Hotel Designs
Hotel Designs
Editor Checks In: don’t make me round-up 2020 “For someone who always tries to see the positive in everything, this year has been a challenging and turbulent journey that has been full twists, turns and dead ends,” editor Hamish Kilburn writes when trying to round-up 2020… It’s 21:00 GMT on a stormy evening in December. The eyes of the world…
read moreEditor checks in: will design ever be the same again? Weeks ahead of celebrating the best British designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers in The Brit List Awards 2020, editor Hamish Kilburn warmly remembers a design legend, Sir Terence Conran, in his monthly column… I have procrastinated long enough over writing this month’s Editor’s Letter. Perhaps it was a case of word…
read moreEditor Checks In: the price tag eliminating diversity in design An independent investigation on diversity in design, carried out by Hotel Designs, has highlighted the potentially ‘unethical’ lengths that studios are willing to go to in order to win projects on the international hotel design scene. Editor Hamish Kilburn writes… Traditionally – as well as recently – in the international…
read moreEditor checks in: calling for intelligent hospitality The measure of intelligent hospitality is the ability to adapt. In his latest column, editor Hamish Kilburn explores this statement while explaining the motives behind Hotel Designs’ upcoming events… Earlier this month, the long-awaited good news arrived that hospitality businesses were serving once more. While that was a monumental leap forward amidst the…
read moreEditor Checks In: Celebrating ‘Hollywood’s Architect’ Having followed a month of tempestuous headlines, editor Hamish Kilburn has come to the stark realisation that more education is needed in order to project equality in the global architecture and design arena… I sat alone peering over London’s Leicester Square from a unique vantage point at a swanky rooftop bar. Glancing down, I…
read moreEditor Checks In: “And we’re going live in 3, 2, 1…” During the COVID–19 pandemic, the team at Hotel Designs have announced initiatives to help further create conversations like no other. It’s safe to say that the editorial team have been anything but taking it easy during lockdown, as editor Hamish Kilburn explains… I have come to the conclusion this…
read moreEditor Checks In: Emerging from pandemic paralysis As the lockdown measures continue to the halt the industry’s reawakening from its slumber, editor Hamish Kilburn confronts the pandemic from a new vantage point… The front cover of this month’s US Condé Nast Traveler has managed to harmonise the opinions of the uncertain, and no-doubt anxious, hospitality, design and travel industries worldwide.…
read moreEditor Checks In: The hospitality industry fights back In his monthly column, editor Hamish Kilburn, like others, is self-isolating. He is reflecting on where it all went wrong – and, crucially, how we can make it right again for the hospitality industry. In the eye of the COVID–19 storm, which will pass, he finds himself praising the hospitality industry for…
read moreEditor Checks In: Colouring outside the lines, searching for creativity Casting back to a two-dimensional art classroom, editor Hamish Kilburn has a few confessions to make regarding the creativity of his sketch book before rekindling his relationship with art in design… As someone who regularly rushed his art homework in blue biro ink at the back of the school bus,…
read moreEditor Checks In: Is it time to reinvent the hotel design experience? Steering away from the days of absurd tech-flooded hotels, editor Hamish Kilburn has identified a number of factors in the industry that are acting as catalysts to pave a more meaningful hotel design landscape… The hotel design industry is a shrinking violet, said nobody… ever. And you can…
read moreEditor Checks In: Embracing meaningful trends Following a colourful year in the hot seat at Hotel Designs, editor Hamish Kilburn looks ahead to a more meaningful future of interior design moments and trends as he gives his thoughts on Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Classic Blue… If I have learned anything in 2019 from listening to the leading designers, architects, hoteliers and…
read moreEditor Checks In: The new luxury for AW/19 and beyond Following an enlightening month at the helm of the editorial desk, Hamish Kilburn pauses for just a moment on whether or not consciousness is the new luxury in design, architecture and hospitality… Am I accurate in saying that a few years working on the international hotel design scene can often…
read moreEditor Checks In: Everyone’s gone eco! This September, editor Hamish Kilburn has seen a rise in biophilic and eco design at London Design Festival as he prepares to go on stage at next month’s Independent Hotel Show (October 15) to put the topic firmly under the magnifying glass… I’ve got a confession to make. I’m not a naturally born eco…
