"When You Design By Consensus, You're Dead" — The Dean Munich Launches in the City's Westend, Combining Art Nouveau-Inspired Elegance With 1980s Nightclub Energy

Two things immediately stood out to me about The Dean Munich during my stay in the newly launched luxury hotel. One: it's so much more than a hotel; two: its nail-on-the-head execution of creating a destination full of buzz, interaction, and fun in its social spaces, while also serving as a cocooning retreat in its guest rooms.

Following the launch of its sister hotel, The Dean Berlin, in February of this year, The Dean Munich is Irish-born hotel brand The Dean's largest property to date, with 281 guest rooms, bringing another culture-forward, design-led hotel offering to the fore. Designed by Tatjana von Stein, founder and creative director of the eponymous London-based design studio, the interiors draw on Bavaria’s Art Nouveau heritage (Jugendstil), with subtle nods to the energetic 1980s music scene, creating a delectable array of unexpected design moments and spaces that encourage interaction and emotional connection.

Set in the heart of Westend, the bustling, culture-thriving neighborhood just west of the city center — filled with everything from independent cafés and restaurants to creative studios, craft workshops, and tech hubs — The Dean Munich converges design, art, wellness, and great food and drink, offering guests an inviting, rounded, and undeniably elegant stay.

As a big part of Munich's culture and lifestyle, art is at the core of The Dean's story, serving not just as decoration and visual interest, but also playing a key role in how the hotel gives back to the local community. "It was never about art for art’s sake," explains Kai Tan, co-founder of The Dean Group. "We set out to create permanent collections that support and platform emerging local artists, while giving guests the opportunity to discover work they might not otherwise encounter."

The art shapes the hotel's narrative, Kai explains, and the collections are chosen to ensure they feel "genuinely rooted in their surroundings." The Dean Munich’s art programme is titled The City Beneath the City, and is curated by Christian Ganzenberg, author, curator and director of Munich's international art festival. From the bold blue artwork seen by the lobby bar [above] and Ju Young Kim's sculptural work by the lobby's entrance, as well as the art displayed in the bedrooms and transitional spaces, it takes guests on a cultural journey across the hotel, as well as visually defining each of the areas.

Kai sees the hotel as a platform for creativity, rather than just a place to stay. And I couldn't agree more. "We also believe art shouldn’t simply blend into the interior design," he explains. "There should be a dialogue between the two, a tension that makes both the art and the space more compelling." I found myself fully absorbed by all the artwork — I was so tempted to touch the sequin masterpieces lining the corridors to my room, but refrained, only to be told it was actively encouraged! So, of course, I obliged; the tactility a wonderful surprise, and it felt like I was actively immersing myself in the hotel's story.

The 'tension' Kai speaks of is what Tatjana, who actually grew up in Munich, explored in the hotel's design. "Munich is a city rooted in history but always drawn to reinvention. I wanted to capture that tension — somewhere between elegance and exuberance — and let it guide every surface, object, and gesture," Tatjana explains.

The Art Nouveau influences are most evident in the curved lines of the hotel's signature restaurant Ibasho, where a gorgeous floral carpet sweeps around a sunken banquette seating area by its bar, with fringed pouffes, cushions, and soft velvet upholstery, bringing a sense of warmth, intimacy, and romance to the space.

"The design also brings to life a side of Munich only locals truly know: its rich musical and cultural spirit, quietly woven into the character of the city. Drawing from these two pivotal moments in Munich’s cultural history, the design concept created Jugendstil influences expressed through natural motifs, curved lines, tactile warmth, and crafted detailing, and 1980s Munich nightlife references in glossy surfaces, lacquered finishes, and subtly theatrical lighting."

Ibasho — meaning 'a place where one belongs' — with its bright pink Verner Panton upholstered leather chairs that surround its bar, is a contemporary Japanese dining concept conceived by award-winning chef Alex Craciun, who previously lived in Japan and worked at Michelin-starred restaurants Kikunoi and Ryugin. The fishes are artwork on plates and the menu celebrates seasonal produce, sourcing ingredients for their quality and provenance.

