Hotel Designs
Hotel Designs
VIP arrivals: hottest hotel openings in March 2024 Returning from two years of travel, Deputy Editor Megan Christopher discusses the advantages of choosing a hotel over Airbnb… Ah, the age-old debate – Airbnb or hotel? For the seasoned traveller seeking a guaranteed haven of comfort and productivity, the answer leans decidedly towards the professional hospitality experience. While Airbnb offers a quirky…
read moreUnion Investment and bulwiengesa announce that growth is in both traditional hotel segment and in new concepts – despite Airbnb… The investable hotel market in Germany grew last year, despite Airbnb, by approximately six per cent to EUR 52.6 billion compared to 2016. According to the latest market value analysis carried out by Union Investment and bulwiengesa, the size of the German…
read moreAirbnb is well covered on Hotel Designs. Here, Nakul Sharma, CEO and Founder of Hostmaker shares his thoughts on the online marketplace and hospitality service. In the hospitality industry, we are seeing more people looking for stylish yet affordable places to stay when on holiday. Airbnb has exploded in popularity in recent years, with the latest Airbnb data revealing a…
read moreFor years, Airbnb heralded the ultimate in boutique experiences. Giving guests access to other people’s homes, the company’s humble and genuinely pioneering service had wings. It spread so quickly that “Airbnb” became a verb. Much like Hoover, people say, “Let’s Airbnb it”. However, a raft of changes recently announced – the first major changes to the brand in years –…
read moreAirbnb have unveiled their biggest set of changes so far, as the startup shift further from their humble house sharing roots. New changes include the further integration of luxury hotels and properties, which now have their own dedicated section, and further regulation of private homes. Regulation will broadly appeal to more high-net-worth travellers who seek the same level of service…
read moreThe rental site Altovita emerging as a competitor to Airbnb could be making its way to London next year, after getting the green light to operate in eastern Europe. The short-term holiday rental site was launched in July and has already expanded to more than 200 listings across Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Warsaw with a USP that means all properties…
read moreAccording to reports in the United States, New York’s hotel industry is about to start playing dirty – very dirty – in their battle against the highly successful lodging company Airbnb. In an advertisement scheduled to run starting on Monday (7th August), funded by the Hotel Association of New York City and a hotel workers union, concerns are raised over…
read moreNew research from Colliers International and Hotelschool The Hague reveals that nights booked in London with Airbnb rose by 130 per cent to 4.62 million in 2016, from just over 2 million in 2015. Furthermore, in the first four months of 2017, there was an additional 55 per cent uplift in the number of nights booked through Airbnb compared to…
read moreLamington Group Appoints a New Board of Directors The pioneering UK real estate and investment company Lamington Group has announced the establishment of its new Board of Directors, headed up by six distinguished industry leaders… Lamington Group’s newly appointed Board of Directors is headed up by six industry leaders, including the group’s founders, the Godwin family, and most recently Merzak…
read moreHotel review: checking in to Hôtel de la Boétie In the second of her Parisian trilogy, designer Wren Loucks steps off the Les Champs-Élysées and into the 8th arrondissement, where she discovers Hôtel de la Boétie… The 40-room Hôtel de la Boétie opened its doors in September 2023. It is part of the Touriste hotel group, who are seeking to…
read moreRedefining hospitality – KOKO3 and Bob W create a modern travel destination in Helsinki In a complete transformation, the award-winning design firm KOKO3 has reimagined Bob W Kaarti, blending bold aesthetics, sustainability, and local culture… Bob W Kaarti apartments cater to next-generation travellers seeking both short and long stays, bridging the gap between traditional hotels and Airbnb experiences. With no…
read moreCase study: Artiq gives LIMEKILN a curated collection Finding inspiration in the design history of the location, along with a more contemporary art narrative, Artiq developed an inspired curatorial strategy for LIMEKILN, the latest addition to the Dearborn Estate portfolio… For hotels and hospitality venues looking to establish a point of difference, particularly in the age of Airbnb where competition…