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 moreEDITOR CHECKS IN: Proud of diversity in British design As the world focuses its attention on amplifying equality in all forms, editor Hamish Kilburn believes now is the time to break down why diversity in British design is something the industry should celebrate and be proud of… We’ve come a long way, and although the journey hasn’t exactly been a…
read moreEDITOR CHECKS IN: Making debuts in international hotel design Editor Hamish Kilburn has noticed an influx in hotel groups debuting lifestyle brands in far-flung destinations around the world… Whenever I disembark a long-haul flight I appreciate further just how small the world really is; it’s tiny in fact. The realisation that you can travel from one side of the…
read moreEDITOR CHECKS IN: Running on empty in Clerkenwell Editor Hamish Kilburn explains some of the benefits that come with being a runner on the editorial desk – especially during Clerkenwell Design Week… I believe that nine problems out of 10 within this ever-evolving industry can be solved with a fresh perspective. Whether the issue is a lack of inspiration or…
read moreEditor Checks In: April ‘19 Everyone is talking about Milan… Italy’s city of the future, which is also its fashion, culture and design quarters, thrives in between Gothic architecture. The fast-paced metropolis of Milan comes alive in April for what is seen as the largest design event in the calendar, Milan Design Week. Leading designers, architects and journalists from all…
read moreEditor Checks In: March ’19 Reviewing March: here’s to the future… One of the many treasures of being a young design editor comes the morning after the night before. Waking up fresh-faced, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t feel as if what we achieved last night at Meet Up London was nothing short of being exceptional! Ever…
read moreIt’s in with the new… This month has been about discovery over on the editorial desk at Hotel Designs HQ. At the beginning of February we opened entries and nominations for our 30 Under 30 initiative, which was the start of our global search for the industry’s rising stars. Make no bones about it, this is Hotel Designs’ pledge to help…
read moreWhen two trendy worlds collide in January… Excitement and optimism are both thick in the January air. My train carriage on the Eurostar is full to the brim of creative people. Half the passengers on board are interior designers on their way, like me, to Maison&Objet. The other half are fashionistas, bloggers and journalists preparing to arrive at Men’s Paris…
read moreColouring outside the trendy lines… The sun is falling on 2018 – and this particular sunset is filtered in a warm, peachy orange glow, also known as Living Coral or Pantone 16-154. Despite December traditionally being a month of reflection, it’s also a time to sprinkle a hint of optimism on the horizon as the industry turns its head to leading…
read moreAnd that’s a wrap! Show Season 2018 was a delicious cocktail of all the freshest, and tastiest, ingredients. Served up in a number of containers, each event unique in its structure, content and general look and feel. Sheltering insights of the future as well as game-changing product launches, the whole season has been one to remember, as we will review…
read moreWeekly briefing: remembering Sir Terence, lighting launches & a Bath debut Only got a minute? Our editorial team have compiled the top design stories that they have published this week, including an editor’s letter that remembers a legend, Chelsom unveiling Edition 27 and Hotel Indigo entering new territory… And just like that we are in October. With the industry busy…
read moreChecking in to Inhabit Hotel, sheltering a new level of eco design During the London hotel’s soft launch period, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to discover Inhabit’s debut property, which in the process earns his eco stamp of approval… Last year, an insightful study revealed that the city of London had the eighth highest level of pollution in the world,…
read moreThe leading international hotel design website closes January with a record-breaking 67, 792 readers…. By exploring hotel openings and spas as its Spotlight On features during January, Hotel Designs has smashed its online monthly traffic record, which was previously hit in November, by amassing more than 67,000 readers to the website. Hotel Designs, which last year attracted more than half a million…
read moreConcluding January and looking ahead to the future of lighting, surfaces and hotel development, Hamish Kilburn writes the top five stories of the week… As January turns to February, there is much anticipation in the air around developing trends. The must-watch lists of hues, textures and materials that landed in my inbox on January 1 have filtered subtly into the designs…
read moreIs it really ‘in with the new’ for the hospitality industry? “Out with the old and in with the new,” but what do you do in hospitality, when what’s about to come looks exactly the same as what’s just gone? Luckily, we have hear from psychotherapist, expert speaker and author Daniel Fryer to help hospitality through… It’s that time of…
