Hospitality Style

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.