Making an entrance: Can Graduate Hotels’ debut in the UK settle a legendary rivalry?
Graduate Hotels has made a bold entrance in the UK with the opening of two hotels in Cambridge and Oxford. Editor Hamish Kilburn explores the tension, the design details and what this means for the two locations that have been at war since 1209…
Having just returned from Cambridge, I find it difficult to include ‘Cambridge’ and ‘Oxford’ within the same sentence. I say this because in one of the city’s, Oxford is referred to as ‘the O word’ – I can only imagine what Cambridge is known as in Oxford… That’s right, the two universities – both of which pride themselves to be the most prestigious academic institutions in the world – share one thing in common, aside from their ability to churn out Nobel Prize winners; they both share their mutual (un)healthy rivalry towards one another. Since 1209, when the the University of Cambridge was founded, the history books have painted the two establishments as enemies, which has in the past – many, many years ago – even resulted in murder.
Making what I am comfortable to describe as the boldest debuts in 2021 (so far), Graduate Hotels, a collection of handcrafted properties in university-anchored cities across America, has opened its first set of hotels in Europe in… yes, you guessed it… Cambridge and Oxford. Graduate Cambridge and The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels have officially opened their doors for overnight stays with food and beverage outlets to follow later this month.
Inspired by the world-famous academic reputation and unique traditions of the cities and universities, both Graduate Hotels properties offer design rooted in storytelling, distinct food and beverage experiences and a range of programming and events with local partners hosted year round. Crafted for local neighbours and students, regional alums and weekenders and international travellers alike, the hotels both seek to celebrate the dynamic communities they are positioned within.
“Our team is humbled to be launching the Graduate Hotels brand in two of the most historic and prestigious university communities in the world,” said Ben Weprin, Graduate Hotels founder and CEO. “The legacies that these iconic destinations represent drive the ethos of what inspires us to create memorable spaces to be enjoyed for generations to come. We look forward to welcoming global travellers for a uniquely Graduate experience in these centuries old, one-of-a-kind cities.”
Graduate Hotels has partnered with restaurant developer, White Rabbit Projects to launch all food and beverage outlets at Graduate Cambridge and The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels. White Rabbit Projects is behind some of the most exciting hospitality concepts in the U.K. including Kricket, Lina Stores and Island Poké. With input from local suppliers throughout the regions, the range of culinary offerings will encompass restaurant, bar and café concepts.
Inside Graduate Cambridge
Positioned along the idyllic banks of the River Cam, the 148-key Graduate Cambridge is surrounded by the University of Cambridge, within walking distance of several colleges, and a stone’s throw from the city’s best restaurants, bars and shops. The hotel has undergone a complete interior renovation that includes all rooms, common spaces, fitness club and pool. A ground floor conversion has seen the addition of a café and bar, as well as the renovation of the full-service restaurant, which opened on September 10.
Image credit: Graduate Hotels
Led by Graduate Hotels’ in-house interior design studio, the hotel’s design incorporates the history of the city, making the river the focal point with various accessible views, especially in the lobby bar. Colour palettes, patterns and textures in the public areas reflect the green surroundings of fields and the pastoral English countryside. With the punting boat rentals located just outside, the design brings local inspiration into the hotel, with life-size punting boats incorporated in the bookshelves in the lobby, a statement installation by local craftsmen.
The lobby is also home to a hanging DNA installation to celebrate Rosalind Franklin, a pioneer in the development of DNA at the University of Cambridge. The guest rooms see splashes of “Cambridge Blue.” Key design details include wallpaper depicting school gates, bedside built-ins reimagined as punting boats, whimsical lamps in the shape of a penny coin, as well as striking wood and leather desks to give the rooms a studious feel. Bathrooms feature scenic pastoral wallpaper and mirrors in the shape of the university crest.
The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels
Located in the city’s cultural epicentre, The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels is within close walking distance to the University of Oxford and its iconic colleges, including Trinity and St. John’s. The hotel is also close to St. Giles Street, as well as the world-famous Radcliffe Camera and Ashmolean Museum. The design of the 151-key hotel takes inspiration from the university’s history, paying homage to its storied innovators and alumni. The hotel has undergone a complete renovation across all of the common spaces, the lobby and guest rooms, which includes a spa featuring treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, all of which will open in autumn 2021.
Image credit: Graduate Hotels
Image credit: Graduate Hotels
The hotel has relaunched with comprehensive interior renovations throughout all of the guest rooms, the lobby and common spaces. Led by Graduate Hotels’ in-house interior design studio, the design details at The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels include bold hues and architectural elements inspired by the hotel’s heritage and locally inspired art which tells the narratives of Oxford’s past. In-room art includes paintings of Oxford alumni and well-known author and playwright, Oscar Wilde, and a painting of the famous ‘Steamboat Ladies’ (1904-1097), tells the story of a group of more than 700 women who travelled by a steamboat ferry to obtain degrees at a time when their own universities withheld graduation from female students.
Founded by CEO Ben Weprin in 2014, Graduate Hotels currently has 30 U.S. locations in addition to the two new U.K. properties. Owned by Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners, Graduate Hotels’ properties in Oxford and Camdbridge join AJ Capital’s growing portfolio of hotels throughout the U.K. AJ Capital additionally owns and operates Marine & Lawn, a collection of bespoke hotels in the world’s most distinguished golfing destinations. The inaugural properties recently launched with Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews, Scotland and Marine North Berwick in North Berwick, Scotland, and will be followed by Marine Troon in Troon, Scotland.
LA dreams: The Beverly Hills Hotel unveils new design scheme
The legend that is The Beverly Hills Hotel has unveiled its latest redesign. The hotel, known as the ‘Pink Palace’ that has been the star of many movie sets, now has 11 new poolside retreats, designed by the masterful team at Champalimaud Design. Editor Hamish Kilburn has more…
Steeped in Hollywood history, the pool at The Beverly Hills Hotel has always been home to glamorous starlets, movie icons, and the location for many classic films.
Now, having just completed a restoration of its private cabanas by world renowned interior design firm, Champalimaud Design – the same team that was behind the redesign of the hotel’s sister hotel, The Dorchester – The beloved ‘Pink Palace’ moves gracefully into a new and contemporary era. It now provides a new generation of guests with modern day luxuries in a setting reflective of Hollywood’s golden age. The design studio has sensitively led the masterful redesign of all 11 poolside retreats.
Image credit: Dorchester Collection
Image credit: Dorchester Collection
“What distinguishes The Beverly Hills Hotel from all others is its magical history. Through time it has been the destination of movie stars and socialites, kings and queens,” says Alexandra Champalimaud, Founder & President – Champalimaud Design. “Vivacious and brimming with life, there is a particularly strong culture around the swimming pool and cabanas. The cabanas hold prime seats to a mesmerising show of beautiful people wading in clusters, chatting in groups as laughter permeates the air. You sit with your family, surrounded by beauty and laughter, and you watch as the amazing show goes on.”
Image credit: Dorchester Collection
The newly refreshed cabanas convey a welcoming residential feel while paying homage to the hotel’s iconic design elements. Admiring the storied history of the hotel and pool area in particular, each space is imbued with a nostalgic sense of Hollywood glamour. The design team have created a distinct atmosphere that builds up from the details: basket weave on the chairs, terrazzo on the coffee tables, and bright candy pink throughout the space. Establishing an even deeper sense of place, the design studio had sourced beautiful peach pink tables from a local Los Angeles designer, Bend. Adorned in pink and white interior striped awnings, guests in the cabanas find themselves immersed in all the fun and exclusivity that Beverly Hills has to offer.
The most notable design feature in the cabanas is the pink Martinique banana leaf wallpaper made by CW Stockwell. The pink is a new colourway, re-introduced from the company’s archives to complement the original green of the hotel’s interiors. This is the first time the hotel has installed this iconic wallpaper since the original installation in the 1940s. The wallpaper is featured in The Fountain Coffee Room and in all of the hallways of the hotel, 5½ miles to be exact. With its distinctive colours, large bright leaves, and waving banana palms, it remains internally and intrinsically connected to the hotel, and has developed a type of celebrity status amongst designers and guests alike.
With the aim to put ethical lighting – and not just sustainability – under the spotlight, Hotel Designs’ latest virtual roundtable welcomes Chris Stimson, Founder of lighting brand Well-Lit, and a handful of leading designers and lighting experts to explore ethical product design. Editor Hamish Kilburn writes…
For years now, the buzzword that is ‘sustainability’ has been a constant tone; a consistent and unavoidable noise ringing in the ears of every designer, architect and hospitality professional – like tinnitus. Despite the topic remaining important and in its infancy regarding us seeing real change, in order to really clean up our act when it comes to designing consciously, it is not the only subject we need to consider and, if needs be, expose.
To really one day achieve a totally ethical arena for designers, architects and hotel professionals – we live in hope here on the editorial desk – we must also place product design under the spotlight. To do this, designers must not be afraid to question how raw materials are sourced as well as how each element of the product they are specifying is made. But how do we, as an industry, realistically achieve this when deadlines become tighter, briefs become narrower and so many other details need to be addressed on a project?
In addition to advising designers to specify responsibly, after moderating the below roundtable discussion, I no longer believe it is acceptable for brands to be ignorant on how their products are being made. The reason why I say this is because the consequences of such naivety, which emerge thousands of miles away from the first-world problems we face in the western world, can be (and are) unequivocally devastating.
Many brands, both large and small, that currently manufacture their products in Asia are (knowingly or not) fuelling modern slavery. One man who has seen the human cost of unethical manufacturing is Chris Stimson, Founder of lighting brand Well-Lit, who inspired the topic of our Hotel Designs next roundtable.
To panoramically explore ethical lighting solutions with might and purpose, we invited Stimson, along with a handful of designers and lighting experts, to discuss just how bad the problem currently is.
Hamish Kilburn: Chris, why is ethical lighting so high up on your agenda?
Chris Stimson: It’s based on my own experience. Previously I was based in China, and worked as a sourcing agent for western brands that were looking for manufacturers. Before LED bulbs for domestic homes were known, I was watching the research, travelling to trade shows and meeting the people who were developing the technology. I successfully connected the manufacturers with brands – and that went well for about two years.
Then in 2010, there was a dramatic shift in the market as mass production entered, and the price of LEDs and what manufacturers could achieve fell. I was literally told over night to halve my prices or I would be out of a job. It was during that time when I witnessed things that rocked me to my core; I saw things that could not be unseen. Over the period of just six months I realised I facilitated it. I was part of the problem, so I decided that I was in a position to do better. And this is how we started the lighting brand Well-Lit.
Image caption: Well-Lit are one of the few lighting brands that is actively ensuring that the manufacturing process to make its products and components is ethical.
HK: As lighting experts and designers, how aware are you all about non-ethical practices when it comes to manufacturing?
Charlotte Flynn: I’ll be honest, before we had an introduction with Well-lit, we were not aware of the unethical side of lighting manufacturing. It really was new to us. At least knowing that brands, such as Well-Lit, were willing to bring this forward was comforting, but it was also pretty unnerving to think that, despite working with brands who claim to be ethical and sustainable, we actually had no idea just how bad the situation was. The reality is that many designers are unknowingly specifying products that have been made in barbaric conditions.
Metehan Apak: As designers, I think we have all noticed prices of products come down as demand rises. What cannot be ignored are the demands among modern travellers for sustainable design and hospitality. As a result, our clients are getting on board with our thinking to source sustainable and ethical products.
Arianne Ghezzi: We do pay close attention to the suppliers we are working with. There are a few items that we really care about when specifying and that’s usually around what happens in the background. Clients start coming on board when they realise that these ethical decisions often end up saving money when it comes to running costs. More and more, I have seen, that clients are also asking about the lifecycle of products and the recycling qualities of each product.
I also think that manufacturing tours are very usable for designers to understand how components are made and put together.
