Panorama Hospitality Group announced the launch of the new contemporary art collection at  MET Hotel in La Paz, Bolivia, featuring works by local artists curated by Mariano Ugalde of Salar Art Gallery. The hotel is located in Calacoto, one of the trendiest neighborhoods in La Paz. At an elevation of 11,975 feet, La Paz is known as the city that touches the clouds, and the gateway to the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni (salt flats) and Bolivian wine country.

“The ongoing collection for the MET Hotel Art Collection focuses on emerging and mid-career Bolivian contemporary artists and comprises works in various mediums,” said Mariano Ugalde, curator, Salar Art Gallery. “The artists and works were selected to have a dialogue with the design and architecture of the hotel. The collection gives the visit a taste of contemporary Bolivia and new mediums and languages employed.”

© Valeria Dorado

”Viewers will discover highlights of contemporary Bolivian art through works that range from a piece in neon by José Ballivian, an emerging artist that represented Bolivia at the 2017 Venice Biennale to a site-specific installation that was done by Andres Pereira Paz, a rising figure in the international art circuit who lives and works in Berlin,” said Ugalde. “On view is also a large format work by Bolivia’s most promising figure in contemporary painting, Cristian Laime, an artist born on the shores of Lake Titicaca and who lives in the city of El Alto.”

MET Hotel is a design partnership between New York-based hospitality design firm Los Designers and Bolivian architect Ivan Valdez, who worked with the late Zaha Hadid Architects in London. The property offers 75 bedrooms, ranging from standard to deluxe, as well as one penthouse suite. Hotel amenities include Dominga Restaurant, a spa with a 24-hour fitness center, an indoor pool, a sauna, a hot tub, an outdoor relaxation garden, WiFi and an event space accommodating 200 persons.

© Valeria Dorado

Utilizing modern design with an emphasis on Bolivian culture, the lobby draws inspiration from the local ruins of Pumapunku and the UNESCO-protected site of Tiwanaku, with its layered concrete walls shaped like perfectly cut geometric stones. While the lobby design is largely modern, these historically significant patterns provide underlying textures reflecting a sense of place.

Conscious hospitality is part of MET’s DNA. Acting responsibly, the property recycles and avoids single-use paper and plastic items, generates its own energy through solar panels, and uses rainwater and groundwater to every extent possible.

© Valeria Dorado

The MET penthouse suite is a two-bedroom suite with panoramic views over La Paz and an in-room art collection featuring local artists. With pale woods and muted colors throughout, all guestrooms at MET Hotel are bright and airy, providing a relaxed space to unwind after a day exploring the city. Modern accent décor pillows celebrate the rich weavings from the Jalq’a culture in Southern Bolivia, and the bedroom rug patterns take inspiration from local historic textiles from Tiwanaku, the ancient city and sacred site consisting of former pyramids, enclosures, gateways and monuments located in western Bolivia, near the southeast shore of Lake Titicaca, about a two-hour drive from the hotel. Be sure to experience Mi Teleferico, the city’s unique aerial cable car system offering spectacular views of the Andes.

Double occupancy room rates include breakfast and taxes, starting at $120 for standard rooms and $316 for the MET suite.