read moreChecking in to The Mayfair Townhouse, London’s ‘dandiest’ hotel “If only these walls could talk, my job would have been so much easier,” admits art curator Minda Dowling to editor Hamish Kilburn as he checks in to explore the design narrative, drawn up by Goddard Littlefair, that spectacularly and effortlessly unfolds inside The Mayfair Townhouse… Following what must have been…
read moreMeet The Brit List Hoteliers of 2020 Each year, Hotel Designs unveils The Brit List, a publication that lists the top 25 designers, top 25 architects and top 25 hoteliers who are operating in Britain. Following the official unveiling of The List at this year’s virtual award ceremony, please meet The Brit List Hoteliers of 2020… For more than four years now, The…
read moreSpeakers announced for first Hotel Designs LIVE event in 2021 Following two successful events, Hotel Designs LIVE will return on February 23, 2021, with a global line-up of speakers who will appear in a series of four engaging panel discussions. Editor Hamish Kilburn, who will host the event, reveals all… It all started in June 2020. The temperatures in the…
read moreThe Dorchester, where style will always conquer over fashion The new challenge for traditional luxury hotels in London – aside from navigating the obvious pandemic – is confronting the demand for a new era of contemporary luxury hotels. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to one of Mayfair’s finest establishments, The Dorchester, to understand the power of style over fashion in…
read moreWeekly briefing: a London review, a Japanese gem & re-living the drama Just in time for the weekend, here’s your weekly briefing, featuring the hottest stories of the week. This briefing includes our video review of Sofitel London St James, a boutique bombshell up for sale in Bordeaux and how you can re-watch all the drama from The Brit List…
read moreHotel review (in video): checking in to Sofitel London St James 17 years after first unveiling the original designs for the Sofitel London St James, Pierre-Yves Rochon returned to London to breathe new life into the 183-key lifestyle luxury hotel. Editor Hamish Kilburn, along with a production team to film his response, checks in find out more… The ultimate compliment…
read moreChecking in to The Bull Inn, Totnes – a new standard in eco hospitality The award-winning indy hotel, The Bull Inn in Totnes, is a bare reminder that hospitality can be fully sustainable in both design and service. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in… It is time we erase the myth that sustainable hotels are a compromise on luxury. No longer…
read moreWeekly briefing: lighting confessions, new arrivals & a contactless check in Only got a minute? It’s been a busy week on the editorial desk but we have have compiled our top stories, including a confession of a lighting designer, multiple hotel debuts and a panel discussion on the future of public areas… As we gear up to unveil the winners…
read moreChecking in to a contactless hotel (with touchless tech from TIG) Technological Innovations Group (TIG) has played a key role in helping BLOC Hotels develop and implement new ‘touchless’ hotel technology. In an exclusive video review, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to discover what the contactless hotel experience is all about… The BLOC hotel at Gatwick Airport is a advanced…
read moreWeekly briefing: arriving in Miami, a cave retreat and going LIVE with Bensley Only got a minute? Our editorial team have compiled the top design stories that they have published this week, including a live chat with Bill Bensley, an exclusive review of Kent’s most luxurious hotel and news of a new boutique gem arriving in Miami… We appreciate you…
read moreChecking In: The Cave Hotel, Canterbury – Kent’s tech-savvy luxury pad In a sea of standard ‘luxury’ hotel offerings in Kent, The Cave Hotel in Canterbury, which opened late last year, has certainly made a statement. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to The Penthouse to discover the warm design scheme inspired by multiple hotels around the world… Before humans had…
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 moreDESIGN CONCEPT// A vision for a new New York City Design and architecture firm WATG has shared its urban planning solution that shapes a new vision for a greener New York City – one that underscores the unforeseen positives revealed during the pandemic… While the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown took force of major metropolises, an unusual thing happened across the…
read moreBehind the scenes: designing the ‘hottest boutique hotel’ in Dublin The Mayson is said to be Dublin’s ‘hottest new boutique hotel’ and one of the most modern and architecturally striking hotels added to the Dublin skyline. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks it out… Located in the heart of Dublin Docklands, The Mayson is an exciting restoration project by ODOS of 45,000…
read moreSPOTLIGHT ON: how Edmund bell grew as a textile brand To celebrate Soft Furnishings and Fabrics being placed under the editorial spotlight this month, Hotel Designs asks the team at Edmund Bell to explain its past, present and predict its future… Ever since Edmund Bell was founded in 1855, as a merchant converter in textiles, it has always been proud…