Image caption: Ennismore recently set new standards to only work with brands that can prove their ethical value. | Image credit: The Hoxton Paris
HK: I can imagine, though, it is very difficult for designers who are working towards a brief for a space to be aesthetically pleasing while also remaining on budget and for the materials to be sourced ethically. Realistically, can all three demands be met?
Susan Lake: It’s a very difficult tightrope that as designers we have to walk. We have to think about the larger picture but we also have to consider the budget, time and aesthetics. It’s reassuring to see that there are brands out there that do source and manufacture responsibly. Equally, it is our responsibility to really demand these credentials when we are specifying products. When it comes to ethics, though, to produce in an ethical way will naturally result in the prices going up.
HK: How do you qualify what is ethical – and what is the human and social cost of unethically made lighting?
CS: The situation around fast fashion really brought awareness to other industries. Even Apple – one of the world’s most recognised brands in the world – has huge problems with their manufacturing in Asia. For example, the brand launched a huge campaign about ethics and manufacturing. Well, on the day they released their press statement, a video emerged showing footage from inside a Chinese factory where the manager was throwing workers’ name badges on the floor for them to pick up at the start of their shifts. It’s incredibly difficult and if a brand like Apple is struggling then you can imagine how challenging it is for everyone else.
“It’s almost like ‘made in China’ is a dirty phrase. And it usually is, but it doesn’t have to be. – Chris Stimson, Founder, Well-Lit.
Image caption: Public areas inside Hotel Zeppelin, designed by Dawson Design Associates. | Image credit: Viceroy Hotels
In terms of my own experience and what I have witnessed, the social and human cost of manufacturing [unethically] in my industry is devastating. I am seeing migrants working hundreds of miles away from their families for very low pay – sometimes even refused pay. The working and living conditions in and around these factories can be disgusting and dangerous. They are being made to work inhumane hours and their jobs are threatened on a daily basis because they can be easily replaced. I have seen what that can do so someone’s physical and mental health and it is disturbing. It destroys people, and yet it still doesn’t get spoken about.
For a lot of brands, it’s almost like ‘made in China’ is a dirty phrase. And it usually is, but it doesn’t have to be. My beliefs are that we all live on the same planet and we should be treated equally. It is as important to discuss ethical sourcing as it is to highlight sustainability and carbon emissions.
“Sustainability seems to be the key word in the briefs but trying to find out information on how the products are manufactured and the conditions of the factories is very difficult.” – Glenn Campion, Partner, LAPD
Image caption: LADP Lighting Design’s simple yet dramatic lighting scheme inside The Loft Restaurant. | Image credit: The Loft Restaurant
HK: In your experiences, are you being told the truth when brands tell you about their ethical credentials?
Glen Campion: Finding and measuring metrics and data on the ethical standards of manufacturers is nigh on impossible. It’s not something that is published. Sustainability seems to be the key word in the briefs but trying to find out information on how the products are manufactured and the conditions of the factories is very difficult. I think there is a lack of accreditations. The only one I am aware of is the Green Alliance but I know that doesn’t cover everything, so there is a long way to go.
CS: That’s really important because there are no accreditations out there that define exactly what an ethical brand is. I can set up a brand tomorrow and convince a lot of people that we are doing everything the right way and it would simply not be true. The only time in my career that an organisation has really challenged me on what we do was when The Observer were considering us for ‘ethical product of the decade’ in their ethical awards. They asked deep questions and requested evidence.
For designers, it is almost impossible to know if you are purchasing sustainable or ethically made products, it really is!
“It is impossible to find out in certain regions. We have tried, for years, and we can source about 85 per cent of our raw materials and then there is just a hole. – Chris Stimson, Founder, Well-Lit.
HK: It seems that price is a pretty good indicator then. How much more expensive are ethically sourced lighting products?
CS: When we designed the business, we asked how we could create an ethical product. We had to be a profitable, sustainable and ethical enterprise. By truly doing this, it became clear that there was no way we could afford large-scale PR or a large offices and teams in London. In fact, in 12 years, we have spent about £12,000 on marketing because every penny we have has to go into the design of the product.
What’s more is that we need to present our products at competitive prices to our competitors otherwise we are out of the game. The challenges of running a business like ours is extraordinary when competing against the large brands with deep marketing pockets.
Image credit: Well-Lit
Glen was talking about supply chains and where raw materials come from. The truth is that it is impossible to find out in certain regions. We have tried, for years, and we can source about 85 per cent of our raw materials and then there is just a hole. Therefore, we cannot promote ourselves as a completely sustainable business – but we try everything we can to be as ethical and sustainable as possible, while being ahead of the technology curve when it comes to lighting innovation.
I also don’t think you can be a sustainable business without being an ethical business. The real sustainability crime is the sheer amount of the low quality, often broken, bulbs that we shipped from China to the western world. If you think about the carbon footprint of these products that end up faulty and subsequently replaced with another bulb that has done the same journey, it’s not an ethical solution.
We make everything by hand, and that gives us such a low failure rate. Yes, we suffer on the cost of that but there really is no other way for us to produce those products ethically.
HK: Charlotte, how have your conversations changed with other brands since learning about what Well-Lit does?
CF: When it comes to the supply chain of products, we have an in-house sustainability focus group. We set up a schedule and there are questionnaires sent out to our recommended suppliers about their supply chain of materials. And yes, we have seen the same, we manage to trace back materials half way and then it descends into a black hole. With lighting, Chris was the first to put this on our radar. We actually only work with Well-Lit at the moment because of our shared ethos around ethical sourcing.
Obviously, we do have the benefit of being in-house so we are able to make those pledges and they are transparently communicated and understood among the whole team here. However, I believe we can set a tone for the industry to follow. It’s been really key to ensure that this, sustainability and conscious sourcing, is within our brand standards at Ennismore.
HK: Why is more lighting not manufactured in the UK?
SL: It really does depend project by project. Some clients, depending on their clientele and demographic, are more focused on ethics and environment than others. Those clients are willing to pay more for the products. It is easier to trace back materials when the products have been made in the UK, but it is tough because all businesses need to think about their profitability.
HK: Please tell me that brands can ethically manufacturer products abroad as well…
CS: Yes, it can be done – our brand uses very good factories in China while also manufacturing in the UK. There are certain items that you simply cannot manufacture in the UK, such as bulbs, while also retaining a price point that anyone would touch. One of the things that gets missed out in topics like these is that there are brilliant crafts people in Asia who are doing brilliant things. In terms of both technology and the governmental support given to these creatives, they are some of the best people in the world and yet their reputation is being tainted by the result of greed and poor quality mass production of products.
In terms of being able to manufacture in China, there is a lot of trust that come into it. There are just two or three factories that I would use because of genuine shared values when it comes to the manufacturing process and human ethical standards. The most important element for us is that the workers are passionate and buy into the products they are producing. If they are benefiting from the products they are creating, then they will produce better quality products. This ultimately results in a product that has more longevity.
HK: How has this situation become so out of control?
CS: In my experience, most LED bulb brands do not know what is happening. It’s not always that these companies don’t want to know but it’s more that they just assume everything is happening the way they think it is. The sourcing process for most companies is to meet suppliers while travelling to trade shows, perhaps stay on to visit a factory where samples can be made and prices can be agreed. They might do a factory inspection but a lot can be hidden and this process, in my experience, can be highly manipulated and deceptive.
HK: What can designers do to make the industry more ethical?
CS: Ask difficult questions and demand hard evidence. For suppliers, these questions should be directed towards the factories they are working with. Suppliers should know about the living and working conditions of the workers who are in these factories.
GC: I’ll be honest, when it comes to specifying, over the last 10 years the decisions from clients have been driven by cost. The choices on the lighting projects I have been involved in are around supply costs. There are so many components in lighting schemes that need to be measured and presented, so weighing them up against another product that is ethically sourced is not often asked for. It would be great, however, to promote ethical sourcing and really help to educate the industry on the effects of unethical manufacturing.
HK: I think you’re right, the more companies that put forward good, solid evidence around ethical production of products, the more the industry will naturally demand this being an essential. Ultimately, if all suppliers looked deep into their supply chain and if all designers were more inquisitive about the products they are supplying then the healthier the industry will become on a global scale.
The sky is the limit: Germany’s highest hotel room
Accor, in a bid to raise awareness of its ALL – Accor Live Limitless campaign, has installed a glass box that contains a fully-furnished hotel room on the top of Germany’s highest mountain. But you can’t stay here (not yet anyway)…
Calling all stargazers, Accor has recently unveiled an entire hotel room at the top of the Zugspitzplatt, the highest mountain in Germany. But not so fast, it’s not actually possible (yet) to spend the night here without trespassing. Instead, the installation has been created to highlight the brand’s ALL – Accor Live Limitless campaign. Still, it’s a pretty interesting hotel concept that the editorial team at Hotel Designs identified recently.
Image credit: Accor
Image credit: Accor
Travellers who who make their way up to the glass construction will, as a result, be rewarded as an ALL newcomer with 500 points on their personal ALL account, redeemable at their next stay in one of Accor’s hotels.
The interior design scheme inside the glass structure includes real hotel furniture that comes from the Accor brand Novotel, with which the hotel group started more than 50 years ago.
Many are now calling for the hotel group to actually make this installation a real-life experience, but only time will tell whether or not sleeping under the stars at altitude will become the next unparalleled travel trend.
Talk about changing up the narrative… the street of traditional luxury gets a french kiss from affordable luxury – citizenM Paris Champs-Élysées, designed by Concrete Amsterdam, becomes the brand’s fourth hotel in the City of Light…
The multi-award winning, Dutch hotel-and-lifestyle brand citizenM is returning to Paris to open its fourth hotel – on one of the world’s most famous avenues.
From September 2021, citizenM Paris Champs-Élysées joins its three sister hotels in the French capital – making it the first city with a quartet of citizenM hotels . Overall, this is citizenM’s 15th hotel in Europe – and 23rd globally – since 2008.
citizenM Paris Champs-Élysées, the hotel brand’s 15th property to open in Europe, stays true to the brand’s promise of ‘affordable luxury for the people’ – serving it up, as usual, in a triple-A well-connected location. This one is centered almost precisely between Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. On the doorstep: luxury shopping and dining on Avenue de Champs-Élysées, two metro stations, Galeries Lafayette, Grand Palais, Petit Palais, countless restaurants and boutiques, and much more. The location is ideal for tourists and business travellers visiting Paris for both short and long stays.
Image credit: citizenM
Over approximately two years, the existing 1970s building on Rue la Boétie had been redesigned and converted into a modern 151-room citizenM hotel, with the help of long-time collaborators and architects Concrete Amsterdam, who took part in Hotel Designs LIVE this year. Approximately a quarter of the rooms on the front facade have a view of Rue la Boétie and a slice of Avenue de Champs-Élysées. The rest of the rooms are arranged in a U-shape around a peaceful ground-floor courtyard with greenery and comfortable outdoor seating.
To get to the rooms, guests enter via a designer living room – citizenM’s signature space and everyone’s favourite hangout – passing a commissioned wall mural by Lucky Left Hand (French artist Steven Burke) on their way. In the living room itself, a spectacular Golden Age wallpaper by Ai Wei Wei will undoubtedly become one of the most photographed art pieces. It is best contemplated from one of the many cosy and colourful Vitra couches and chairs. Other notable art pieces in the living room include ‘Tauros’ by Sarah Morris, a lightbox by JR (Jean René), photo print by Frank Horvat, and Andy Warhol’s ‘Flowers’, as well as hand-picked pieces by Thomas Raat, Christophe Bucklow, David Salle and Jordan Wolfson, courtesy of the citizenM collection, which belongs to citizenM Executive Chairman Rattan Chadha.
