Key Trends for Hotel Design in 2018
The hotel industry has changed considerably in recent years, as a new generation become a core part of the consumer base. Here we look at some of the emerging hotel design trends that are set to dominate in the coming year
Design with Personality
The rise of social media and the proliferation of services such as Airbnb have increased a desire, particularly among millennial customers, for hotel environments that feel highly personal and special, providing a unique experience rather than just a room. As a result, hotels are seeking to express the personality of their brand through custom designs and details, often adding a sense of location with touches referencing the city in which they are based. This moves the hotel away from the feeling of a cookie-cutter experience to something more authentic, which can be both enjoyed in-person and shared to online followers.
Hotel Jen in Beijing, designed by Stickman, combines quirky details with luxury design elements.
Image courtesy of Stickman
The Warehouse Hotel in Singapore, located in a 19th century former spice warehouse, has been designed to give a sense of the building’s history. Image courtesy of Asylum
The Drifter Hotel in New Orleans recently had an interior renovation by Nicole Cota Studio to capture a sense of the Beat Generation. Image courtesy of Nicole Cota Studio / Nicole Franzen for Design Hotels
The first of Ministry of Design’s ‘Socialtel’ hostels, COO in Singapore targets millennials through highly personalised social spaces. Image courtesy of Ministry of Design
March Studio’s lobby design for Canberra, Australia-based Hotel Hotel has drawn acclaim for its striking use of custom glulam timber. Image courtesy of March Studio
Hotel Jen in Beijing, designed by Stickman, combines quirky details with luxury design elements to provide a unique and Instagram-friendly environment. Image courtesy of Stickman
Concrete-designed Zoku, a hotel based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is designed with a retractable staircase maximise space. Image courtesy of Zoku
Designed by Linda Bergroth, the Koti hotel at the Institut Finlandais in Paris is designed to capture the essence of Finland with a highly sociable space. Image courtesy of Koti
Rooms in the AvroKo-designed Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa feature bench seating that can be folded out to form additional double beds. Image courtesy of AvroKo
Projekt Praga’s renovation of the Vetter Brewery in Lubin, Poland, include stylish kitchenettes that also serve as a divider for the room. Image courtesy of Projekt Praga
Austin, US-based the Native Hostel, designed by Un.Box Studio, features welcoming communal spaces within dorm rooms. Image courtesy of Un.Box Studio
Concrete-designed Zoku, a hotel based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is designed with a retractable staircase maximise space its short and long-stay suites, which also feature a dining table, kitchenette and sitting area. Image courtesy of Zoku
Home Away from Home
With travel becoming more ubiquitous and many people spending longer periods on the road, many travellers are increasingly craving a home away from home experience – from business travellers through to backpackers. This requires hotels to provide rooms that are not just a bed and ensuite, but a space that allows for relaxing, socialising and even cooking. To achieve this, hotels are increasingly offering additional features within rooms, in some cases making the spaces reconfigurable through carefully designed furniture to maximise space.
A Touch of Green
With sustainability now a major lifestyle trend, the desire for hotels that give a sense of wellness and environmentalism are increasingly being sought out. These are generally achieved through the use of natural materials, but the wider area of biophilic design includes the use of greenery and nature-inspired structures to provide a restful and inspiring environment. However, this doesn’t have to result in a raw finish; while some hotels opt for designs that appear pulled directly from nature, others transform this into a luxury experience.
The Eden Locke hotel in Edinburgh, UK, is designed by Grzywinski + Pons to be “sophisticatedly tropical”, marrying planting and natural materials with a pastel colour scheme. Image courtesy of Grzywinski + Pons
Raw wood is a prominent feature in Casa Malca, the recently renovated former home of infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. Image courtesy of Casa Malca
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, New York hotel Public uses wood to provide restful and calming spaces within rooms. Image courtesy of Public
Vipp Hotel, a new project by the Danish retailer, includes a prefabricated micro dwelling located in a Swedish forest. Image courtesy of Vipp
Designed by Kengo Kuma, the proposed Eco-Luxury Hotel in Paris will feature all-wood rooms with vast exterior planting. Image courtesy of Kengo Kuma
The acclaimed Eden Locke hotel in Edinburgh, UK, is designed by Grzywinski + Pons to be “sophisticatedly tropical”, marrying planting and natural materials such as wicker and wood with contemporary details and a pastel colour scheme. Image courtesy of Grzywinski + Pons
Premier Inn’s Hub hotel in London allows visitors to control all technology in their room with a connected app or discreetly placed panels. Image courtesy of Hub
The Eccleston Square Hotel in London features a host of smart features, including smart glass walls that turn opaque in response to a button press. Image courtesy of Eccleston Square Hotel
The 21c Museum Hotel Nashville, designed by Deborah Berke Partners, features vast projections as part of its extensive public spaces. Image courtesy of Deborah Berke Partners
Minimalist retailer Muji’s first hotel in Shanghai, China, features simple but carefully integrated digital control panels. Image courtesy of Muji
Yotel New York’s luggage-retrieving Yobot is an example of bolder uses of technology. Image courtesy of Yotel
Premier Inn’s Hub hotel in London allows visitors to control all technology in their room, from lights to smart TVs, with a connected app or discreetly placed panels. Image courtesy of Hub
Subtly Smart
As technology becomes increasingly important to every aspect of our lives, hoteliers are introducing smart elements into their rooms. However, while early efforts have simply involved the addition of gadgets, increasingly such technologies are being designed in from the outset, feeling a part of the space and the overall brand while providing a user-friendly yet non-intrusive experience. As a result, the onus for the intelligent addition of technology is now largely on designers.
Co-Working Conscious
A change in business traveller trends and the rise of the so-called ‘urban nomad’ – professionals who work remotely while travelling from place-to-place has fuelled an increased demand for co-working spaces built into the hotel experience. The most successful of these continue the overall personality of the hotel, providing an inspiring place to work that encourages creativity. Such locations are particularly appropriate when found in hotels targeted at younger customers, and are often combined with hostels.
Vienna’s Hotel Schani builds co-working in from the start, with bookable desks in the lobby and private meeting rooms. Image courtesy of Hotel Schani
Quirky Parisian hotel COQ has incorporated unconventional co-working spaces into its communal areas. Image courtesy of COQ
Amsterdam-based Volkshotel features both communal and private co-working spaces as part of its Werkplaats offering. Image courtesy of Volkshotel
Derevo Coworking Hostel in Moscow uses industrial details across its bedrooms and co-working spaces to provide a unified aesthetic. Image courtesy of Derevo
Nest, a co-working space in Dubai’s Tryp hotel, combines fun touches with practical details such as embedded power sockets. Image courtesy of Tryp
Vienna’s Hotel Schani builds co-working in from the start, with bookable desks in the lobby and private meeting rooms available. Image courtesy of Hotel Schani
Interior Trends
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