Resort Design

A Man for Four Seasons

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 by Mary Scoviak

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts' founder and long-time ceo Isadore Sharp has always had an innate understanding of the importance of hotel design. Before he launched the luxury chain, most five-star hospitality interiors were stiff, stuffy, intimidating. Although he wasn't exactly the herald of in-your-face boutique design, he ushered in an approachable kind of elegance and good breeding that made for a kind of lifestyle hotel design many travelers wished they could live in permanently. He knew how to maintain consistent design standards without standardized design.

Sharp was very much about matching the vision to the project and the location--whether inviting I.M. Pei to design the seminal Four Seasons Hotel New York, a project (much maligned for its budget) that really did deliver a new sophistication to urban hotel aesthetics or turning to hospitality industry veterans such as HBA Design, Cheryl Rowley Design, Frank Nicholson and Pierre-Yves Rochon to wow the world from Paris to Mumbai.

So, it was fitting that, when Sharp announced that he would transition out of the ceo's role and pass the reins to Kathleen Taylor, he emphasized that he would retain oversight and direction of the design and aesthetics of new and existing hotels "in the manner I have always done."

HBA Design's work on the

HBA Design's lobby/consultation room in the Qin Spa, Four Seasons Hotels Shanghai Photo: Peter Mealin, Singapore

Qin Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai is just one of the latest examples of what that "manner" is:

There's no question that Taylor gets his vision, thanks to 21 years with the company and the opportunity to work closely with him since being named president and coo in 2007. Hopefully, she'll have his eye for contemporary hotel design as well.

Confessions of a NeoCon Neophyte (and Now a Fan)

Friday, June 18, 2010 by Matt Hall

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…

G Worldwide Launches LGBT Luxury Lifestyle Resort Brand

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 by Mary Scoviak

At a time when The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts is cutting back on some of its signature flourishes (as in trimming its huge floral budget and closing high-end restaurants during slow periods), New York-based G Worldwide is launching a new luxury lifestyle hotel design specifically "for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-sexual (LGBT) travelers, their family, friends and supporters."

Although G Worldwide claims its "inspiring" gay-friendly collection of hotels, resorts and vacation clubs will be a first, hoteliers such as Juan P. Julia Blanch, founder and head of the Axel Hotels chain, would take issue. His design-led properties in Barcelona and Buenos Aires already have pushed LGBT lifestyle hotel design to the cutting edge as part of a branded identity.

What is new is that G Worldwide wants to create a big-brand, international presence. Initial plans call for openings in New York, Las Vegas, Wilton Manors, Fla. and Palm Springs, Calif. in 2011 and 2012. And then there's the design star power behind the concept: Christopher Coleman, known for mixing industrial and slick materials; Mark Zeff, synonymous with sexy, senuous spaces (such as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and New York's Night Hotel) and trending-setting architect Alejandro Zalez. Michael Cotten, production designer/conceptualist and artist (yes the same one who worked with Michael Jackson, Carrie Underwood and Steve Wynn International), will design the nightlife venues.

So what will they deliver to make a new statement about how lifestyle hotel design looks when tailored to this growing market? Here's a preview:

Lounge design moves toward casual elegance at Skybar, the rooftop bar planned for the Wilton Manors, Fla. property. Courtesy: G Worldwide

Water features and a mix of chairs and more social seating energize the rooftop night club's design.

For the hospitality interiors of the Wilton Manors property, think clean lines, cool furniture and lots of curves. Courtesy: G Worldwdie

Materials make the statement in these luxurious contemporary public spaces in the Wilton Manors project.

It's not just companies like Axel Hotels and G Worldwide that are addressing opportunities in the LGBT market. McDonald's Corp.'s plans to air its "Come as You Are" commercial on French television. The ad shows a gay teen phoning his boyfriend to say he "misses him" while his father orders their food. According to the fast food giant, the controversial TV spot was intended to simply send a message that its burger restaurants welcome diverse customers.

Is High Tech Inspiration or Aggravation for Contemporary Hotel Design?

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 by Mary Scoviak

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.

Carlson's Regent Sale Is the Deal to Watch

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by Mary Scoviak

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.

T+L's Design Awards

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 by Kristin Godsey

In its March issue, coming to newsstands this Friday, Travel + Leisure presents its Design Awards 2010, with some fun results. How nice to see Motel 6, honored as Best Large Hotel for its recent hotel renovation, alongside the highest of high concepts, such as Nomiya (Best Restaurant), a temporary glass box atop a Paris museum accommodating, apparently, exactly one party of twelve. It's a compelling look at the best of a wide swath of design industry work, including travel accessories (even a car). And in the midst of a winter like this one, just a glance at an award-winnning spa design in Miami Beach or resort design in Morocco is sure to give you the travel bug.

Say hello to the new Sheraton

Thursday, February 4, 2010 by Kristin Godsey

A venerable old brand is looking fresh again, as Sheraton Hotels and Resorts has just spent a whopping $6 billion on a brand overhaul that includes new designs for more than half of its North American properties. The focus is on blurring the lines between business and leisure travel—the hospitality trend unfortunately dubbed "bleisure"—and one of the highlights of the new Sheraton is a uniquely wired lobby lounge done in partnership with Microsoft. Ninety-eight properties worldwide have been renovated, more than 300 new lobbies have been created, and 70,000 guestrooms (including 50,000 in North America) are new or newly redesigned. And Sheraton, the largest of the Starwood brands, is introducing it all with a $20 million marketing campaign. For more on modern hotel design and resort design trends, check out our gallery at http://www.hospitalitystyle.com/projects/hotels-resorts.