Welcome Letter from Hôtel Magique Founder - Milou Neelen
In this letter, Bali-based artist and founder Milou Neelen shares how a spark in a tiny apartment turned into a global creative brand — and why Hôtel Magique is just getting started. This is your personal invitation into the magique behind it all.
A Boutique Dream
"I was born in a small city in The Netherlands. From a young age, I was always making things — drawing, painting, writing, exploring anything creative. At sixteen, I studied graphic design and moved to Amsterdam, where my creativity came to life. I painted at night while studying and working, exploring themes and materials that sparked curiosity.
Travel became a goal, but with little budget, I’d wonder into hotel lobbies for a coffee or browse the souvenir shops to take home a little reminder of my visit. During a trip to San Francisco, I found beautiful Japanese momi paper. Back in my tiny apartment, I created an artwork to make my home feel like a hotel, and painted Hôtel Magique – Open Crazy Late.
That painting sparked more. Magique quotes started coming to mind: You Are Magique, Endless Magique, and Never Underestimate the Power of Magique. I imagined them as beautifully printed art prints and greeting cards, serving as reminders that magique is all around."
The 'Big Apple' Heart Logo
"When I started imagining a name for this world I was building, I didn’t want it to be about me. I wanted it to be about the art. I had already fallen in love with the words Hôtel Magique — the fun twist of using a name that sounded like a real hotel, but wasn’t. A place that didn’t exist, but could. And so, Hôtel Magique was born.
With a deep love for paper and print, I ordered print samples, built the webshop, and created the branding, imagining Hôtel Magique into real life. Soon after launching the brand in Amsterdam with A Magique Brunch, it quickly gained traction.
I’ve always had a big love for the Big Apple. Not long after the launch in 2016, my printer, who was running the NYC Marathon for Run For Life, asked if I’d design a limited edition print to support the cause. One artwork featured an apple heart-shaped runner. I kept coming back to that character. It felt like the perfect symbol — combining New York, love, and magique."
Artists - Makers of Magique
"I recently heard on a podcast that humans are the only mammals who can think and dream ahead in time, which made me believe even more that artists are magique makers. They imagine a feeling, a scene, a moment that doesn’t yet exist, and turn it into something real and beautiful.
I still remember seeing Andy Warhol’s sketches up close for the first time, and feeling a sense of awe — a moment of magique. The pencil lines still visible, messy dots of paint, ripped paper taped back together. It was imperfect, and that’s what made it perfect. That’s what made it human.
In today’s world, especially with the rise of AI, I feel an even stronger urge to celebrate that human touch — the unique and authentic expression that only real people can bring. Working with artists is something we’ve only just begun, but it’s one of the exciting parts of what Hôtel Magique is becoming."
The Power of Collaboration
"I love collaborations, as it allows me to blend creative visions whilst adding a bit of magique. To me, any product is a canvas, and I see them as more than just items — they are opportunities to remind people of beauty, imagination, and wonder. Collaborating with other brands amplifies this, allowing us to share and spread magique even further.
Over the years, Hôtel Magique has taken many shapes — from art prints, global collaborations, and partnerships, to artist calls and dreams of a real hotel.
What began as a vision in a tiny apartment has now found its way into thousands of homes. Each product, piece of art, or project we release draws from imagined destinations — tangible pieces of a dream I hope to share with you."
Magique Ahead
"To me, magique means that universal sense of wonder, curiosity, and possibility we find in nature, in art, and in human connection. I believe it’s always there, and within us all — even when life feels too busy or overwhelming. My biggest motivation behind Hôtel Magique is the endless potential to spread magique, and reminders that it's all around.
Over the past two years, I’ve been exploring how Hôtel Magique can be more than a brand, how it can become a platform for connection. That’s why we’re building Garden of Magique: a community platform to help people reconnect with magique.
And this is just the beginning. We have so much magique ahead, in the form of new art, inspiring collaborations, the growing Garden of Magique, and one day, a real Hôtel Magique. A place you can walk into and feel it all.
Thank you for being a part of this beautiful and inspiring journey.
You are Magique."