For that ‘just like home’ feeling, the living room has space for working and relaxing, hundreds of books, interesting objects, and a 24/7 kitchen in the centre. Known as canteenM, it serves 24/7 food, drinks and snacks – nearly all locally sourced – hot à la carte meals, craft cocktails and delicious coffee. The indoor canteenM bar/dining area expands onto the aforementioned inner courtyard with Parisian-style furniture.
Image credit: citizenM
Image credit: citizenM
When creating a new hotel, citizenM likes to include an element of surprise to keep all returning guests delighted. This way, the ‘affordable luxury’ experience is consistent around the world, but with a unique attraction at every location. citizenM Paris Champs-Élysées is the first-ever hotel with three outdoor spaces – the courtyard on ground level, the canteenM terrace, and an enchanting cloudM rooftop bar with a fresh, casual vibe. This spectacular park-style bar on top of the Champs-Élysées will serve a menu of delicious finger food, snacks, and bottled drinks (a variety of refreshing wine, beer, soda and spritzes). The cloudM bar – featuring views of the Eiffel Tower – will be open to the public, available for private hire, and stylishly furnished by Vitra.
Upstairs, 151 rooms are designed especially to fit the existing building – and for ultimate relaxation. The most important things – the XL king-size bed, jungle-like shower, and entertainment – are all optimised for comfort, luxury and ease of use. Superfast Wi-Fi is always free, and the entire room ambiance (from lights and blinds to the temperature and TV) is controlled by the free citizenM app, or the MoodPad tablet.
For room art, citizenM hand-picked three French female artists – Marie Guillard, Elvire Caillon and Melodie Bachet – in collaboration with Starter, a creative agency run by Parisiennes Aurelie Dablanc and Anne-Marine Guiberteau. In every city it calls home, citizenM seeks out local artists to collaborate with and highlight their talent.
Image credit: citizenM
For the final touch to the true citizenM experience, the hotel ambassadors make the whole world feel at home. Every one of them is empowered to do what’s right for the guests, and prepared to take on any role – barista, concierge, housekeeping or receptionist. At citizenM, guests who need attention are never sent to ‘speak to someone else’, but instead receive genuine warmth and attention – deservedly noted in the many positive online reviews.
citizenM Paris Champs-Élysées hotel is open for bookings from September 2021. Together with the existing three locations – at Gare de Lyon, La Défense and Charles de Gaulle Airport – the quartet of Parisian citizenM hotels fulfills the needs of every visitor seeking affordable luxury in the City of Light.
W Rome – celebrating the past, present & future of the city
Interior design studio Meyer Davis’ work is complete on W Rome, which opens in Italy’s capital as a contemporary hospitality experience that ‘oozes glamour’ throughout with traditional architecture melting into a modern design scheme…
It has been one of Europe’s most anticipated arrivals for quite some time, and now the time in approaching when we celebrate the opening of W Rome – a hotel that marries traditional architecture with cutting-edge interior design.
King Street Capital Management is the lead investor and owner of W Rome. “Presently, the market has a tight supply of internationally branded hotels so we saw an opportunity to convert this historic office building, nestled in the heart of the Ludovisi district, into a marquis, luxury lifestyle hotel that showcases Rome’s rich culture and pays homage the building’s distinctive history,” said Paul Brennan, Managing Director at King Street Capital Management. “We brought together a highly qualified international team of partners including Omnam, Marriot, L22, Meyer Davis, renowned architects, interior designers and hotel operators as well as local contractors, F&B operators, local artists and chefs to establish this into the first W Hotel in Italy that highlights the city’s heritage to a discerning clientele.”
Spanning two adjacent 19th-century buildings on Via Liguria with 162 guestrooms and suites, the hotel offers a prime location ideally situated near the famous Spanish Steps and fashionable boutiques of Via Condotti. It also boasts one of the city’s very few rooftop bars with panoramic views across the Eternal City. Meyer Davis has designed a portal where Rome’s past, present, and future effortlessly collide, and old contexts have unexpected pairings. From the juxtaposition of fabrics and surfaces to tempting textures, each detail of every space is intentional.
In a city marked by immense historical heritage, W Rome will see an unapologetically Italian colour palette and patterning meet a layered blurring of different eras of standout design. 1970’s Italian glamour oozes throughout the property with traditional architecture melting into colour blocking and bold graphic patterns in hues of burnt orange, dramatic red and foliage greens. An eclectic mix of colourful furniture meets stone walls representative of the building’s past, whilst reflective surfaces bring a contemporary feel to the property.
Image credit: W Hotels
Image credit: W Hotels
Guests are welcomed into the hotel by the W Living Room, featuring a stunning skylight and a window of patterned glass allowing light to flood through the bright and airy open space. Eclectic seating areas are surrounded by elegant sculptural pieces of art, while black and grey marble flooring run throughout. An intriguing, hand-painted mural wraps around walls that look onto chic reflective stainless steel welcome desk pods. The mural, painted by Italian artist Costanza Alvarez de Castro, is inspired by Roman gardens, and invites discovery by telling the story of the destination’s stunning geography. Transitional spaces are used as palate cleansers from room to room, while a digital gallery screen creates an immersive experience for guests, paying homage to Rome and its rich culture through images that unexpectedly change each time a guest passes through the area.
Boundaries are blurred between public and private spaces throughout the hotel. Guests are invited to discover the unexpected with a hidden door in the public bathroom that leads to the intimate Parlapiano, a secret garden. Inspired by Borromini Church, a traditional Italian stone church complete with kissing benches, lush foliage, topiary and water fountains, this space provides a tranquil escape within the hotel.
With a bold yet calming colour palette, the 162 guestrooms and suites have been designed to make guests feel as though they have their own luxury city apartment. Open-plan living, and stylish design go hand-in-hand while materials naturally clash, with dark oak doors juxtaposed with highly polished brass decoration.
Image credit: W Hotels
Local materials are used to tell the story of the hotel with traditional wooden herringbone patterned floors effortlessly blurring into modern marble as guests reach the bathroom, offering a thoughtful blend of both past and present throughout the space. Wine red velvet curtains dress the guestroom windows from ceiling to floor creating a sense of bold luxury and a statement finish to the rooms. A selection of the guestrooms offer private balconies and terraces with iconic views of the city, some overlooking famous landmarks such as the Istituto Svizzero.
Providing a next-level glamorous experience, the property offers Extreme WOW Suites offering unparalleled urban gardens and expansive terraces, adding rare and much-sought-after inside and outside living. The suites’ décor sees historical Roman architectural elements mixed with cutting-edge in-room technology and custom designed modern furniture.
D-Neo by Duravit is extremely versatile with its clear-cut styling; each individual piece will always appear to be perfectly positioned within the range…
The new Oak Terra finish colour imbues the furniture with a subtle yet expressive effect. No matter what design trend is pursued for the bathroom as a whole, the holistic nature of the Monochrome world will always stand out.
Image credit: Duravit
Image credit: Duravit
D-Neo is available in numerous design options, offering furniture that perfectly complements any bathroom. Circular mirrors from the Light + Mirror range provide indirect light that guarantees pleasant, optimum illumination of the washing area.
The series is rounded off by the matching range of faucets, characterised by the unmistakable narrow, vertically positioned handle.
Duravit 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.
Case study: Fitting out audio inside The Hendrick’s Gin Palace
William Grant & Sons has unveiled a £13 million distillery expansion to create The Hendrick’s Gin Palace, designed to be a “playground for experimentation, invention and curiosity”. To really enhance the theme further, the brand called upon SONANCE when it came to creating an audio experience…
The new facility boasts two still houses and features a walled garden that leads to a Victorian inspired palm house, which sits between two botanical hot houses planted with an array of unusual botanicals and flora from around the globe. The second floor hosts a new laboratory for Hendrick’s master distiller Lesley Gracie as well as a lecture theatre and a bar. Intended to “inspire curiosity, open minds and serve as a platform for invention,” according to Pamela Selby, the global brand director for Hendrick’s, The Gin Palace is located within the grounds of one of Scotland’s most prestigious grain whisky distilleries (Girvan) and distils every drop of Hendrick’s Gin consumed around the world. Visits to The Hendrick’s Gin Palace are by invitation only.
The Challenge
Working with William Grant & Sons and the Hendrick’s brand team, the challenge was to provide an ambience within The Gin Palace that would complement and enhance the ‘platform for invention’. It required the installation of a near invisible audio and entertainment system for the dedicated spaces without compromising the interior design elements but versatile enough to handle different functions throughout the building. The system extends to the bar area, lecture theatre, lab and specially designed restrooms, as well as the connecting hallways. Providing ambient sound and sleek design, the audio installation preserves The Gin Palace’s exclusive interior design quality. This building-wide solution enables high performance sound for presentations in the lecture theatre, ambient sound in the bar area and background music in the Lab, as well as distributed 4K video, wireless control of the system and BYOD facilities, allowing guests to present without the complications associated with certain technologies.
Project requirements:
Adjustable audio levels in zones
4K video distribution throughout
Futureproof wired and wireless technology infrastructure
Aesthetically complementary
High audio performance and install quality
Hardware and network security with remote monitoring
Best application of technology for design consistency and reliability.
The solutions
Professional audio integration by Lairds of Troon means more than merely filling a room with sound. It prioritises design elements so that the audio system and environment coalesce to create the right atmosphere, which heightens the senses without distracting from the designer’s aesthetic vision for the space. For over 10 years, the technicians at Lairds have continually refined the art of achieving audio fidelity in tune with room design, and for The Gin Palace we created an excellent result, deploying a combination of award-winning Sonance in-wall and in-ceiling speakers and custom built, colour-coded speakers from Gallo Acoustics. For video The Hendrick’s Gin Palace installation uses a 43” Sony TV framed with Vitualton mirror glass in the Bar area, connected to a 4K Wyrestorm 4×4 matrix video distribution system providing seamless integration and flexibility when choosing video sources. Day-to day in the lecture theatre, a discreet short-throw Epson EB-670 projector and 220 x 165 cm Celexon manual screen do not intrude on the classic early 1900s room design.
“Lairds of Troon has worked with Sonance over a number of years to achieve excellent results for projects ranging from small residential to high end commercial builds,” explained Installer Mark Laird. “It provides a robust and reliable range that can accommodate any budget whilst still offering a quality that lasts for many years. Sonance amps and their architectural speakers make up the backbone of The Hendrick’s Gin Palace audio system.”
Equipment:
Bar Area: 8 x Sonance VP66R
Lesley Gracie’s Lab: 4 x Sonance VP66R
Lecture Theatre: 6 x Sonance VP66R
Corridors: 16 x Sonance VP66R
WCs: Sonance VP66R
Bar area, Lesley’s Lab, Lecture Theatre,
Glasshouse, Corridors, WCs: 8 x Yamaha
Music Cast WXA50 Amps
Bar Area, Lecture Theatre:
Wyrestorm MX-0404-HDBT-H2A-KIT 4K video distribution
Lecture Theatre: Epson short throw projector and Celexon manual screen 220 x165 cm
Sonance 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: Sonance/The Hendricks Gin Palace
W Hotels arrives in Changsha with futuristic design scheme
Bright, bold and playfully fun, W Changsha has arrived sheltering a ‘uniquely eclectic’ design scheme that modern travellers expect from the W Hotels brand. The hotel opening marks the first W in central China – and the brand’s eighth property in the country…
The future is now, according to W Hotels, which has lit up the capital and largest city in Hunan province, China, with the opening of W Changsha. Owned by the Hunan Yunda Industry Group, the hotel is strategically located in the buzzing heart of the city and reflects the bright spirit of the futuristic and multi-dimensional city with a provocative and playful design inspired by space travel.
Image credit: W Chenghsa
“W Changsha marks the eighth W hotel to open in China, one of the most influential markets in both travel and business, and we’re excited to bring W Hotels to more destinations across the country,” said Tom Jarrold, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “Cities such as Changsha, with their future-focused residents and fast-growing millennial luxury market who crave the new and unexpected, are playgrounds of limitless possibilities for W.”
