25 November – 1 December: Top 10 stories of the week…

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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. FIVE TO WATCH: CITY HOTELS IN EUROPE
Europe is a haven of beautiful, dynamic and vibrant cities. Its cities are also home to some of the finest hotels in the world. Here are Hotel Designs’ picks for five to look out for…

2. CASE STUDY: BRINTONS AT HOTEL WALTHER, SWITZERLAND
In celebration of its 110th anniversary, the Hotel Walther commissioned Brintons to translate the elaborate designs of interior designer Virginia Maissen into woven Axminster rugs and fitted carpet to complement the refurbishment of the hotel.

3. GUEST BLOG: HOW VR COULD TRANSFORM GUEST EXPECTATIONS
Dean Minett, Director at Minett Consulting shares his views on how virtual reality could be changing the expectations of guests…

4. BREXIT HELPS HOTEL INSOLVENCIES PLUNGE
UK hotel insolvencies has dropped by 18% in the post-Brexit market, according to new research by accountancy firm Moore Stephens.

5. PREFERRED HOTELS AND RESORTS EXPANDS PORTFOLIO
The world’s largest independent hotel brand, Preferred Hotels and Resorts, has added 25 new properties to its international roster of luxury hotels and resorts.

6. CITYMAX HOTEL ASWAN CELEBRATES SOFT OPENING
Citymax Hotels made its debut in the historic city of Aswan in Egypt with the soft opening of Citymax Hotel Aswan last week.

7. HOMEWOOD SUITES LAS VEGAS CITY CENTER NOW OPEN
Homewood Suites by Hilton has annoubnced its newest property, Homewood Suites by Hilton Las Vegas City Center.

8. MAGNOLIA HOTEL LAUNCHES IN THE ALGARVE, PORTUGAL
Introducing an exciting new property to Portugal’s Algarve region, The Magnolia Hotel is a unique Miami Style Boutique Hotel which opened in October 2017.

9. PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT HANSGROHE RAINSELECT AT SLEEP 2017
RainSelect, launched at November’s Sleep show, is an intuitive and convenient central control unit, providing control of between two to five shower functions, along with the regulation of water temperature and quantity.

10. AUTOGRAPH’S THE DISTIL, MOXY HOTEL TO JOIN LOUISVILLE HOTEL SCENE
Two new, yet distinctly different hotels will open in 2019 in the historic and revitalised Whiskey Row neighbourhood of downtown Louisville as part of a new development planned by a staple of the Louisville hospitality industry.

 

Daniel Fountain / 01.12.2017

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.