Hospitality Style

Have you ever had a pleasantly memorable stay at an airport hotel? Thought not. Such on-site hotels are typically utilitarian affairs catering to stranded travelers -- and as such, not usually notable examples of contemporary hotel design.

Looking to change all that is the Langham Hotels International, which plans to open a 373-key luxury hotel next month at Beijing’s Capital Airport that it boasts will be the envy of guests staying at rival city-center hotels. The new Langham Place hotel was designed by the hotelier’s in-house team, in cooperation with the Beijing Design Institute, and sports hospitality interior designs that include loft-style suites and a 24-hour bar/internet hub. “We are not just creating a convenient stopover hotel but one of the most fun places to be in the capital of the world’s largest nation.” said General Manager Mark Francis. “We aim to make staying at the airport in Beijing an exciting thing to do.”

Only time will tell whether Langham will make good on that goal. But I give credit to the company -- a 145-year-old luxury hotel chain with properties operating under The Langham, Langham Place and Eaton flags -- for spicing things up in an often-uninspiring sector of hotel architecture and design.

Go to Hospitality Style to read the complete article and view more images of the new Langham Place hotel. While you're there sign up to receive a free Hospitality Style subscription.

I’ve been to lots of trade shows over the past decade or so, but this week marked a first for me: a trip to NeoCon in Chicago. After navigating numerous shows set in single-level, hangar-like spaces, NeoCon’s multi-story layout in the venerable Chicago Merchandise Mart was a definite change of pace – and, I must admit, an enjoyable one. Show veterans told me to avoid the usually crowded elevators as much as possible, and in heeding their advice, I was rewarded with red-carpet treatment (literally) for using the steps. And opening the doors to each floor was akin to entering Oz, as each level was very distinct from the one above or below.

NeoCon is short for the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings, and it does include a hospitality section, which showcases the latest flooring, furniture and other accoutrements for hotels, restaurants, resorts, etc. This part of the show can help to fire the imagination of those interested in keeping up with the latest trends in contemporary hotel design. But the show also offered the sheer fun of wandering and stumbling upon the unexpected and the just-plain cool (and often, both). One such moment for me was provided by Karim Rashid’s Chakra chair for Raynor Contract. With its “zoo-morphic” structure, this futuristic seating is sleek and comfortable. Trust me on the latter; I plopped down in one and was very reluctant to exit. But there was the siren call of another floor to explore, with more insights into hospitality design trends to unearth…


 

Given the current renovation trends, if you don't have some piece of an atrium lobby or big-box public spaces on your boards now, you probably will in the near future. Some renewed signs of life in the MICE market are persuading owners of conference hotels to spruce up the offer near-term. The challenge is going to be how to make these caverns into appealing, third place destinations.

EDG Interior Architecture + Design's Jennifer Johanson is using movement to get rid of the dead zones in the atrium lobby of the Hilton Anatole Dallas. Her piazza concept, with its gardens, restaurants and small town center vibe, is intended to draw conference attendees and guests into the new gathering space.  But even the coolest restaurant design or lounge seating isn't going to keep people in motion in the lobby 24/7.

Johanson and her team turned to kinetic art for a solution. Here's a sampling of what impressed them:



Above is a work by Reuben Margolin, a San Francisco bay area kinetic artist known for making motion with complex constructs of materials from wood to cardboad.

So take that inspiration and set some hospitality design trends--and, if you have time before the holiday weekend, send in a project to compete in the European Hotel Design Awards.

Award categories include the best architecture of a hotel, both conversion and newbuild.  Interior design categories for various spaces including guestrooms, bar, restaurant and lobby areas. Other awards celebrate innovation, sustainability and the two final awards recognize outstanding contribution to the industry and the European Hotel Design of the Year. They will be announced November 23 as a kick-off to this year's Sleep Event Exhibition in London. The deadline for entries is the 28th May 2010. Get entry guidelines here.

On most Mondays, Hospitality Style's managing editor Matt Hall and I are reporting on or blogging about hospitality design newsmakers around the world. Today, we just had to walk down the hall. Our parent company, ST Media Group, made headlines with this morning's announcement that it has acquired Boutique Media Group along with boutique DESIGN magazine and its ancillary events.