Image credit: W Chengsha
Image credit: W Chengsha
Designed by the acclaimed Cheng Chung Design (H.K.) Ltd, W Changsha takes imaginative risks with daring new design forms celebrating Changsha’s rich heritage and modernity. In China, Changsha is also known as “Star City” and its name inspires the hotel’s design narrative featuring bold geometric patterns mixed with contemporary avant-garde artwork. Exclusively commissioned by the hotel, whimsical artwork such as the Schrodinger’s Cat series and the Zeta art installations explore the mystery of the universe through the W lens, creating unexpected encounters throughout the hotel.
Upon arrival at W Changsha, guests are greeted by the iconic W logo, illuminated to resemble the surface of the moon. “Avenue of the Stars,” a mixed-media landscape combining digital, interactive, and sound art, transports guests to RUNWAY, a destination bar in the Living Room, the brand’s signature, socially driven spin on the traditional hotel lobby. Here, the “Pepper Man” sculpture invites guests to look up and marvel anew at the wonders of space within the context of Changsha’s local custom and culture.
The hotel’s 345 guestrooms and suites offers modern luxuries and new-tech conveniences, with walls depicting planets, constellations, and discovery of the nebulae through a “meow eye cabin” LED screen emulating space exploration. From 26th floor to the highest floor on 28th, the triple-story Extreme – WOW Suite (the brand’s take on the presidential suite) incorporates more than 1,000 square meters of living and leisure space, including a private garden and a swimming pool, to make for a brilliant venue for private events amplified by the hotel’s signature service.
Image credit: W Chengsha
Image credit: W Chengsha
After work or play, guests can kick-back by the reflection pool or make a splash at WET®, an expansive pool with a three-meter ‘Space Cat’ sculpture. The 24/7, fully-equipped FIT fitness centre offers weights and cardio as well as heart-pumping dance classes to burn calories before the celebration begins again. For guests who live by the brand’s ‘Detox.Retox.Repeat’ philosophy, AWAY SPA awaits to restore and revive their glow.
“We are thrilled to debut the W Hotels brand in central China and mark another symbolic step for us as we continue to expand our luxury portfolio into new markets across the country,” said Henry Lee, President, Greater China, Marriott International. “As domestic travel continues to pick up tremendous momentum, we are bringing new and exciting brands such as W to the country’s emerging leisure destinations.”
W Changsha is the latest W Hotel to arrive onto the global hospitality scene, which comes parallel to the brand marking its arrival in Rome. With now nearly 60 hotels, the W brand continues to defy design and hospitality expectations by breaking the boundaries and norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands.
Product watch: Roca introduces new colours to brassware collections
Bathroom brand Roca continues to innovate with its brassware portfolio thanks to the introduction of two new finishes to its stunning Insignia and Naia ranges. Complete with Everlux finish, the two new additions are now available in on-trend rose gold and brushed titanium black – the perfect finishing touch for any bathroom in an era where colour is king (or queen)…
The sleek, modern design of both the Insignia and Naia brassware by Roca already makes them a popular choice among designers, however with the introduction of two new colours, the possibilities are now pretty much endless. The addition of the rose gold adds a pop of subtlety – think chic colour – whereas the brushed titanium black adds a touch of sophistication and contemporary, industrial style.
With a square handle and a round body, Naia has a minimalist design, with a perfect combination of cylindrical and square geometric shapes to complement a variety of bathroom decors. It is available in a range of heights to suit a variety of basin styles including vanity, in-countertop and on-countertop.
With its soft profile and slim side handle, Insignia features gently curved lines and a sleek, elegant aesthetic. Insignia is a modern, single-lever brassware collection, that’s ideal for bathrooms with a clear urban design.
Both ranges feature Roca’s Cold Start technology to ensure the flow starts with cold water and hot water systems are only activated when the handle is turned to the left. This not only saves CO2, but also reduces consumers’ energy bills. Naia and Insignia are available in a variety of basin (different heights available), bidet and shower mixers, along with matching bath fillers.
Image credit: Roca
Image credit: Roca
David Bromell, Head of Marketing at Roca comments: “The extensive Roca brassware portfolio continues to evolve with innovative designs and contemporary finishes, providing a broad range of solutions, but with homogenised commitment to quality, functionality and environmental responsibility. The addition of these two new coloured finishes, further enhances our existing collections with an on-trend yet enduring design, that appeals to a wide market.”
The Insignia and Naia brassware collections also come with Roca’s innovative Everlux finish – a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating which has excellent durability as well as being resistant to scratches and impacts.
The sophisticated Everlux finish is obtained by the innovative physical vapor deposition (PVD) process via the ionization of metals and noble gases, which are combined to create a fine metallic coating. This coating, based on extremely hard metals such as titanium or zirconium, is uniformly deposited over Roca’s high-quality galvanized chrome plating, resulting in a surface with extreme hardness and extraordinary resistance to scratches, impacts and cleaning agents. Through this process, Roca has been able to offer multiple combinations in the creation of sophisticated and highly resistant bathroom spaces.
Roca 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.
Hotel Designs becomes media partner for Festival of Hospitality
The inaugural Festival of Hospitality takes place this month across London with the aim to bring the hospitality industry together. Right on cue, Hotel Designs swoops in to help amplify the purposeful venture that will shelter many conversations, authentic networking experiences and forward-thinking initiatives – everything we believe in as a brand…
The Festival of Hospitality, which is quick to state that it is “not your usual industry conference,” launches this month, and everyone is welcome! The month-long programme of fun, free events have been developed and curated by the industry itself. Everyone is welcome to attend, with specific activities for the Next-Gen as well as senior professionals. “
“It has always been our goal to align ourselves with meaningful campaigns that help to elevate the hospitality industry and the people who work in it to make the arena creative and forward-thinking,” said editor Hamish Kilburn. “Karen Wiley and Katie Tobin, the duo from Always Thinking who are leading the Festival of Hospitality, are innovatively and seamlessly giving the industry what it needs (and wants) following a challenging few years and we are so delighted to help amplify their work.
“What’s more, I am delighted to be moderating a panel discussion on October 6 that will specifically highlight a handful of rising talents and discuss the challenges fresh designers and hospitality professional face in this already congested industry.”
As well as a great programme of headline events and tours, the festival wants you, the hospitality community, to get involved. Whether you’ve got a new project that you’d like to showcase or an interesting point up for discussion, the team can include your event in the schedule and help to share it with the right people.
“We’re really excited to have the support of Hotel Designs as media partner for the inaugural Festival of Hospitality,” added Katie Tobin, Director, Always Thinking. “We are big believers in collaboration, partnerships and sharing of knowledge, and we can’t wait to work with the Hotel Designs team to make this happen, reaching a wider audience and sharing the great content from the Festival wider.
“The exciting, month long programme includes future hospitality trend seminars, panel discussions with operators, developers, investors and designers, and an opportunity to get personal tours of some of the great new hotel openings from the last 18 months by the project teams themselves. Check out the full programme and keep updated as new events are being added daily.”
Main image credit: The Londoner/Pan Pacific/NoMad London/Festival of Hospitality
Pan Pacific London – a new luxury wellness hotel is born
There is no doubt that Pan Pacific London was one of the most hotly anticipated hotel openings in London in 2021. With the hotel now open, following a spectacular opening party, it’s time to experience what luxury and wellness at new heights really feels like…
Following what has been a hard-hitting few years for the hospitality and tourism industry, it’s refreshing to finally see new hotels – properties we have been drawling over since their concept phases were unveiled – are starting to emerge in the ever-so-congested London hotel arena. Pan Pacific London was one of those hotels. In an interview with its architect, Mark Kelly from PLP Architecture, we learned the need for flexibility in today’s era of design and hospitality. “Architecture is an inherently flexible process – always evolving while constantly questioning and reinventing itself,” he said when discussing architecture’s role post-pandemic. “As such, it is well placed to respond to the current and seemingly ever-changing Covid crisis and, for that matter, other current and future global concerns such as the climate emergency.”
Pan Pacific London is a fine example of a new hotel that was, prior to the Covid-19 crisis, already planning to take wellness in luxury into a new era. However, after hospitality’s months and months of forced hibernation, this hotel opens with a greater meaning and purpose for the wider luxury hotel landscape. This haven in the heart of the city fuses together architecture, contemporary design, boundary-pushing wellbeing, and leading destination restaurants and bars, with sincere Singaporean hospitality to create a lifestyle destination in London.
Located in Liverpool Street, Pan Pacific London is on the doorstep of world-renowned locations yet also home to its own inner world.Sitting proudly in the landmark tower at One Bishopsgate Plaza, the hotel is situated near many of the city’s finest attractions including high-end shopping in Spitalfields, the Barbican cultural hub, and the stylish Shoreditch neighbourhood.
What to expect inside
Setting the tone immediately upon arrival, the lobby is minimalist with earthy and warm tones creating a modern and paired back home-from-home scene. Accents of colour and personality, however, come from carefully placed plants that were provided by biophilic design experts at Leaflike. “This is one of the most rewarding projects we have worked on because of the alignment between our businesses regarding sustainability,” Brandon Abernethie, Head of Design at Leaflike told Hotel Designs. “We cannot wait to help more hoteliers achieve their goals.”
Image credit: Jack Hardy
The hotel has been created by esteemed design duo Yabu Pushelberg, who bring their signature style to the hotel sparked by the fusion of south-east Asian vibrancy and the refined elegance of traditional British design. A unique sanctuary in the middle of The City of London, modern lines and artistic flair run throughout the hotel’s public spaces whilst guest rooms offer a sense of peace and calm with curved walls and neutral colour palettes.
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Led by a team of seasoned industry veterans, Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s acclaimed attention to detail and a proactive approach to environmental sustainability and wellness can be seen in the 237 guestrooms and suites which offer some of London’s finest accommodation. The signature Pan Pacific Suite, for example, perched on the 19th floor, is the essence of luxury with spectacular views of city landmark, The Gherkin.
The guestrooms have been designed as retreats from the bustling city and feature a lighter colour palette offering peace and tranquillity to the private spaces while the omission of 90-degree angles in bedrooms and washrooms creates a gentle embrace where guests can seek rest and comfort.
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Custom headboards act as personalised art pieces, adding a layer of calm through the depiction of oak, elder, elm and maple trees while accessories introduce small bursts of colour and organic forms to reinforce the tonal and tranquil nature of each guestroom.
Image credit: Jack Hardy
For ultimate wellbeing, an innovative ChiliSleep™ Ooler Sleep Cooling System to aid better sleep via temperature regulation is available upon request, and rooms come complete with yoga mats and on demand virtual yoga sessions, as well as health-benefiting botanical planting.
Integrating fitness, nutrition, treatments and mindfulness, the hotel is one of the first in London to include an impressive 1,083m² floor dedicated to holistic wellness, featuring an 18.5m infinity pool and the latest equipment from TecnoBody®, including the D-Wall and conditioning gym, making it one of the most technologically advanced facilities showcased by any hotel gym in the UK.
In addition to high-performance training, aqua fitness in the hotel’s infinity pool is a unique addition to the wellbeing floor, along with mindfulworkshops and sustainable nutrition. Spa treatments infuse Western science and clinical research with South East Asian tradition of clean beauty focusing on result-driven relaxation techniques, pregnancy treatments, and personal grooming rituals.
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Image credit: Jack Hardy
The F&B offering at Pan Pacific London is unparalleled, with each of its five venues incorporating unique elements of the flavour, diversity and elegance of modern Singapore. Led by multi award-winning Executive Chef Lorraine Sinclair and renowned Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden, the hotel’s Straits Kitchen restaurant, Ginger Lily bar and The Orchid Lounge drawing room delights guests with new and innovative flavours. The team are working closely with British producers, Nurtured in Norfolk, to grow their own high quality Asian ingredients as well as sourcing local produce to help minimise the carbon footprint whilst bringing authentic flavours to the table.
