In this Hotel Designs exclusive, we grab a first look at the design of the Independent Hotel Show 2025’s Lobby and talk to the designer behind the creation – Mattia Santi, Founder and CEO of SASI Studio…
The Independent Hotel Show London 2025 returns to Olympia next week (6–7 October), bringing with it a refreshed theme, a dynamic programme of expert talks (including HD’s next Accessible Design Talk), and a showcase of cutting-edge design talent. As the leading event for independent hoteliers and hospitality professionals, this year’s edition promises to spotlight innovation, creativity, and luxury redefined – with designers unveiling bold new concepts that will shape the future of hotel design.
Yesterday, we unveiled the design of the Members Lounge, reimagined by Black Ivy Design as an ultra-glamorous 1970s-inspired speakeasy. Now, we take a deep dive into the design of the SASI Studio Lobby – a ‘refined’ space that allows guests to pause, recharge, and prepare for entering the show.
Image credit: SASI Studio / Independent Hotel Show
Hotel Designs: Can you tell us about SASI Studio and what you do?
Mattia Santi: SASI Studio is an award-winning London-based interdisciplinary design and architecture firm, encompassing expertise across architecture, interior design, urban design, industrial design, and digital environments. We deliver holistic design solutions across residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors, offering bespoke design services for mixed-use development, hotels, offices, homes, retail environments, and more. We collaborate with our clients and specialist consultants to transform clients’ vision into iconic architecture projects.
Our design philosophy emphasises interdisciplinary thinking, leveraging technology and research, utilising tools like 3D modelling, Parametric Design, BIM, and even VR/digital twins to shape innovative and contextually meaningful environments.
HD: Why has SASI Studio partnered with the Independent Hotel Show to bring the show’s Lobby to life this year?
MS: Collaborating with the Independent Hotel Show aligns closely with our studio’s focus on hospitality and luxury design, as well as our ambition to engage directly with independent hoteliers. We value the Show’s commitment to connecting designers with the industry, and we believe that hoteliers can greatly benefit from partnering with our team at SASI Studio to create distinctive assets and innovative guest experiences.
HD: What are important considerations when it comes to hotel design?Â
MS: In our view, hotel design is about creating user-centric experiences while crafting spaces that authentically reflect both the local culture and the brand identity. Whether situated in the heart of a historic city or in a rural setting, hotels are inseparable from their territory and history, which shape their unique character, a character that designers must interpret and express through their own sensibility and cultural understanding. Designing a hotel is a complex endeavour, requiring a careful balance of functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, and innovation.
Image credit: SASI Studio / Independent Hotel Show
It is about crafting an authentic customer journey that begins with the context of the location and continues through the shared public spaces of the hotel, extending into the private areas. In our experience, independent hotels have a particular advantage: they can create unique, localised experiences and offer personalised services tailored to their guests. Collaborating with our creative and passionate design team at SASI Studio, enables hoteliers to leverage design as a strategic tool to deliver distinctive offerings in a competitive market.
HD: What was your approach to designing the IHS Lobby this year?
MS: This year, the design theme was Redefining Luxury. With this in mind, we envisioned the foyer as the lobby of a luxury hotel, welcoming hundreds of visitors travelling from across London to attend the show. The space was designed with a minimalist approach, featuring linear geometries, earthy tones, and real plants, creating a calm and refined atmosphere that allows guests to pause, recharge, and prepare for entering the show.
HD: How have you incorporated this year’s show theme of Redefining Luxury?
MS: The theme of Redefining Luxury has guided our design approach from the outset. In response to evolving cultural and lifestyle trends, we asked ourselves: what truly defines luxury in contemporary society? Today, luxury extends beyond glitter and price tags, it is rooted in the narratives behind products and the experiences they evoke. In our vision, values such as craftsmanship, cultural heritage, authenticity, inclusivity, sustainability, and uncompromising quality are the cornerstones of responsible and genuine contemporary luxury.
Image credit: SASI Studio / Independent Hotel Show
HD: What were the sustainability considerations for the Lobby design?
MS: Sustainability is integral to our vision of responsible luxury, which we sought to express in the design of the foyer space. We prioritised high-quality, natural finishes and handcrafted products and sculptures, while minimising the use of plastics. To reduce waste, we avoided fixed installations, promoting the reuse of furniture, sculptures, and even their packaging after the show. Within the limits of what was possible, we sought to contribute to reducing energy consumption by switching off electronic devices outside show hours and encouraging the use of LED lighting and other energy-efficient equipment.
In collaboration with our partners, we promoted a more conscious approach by discouraging unnecessary giveaways and printed business cards. Finally, in response to the environmental impact of fast furniture, we selected responsible brands providing long-lasting products, low-emission craftsmanship, eco-friendly and natural materials, promoting a vision in which every element reflects both sustainability and luxury.
HD: Who have you collaborated with on this design?
MS: We collaborated with two leading furniture brands: Manutti, an iconic brand leader in the field of luxury outdoor furniture and Moroso positioned among the haute couture of international design, a leading company in furniture manufacturing. SASI Studio has thoughtfully curated the foyer layout to evoke an atmosphere of elegance and refinement, showcasing the iconic designs of these two brands and the exceptional quality of their finishes.
For us, culture is an essential element of luxury experiences. In designing the foyer, we had the privilege of working with MM-ART Consult and artists Ayse Zelal Tugrul and Robin Jacobs (DV Design), whose sculptural works brought artistic resonance to the space. Beyond spatial design, our vision was to elevate the user experience by engaging all the senses, this became possible thanks to the distinctive room fragrances of Brownstone London, the beautiful bottles of Gin and Vodka provided by The Franklin London-Starhotels Collezione and the lush greenery added in the space.
HD: Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
MS: We embrace a multidisciplinary design approach, drawing inspiration from nature, cultural heritage, and contemporary innovations in each project. In this case, we drew inspiration from the Mediterranean landscape, incorporating earthy tones and natural finishes. We included in the space curated visual experiences that explore the evolving trends redefining contemporary luxury.
Our relationship with nature goes beyond simple mimicry, we seek to understand the systems and logics of the natural systems, translating them into thoughtful and resilient design solutions. We continuously research the latest lifestyle and hospitality trends, ensuring that our projects anticipate shifts in the market and result in future-proof design concepts.
For hoteliers, this means creating environments that not only elevate guest experience but also enhance long-term value through timeless design and sustainable innovation. By integrating the latest technologies with our design sensibility, we aim to merge creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, delivering projects that are both visionary and grounded in meaning. In every project, we collaborate with our clients to craft a distinctive narrative that authentically reflects and elevates their brand identity.
Head to the Independent Hotel Show London, taking place on 6-7 October, 2025, at Olympia London, to see the Lobby design for yourself and check out independenthotelshow.co.uk for more of what’s on.