Why now? Simple. It's a matter of opportunity and synergy. Boutique DESIGN carved out its niche with innovative coverage of the people who create hospitality design trends. Hospitality Style is the idea book that shows how their ideas come to life with projects that wow. Each brand will continue to do what it does best, but the combination will give you access to information on the people, places and spaces that are changing what we expect when we travel, dine out or go to a spa.

Boutique Media Group president, Michael Schneider, has done a great job building the magazine and its brand into a leading industry force in just five years. We're looking forward to working with him in his new role as ST Media's Publisher of Hospitality Brands--and to talking about what's next while we're at HD Expo. Stop by the ST Media Group booth, #6728, to learn more.
 

Do the hospitality market and design industry need yet another themed restaurant/ entertainment concept? Mark Advent, the guy behind the New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, thinks so. For that reason, Advent’s company has acquired the exclusive international licensing rights to develop, own and operate Orange County Choppers Roadhouse, a full-service restaurant/ bar/microbrewery/gaming/hospitality/ retail/entertainment experience.

The venue takes its name from the custom motorcycle brand that’s featured in the reality cable TV show, “American Chopper.” The restaurant design for the first outlet, an 8,500-sq.-ft. creation of Washington, D.C.-based CORE architecture + design, will feature a hospitality interior with a center bar and keg room, along with indoor/outdoor seating. That flagship will open this summer in Orange County Choppers’ hometown of Newburgh, N.Y. After that, locales are planned for Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas and Dubai. And how’s this for free advertising -- the construction, opening and ongoing business of Orange County Choppers Roadhouse will be highlighted in “American Chopper,” beginning in the show’s 2010-2011 season.

For a look at other new hospitality design concepts, visit Hospitality Style and check out its quarterly print edition.

Like it or loathe it, technology continues to change the look of hospitality interiors. Front desks are shrinking as guests not only accept but embrace kiosk check-in and smart key cards for their guestrooms. Restaurants glow with interactive table tops, and guestrooms have lots of in-room entertainment toys and gadgets.

But, how much automation do travelers really want and how should that influence hospitality design trends?  Maria Vafiadis, managing director of London-based MKV Design, advises designers to match the tech treats to the guest profile. In other words, ask yourself what you'd want. The answer probably won't be one-solution-fits all since people's needs change depending on the purpose of the travel.

“In the course of an exhausting business trip, straightforward technology that smoothes my progress from boardroom to bed is welcome. But during a holiday, “unplugging” from technology gives me the freedom to slow down. Designers must get the balance right if the potential of automation is to be realized,” she says.  “Parading the latest hi-tech in a hospitality environment doesn’t always improve the experience. Cutting-edge gadgetry might add to the sexiness of a trendy hotel, but in luxury resorts or in fine dining restaurants it’s concierge, not computer service, that guests expect.”

Having racked up more than her fair share of frequent flyer miles, Vafiadis shares ideas on how to wield technology as a design too and her vision for what's next with projects like the new villas at Crete's Blue Palace Resort and Spa. 

I like the fact that both hotel restaurant design and concepts for freestanding restaurants continue to the blur the line between what's hot and what's haute. The latest example is San Francisco's Barbacco Eno Trattoria.

Its co-owners, Umberto Gibin and executive chef Staggan Terje, initially saw the new venture as a complementary offer to their award-winning Perbacco Ristorante + Bar just two doors away. Given the Financial District setting, the idea was that Perbacco would draw the CEOs and dealmakers while its new little sister projected the right attitude to attract mid-level managers and mid-spend foodies. But as The Wall Street Journal, The San Francisco Chronicle's online SFgate.com and other reviewers have reported, Barbacco's combination of Terje's creative Northern Italian food and CCS Architecture's edgy style have made this 66-seat eatery a popular choice for power brokers as well as their staffs.