read moreChecking in to Hotel Brooklyn, the best of both worlds Two years after Hotel Designs reviewed Hotel Gotham, editor Hamish Kilburn is transported to New York City without having to leave Manchester as he checks in to review Hotel Brooklyn… Could checking in to places like Hotel Brooklyn – experiencing the unequivocal flair and flavour of a destination from…
read moreTREND ALERT: Aspirational lifestyle interior design is in! Following pandemic paralysis, forcing the world’s population to become short-term introverts, aspirational lifestyle interior design is now on trend, argues Deborah Heath from Design by Deborah… Social media is full of images of how the celebrated live and play and ideas on how to create your own version of their lifestyles. We…
read moreIn (Lockdown) Conversation With: Dean Winter, Managing Director, Swire Hotels Following his recent appointment as Managing Director of Swire Hotels, Dean Winter sits down (virtually) with editor Hamish Kilburn to explain the brand’s change of direction… Swire Hotels, which shelters luxury and lifestyle brands The House Collective and EAST, has recently announced a new Managing Director. Dean Winter, who first…
read morePRODUCT WATCH: Tape Cord Outdoor range by Minotti As Hotel Designs starts to place outdoor style under the editorial magnifying glass this month, editor Hamish Kilburn gets comfortable as he checks out Minotti’s Tape Cord Outdoor range of furniture, a fine example of outdoor, robust furniture meeting indoor style… If you are familiar with the Italian furniture brand Minotti’s timeline…
read moreINDUSTRY INSIGHT: Coming back from COVID–19 As the UK lockdown measures show (slow) signs of relaxation, Hotel Designs checks back in with Gary Corsbie from Interefurb lists how hotels can come back from coronavirus… In my previous article, we looked at the mothballing of your property, the checks and steps to take.The four main areas we looked at were weather,…
read moreHotel construction in the United States hit all-time high in March The hotel industry in the United States recorded more than 200,000 rooms under construction last month, the highest end-of-month total ever reported by STR… Despite the pandemic grounding the hospitality and travel industry, the United States recorded 214,704 hotel rooms under construction in March 2020. “Because of the coronavirus…
read moreCheeky collaborations in Britain’s material world When it comes to collaborations between designers and furniture brands, British suppliers are arguably in a league of their own. To celebrate the industry working together, Hotel Designs takes a closer look at some of Cheeky Chairs’ most meaningful partnerships… The British textile industry is thriving, and its success is driven by a range…
read moreChecking in: Hôtel Chais Monnet, Cognac Four years after Hotel Designs got the on-the-boards industry sneak peek of Hôtel Chais Monnet, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to the luxury hotel in the heart of Cognac… Positioned in close proximity of Cognac’s Charente River, Hôtel Chais Monnet took chief architect Didier Poignant of Paris-based Ertim Architects four years to plan, and…
read moreINDUSTRY INSIGHT: The meaning of hospitality in a hostile world? Designer Peter Mance, who the director of MAAPS Design and Architecture, takes a thorough look at why design in hospitality will change post-pandemic… Me: “Alexa, define ‘hospitality’.” Alexa: “The definition of hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.” A new viral guest is…
read moreFEATURE: COVID–19 pandemic is forcing an evolution in wellness When we eventually return to ‘normal’ life following the worldwide pandemic of COVID–19, we will all have become acutely aware of how Mother Nature can rapidly alter the status quo and severely affect each and every one of us; where we go, who we see, what we do. Room to Breathe…
read moreHotels that are self-isolating in style (part 3) The editorial series continues with part three, as editor Hamish Kilburn mentally checks in to some of the best hotels that are self-isolating in style… The weeks are starting to feel like years. As the number of cases of COVID–19 increases day-by-day, so too do our social restrictions. From our new-found goldfish…
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 moreIn Conversation With: Hotelier of the Year 2019, Thomas Kochs The Managing Director of Corinthia London, Thomas Kochs, has confidently evolved – and arguably led – the luxury hospitality scene in London for decades. Editor Hamish Kilburn joins the man of the moment who was recently crowned Hotelier of the Year at The Brit List Awards 2019… London’s luxury market…
read moreChecking in: Heckfield Place Former senior stylist for House & Garden and The Brit List Awards 2019 judge, Florence Rolfe, checks in to the award-winning Heckfield Place to discover how the hotel is anything but ‘greenwashing’ in both its design and operation… I recently received a dream invitation to the highly acclaimed country manor hotel Heckfield Place. Naturally, I obliged.…
