25-30 June: Top 10 Stories of the Week

Hotel Designs Brit List
850 467 Daniel Fountain
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From hotel openings to product spotlights to everything in between, we collate the top 10 most read stories on Hotel Designs this week…

1. IN CONVERSATION: REDEFINE|BDL’S SUSAN BLAND ON BREXIT PLANS
As Brexit negotiations kick off and uncertainty lingers following the general election, there are growing concerns over the UK’s pipeline of skilled employees, particularly within the hospitality industry.

2. DECOREX 2017: CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF ‘EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN’
Decorex, the UK’s leading destination for interior design, will take place this September as the opening destination of the London Design Festival celebrating 40 years of design.

3. GUEST BLOG: MAIDO – TRANSLATE LUXURY SERVICE ONLINE WITH A ‘DIGITAL CONCIERGE’
George Wiscombe, founder and managing director of award-winning digital design agency Maido, talking about how the hotel sector can embrace digital technology…

4. LIGHTING FOCUS: JALU LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE CONCEPT FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Jalu Ltd recently launched its first two collections of striking outdoor floor lamps.

5. KENGO KUMA TO DEVELOP ‘ECO-LUXURY’ 1HOTEL IN PARIS
Kengo Kuma is planning a Parisian project which hopes to incorporate sustainability and hospitality design into an ‘innovative eco-luxury hotel’ which will ultimately serve as a landmark, as well as a popular destination.

6. HOTEL CÍRCULO GRAN VÍA, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION OPENS IN MADRID
Autograph Collection Hotels, part of Marriott International, has welcomed its third distinctly independent property in Madrid with the opening of Hotel Círculo Gran Vía.

7. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: DURAVIT’S VERO AIR, TIMELESS GEOMETRY RE-IMAGINED
Duravit has launched Vero Air, the next development in the successful Vero series at ISH 2017.

8. ROXBURGHE HOTEL ACQUIRED BY BESPOKE HOTELS
Roxburghe Estates and Bespoke Hotels have announced they have agreed terms for the transfer of ownership of the Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course near Kelso.

9. ANDRÉ FU, AFSO CONTINUE ASCENT IN SINGAPORE, HONG KONG
After the successful launch of the Kerry Hotel on Hong Kong’s waterfront, acclaimed Hong Kong-based designer and architect André Fu sees a contemporary art gallery in Tokyo completed for Galerie Perrotin, the spa at the now iconic Villa La Coste open and the VIP lounge at Pacific Place finished.

10. GUEST BLOG: VIERO – THE BENEFITS OF USING LIME PLASTERS AND PAINTS
Viero’s clients often ask why they are so passionate about recommending and specifying our range of lime-based plasters and paints, the answer is so simple it’s difficult…

Daniel Fountain / 30.06.2017

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.