Cass Calder Smith and his design team created a look that would fit Barbacco into Gibin and Terje's expanding brand family without just knocking off their flagship--also designed by CCS. The Italian accent was obvious, given the menu. What wasn't is the choice of the sexy side of Italian culture as inspiration--particularly, the yellow of the Ferrari emblem, lots of chrome, mirrors and elements angled as if they're ready to put pedal to the metal. Smith's not afraid to use marble alongside high density fiberboard, or polished chrome with rustic brick.






 

They say you have to spend money to make money. InterContinental Hotels Group is putting that axiom to the test, twice over, with its Holiday Inn unit. First, IHG is plowing $1 billion into upgrading the contemporary hotel designs of more than 3,300 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide. (Thus far, more than 2,200 hotels have relaunched under the new look, which includes updated hotel guestroom and bathroom designs, as well as new exterior signage. The remaining 1,100 properties under the two flags are slated to be updated by the end of this year.) And now, the company is launching a $100 million “Stay You” ad campaign in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Mexico, Latin America, Asia and Australia to tout the benefits of its modern hotel design to consumers.

“‘Stay You’ is the biggest advertising campaign in the 58-year history of Holiday Inn,” said IHG ceo Andy Cosslett. “The level of support behind this campaign reinforces our confidence in the Holiday Inn relaunch which positions us well for the upturn in the economy when it comes.” It looks like IHG’s timing may be good – several signs point to an uptick in the hotel industry – so their big bet on reinventing the Holiday Inn brands may pay off big, as well.

For the latest hospitality design trends by other big-name hotel brands, check out HospitalityStyle and its print edition.
 

The current issue of Fortune magazine contains a thought-provoking featured entitled, “25 Green Myths Debunked.” Some samples: “Myth: Fluorescent bulbs are bad because they contain mercury/Reality: Yes, but not using them will pour even more mercury into our ecosystem”; and “Myth: Paper grocery bags are better than plastic bags/Reality: Plastics, young man, plastics... paper bags require four times more energy to manufacture than plastic ones.”

In honor of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, we want to hear from the design industry about the common myths surrounding the incorporation of eco-friendly features into projects across the hospitality spectrum, including boutique design, casino design, cruise ship design, contemporary hotel design, restaurant design and spa design. For instance, is local sourcing of materials really as earth-friendly as thought, or does it have some unforeseen environmental consequences? And is it true that green design and luxe environments don’t mix? We want to hear from you – share your insights by clicking on the comments button below.

And to see some examples of cutting-edge sustainable hospitality designs, go to Hospitality Style’s Green Spotlight. Also, be sure to check out our upcoming Fall 2010 print issue, which will include a Green Guide.
 

Luxury hotel design, development and operations are jobs for specialists.

The decision by Carlson and Rezidor Hotel Group to sell their luxury Regent International brand to Formosa International Hotels Corp. (FIHC) says a lot about where the luxury hotel sector and high-end hospitality design are headed. It's a clear message that this field is being turned over to experts who understand the high-spend lifestyle. FIHC isn't just thinking about hotels per se. This diversified hospitality/retail giant based in Taiwan is taking a holistic look at fitting Regent into developments plans that include residences, shopping areas, restaurants and other features.

So, if you want to play in the five-star end of resort design and urban hotel design, it's time to dust off your residential and retail skills. But, if volume's the goal, forget the luxe market and start marketing modern hotel design solutions that work mid-tier to upscale. Just think about Carlson's goal of adding 1,500 hotels in those categories within five years, a plan detailed on Hospitality Style.

 

When it comes to luxury travel, is “slow the new fast?” Seymourpowell, a London-based design/innovation company, thinks that could be the case. Hence the firm has created the Aircruise, a giant, vertical airship that would house a luxury hotel and ferry passengers at a leisurely 65-to-90 miles per hour (as compared with the 500-600 mph cruising speed of today’s jet liners).

“The Aircruise concept questions whether the future of luxury travel should be based around space-constrained, resource hungry, and all-too-often stressful airline travel,” says Nick Talbot, Seymourpowell’s design director. “A more serene transport experience will appeal to people looking for a more reflective journey, where the experience of travel itself is more important than getting from A to B quickly. The physics of the airship requires a gigantic volume of lifting gas, yet simultaneously demands a relatively limited amount of weight. This allows for a potentially large amount of space with relatively few people onboard -- a luxury for any traveler."

