As the freedom to travel returns and guests leave home to enjoy a long-awaited hotel break, how can you ensure that expectations are realised in terms of comfort, relaxation and the pure indulgence that so many of us have craved since the start of the pandemic? Ben Bryden, Sales and Marketing Director of RAK Ceramics, explores the 2022 bathroom trends to keep an eye out for….
While we’ve all been staying at home that little bit more than we may have liked, the budget that would normally have been spent on hotel breaks and travelling has been invested a little closer to home too. Research by insurance company confused.com found that Brits spent £34,000 renovating their homes, on average, during lockdown, with 94 per cent of them choosing to upgrade their bathroom.
“If the domestic bathroom is now very much seen as a space to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life, where does that leave the hotel bathroom, and where can designers go to for inspiration?” – Ben Bryden, Sales and Marketing Director, RAK Ceramics.
As we look ahead to 2022, there is hope that the travelling bug will return for many, as restrictions around the world cautiously ease. But while this may mean homeowners spend less time in their own bathrooms and more of it in your hotel, it also means that expectations of what makes for a comfortable, if not luxurious, hotel bathroom will also have been raised another bar higher. If the domestic bathroom is now very much seen as a space to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life, where does that leave the hotel bathroom, and where can designers go to for inspiration?
A sensible place to start would be the domestic bathroom itself. By taking a look at the trends now being seen in this market, hotel designers can ensure their own spaces are more than up to scratch. As we continue to live with the pandemic in 2022, the heightened awareness of good hygiene is likely to remain a priority for travellers. Just as we have seen in the domestic setting over the last 18 months, ease of cleaning and anti-bacterial surfaces have really come to the fore, and this is one of the key ways that hotels will be able to entice their guests back to staying with them.
Hygiene in the bathroom
Touchless flushing on WCs, for instance, encourages users to flush in a hygienic way, while the absence of awkward levers or buttons to press makes the hotel bathroom that little bit more accessible to all too. In terms of ease of cleaning, rimless WCs are a dream, while anti-bacterial coatings raise the stakes even further in terms of hygiene in the bathroom, acting as an invisible barrier to harmful germs and bacteria. Special glazes applied during manufacture see these off, with no need for lots of chemicals and copious amounts of cleaning products. A regular wipe down with a soft damp cloth is all that is required, reducing the need for lots of downtime for deep cleaning and maintenance reasons.
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- Image credit: RAK Ceramics
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- Image credit: RAK Ceramics
Bathroom style trends
From a style viewpoint too, for a long time, the focus for sanitaryware in the bathroom has been starkly white, but things are changing, with soft pastels and muted shades increasingly being seen in bathroom collections. Less clinical than an all-white bathroom, these pops of colour can be scaled up or down to meet individual tastes. Colour doesn’t need to mean bold and bright, and in this instance the trend takes a far subtler approach, with nature-inspired tones that serve to add character while creating a relaxed and tranquil vibe.
Shower power
Creating a spa-like feel is going to be very important to guests who want to feel pampered and to finish their hotel visit feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. This is made possible with the inclusion of a contemporary, walk-in, wet-room style shower area. Shower trays with a very low profile create a feeling of space in the bathroom as the floor area is opened out and access much easier. For baths, think painted exteriors, freestanding tubs offset from other fixtures to make a statement and baths with slim rims.
Compact bathroom solutions
Not every hotel bathroom will be blessed with a huge amount of space, but just like in the domestic setting, small doesn’t have to mean boring in any sense of the word, with sanitaryware and furniture designed specifically for small spaces being key here – reduced projection, slim profiles and plenty of storage are in order.
All of these trends together help create a luxurious and practical hotel bathroom experience that will not just impress guests, but will have them booking a return visit too.
RAK Ceramics is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: RAK Ceramics