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Image credit: Jack Hardy
Pan Pacific London offers a serene haven away from the hustle and bustle, with every element carefully crafted and tailored to offer one of London’s most complete contemporary and luxury hotel experiences.The panelled wood screens which wrap the ground floor reception have been carried up and throughout the wellbeing floor to create continuity. Tall ceilings lend an inviting feel to the space whilst the spectacular poolside fireplace and sofas create a homely feeling making guests want to relax and linger.
Located at the top of the lobby’s spiral staircase, Straits Kitchen is an ode to Southeast Asia both through design and cuisine. Embracing a respectful approach to cooking inspired by heritage recipes, the menu at Straits Kitchen has been carefully crafted by the hotel’s Executive Chef Lorraine Sinclair working alongside Singaporean Group Executive Chef Tony Khoo and showcases the melting pot of cuisines represented in multicultural Singapore. Quirky, bold and bright, Straits Kitchen stands as a gem of the hotel, featuring two private dining spaces, custom dining tables and a custom wine-cabinet-as-art. Custom murals have been brought to life by En Viu which further enforce the restaurant’s Eastern influence, depicting Asian botanicals mirroring the unique flavours on the menu. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer guests unparalleled views of The City.
Located on the first floor, The Orchid Lounge offers a uniquely sumptuous and serene Afternoon Tea from award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden. Cherish brings her unique flair for Asian flavours to the traditional British tea with the Singaporean-inspired Kopi Tiam, celebrating bao, dim sum and choux.
In addition to superb dining and dynamically designed guestrooms and suites, Pan Pacific London includes the most technologically advanced and largest ballroom in the area, accommodating up to 400 guests. The hotel also features an Event Emporium alongside a further nine innovative and flexible meeting and events venues, with a dedicated in-house events management team plus state-of-the-art technology, superfast WiFi and 5G receivers.
The extensive 464sqm smart Pacific Ballroom has direct access from Bishopsgate Plaza via a glass escalator and elevator as well as direct access via the hotel. A custom Lasvit chandelier designed by Yabu Pushelberg hangs sumptuously above the expansive ballroom and is composed of floating crystal orbs creating a starry night’s sky under which any occasion may be celebrated.
Case study: Szegzárd Lodge in the Hungarian wine region
Deep in the Hungarian countryside sit a series of structures, which shelter a stripped-back interior design scheme that allows the materials – and killer views of undulating hills – do the work. To ensure luxury was not compromised, the designers specified Focus to add drama and warmth with contemporary fireplaces…
Szegzárd Lodge is spread across nearly two hectares of hillside in the Hungarian countryside. The estate includes small private woods, a vineyard, and a hundred-tree orchard. Each building’s wooden exterior with juxtaposing angular architecture blends into the landscape while providing all the necessary luxury amenities – this modern nomad style is complete with all the extras, including a heated pool, jacuzzi, outdoor shower and sun loungers. A magnificent treehouse is located high up in the small woods attached to the estate, which offers an unmatched hospitality experience. Don’t let the simple structure and paired-back design fool you, though. The hospitality experience is modern in its tech, catering to all traveller – and there are even charging points available for electric cars.
Image credit: Szegzard Lodge
Image credit: Szegzard Lodge
The guest houses have been designed by Ep Studio architects: Tamás Fialovszky, Gergely Kenéz and Katalin Varga and interior designer Péter Dudás. The lodges are sunk into the hillside sitting on top of a solid concrete pedestal, which is combined with the light wooden roof structure. This combination of the two structures is quite common in agricultural architecture and allows the lodges to blend into the landscape.
Image credit: Focus
The interior layout is quite simple – minimalist with a natural feel – with only sleeping and bathing areas being separated from the living spaces. According to the architects, “it was important to extend the interior towards the garden with covered and open terraces.” High quality natural materials were used throughout the construction most prominent of which is the larch structure, windows and shades.
Image credit: Szegzard Lodge
Image credit: Szegzard Lodge
Inside, the compact Ergofocus fireplace is suspended adding drama, comfort and warmth (when required) to the space, complementing the natural interior. Made in France, by Focus, Ergofocus is one of its best selling fires and specified for hotel and hospitality projects.
For more than 50 years, and across all continents, Focus has been shaking up the codes of design convention. The brand was the first company to move the fireplace away from the wall to the middle of the room, putting the fireplace centre stage. With its genuinely iconic fireplace, the Gyrofocus, Focus has entered into the realm of international design legends.
Focus 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.
Ed Warner: “Accessibility is not a dirty word in design”
In 2021, it is shocking that new design-led hotels are emerging in the global hospitality arena without the same level of consideration when it comes to the design of accessible, disabled-access guestrooms and spaces. In a purposeful interview with Ed Warner, the Founder and CEO of Motionspot, editor Hamish Kilburn only hopes to raise awareness for stylish accessible design…
You may or may not know this, but before I was the editor of Hotel Designs, I was part of the British Paralympic Sailing Team, working proudly between the years of 2009 – 2016 as a shore and tuning crew member for the wonderful Hannah Stodel, Stephen Thomas and John Robertson – AKA, the performance team.
Looking back, it was an incredible experience for a 16-year-old who was driven by adventure – not much has changed really. There were so many moments that pivoted me into the lane that I am now in. For example, when I let slip that I wanted to be a journalist on a ferry from Harwich to Hook they helped me launch my first blog and called upon peers to help organise interviews with Paralympic legends in order to create a solid portfolio when it came to progressing further, which ultimately secured my place at university to study my passion and make it a career. I received a dreadful phone call once at the small hours in the morning, during a Paralympic qualifying event in Weymouth, about my beautiful cousin who tragically lost her life in a car accident. I was sharing a room with another athlete, Paralympic gold medallist Helena Lucas who was competing in the morning. Without any objection, she woke up and sat with me through the night. I felt terrible, and even worse knowing that Lucas could have really used those extra hours resting for her final race in the series. It’s not often as shore crew at an event you are the centre of attention. In short, though, that painful moment was when I realised that I was part of more than just a team; I was part of a family.
And strangely, when I tell people about my experience working with this perfectly able – no, formidable – team, I get asked how it was possible to train with the Paralympic team without myself being disabled. I’m not judging the ignorance, because transparency is best for us to progress, but it is surprising to me how segregated in society people who have disabilities can become. During my years sailing with the squad, I witnessed very capable athletes who happen to have disabilities being treated extremely differently. I noticed, among other things, hotel facilities not being adequate, and the views, at best, from the windows from the ‘disabled rooms’ would stretch out onto the concrete car park.
Five years after the team were forced to retire as sailing was, to much protest, taken out of the Paralympic programme for Tokyo 2020, my blood boiled recently when I noticed that the Team GB Instagram account, which has more than 491, 000 followers was not being used to promote the Paralympic Team GB athletes. Instead, the team were being amplified on the Paralympics GB account, which has just 46, 500 followers (more than 400,000 less than the Olympic Team GB account). Call me a modernist, but to really promote diversity and equality, isn’t Team GB just Team GB? What is the need for a second social media account if the aim is not to drive a wedge between the two events?
I digress, however these anecdotes can very seamlessly be linked to the design and hospitality industry’s attitudes towards creating spaces that are accessible for all – practically as well as stylishly. Until recently, I think it’s fair to say that designing such spaces was seen through very limited lenses. Instead of enhancing a design scheme, hotels wrongly ticked a box in order to offer disabled-access rooms that were usually on the ground floor of the hotel without even a hint of design consistency and – in some extreme cases – only ‘accessible’ via the back-0f-house areas of the building – classy.
Cue setting up my next interview, which is with a true pioneer and visionary (not terms I use lightly). Ed Warner, the Founder and CEO of design solutions studio Motionspot. In 2020, Warner and his team were an integral element in the design and completion of The Brooklyn in Manchester, which became the only UK luxury property that was truly accessible for all and has been named the most accessible hotel in Europe. The hotel’s unique design is leading the Gold Standard in accessible design, with 18 of the 189 rooms fully accessible offering both wheelchair access and ambulant accessibility and the first hotel in Manchester to offer ceiling track hoists for guests.
Since then, Warner and his team worked on the recently opened The Londoner to design accessible and stylish guestrooms and he was recognised in 2020 as one of the leading British interior designer when he was profiled in The Brit List 2020. What’s more, Warner has been shortlisted for the second-year running for Interior Designer of the Year at The Brit List Awards 2021 for his continued efforts to promote better design for everyone.
Hamish Kilburn: Ed, it is a pleasure to see you again! Can you start with explaining to us what ‘accessible design’ is and why is it so important for the future of hotel design and hospitality?
Ed Warner: Accessible design is about creating meaningful spaces that everyone can use, removing the barriers that create undue effort, stress and separation of people. Accessible design is more than a tick box exercise to comply with local regulations. Truly inclusive buildings are only built by considering the needs of all guests and staff with physical, cognitive and sensory impairments, including design for neurodiversity.
“There are more than 14 million disabled people in the UK spending over £15.3bn on UK trips a year. Hoteliers who can make the right adaptations to their hotels will benefit.” – Ed Warner, CEO, Motionspot.
There is a misconception it is just about wheelchair accessibility. Disability is diverse. Just eight per cent of disabled people use a wheelchair. We help people to think about what they are doing for wheelchair users and the other 92 per cent with many other types of physical, sensory and cognitive access needs too.
Why is this important for the future of UK hospitality? It is a massive market! There are more than 14 million disabled people in the UK spending over £15.3bn on UK trips a year. Hoteliers who can make the right adaptations to their hotels will benefit from a significant boost in revenues and proven increases in RevPar and loyalty.
HK: Why isn’t stylish accessible design on designer and clients’ radars?
EW: For many designers and clients, designing for access has traditionally been an exercise in covering ramps and wheelchair toilets. Some designers and operators have neglected it because they mistakenly believe these rooms are not required (wrong, as 10 per cent of all new build rooms should be accessible). Previously the design options have not been aesthetically pleasing, so some designers have opted against making hotels more accessible.
Image credit: The Londoner/Edwardian Hotels London
In addition, many designers have steered away from the subject for a fear of getting it wrong. There is a misconception that access is complicated, but with the right advice at the right time it doesn’t need to be.
Motionspot can help designers to turn high-level building regulations into practical guidance on layouts and finishes on the ground. We work constructively with the design team to achieve a beautiful balance between access and aesthetics so the accessible rooms blend perfectly with the design intent.
As more great examples of accessible design become more prominent my belief is this will start to change.
HK: Why is it so important for you to amplify this message?
EW: We believe accessible rooms and hotel spaces should be inclusive for all guests and we feel it is important to prove to clients the social and financial benefit of getting access right. At Motionspot we give clients and their architects the right design advice and access to beautiful accessible products.
Once aware of what is possible, the benefits of positive change generally follow. Delivering a better guest experience is always the goal and our work can help provide solutions that are a great experience, more likely to be recommended and in our experience generate more revenue. Given we have an ageing society we think it is likely that the requirement for accessible rooms is going to increase steadily in the coming decade and beyond.
The inclusion and diversity agenda is becoming increasingly important for companies to address. It is a fast-paced and ever-evolving area and Motionspot can support businesses to not just meet minimum standards but surpass them and show themselves to be leaders in being an inclusive brand.
Hotels like Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester are leading the way and showing that improving access can look amazing and improve the guest experience for all. As more and more examples break through to the mainstream, I think accessible design will become a key part of design decisions. At Motionspot, we hope that one day it will become industry standard to design all spaces to be accessible to everyone.