And I can attest that it is some of the best, if not the best, Japanese cuisine I have ever tasted. From the Crispy Sushi Temako (my personal favorite) to the Japanese A5 wagyu, each plate is a masterpiece of culinary joy, made even better when paired with the restaurant's delicious cocktail programme and sake selections.

Ibasho, much like the rest of the hotel, is visually layered, and the interplay between moments of privacy and intimacy with openness, from the stunning stained-glass internal windows to the mirrored ceiling and framed sightlines, creates a wonderful balance in design.

Without a doubt, my favorite space in the hotel — Tatjana's too — is NOREN. The hidden, speakeasy-style bar behind Ibasho, inspired by the Japanese hi-fi bars of the 1920s, is a bold space full of drama and revelry, but also intimacy. "It offers an explosion of senses and a play of materiality. Plus it feels a bit mischievous," says Tatjana.

The bespoke sound system by Friendly Pressure (which sounded as great as they look, might I add) gives the space a distinctly cool vibe, while the noren curtain gently divides the VIP area behind the 80s lacquer DJ booth, set against banquette seating "upholstered in a material you could find in your grandma's house" (as Tatjana said when we explored the bar), effortlessly bridging styles and eras in this special place of discovery.

In contrast to NOREN, the bedrooms serve as a place of calm retreat. With a predominantly pared-back design and color palette with hints of soft green, the rooms exude quiet luxury, elevated comfort, and an instant sense of ease.

As The Dean Munich is the reimagining of an existing hotel, one of the main challenges of the redesign was that it remained open throughout; however, the bedrooms themselves had more of a 'light touch' approach, having been recently upgraded. Small details and finishing touches changed the feel of the space, such as adding curtains to the mirrored wardrobe area, which adds softness and tactility, and a greater sense of warmth and intimacy.

"Throughout the hotel, custom furniture and lighting designed by our studio sit alongside vintage pieces and lighting sourced from Cologne-based Studio Kuhlmann," says Tatjana.

The lighting makes an immediate impact across all spaces in the hotel — "hundreds" of custom lighting designs were created for the project, shared Tatjana, and each makes its mark. What is equally noticeable is how a lamp in a bedroom wouldn't look out of place in the lobby or restaurant, and vice versa, which was precisely the point.

"The beauty is that while each room has a distinct language, we were able to really interchange furniture from room to room because the thread of synergy remains clear. It makes it easier to play around at the end," says Tatjana. And the ability to "dial it up or down", depending on the space you're in creates the wonderful flow that's felt throughout the hotel.

The importance of wellness is also clear in The Dean Group's ethos. Its signature fitness and wellness concept, POWER, features a state-of-the-art gym, steam room, sauna, and indoor relaxation pool, so that after you've played hard at NOREN, you can recover in POWER.

"Noren and POWER are seemingly opposing spaces, but that’s exactly what makes them work together," Kai explains. "When we think about wellness, we often default to the gym, the spa, or other forms of physical activity. But wellness is also about balance — about having fun, discovering something new, eating and drinking well, and simply enjoying yourself.

"POWER gives guests a space to move, reset and recharge. Together, they represent a much broader idea of holistic wellness." If I'd had the time, the plush built-in seating that surrounds the pool in front of the bijoux cinema screen would have had me lost for hours.

The design of the hotel was "a puzzle to solve by balancing context, architecture, brand and a feeling we wanted to create," shares Tatjana. And I think the resounding takeaway that I had from the hotel was that sense of 'feeling' — all the good feels, that is. And there is great beauty in how everyone feels and appreciates things differently and at different times.

When speaking with co-founder Kai about the design of the hotel, he explained, "When you design by consensus, you're dead." And it's so valid. Not everyone will like everything, and not everyone will feel the way you feel about something, or when you feel it, but when you have a vision and execute it well, you can prove that being unique is always a good idea.

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