Weekly digest: surface (Design Show) reflections & nature-inspired hotels

Hotel design: Pool overlooking Costa Rica landscape
730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Weekly digest: surface (Design Show) reflections & nature-inspired hotels

Editor Hamish Kilburn here to bring you up to speed on the latest and hottest hotel design stories. In this week’s digest, I share my thoughts on Surface Design Show 2022, give a nod to the interior designers who gave Hotel Designs some serious lighting inspiration and explore what the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in Costa Rica will look (and feel) like…

Hotel design: Pool overlooking Costa Rica landscape

Every so often on the editorial desk at Hotel Designs, a project emerges that completely blows my mind. Yes, we always cover sensational projects that shelter exceptional interiors, but when the design narrative of a hotel runs so deep so that every touchpoint sensitively references its location a creative and non-confirming way, I can’t help myself from standing in awe when understanding the challenges the designer faced when creating such a masterpiece.

Well, this week the editorial team have had the pleasure of writing about two of these projects that stylishly sit in this category of ‘extraordinary’. The first being Taoxichuan Hotel, designed by AIM Architecture and David Chipperfield Architects. Its design pays tribute to the city’s porcelain heritage in the design, the finishes and the surfaces. The other is located in Costa Rica. Every inch of Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, designed by SB Architects, will reflect a deep respect to the region’s biodiversity.

But that’s not all… let’s take a look at this week’s hottest stories and features:

Hotel lighting: How Interior designers are breaking boundaries

The Penthouse inside The Mandrake hotel

Image credit: The Mandrake Hotel London

To launch this month’s feature around innovative hotel lighting, Hotel Designs asked a handful of leading interior designers share their favourite lighting design schemes.

Read more.

Top highlights from Surface Design Show 2022

Two women looking at surfaces and materials

Image credit: Surface Design Show

With a deliberately unsubtle undertone of sustainability and drive towards reusable materials, Surface Design Show 2022 took place inside London’s Business Design Centre – and received an overwhelming response from both visitors and exhibitors.

Read more.

Dorchester Collection’s debut property in Dubai opens

Water feature at the entrance to One At Palm Jumeirah

Image credit: Dorchester Collection

OMNIYAT and Dorchester Collection have just announced the completion of One at Palm Jumeriah, Dorchester Collection, Dubai. As the leader in luxury real estate that offers the most sought-after residences, the OMNIYAT development offers unparalleled views of the shorelines of Dubai.

Read more.

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Taoxichuan Hotel: A journey in ceramics & context

dark green ceramic tiles in Hyatt Unbound Taoxichuan

Image credit: Hyatt / Aim Architecture

Taoxichuan Hotel is situated in the vibrant Taoxichuan creative and cultural district of Jingdezhen, China. The project is a collaboration between AIM Architecture and David Chipperfield Architects and occupies three interconnected buildings, every part of which pays tribute to the city’s porcelain heritage in the design, the finishes and the surfaces.

Read more. 

SB Architects reveals design details for Ritz-Carlton in Costa Rica

Hotel Design exterior Ritz Carlton Costa Rica

Image credit: SB Architects / Marriott International

SB Architects has revealed the design it led for Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve and Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Residence. The resort and exclusive collection of luxury-branded residences will be located in Peninsula Papagayo, a private club and resort community in Costa Rica’s northwestern region of Guanacaste.

Read more.

Mandarin Oriental announces debut plans for Greece

sunset view from mandarin oriental costa navarino

Image credit: Mandarin Oriental

The group’s first property in Greece, Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino, will be located on the southwest coast of the Peloponnese, in one of the most unspoiled and breath-taking landscapes in the Mediterranean. The beachfront resort will be part of Costa Navarino, a well-established tourism destination. The Costa Navarino project is owned and developed by TEMES, a leading developer and operator of high-end tourism and real estate destinations in Greece.

Read more.

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Hamish Kilburn / 18.02.2022

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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.

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