This is not just some pie-in-the-sky concept in hospitality design trends. The Aircruise idea captured the imagination of Korean giant Samsung Construction and Trading (C&T). Driven by its interest in new materials for building, Samsung C&T hired Seymourpowell to refine the idea and produce a detailed computer animation of the hydrogen-filled, solar-powered airship and its modern hotel design concepts to illustrate this visionary approach to travel of the future. “This was a dream concept project for us, helping to realize a future of sustainable buildings combined with innovative and luxury lifestyle,” said Seung Min Kim, Samsung C&T’s design director at Samsung C&T.





See more hospitality design trends and subscribe to the recently launched Hospitality Style magazine.

How’s this for a supercharged ROI on your time? The hospitality interior design team from Wilson Associates had just 12 minutes to make its pitch to developers of a new hotel complex in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia – and came away with 19 of the 26 properties planned for the site. That translates into one contemporary hotel design for just under every 38 seconds of the pitch. Trisha Wilson, founder of the firm, says her firm won that mother lode of work by coming up with designs based on a combination of cultural and historic traditions of the past intermixed with contemporary refinements.

“We don’t have one look; we design for the client and for the market, incorporating the culture, traditions and topography of the project’s location,” says Wilson. “In Makkah, our design focus is to create a balance between contemporary elegance and strong architectural elements punctuated with luxurious finishes.” For more on Wilson Associates and its hard-charging founder, see “Moxie Lady,” a corporate profile that appeared in the November/December 2008 edition of Hospitality Style. To read more on other trendsetters in hotel design, sign up for your free subscription.

OK, does your commitment to going green in your hospitality design projects go all the way to utilizing used jeans as insulation in the walls and ceilings? That’s one of the more unusual eco-friendly design features at Claire’s on Cedros, the first restaurant in the SanDiego area to achieve LEED platinum status from the U.S. Green Building Council. Other sustainable features at Claire’s are a bit more conventional, including interior bricks salvaged from buildings that stood on the grounds of Petco Park (San Diego’s new sports stadium) solar panels on the roof and drought-resistant landscaping.

To see more examples of sustainable restaurant design, visit the Green Spotlight on the home page of Hospitality Style, where you can read about the eco-friendly initiatives of Darden Restaurants, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and others. In addition, the Fall 2010 print edition of Hospitality Style magazine will focus on green design. Be sure to sign up now for your free subscription.

Four new examples of contemporary hotel design will open their doors in coming months in Toronto. First up is the Thompson Toronto Hotel (shown at left), which is slated to open this spring. In addition to 102 luxury guestrooms, the property will feature a rooftop bar lounge, swimming pool with private cabanas. Then, in August, the Le Germain Maple Leaf Square hotelwill open. Located adjacent to the Air Canada Centre, a major-league sports and concert venue, the eight-story luxury boutique-hotel will have 171 guest rooms, 5,000 square feet of meeting space, 8,000 square feet of fitness facilities and a 2,000-square-foot hotel café.

Slated to open in the fall is the five-star the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto (rendering at bottom left), that flag’s only locale in Canada. This 53-story property will feature 267 rooms and 159 condominium residences. Finally, next year will bring the Donald’s first Canadian venture, when the 60-story Trump International Hotel and Tower is slated to open in Toronto’s financial district.

These new hotels are part of an overall building boom in Toronto that will also add 4 million square feet of office space and 15,000 condo units in the city’s core. All those projects follow a sustainability guideline developed by the Toronto Green Standard for New Construction. Those guidelines set out environmentally-friendly construction practices and ways to increase the energy efficiency of new buildings.

One opportunity to see all this development firsthand is by attending this year’s International Retail Design Conference, which is run by Hospitality Style’s sister publication, VMSD. That event will take place October 13-15 at Toronto’s Westin Harbour Castle. And be sure to check out other examples of modern hotel designs and hospitality interiors in cities around the globe by visiting Hospitality Style and get a copy of the relaunched print edition. While you're there be sure to sign up for a Hospitality Style subscription.