read more5 minutes with: Adrien Gloaguen, CEO Touriste The Touriste group of hotels has been on a well designed roll, punctuating the Parisian hotel scene with a series of bespoke boutique offerings. Writer Pauline Brettell caught up with Founder and CEO Adrien Gloaguen, who continues to drive the Touriste philosophy, which defines a vision of travel that is both ‘light and refined,…
read moreIn conversation with: Marcos Cain, Founder of Stickman Tribe Award-winning design studio Stickman Tribe is known for approaching design challenges creatively while connecting to the unique customs and heritage of each new development site. With the studios’ work within the new W Dubai Mina Seyahi receiving a lot of attention, writer Pauline Brettell caught up with Principal and Founder Marcos…
read moreChecking in to room2 Chiswick – the world’s first net-zero hometel When it comes to architecture, design and fashion, London is home to many ‘firsts’. Answering to any allegation of ‘greenwashing’ with conscious hotel design and hosptiality, Lamington Group unveiled the world’s first net-zero hometel – and it has the stats to back up that claim, as Nadia Walford discovers when…
read moreroom2 to open three more net-zero hotels Real estate investor and developer Lamington Group has announced plans to open three new net zero room2 hometels in York, Glasgow and Manchester in 2024, 2025 and 2026 respectively… Emerging over the last year to prove that it is a true pioneer of net-zero hotel design and hospitality, with the opening of room2…
read moreLive roundtable: decorative lighting solutions & schemes With the aim to put decorative lighting under the spotlight, Editor Hamish Kilburn, in association with Vaughan, invited a handful of interior designers to understand trends, materials and more… Lighting has long been considered one of the most integral elements in hotel design. In today’s arena, designers have noticed a shift as design…
read moreroom2 to open world’s first fully net zero hometel Setting new standards in environmental responsibility for the global industry, hometel brand room2 is set to open the world’s first fully net zero hotel in Chiswick, West London on December 1, 2021. We thought we would look a little closer at what this actually means… room2 is the UK’s first hometel…
read moreWeekly briefing: Sleep masterclass, award winners & art outside the frame Allow me, Hamish Kilburn, to walk you through this week’s top design and hospitality stories. The weekly briefing was designed with busy on-the-go designers, architects, hoteliers and developers in mind – so kick back, relax and scroll down to read a snapshot of this week’s happenings… It’s been a…
read moreIn Conversation With: Alex Tredez on designing The Lost Poet In an exclusive interview, editor Hamish Kilburn meets Alex Tredez, the lead designer of The Lost Poet, a new boutique hotel that shelters oodles of quirky and local personality. Ahead of it opening as a ‘modern interpretation of a traditional guest house’ on London’s Portobello Road, we took a sneak…
read moreChecking in to No.5 Maddox Street, London Embracing change – and predicting a rise in demand for luxury apartments post-pandemic – editor Hamish Kilburn checks himself in review No.5 Maddox Street… It was the first time since the start of lockdown I had made the trip into the capital, but certain things were not how I remembered. For starters, not…
read moreINDUSTRY INSIGHT: Creating individual style with bespoke design In the incredibly competitive hospitality market, setting your hotel brand apart from the rest is everything, as Cheeky Chairs’ Felicity Randolph explains… From large brands to small independent boutiques, there’s so much choice for the consumer that any element of differentiation can be an advantage. When customers look for a hotel, more…
read moreSPOTLIGHT ON: The challenges of creating the modern spa Spas are often considered an essential part of a hotel offering. To kickstart Hotel Designs putting ‘spas’ under the editorial spotlight this month, Beverley Bayes, Creative Director at Sparcstudio explains how to create a modern spa in 2020 and how to avoid the common pitfalls of design and build… Spas are…
read moreHospitality trends that we expect will evolve in 2020 To see continued success, hoteliers and designers need to be prepared for inevitable changes. We’ve asked STAAH to round up the trends in hospitality to help our readers stay ahead of the curve… This month, technology trends have been in the spotlight. And while there is a need for new innovation,…
