Designing the golf resort for tomorrow’s hotel design scene

Golf resort getaways abroad are a bucket-list experience for many, and while the courses are typically exceptional, the resort itself is often lacklustre with uninspiring and outdated design.

To confront these conventional, often rigid, hospitality spaces, PGA National Resort & Spa (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) invited hospitality design firm KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group to re-imagine the golf club and resort of tomorrow.

Image credit: PGA National Resort & Spa

To do this, according to Lisa Simeone, Principal at the design studio, the team immersed themselves in research to fully understand the current state of today’s golf clubs in order to create the golf club of tomorrow. Through a deep-dive into current challenges – memberships and competition, how to appeal to the tried-and-true golfer, the non-golfer, and what new generations are looking for – the team set out to break the mold of the typical club and showcase what a real-and-relevant golf resort can-and-should look like.

With an overarching understanding established, designers researched additional details – beginning with the resort’s home of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Founded in 1960 by visionary John D. MacArthur, Palm Beach Gardens was a city planned and fashioned to be one with nature. Conceptualised to be a true garden city, a mighty Banyan tree was established as the city’s symbol and centre. Leaning into three major pillars revolving around this location – the era of the 1960’s, the planning of the “Garden City,” and resort life of Southern Florida – designers set their space plan layouts and design vision into motion.

Crisp black, white, and poppy striped cabana curtains and a tented arrival awning creates a flawless entry sequence to the grand lobby. Here, a traversing path to the left leads to a private check-in area, guest elevators, and a sundries juice bar. To the right, guests find their way to the signature restaurant and specialty chocolatier shop.

Image credit: PGA National Resort & Spa

Designers raised the main lobby area up two steps, truly elevating the space and making way for two sunken semi-circular, decidedly 60’s conversation pits in two corners of the swanky space. A central floating bar, the lobby’s focal point, sits against the windowed backdrop of silhouetted palm trees. Underfoot, flooring of exotic marble in shades of purple, pink, and green – is full of movement. This unique stone not only sets off the bar footprint but rises to become the bar face and top – a truly monolithic centerpiece.

Image credit: PGA National Resort & Spa

The back bar, made of glass and twisted metal, is a soaring interpretation of a Banyan tree. Set against these architectural elements sit many and varied colourfully modern seating groupings. From blush pink endless leather sofas punctuated with fringed, lush green pillows to bentwood rattan chairs decked in tribal-inspired fabrics, to high-gloss root tables and lanky tubular metal lounge slings, each selection plays up a vibrant social vibe.

Elevator corridors take a decidedly tropical turn as over-scale hibiscus flowers and lush fern leaves adorn walls while beachy, pastel corals and pinks stipple the hallway’s custom runner. In the guestroom corridors, an amalgam of sunset creams, hot corals, and persimmon is set against lime and lush green lead to guestrooms of respite and repose.

Image credit: PGA National Resort & Spa

Cool tones and clean lines are “de-rigueur” for these warm-climate retreats set in perfect counterpoint to public areas. Keeping with the 60’s modern-tropical concept, guestrooms are relaxed-yet-posh residential-like escapes. Custom, vintage-inspired wallcoverings, plush area rugs, thickly-upholstered headboards with moody bedside lighting, mid-century style soft seating, and lacquered and caned case goods come together to create a collected look within a palette of soft sepias, greys, taupes, greens, corals, pinks, bright white and charcoal brown.

The reimagined interior spaces blend a 1960’s vibe with an old-Florida aesthetic, inspired by the area’s foliage and rich history. The result is a hospitality experience that’s playful, inclusive and luxe, delighting golf-lovers and travel enthusiasts, alike.

Main image credit: PGA