The nightclub at the W Bogotá plays on gothic tropes with black tufted banquettes, rich purple seating, and petal dividers that create “a dark but very sexy place,” says Studio Gaia president Ilan Waisbrod.

The Away Spa offers a calm and luxurious, yet bright vibe.

Bold use of color marks the Extreme Wow suite, where gold and flashes of color culminate in an upholstered headboard with a vibrant array of flowers—a place where you crown the king, says Waisbrod.

The most iconic part of this hotel, according to Waisbrod, is the W Lounge where “strings of gold and a colorful mural” by Bogota-based street artist collective Vertigo Graffiti reinterpret the traditional lounge.

The cavernous corridors act “like a maze,” Waisbrod says. “It’s the illusion that you’re going to get lost in the black and gold.”

Upholstered headboards cover guestroom walls, an allusion to the king’s raft in a local story about the Lake of Guatavita where a new ruler was covered in gold dust, sent out on a raft with gold, emeralds, and flowers thrown into the lake to appease the gods.

Bogotá is known as the city of gold, a theme pervasive throughout the hotel, starting with the reception desk, which is in the shape of a chunk of gold; a hanging waterfall of gilded butterflies greets guests as they enter.