Long stay apartment rooms are a growing trend among hotel guests, with 35 per cent expecting a sitting room or lounge area as standard, Beacon Design Services (BDS) has found.
Using its research, BDS partnered with Citadines Research to create a home away from home for guests by refurbing the Citadines Barbican London Hotel.
Comprised of seven phases covering seven floors, the apart’hotel refurb featured a kitchen, bedroom, dining and living areas of BDS’ long stay apartments.
“An aim of the refurbishment was to reflect the hotel’s London location. It was important to give guests a taste of where they were staying, and to experience something new and exciting,” said Chris Johnson, design services manager at Beacon.
“To achieve this, London based artwork was very important so BDS sourced specific artwork of Smithfield Market, a very well known, very local area to the property. The bathrooms even included maps of London on the floor to further add to this look.”
Based in the North of London’s financial district, the apart’hotel was in need of storage, kitchen appliances and bedroom and living room furniture, which BDS were able to supply.
Johnson added: “Previously the rooms in the hotel were very corporate looking. As more people are choosing long stay apartments the aim of the brief was to create a warmer, homely feel.
“We created this look by sourcing furniture which deliberately did not match, but that complemented each other, creating a more relaxed, eclectic feel. For example, there were different bedside tables on each side of the bed. To further enhance this relaxing environment, we provided products such as the rugs to create a softer atmosphere.”
