take a guest back into the theatre of the interiors. Narrow in width the building lends itself only to a single line of bedrooms with the lifts opening onto a corridor which drops on one side right through the building. Set into the exterior wall are lights that are also small reflective windows letting in light from outside. These little disks of light are set into a bleak wall of concrete facing a pure black lacquered wall of room doors across a red carpet. The black railing and glass lifts lend drama to the view down through the building, even if there is an affinity with institutional landings, emphasised by the staircases at each end.

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