Image credit: Hotel Brooklyn
Image credit: Hotel Brooklyn
HK: You were profiled last year as one of the top interior designers in Britain. This was due to your work on Brooklyn Manchester. Can you tell us more about this project?
EW: Of course! Bespoke Hotels engaged Motionspot as access designers for their Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester. Working alongside the interior designers Squid Inc, we advised on every aspect of the hotel’s accessibility credentials to fulfil the vision of a beautiful and accessible hotel. We also specified and supplied accessible products that perfectly blended into this design scheme.
The hotel features 18 wheelchair and ambulant accessible rooms, including two rooms with concealed ceiling track hoists which is a first-of-their-kind hotel accessibility feature (pic below). These devices are cleverly concealed within a lighting feature and are stored inside a specially designed compartment in the wardrobe when not in use.
The En-suite bathrooms feature fold-up shower seats and matt black removable support rails which allow a room to be adapted to each guest’s individual requirements. Also installed were easy to operate lever tap and shower controls, accessible flush buttons and carefully selected floor and wall tiles that minimised glare and provided fully slip-resistant surfaces.
Since opening, Hotel Brooklyn has won many plaudits, including recently The iNewspaper Staycation Hotel of the Year award.
HK: Is it expensive to design these spaces to be accessible and stylish?
EW: No, and if planned at an early stage, well designed access does not have to cost any more. This is a common misconception!
Where it does become expensive is if a retrospective adaptation like a level access shower, platform lift or accessible reception area has to be installed because of a problem a disabled guest experiences so please think of it at the start of a new build of refurbishment!
In our experience the commercial benefits of getting access right are significant. A great example of this is The White Horse Inn in Dorking. When renovating this historic coaching inn, attention was paid to the design of the accessible bedrooms to ensure they would appeal to all. Subsequent room bookings have shown this investment to be very worthwhile: more than a 12-month period, the accessible rooms had a higher occupancy rate and RevPar and generated an additional £6,900 of revenue per year in comparison to a standard room.
Image credit: The White Horse in Dorking
Image credit: The White Horse in Dorking
HK: It feels strange to me that in 2021, ‘accessible design’ is probably considered as an afterthought in many studios. Why is this?
EW: It is not taught as a compulsory module in interior design or architecture courses. This would radically change the industry if it were. To try and change the tide, we provide CPD training to any architect or design studio wanting to learn more about inclusive design.
We need the industry to help shout about good examples of accessible design to raise awareness of what is possible and it is great to see high-profile hospitality awards like The Brit List recognising accessible design.
HK: What sets you aside from other design studios?
EW: Motionspot is more than an access auditor. We don’t just uncover access challenges with buildings, we propose creative design solutions that make spaces more inclusive.
We also design, manufacture and supply beautiful accessible products. Frustrated that there weren’t enough well-designed accessible products on the market that fitted our client’s design intent, we began designing and developing our own innovative solutions. Our range now includes hundreds of well-designed accessible fixtures and fittings for all environments. Every product is created in line with Motionspot’s ethos of design-led accessibility e.g. our removable grab rails and shower seats are ideal for the hospitality industry as they can be quickly added and removed between bookings depending on guest requirements.
FinishPlus by hansgrohe – unique in every sense of the word
Bathroom design is all about personal style, and thanks to FinishPlus by hansgrohe it is even easier for designers to create a unique bathroom design scheme. Offering more choice, these finishes allow for complete customisation in the bathroom, regardless of size…
With five distinctive finishes to choose from, FinishPlus by hansgrohe enables a variety of design options which enhance the bathroom style. The range covers everything, from matt black to matt white, brushed bronze and even the elegance of polished gold.
All FinishPlus surfaces offer exceptional robustness, durability and scratch-resistance; the result of the exhaustive research and development of the wider Hansgrohe Group.
Image credit: hansgrohe
Image credit: hansgrohe
What’s more, having investing significantly into its manufacturing facilities, FinishPLus products are now available on a short lead time. Saving both money and time, this gives installers peace of mind form the inception of the project, working to tight deadlines and schedules.
FinishPlus is now available in several hansgrohe ranges, from the understated geometric design of Metropol to the softly tapered Talis E. Both ranges offer handles and spouts in numerous height options so that customers have maximum freedom to tailor their wash basin, shower and bathtub area. To create harmony throughout the bathroom, the effect of these vibrant shades is also available across the showering and accessories ranges. Many of these projects are also available as EcoSmart alternatives, which means they not only save water, but also save energy and running costs.
As well as being a Recommended Supplier, hansgrohe is an Event Partner for The Brit List Awards 2021. The winners will be announced on November 3 at PROUD Embankment.
The much-anticipated, first-of-its-kind, “super boutique hotel”, The Londoner, has officially opened its doors in the heart of London’s iconic Leicester Square. Costing a whopping £500m, will the new luxury hotel take the tourist trap of a piazza into a new, more refined era? Editor Hamish Kilburn poked his head through the door to find out…
From one of the UK’s largest family-owned hotel groups, Edwardian Hotels London, the hotel is the latest launch set to astound both Londoners and International guests with a staggering 350 guestrooms spread across 16 storeys and a subterranean series of spaces, creating one of the deepest habitable basements in the world. And yet, despite its size, the hotel, thanks to its intuitive design, still feels warmly intimate.
Designed in collaboration with world-renowned architectural designers Yabu Pushelberg, the opening marks a bold and pivotal moment in the return and scale of global hospitality, and an exciting ‘re-birth for Leicester Square’.
Image credit: Andrew Beasley
Image credit: Andrew Beasley
Known as the ‘luxury urban resort’, The Londoner shelters a variety of rooms, suites, penthouses, two private screening rooms, an exclusive 24-hour residents’ space, an entire floor dedicated to wellness, expansive ballroom, private art gallery, wealth of meeting places, and a mix of several concept eateries. This includes the hotel’s signature Mediterranean restaurant, Whitcomb’s, plus a contemporary Japanese lounge bar with a rooftop terrace and fire pit named 8. To ensure there is something for everyone, the hotel even has its own neighbourhood bar, Joshua’s Tavern.
Image credit: Andrew Beasley
Image credit: Andrew Beasley
Image credit: Andrew Beasley
Whilst super in scale, the hotel’s boutique approach and commitment to hospitality offers the highest levels of luxury with an experience designed to make every guest feel at home. As a brand-new opening in London, it is also important to note that The Londoner has employed pioneering methods of sustainable luxury, which exceeds the BREEAM Excellent category in building environmental and sustainable performance.
Hospitality group edyn continues the rapid expansion of its serviced apartment brand Cove into Europe with a new acquisition in The Hague. Here’s what we know…
Extended stay hospitality leaders edyn has announced the acquisition of a new asset in The Hague, which will become the first opening of its recently-launched serviced apartment brand, Cove, in mainland Europe.
The asset will be converted into 121 serviced apartments, which will open in March 2022. The project will comprise a combination of studio and open plan one-bedroom apartments with fully fitted kitchens and will benefit from an updated design scheme throughout, representative of Cove’s contemporary sophisticated aesthetic. The building will also include 250sqm of lobby, lounge, and co-working area, providing informal workspace for groups or individuals.
Located on Grote Marktstraat, one of The Hague’s most important shopping districts, ‘Cove – Centrum’ will serve a base of corporate clients, as well as leisure travellers and families seeking more spacious, comfortable accommodation. Set in the iconic ‘De Passage’ building, designed by architect Bernard Tschumi which opened in 2014, the serviced apartments will also benefit from extensive local shopping and dining options.
The acquisition of ‘Cove – Centrum’ follows the recently announced ‘Cove – Landmark Pinnacle’; a £62.5m acquisition in London’s Landmark Pinnacle development in Canary Wharf, which is scheduled to open in November this year.
“The signing of ‘Cove – Centrum’ marks a milestone in the growth trajectory of the brand, which we are excited to expand into mainland Europe just two months after launch,” said Steven Haag, Managing Director of Cove. “Not only does this signal our intent on the continent, but it also is our first conversion of an existing hotel to serviced apartments which we feel is an increasingly likely path for growth.
“Flexible, thoughtfully designed accommodation that caters to both long and short stays has never been more in-demand, and the brand’s rapid expansion into Europe signals its relevance and appeal to investors, owners and travellers alike.”
JLL acted as advisor to to seller in this transaction, and more information about the new property is expected to emerge soon.
Product watch: Hamilton launches new ‘Gray’ plate finishes
Hamilton Litestat, an event partner for The Brit List Awards 2021, will showcase the breadth of its decorative wiring solutions for the hotel sector at the Independent Hotel Show, on October 4 – 5, 2021 at Olympia London. This will include the new ‘Gray’ plate finishes and USB-A&C charging devices…
On Stand 1464, the British brand Hamilton Litestat will display its latest on-trend metallic finishes, its vast design and finish capabilities, as well as solutions that deliver the functionality guests are demanding in today’s highly connected world.
New standout finishes
Hamilton’s latest on-trend ‘Gray’ finishes will be showcased at the Independent Hotel Show – Basalt Gray and Anthra Gray. Inspired by Italian design trends, Basalt provides a teasing refractive aesthetic – grey base with a neutral cast and subtle bronze hue provides a warm, nature-inspired finish. Meanwhile, Anthra Gray, with a subtle granular finish, oozes volcanic strength and natural sophistication. Visitors to the show can collect free samples of the new finishes at Hamilton’s Stand, No. 1464.
Image caption: Hamilton’s new Basalt Gray finish
Additionally, a new insert finish has also been added to Hamilton’s popular Hartland range, which will also be on display. Alongside Black and White inserts, a new Quartz Grey finish has been added to Hamilton’s insert options.
USB-A and USB-C – rapidly recharge
Now a guestroom necessity, Hamilton’s latest solutions to rapidly recharge smart devices while your guests relax and recharge themselves will also be on show. Available in 11 finishes and four sleek and stylish designs, Hamilton’s combined 2.4A USB-A and USB-C dual switched sockets make them ideal for the latest devices as well as legacy smart phones and tablets. While USB-A offers charging of up to 2.5W, USB-C facilitates extremely fast data transfer of up to 10 Gbps and power transfer of 100W for speedy charging. This solution is perfectly placed either side of beds for guest convenience.
Hamilton also offers a 18W USB-A and 45W USB-C Euro Module that delivers a superior rate of charge for high-capacity devices including the new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. Ideally suited to positions at the desk area of a suite, the Euro Module can be fitted within a single plate or combined with other functional solutions within a multi-part bespoke plate. Supporting both legacy and long-term charging requirements, the Euro Module is in high guest demand and is a standout strength in Hamilton’s vast portfolio of products.
Wide Rocker – classic with a twist
Inspired by design trends in the Asian market and making a big impact in the hotel sector to welcome international guests, Hamilton’s Wide Rocker Switches will again be on show. The on-trend design is available in five Linea CFX collections, as well as Hartland CFX and Sheer CFX, and can be supplied in a range of finishes, including popular bronze and brass finishes. With 1, 2 and 3-gang switch configurations available, as well as 1-gang Push-To-Make (PTM), Double Pole and Intermediate Wide Rockers, these switches provide a functional solution with a stylish contemporary design twist.
Image credit: Hamilton’s Perception CFX. | Image credit: Thanos Pal
Image caption: Hamilton USB Euro Mods Hotel Bespoke. | Image credit: Edelle Bruton
Made to order
As a British family-run company, Hamilton has its headquarters in Bristol and it’s from here that it offers its bespoke service. It has the capability to cost-effectively produce custom-made plates to support customer requirements, including low volume requests. Configurations particularly suited to the hotel sector could include a plate featuring a Euro Module, Schuko Socket, American Socket, and double switched socket.
As well as offering bespoke functionality, Hamilton offers bespoke plate finishes courtesy of its Paintable service. Switch plates and sockets can be powder coated to match RAL, British Standards or Natural Colour System references, ensuring that they perfectly match a wall design scheme, soft furnishings, or other design details. This hassle-free service is even offered on low volume orders, with Hamilton having increased its capacity due to the service’s popularity.