read moreAparthotel growth outpacing UK hotel market Serviced apartments and aparthotels are the fastest growing segment of the UK’s hospitality accommodation market, according to new research by commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH)… LSH’s latest hotel market research Va Va Vroom! reports that the serviced apartment sector, which includes aparthotels, currently represents just 3% of the total hospitality accommodation in…
read moreEditor Checks In: Home comforts in hotel design In August 2019, editor Hamish Kilburn concludes that trends are overrated when a project close to his heart reaches its highly anticipated conclusion… I can’t quite believe it has been almost one year since we first started following the award-winning designer Nicky Dobree on her journey to complete her debut hotel design…
read moreMINIVIEW: room2 Southampton, the debut hometel Claiming to be the world’s first hometel brand, room2 Southampton shelters the best of both worlds in 71 rooms. As Hotel Designs continues to focus the Spotlight On Hotel Concepts, editor Hamish Kilburn spoke to design firm Project Orange to understand the design story… With the aim to create a home-from-home hotel on England’s…
read moreHilton’s brand portfolio overtakes Marriott’s as “world’s most valuable” Despite announcing earlier this year to open 30 new luxury hotels, Marriott’s portfolio drops to second place as the value of its brands in the Brand Finance Hotels 50 ranking decreases by 30 per cent, giving way to Hilton… As luxury brands scramble over one another in the battle for being…
read more7 outdoor products that are changing the hotel design landscape To mark Hotel Designs’ focus on Outdoor Style, the editorial team have identified outdoor products that are vastly changing the landscape of hotel design… There’s no doubt about it, the way in which guests consume their hotel experience is changing, and quickly. With this drastic in the demands of modern travellers,…
read moreAs we continue putting architecture and construction in the spotlight, Hotel Designs reveals some of the world’s most spectacular hidden architectural gems… Following our search to unveil impressive architectural drawings that are currently on the boards, this week Hotel Designs is investigating architecture’s largest, most impressive, magic trick; to make a building disappear. With hotel owners and operators around the…
read moreThe state-of-the-art mirrored building, ÖÖD house, offers the chance to instantly create or enhance a hotel or Airbnb business… The ÖÖD house – a stunning, 18 sq/m mini home clad in mirrored glass which blends to its natural surroundings – has been added to Round Wood of Mayfield’s collection of high end outdoor structures. Originally envisaged as a “pop up” hotel…
read moreAs Hotel Designs continues to focus the spotlight this month on independent hotels, Alyssa Johnson explores possible 2019 trends in international hotel design… Today hotel guests have higher expectations than ever. They appreciate exotic textures and personalised experiences and have developed a taste for exquisite materials, even if it’s just an overnight stay – all while feeling at home. With more…
read moreSome of the world’s best hotels double as art galleries. Mapplethorpes, Dalis and Warhols are peering down at guests as they check in. In some cases, owning major artworks is a status symbol: a sign of wealth. But hotels increasingly have a interest in visual art because it suggests a much-craved link with the local community, and exhibits a keenness for…
read moreHilton have made an incredibly bold statement: they opened more than one hotel a day in 2017. Despite current trends suggesting that guests are demanding more boutique hotel experiences, and for hotels to feel more personalised like Airbnbs, the hotel group’s yearly report suggests big brands are still retaining customer loyalty. This is not to say that the hotel group…
read moreHotel Designs is heading north as we bring our famous Meet Up to Manchester! After a year of change and growth in the hotel industry, from the explosion of Airbnb to serviced apartments and an increased interest in the on-demand culture, it isn’t just London that will see its effect in 2018. Taking place on July 18, 2018 at King Street Townhouse, Manchester, the northern…
read moreOasis Hotels & Resorts have revealed the title of their upscale ‘resort within a resort’ concept that aims to be as intimate as an Airbnb, but as luxurious as a grand resort. The Sian Ka’an will open in Cancun, and Tulum, Mexico, although no official opening date has yet been slated. The adults-only accommodation will be the most luxurious accommodation…