read moreEXCLUSIVE ROUNDTABLE: Meaningfully differentiating luxury in hotel design To continue Hotel Designs’ series of articles to put sustainability under the spotlight, editor Hamish Kilburn chairs an exclusive editorial roundtable, in collaboration with Minotti London, to understand how today’s leading designers are sensitively working to create a more meaningful luxury hotel design landscape. Joining us on the Minotti sofa to discuss…
read moreMINIVIEW: Balancing heritage and playful design inside Maximilian Hotel Known locally as one of Prague’s most established boutique hotels, redesigning the 71-key Maximilian Hotel called upon experienced minds and skilful to sensitively reimagine and redesign the hotel’s interiors. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in for a sneak peek… Situated on Haštalská Street facing the Haštal Church – close to Prague’s Old…
read moreINTERACTIVE HOTEL REVIEW: Monkey Island Estate, Bray-on-Thames Unearthing eight centuries of history, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to Bray-on-Thames’ Monkey Island Estate to interactively review a new kind of private countryside luxury… Travel upstream from London and you eventually arrive in the quintessentially British surroundings of Bray-on-Thames, a quiet suburban village that is arguably most for harbouring two of the…
read moreThe Standard London, Camden’s new kid on the block In search of a new standard in design, creativity and urban hotels, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to London’s most talked-about hotels this year to explore another world. The Standard London has opened, making a bold statement on the capital’s new hospitality scene… Something significant is happening in London’s King’s Cross…
read moreChecking In: Wyndham Grand Athens With unparalleled views casting over the ancient city below, Wyndham Grand Athens opened in 2017 to capture the city from a unique perspective. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in two years later to explore just how timeless the interiors really are… It seems to me that Greece – and Athens in particular – is a magnet this…
read moreChecking In: Down the rabbit hole in Devon’s Glazebrook House Hotel In search for English eccentricity, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to Glazebrook House Hotel to explore the Alice-in-Wonderland meets Rule Britania interiors, designed by Timothy Oulton… When Peter and Fran Hamman, the owners of Glazebrook House Hotel, originally embarked on their tremendous journey to open a statement luxury boutique hotel…
read moreConcept to Completion: Nicky Dobree creating Plaza 18 (part three) While Hotel Designs is exclusively following Plaza 18’s creation, editor Hamish Kilburn checks in on designer Nicky Dobree as the project is just weeks from completing… With her sleeves rolled up, designer Nicky Dobree is on the home straight in the race to design her first hotel project. The finish…
read moreThe designer shaping the future of water at GROHE Post-ISH, Grohe’s Vice President of Design, Michael Seum, sits down with Hotel Designs to explain how its latest innovations are vastly reshaping the bathroom industry. Editor Hamish Kilburn writes… If one were to imagine the bathroom industry as a quiet, glass-like lake, surrounded by tranquil surroundings, then ISH 2019 was a…
read moreHD Checking In: MOB Hotel Paris, where it all started On the doorstep of Paris’ infamous flea market, MOB Hotel Paris – the original MOB – is designed ‘for the people’. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to see where the MOB Hotels story started… In order to understand MOB Hotels’ style, ethos and energy you must first, in my opinion,…
read moreBeing the ‘first’ in international hotel design is a daring move, but one that carries ample rewards if conceived well. Editor of Hotel Designs Hamish Kilburn checks in to the newly opened New Road Hotel to explore what’s underneath the fossil that is a former textiles factory in London’s said-to-be up and coming neighbourhood of Whitechapel… Knocking on the back…
read moreEditor of Hotel Designs Hamish Kilburn checks in to the only hotel in Bath that taps into the natural thermal springs of the city, designed by the one and only Alexandra Champalimaud… “First and foremost, the location is what really sets this project apart,” says Alexandra Champalimaud who, to me, looks far too composed and relaxed for two reasons as…
read moreAs our month of threading together the latest in fabrics and soft furnishings comes to a close, we wrap up another fast-paced week in the creative world of international hotel design with the top five stories of the last five days… Following on from the successful Meet Up North networking event we hosted in Manchester’s King Street Townhouse, this week we’ve covered hotel…
read moreNestled behind vibrant streets, where thousands of Gap-Year backpackers find shelter in cheap hostels, rises a luxury hotel with personality, style and unmatched ocean views. Editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to the Wyndham Grand Phuket Kalim Bay to see for himself how opposites in South East Asia can attract after all… Perched on a hilltop facing south, with Phuket’s Patong Beach to…
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