Perception CFX – distraction-free design
For hotels featuring bold statement wallpaper or mural walls, Hamilton’s Perception CFX is the ideal transparent wiring solution. The switch plates and sockets have concealed fixings and a clear snap-on front plate that houses an insert of a chosen wall covering, making them almost imperceptible. Seamlessly matching the wall covering pattern, they allow the room’s décor to sing and make an impact on the guest without distraction.
Hamilton Litestat, which will be on Stand 1464 at the Independent Hotel Show, 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: Hamilton Litestat (Wide Rocker Switches)
(In video) Hotel Designs LIVE: Social spaces in 2021 & beyond
The fifth edition of Hotel Designs LIVE was sponsored and broadcasted from the Minotti London showroom. The virtual event for the design, architecture and hospitality industry was rounded off with an engaging panel discussion with leading designers and developers that explored the future of social spaces – from arrival experiences to lobby lounges and F&B hospitality…
With all the noise around ‘social distancing’ and regulations against human interaction, many of industry’s leaders believe that tomorrow’s hotel scene will be a celebration of human connection. While we are at the T-junction on the road out of Covid-19 lockdowns, editor Hamish Kilburn invited world-renowned designers and hospitality experts to understand challenges and considerations to bear in mind as we re- open the doors of hospitality, to be social, once more.
Making a nod to an early session, which explored sensory design, Kilburn kicked off the discussion by asking the panel how designers are utilising the senses in design to evolve social spaces. “The advantages of hotels is that you can offer different levels of stimulations through transition spaces as well as in social spaces,” explained Beth Campbell, CEO, Campbell House. “This helps to build the momentum and makes the experience even more meaningful.”
Charlie MacGregor, Founder, The Student Hotel (TSH), joined the panel as an example of a forward-thinking hotelier, who was among the first to push hospitality into the lifestyle lane. “By making the lobby the beating heart of a hotel, you immediately set the scene – and energy level – for guests and locals alike who are arriving,” he said. “With Covid, we have seen this new generation of corporate travellers, where people are digital nomads and want to work as well as play in spaces.”
The conversation logically went into the territory of creating subtle boundaries in public areas, which is a topic that has become high on the agenda since the Covid-19 pandemic, but also as public areas in lifestyle hotels are being designed to be multifunctional. “Lighting is becoming more and more important when it comes to curate these spaces,” He said. “As well as building spaces, you can separate them and change them as the day goes on. When designing these areas, understand the possible mise en scènes is paramount.”
Here’s the full video of the panel discussion (on demand), which was produced by CUBE and includes Product Watch Pitches by Vaughan, Leaflike and Luxiona:
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Crosswater introduces Artist – celebrating meaningful colour
Artist is the new high-end bathroom collection from Crosswater, which partners style with performance to offer luxury bathroom solutions for all spaces. Let’s take a peek…
Drawing inspiration from Scandinavian design, the modern Artist collection from contemporary bathroom brand Crosswater features curved silhouettes, softer styling, and natural wood elements to for a true hygge home.
The centrepiece of the Artist collection, which cleverly injects meaningful colour into the bathroom, is the vanity unit, a contemporary storage solution that features a calming colour scheme, alongside a solid oak worktop. There are three different vanity unit sizes to choose from, each available in four finishes, Onyx Black, Cashmere Matt, Storm Grey, and Matt White. The soft-close, handle-free drawers can be fitted with two or four section dividers, allowing smart storage for the everyday bathroom essentials.
The vanity can either be installed as a wall-hung unit or assembled with coordinating height adjustable legs to create a more trend-focused feature in the bathroom. The legs are available in the same four finishes as the vanity unit – Onyx Black, Cashmere Matt, Storm Grey, and Matt White. For those that prefer more natural elements, the legs are also available in beech veneer.
The solid oak worktop and beech veneer legs are crafted from sustainable sources and are specially designed with an anti-UV matt varnish to protect the wood from discolouration and fading.
Image credit: Crosswater
Image credit: Crosswater
The Artist vanity unit is best pared with Crosswater’s new Nepi or Circus basins. Nepi, a clever inset basin that sits both above and below the worktop, is ideal for those that want the look of a minimalist countertop basin, without compromising on space. Alternatively, the Circus Countertop Basin in Brushed Brass is perfect for those wanting to make a statement. As for brassware, Crosswater’s new Glide II taps, available in Chrome, Brushed Brass, Brushed Stainless Steel, and Matt Black, provide additional elegance.
To complete the look, the Artist collection also offers a back-to-wall bath, back-lit mirror, and a towel warmer that can double as additional storage space, thanks to optional oak shelves.
Crosswater 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.
Digital platform GROHE X, which has attracted around 222,000 visitors since it launched earlier this year, wins Red Dot Award…
Only a few months after its launch, which Hotel Designs was proud to be a part of, the digital experience hub GROHE X has been awardedthe internationally renowned Red Dot Award Brands & Communication Design 2021 in the category “Digital Solutions“. Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, initiator, and CEO of Red Dot, emphasised the importance of digital solutions for the success of brands and companies, especially in today’s world.
“As an award winner, GROHE has proven that they think ‘outside the box’. The brand knows how to act quickly in times of crisis and use upheavals for new design approaches. In this way, they master important challenges and also make a valuable contribution to the further development of society.”
The brand experience of today and tomorrow
With GROHE X, LIXIL in the EMENA region has developed the first digital platform of its kind in the industry for its GROHE sanitary brand together with strong partners VOK DAMS, IBM and D’art. As a content hub tailored to the interests of industry target groups with zones dedicated to product, inspiration and know-how transfer alongside service-oriented offers such as tutorials and specialist events, and opportunities to connect with brand experts, GROHE X facilitates a unique user experience. Since its launch in mid-March this year, GROHE X has quickly proven to be a success. The current visitor numbers – currently 2,500 daily – prove that GROHE X is a successful creative solution that meets the communication challenges of both today and the future. GROHE X is thus seen as a driver of innovation in its own right, serving not as a replacement for traditional communication, but as a starting point for a new era of brand presentation and communication in the B2B world. GROHE X already presents itself as an alternative that is flexible enough to keep pace with the rapid developments in communication.
“GROHE X is much more than a digital trade show replacement and the 35,000 visitors and 70,000 views in the first week alone have proven us right,” commented Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA and Co-CEO Grohe AG. “The platform is designed to perfectly position our communication for the future. We are delighted that with the Red Dot award we have now also received international confirmation that we have created something that is not only well designed, but also an extremely successful brand communication tool.”
Image caption: The high-tech studio sheltered a plethora of discussions and seminar sessions
Image caption: Green screen, behind the scenes of the GROHE X studio
Red Dot Award “Brands & Communication Design”
With around 20,000 entries, the annual Red Dot Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world. Its origins date back to 1955 and the famous Red Dot award has long since established itself as one of the most coveted seals of quality for good design. From products, brand communication and creative projects to design concepts and prototypes, the Red Dot Award documents the most important trends worldwide.
GROHE 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.
In order to kickstart this month’s editorial spotlight on wallcoverings, Hotel Designs is taking a closer look at Arte’s collections that have launched over the summer…
Arte is known for creating outrageously creative – and magnificent – wallcoverings. Since building its foundations in 1981, the brand can be found adorning the walls of both residential homes, as well as commercial interiors in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Each year, an in-house team of experienced designers work on developing new collections, striving for perfection and trendsetting design whilst simultaneously surprising the design industry with what’s possible to achieve with wallcoverings.
With the aim to continues to inspire and challenge, setting the bar for innovative design, Arte’s latest collections that were recently launched take ‘art outside the frame’ to a whole new level of detail.
Mimic Moth
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Mimic Moth is an exclusive preview launching this autumn, ahead of the full collection (and third collaboration) from Arte x Moooi set to launch for SS22, inspired by new Extinct Animals. Like the current Moooi Wallcovering designs, this collection will be made from unexpected and luxurious materials. A collection in harmonious colours that brings joy and balance.
This 3D wallcovering with a soft suede look is inspired by the Mimic Moth’s shape and habitat. The wallcovering’s design is made up of embossed Mimic Moths surrounded by their favourite flowers.
Queen Cobra
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Queen Cobra is the next family member of the new Moooi Wallcovering collection, which follows the launch of Mimic Moth. The collection depicts majestic looking snakes that were called so because of their long coiling hairs resembling the hairstyle of Queen Tanjii of Kemet. According to old scriptures, the snakes were gold coloured and didn’t have scales. Their skin seemed made of dried grass.
The wallcovering Queen Cobra is made from hand-woven sisal fibres, inspired by the Queen Cobra’s rhythmic curves and grassy habitat. The design comprises round overlapping shapes in a pattern with a hypnotic feel to it.
Icons
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Image credit: Arte
Icons is a versatile wallcoverings collection, featuring seven designs across a variety of heavier textures including shagreen leather and boucle fabric, as well as lighter options such as real rattan and silk imitation on non- woven backing. With a combination of geometric block patterns, floral motifs as well as plains in a palette of rich earthy colours, on matt and glossy finishes, designs can be easily combined in a single space to add depth to any scheme.
Arte 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.
The first 25hours hotel in Italy will open in Florence this September, with anything-but-subtle interiors by Milan-based designer Paola Navone…
The 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino occupies a central location in Florence, in the Santa Maria Novella district, which is among the most authentic and lesser-known neighbourhoods in the Italian city and a little off the beaten track.
The 171-key boutique hotel is situated in the former premises of Monte de ‘Pegni – the lending company of the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze – and has its central core of 66 rooms in the original monastery next to the eponymous church of San Paolino. These hallowed halls are now imbued with fresh creative energy thanks to controlled demolitions, new building elements and restored areas. Enhancing the historic core is a new annexe boasting another 104 guest rooms with balconies, as well as the Casetta del Giardino, a small apartment with a private garden and pool.
Render credit: 25hours
Render credit: 25hours
Created by Milan-based designer Paola Navone and her team, the hotel was inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy and is brimming with light-hearted allusions to this legendary work: scenes from Hell and Paradise are playfully interspersed, offering an illuminating tour through Dante’s world of virtues and vices. Situated beneath the vast glass dome, the Restaurant San Paolino is the centrepiece of the hotel in the historical palazzo. Round about are a green courtyard garden, a classic Negroni bar and a typical alimentari – a grocery store for the neighbourhood and lively piazza that serves a small selection of food and drinks to suit the time of day.
The San Paolino restaurant epitomises Italian cuisine, offering the best produce from all regions of the country, although Tuscany occupies a special place on the menu. Changing with the seasons, there are also a few dishes from designer Paola Navone’s personal recipe collection. Guests perusing the wine list will find exclusively curated recommendations from choice wineries in Tuscany. Dining beneath the glass dome at the centre of the impressive palazzo is meant to be fun – and the imaginative design merely adds to this experience. San Paolino is a great place to meet at any time of day, and the hospitality space expands into the playful courtyard garden during the warmer months.
The Companion Bar at 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino appears both quintessentially Italian and strikingly international. Its signature products are bitter-sweet classics like Negroni, but include new interpretations that add a playfully seasonal touch to these flavours. The Companion Bar welcomes its guests from the aperitivo to the late-night drink and is establishing itself as a fixed star in the Florentine night life. The traditional ‘hole in the wall’, the buchetta del vino, allows guests to enjoy their glass of wine on the pavement in front of the establishment. Table bookings are not available, but personal advice from the bar crew certainly is.