read moreHotel Designs is heading north as we bring our famous Meet Up to Manchester! After a year of change and growth in the hotel industry, from the explosion of Airbnb to serviced apartments and an increased interest in the on-demand culture, it isn’t just London that will see its effect in 2018. Taking place on 18 July 2018 at King…
read moreThe hotel industry witnessed many changes in 2017. What is in store for this year? Micro-rooms to compliment big communal spaces, pop up hotels, ways to combat and capitalise on the Airbnb effect – we will see it all. And, what better way to discuss industry changes and trends than at the Hotel Designs spring Meet Up. The next event…
read moreFrom hotel openings to product spotlights to everything in between, we collate the top 10 most read stories on Hotel Designs this week… 1. GUEST BLOG: THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY – HOMESTAYS V. HOTELS Nakul Sharma is the CEO and founder of Hostmaker, London’s biggest Airbnb management company – and here he describes why he belives homestays and staying in a…
read moreNakul Sharma is the CEO and founder of Hostmaker, London’s biggest Airbnb management company – and here he describes why he believes homestays and staying in a hotel are different sides of the same coin… Over the last few years, homestays have become increasingly popular, with the explosion of companies such as Airbnb making these options a more convenient and…
read moreFrom hotel openings to product spotlights to everything in between, we collate the top 10 most read stories on Hotel Designs this week… 1. OPINION: NYC’S MISTAKE IN ATTACKING AIRBNB Hotel Designs editor Daniel Fountain asks why are hotels becoming increasingly paranoiac of Airbnb? And why these scare tactics won’t work… 2. STEIGENBERGER FRANKFURTER HOF SPA RECEIVES AWARD THE SPA…
read moreFrom hotel openings to product spotlights to everything in between, we collate the top 10 most read stories on Hotel Designs this week… 1. GUEST BLOG: LARRY MOGELONSKY – DIRTY DOZEN OF HOTEL RENOVATION Larry Mogelonsky, Principal at Hotel Mogel Consulting and Chairman at LMA Communications shares his thoughts on a general guideline of twelve tips for a smooth renovation……
read moreGlobal hospitality giant Hilton has been crowned the world’s most valuable hotel brand. The 2017 annual report Brand Finance Hotels 50 has ranked the Hilton group as leaders in the hospitality field in terms of their net worth, which is valued at $8.4 billion (£6.4 billion). The brand is AAA rated, putting it among the top names in the hotel…
read moreThe Alternative Accommodation Committee held its first educational event last week at the Park Regis, Birmingham. The event was well attended by 30 agents and 10 suppliers. Erica Livermore, Alternative Accommodation Chair said: “This was an important event for us, it served to highlight the importance of a growing sector in hospitality and hopefully enlighten both agents and venues on…
read moreUK hotels increased capital expenditure by 57% to £1.62 billion in 2015/16, up from £1.03 billion in the previous year to compete with newer tech rivals, according to research by Funding Options, the online business finance supermarket. Funding Options explains that established hotels are investing in their facilities and improving their offerings to stay competitive. Consumers now have a much…
read moreNew research from ZyXEL Communications, a global leader in broadband networking technology, has revealed that guests are demanding more personal digital services from hotels, yet more than a quarter (27%) of hoteliers admit that their Wi-Fi struggles to cope with the number of connected guest devices. With the number of consumer internet enabled devices continuing to rise, one in ten…
read moreAward-winning British bed manufacturer Hypnos has pledged its support for proposed regulations to ensure properties advertised on home exchange sites, such as Airbnb, meet appropriate fire safety standards. Home exchange websites allow users to list, find and rent properties or spare rooms across the globe. Such websites have seen a huge growth over the past year, with an increasing number…
read moreFirst & Foremost Hotels and Resorts, a bespoke hotel asset, development and operations company has joined forces with four-time Major Champion, Ernie Els to launch First & Foremost Family Hotels in partnership with Leading Family Hotels & Resorts.A trend within the travel world currently is community sharing whereby residential accommodation is rented through the likes of AirBnB. This has shaken…
read moreFun 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.
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.