Alimentari actually just means ‘food’ in Italian. But the word is also used to describe neighbourhood corner stores selling groceries and everyday items. The 25hours Hotel in Florence has its own alimentari on the small Piazza San Paolino. Besides paninis, sandwiches and salads, it also includes a traditional-style wine shop offering a selection of local products and specialities for gourmets – ideal for a culinary tour through the world of Italian delicacies. The range was curated by S. Forno, a legendary local bakery, and all of the freshly baked products come straight from their ovens, of course.
Video exclusive: The making of The Other House (part 1)
The first video in our exclusive concept-to-completion series with The Other House takes a tour inside what will soon be its first hotel – AKA, residents’ club. Editor Hamish Kilburn speaks to the brand’s CEO and the design team, which including Bergman Design House and architecture firm Falconer Chester Hall, to understand more about the design narrative that will be sheltered inside…
A new era of hospitality is on the horizon. The Other House is an innovative concept that we first explored earlier this year, which, right on cue, has raised some eyebrows recently. Since joining a panel discussion on ‘a new era of lifestyle’ at Hotel Designs LIVE in May, CEO & founder Naomi Heaton – a self-confessed newcomer into the hospitality arena who aims to disrupt conventional approaches to hotel design and development – has invited our cameras in to capture the concept-to-completion story behind brand’s first property. Sheltered inside Harrington Hall, a heritage property, The Other House South Kensington will offer 200 Club Flats – all of which will feature signature, fully fitted and contemporary design – for leisure travellers and corporate visitors alike.
With less than one year until the first residents’ club opens, here’s what we discovered when we took a sneak peek inside the building. During our access-all-areas visit, we spoke to Heaton about the pillars of the brand. In addition, we caught up with the architect at Falconer Chester Hall, Alastair Shepherd, who is responsible for carving out the body of the hospitality experience. And, to make things really interesting, we even made a visit to Bergman Design House to speak to Marie Soliman, the interior designer tasked to bring her sketches and renders to life, while sourcing as much as she possibly can locally and sustainably.
Who’s who?
DEVELOPER: Naomi Heaton, CEO, The Other House
ARCHITECTURE: Alastair Shepherd, Director, Falconer Chester Hall
DESIGN: Marie Soliman, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Bergman Design House
Elevating the traditional long stay and serviced apartment models, the new brand will combine beautifully designed apartments – complete with fully fitted kitchens, living and sleeping areas – with a private club exclusively for residents and members to relax and enjoy, complete with two bars, spa and fitness studio. For a local vibe, the bold public spaces will include a destination bar and all-day dining bistro (renders of these areas will be available shortly).
While targetting an audience that is conscious and cares deeply about the environmental impact hotel development can have on the planet, sustainability was one of the first pillars for The Other House. “We take a sustainable approach to renovating existing buildings and is committed to making a positive impact on the community, our employees and the environment,” explained Heaton in an earlier interview with Hotel Designs. “Our residents will be a part of our environmental journey so they can make a measurable, personal difference. There will be a focus on health and wellbeing at all the guest touchpoints and we will be using, for example, recyclable packaging, healthy, sustainably produced food and British-made furniture.”
Render credit: Creating these split-level apartments has been a challenge and opportunity for the architecture team. | Render credit: The Other House
Render caption: Inside The Other House South Kensington, some Club Flats are being made into duplex apartments. | Render credit: The Other House
With eight categories of Club Flats – Club Town, Club Garden, Club Courtyard, Club Mezz, Club Class, Club Vault, Club Turret and Club Access – the units range from 258 sqft (24sqm) to 581 sqft (54sqm), as well as two-, three- and four-bedroom options. The intelligent use of space revolves around the living area (rather than the bedroom) just as it does in the home, which was key for the brand to create a real sense of place and comfort.
What’s more, despite all the noise around the new era of luxury suggesting a paired back, even removed, stance on technology is the way forward, central to The Other House will be a downloadable app that offers personalisation and control through on-demand access to hotel-style services. The software, which, if seamless, meaningful, discreet and easy to use, will become a revolutionary element of the hospitality experience at The Other House. It will enable residents to manage their entire stay andexperience; tailoring their hospitality journey to their own specific needs and requirements. As a result, the software will certainly answer to modern demands that are calling for more personalised experiences.
Image caption: To utilise space, while creating boundaries, the team have designed privacy screens to discreetly and stylishly create soft boundaries within the Club Flats. | Image credit: The Other House
Image caption: Incredibly, the design team have put a large emphasis on sourcing sustainable products locally. | Image credit: The Other House
For long-stay guests, The Other House will provide a new alternative to renting, offering any length stays, around the clock security, access to hotel style services and the very best of city living. The first of this type of accommodation that the UK has seen, it will also offer flexibility for residents to book in and out. With stays bookable from a day to a year, The Other House offers a stylish solution for those looking for a city base. And services such as clothes and luggage storage between trips makes it perfect for guests looking for a regular London pied-à-terre a few days each week.
Establishing itself as a ‘one to watch’ on the glabal hospitality scene, with a forward-thinking concept and immersive design scheme, The Other House South Kensington is the first residents’ club to be launched. The brand is on track to open in other ‘villages’ throughout central London, including Covent Garden by 2023, before rolling out internationally.
In the next video in our exclusive concept-to-completion editorial series with The Other House, produced by CUBE, we will rejoin the development and design team ahead of the opening of the brand’s first residents’ club. In this video, we will explore more about the technology behind-the-scenes, as well as understand how the drawings, sketches and renderings have been brought to life. By then, we may also have more news and exclusive design details about the interior scheme behind the heavy doors of the brand’s second property in Covent Garden.
Main image credit: The Other House | Video credit: CUBE
The fifth edition of Hotel Designs LIVE, sponsored by and filmed from Minotti London, invited world renowned designers, architects and hospitality experts to, once again, define the point of hotel design on an global scale while keeping the conversation flowing throughout. The third session of the day looked at interior design surface trends…
Trends… not the most popular word used by interior designers in the hotel design arena, but ignore them at your peril as we enter uncharted waters following the largest global cultural and behavioural shift the industry has perhaps ever experienced. Challenging conventional trend forecasts, for the third session during Hotel Designs LIVE, which was broadcasted from the Minotti London showroom on August 10, editor Hamish Kilburn invited a handful of interior designers from all corners of the design arena to discuss meaningful surface trends.
Social spaces in 2021 & beyond – this session will be available to watch shortly
The third session of the day, which followed the panel discussion on sleep performance, went beyond colour schemes to identify real trends and talking points in surface design. More than ever, as a direct result of the Covid-19 crisis, surfaces have come under question in the debate around hygiene. But, in the exclusive panel discussion with leading designers and hospitality experts, we went beyond the clinical to explore interesting and vibrant surfaces – from paint and tiles to textiles and worktops – that give all areas of the hotel more personality and meaning.
The conversation started by addressing the elephant in the room. Kilburn wanted to know if there were products and materials on the market at the moment that answered both to the demands around sustainability as well as hygiene. “It’s actually quite difficult to achieve both,” explained George Couyas. “Let’s use paint as an example. Usually, when products are man-made to be durable, wipeable and hygienic, there is usually a process that results in the eco credentials somewhat diminishing.” Through his research, and day-to-day managing residential clients whose demands for eco have somewhat evolved over the last few years, a few brands have recently made it onto Couyas’ radar for being both sustainable and robust.
Next, Kilburn introduced Beverly and Dereck Joubert, the founders of Great Plains. What sets this dynamic duo aside from other hoteliers is their pure involvement in all of their projects; they design and source everything – and having fulfilled a career filming wildlife for National Geographic, the pair have a unique stance when it comes to sustainable development and design. “Through 40 years of travel and understanding different cultures, we have been able to tell some really interesting stories through design,” explained Beverly Joubert. “What we also like to do is design using up-cycled materials. So, for example, near one of our camps we heard that wooden railway sleepers were replaced by concrete. It was a great opportunity for us and those sleepers have become the flooring in that camp.”
Continuing the conversation around sustainability, but moving into the urban luxury arena, Shalini Misra agreed that re-using materials and items adds value to the overall design as well as the eco credentials of the project. “Every material can be sustainable if it’s a reclaimed version of it,” she said. “When it comes to hygiene, some materials are better than others. Bamboo, for example, is one of my favourites at the moment as it is highly renewable, very quick to grow and extremely versatile.”
When it comes to extraordinary surfaces, Fameed Khalique who was described by the Financial Times as “the go-to supplier of exotic and experimental surfaces for walls, floors, ceilings and furniture,” has a library full of creative surface design solutions. “We have this reputation, and we do the odd exotic thing, but realistic the majority of the work we do is driven by the client and a problem we need to solve,” he said. “We are working with a designer in the middle east who wanted to use straw marquetry on a mass scale, which isn’t sustainable, nor realistic. So, we worked with the designer and found a solution that used sustainable wood to create a wood-veneer finishing that looked like straw marquetry but can be used on a large scale. Interestingly, that actually led to us launching a new collection utilising those materials and that design.”
The full recordings of the first session (A design assault on the senses) and the second session (Designing the perfect nights’ sleep) are now available to watch on-demand. The final session (Social spaces in 2021 & beyond) will be available to watch on-demand shortly.
Since you’re here…
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
The shortlist for The Brit List Awards 2021 has been announced, with more than 130 individuals and projects – the most finalists in the campaign’s history – selected across nine categories. The winners will be unveiled in spectacular style at the awards ceremony, which takes place on November 3 inside London’s famous cabaret venue, PROUD Embankment…
Regarded and respected globally as the industry’s most widespread campaign to identify the leading interior designers, architects, hoteliers and brands, The Brit List Awards 2021 has unveiled this year’s shortlist, which includes more than 130 individuals and projects.
The finalists, listed below, have been invited to attend The Brit List Awards’ annual award ceremony, which, following last year’s virtual affair, will take place live in the extravagant cabaret venue, PROUD Embankment. At the event, as well as the individual winners being announced, The Brit List 2021, a publication that will profile the top 25 designers, architects and hoteliers, will also be unveiled.
The Brit List Awards is Hotel Designs’ the nationwide search to find the most influential interior designers, architects, hoteliers and brands operating in Britain.
Now in its fifth year, The Brit List Awards is Hotel Designs’ the nationwide search to find the most influential interior designers, architects, hoteliers and brands operating in Britain. This year’s meticulous process began months ago when Hotel Designs opened up nominations and applications to its loyal readers. Since then, the expert judging panel have taken over to whittle down the shortlist as well as decide upon the individual winners.
“As I cast my eyes down this year’s shortlist, I am reminded once more that Britain is, and will no-doubt remain, a major pin on the design, architecture and hospitality map.” – Hamish Kilburn, editor, Hotel Designs.
“One only has to look at this year’s entries to be able to see that Britain is a melting pot for creative design and authentic hospitality,” explains editor Hamish Kilburn who will take the microphone on November 3 to host this year’s awards. “It’s sensational to see, despite obvious adversities, that the design, architecture and hospitality industry has risen to the challenge, once more, to present forward-thinking solutions in the global arena. As I cast my eyes down this year’s shortlist, I am reminded once more that Britain is, and will no-doubt remain, a major pin on the design, architecture and hospitality map. Here, on this tiny speck of land, we incubate innovation, nurture talent and amplify meaningful initiatives that challenge conventional approached to hotel design and hospitality.”
The shortlisted finalists for The Brit List Awards 2021 are:
Interior Designer of the Year
Name
Studio
Alan McVitty
M STUDIO LONDON
Alex Kravetz
Alex Kravetz Design
Beverley Bayes
Sparcstudio
Clare McDonald
Design Command
Clara Mason
Dexter Moren Associates
Craig McKie
Bell & Swift Ltd
Dale Atkinson
Rosendale Design
David Mason
Scott Brownrigg
Dennis Irvine
Dennis Irvine Studio
Ed Warner
Motionspot
Fiona Thompson
Richmond International
Geraldine Dohogne
Beyond Design
Hamish Brown
1508 London
Hayley Roy
Harp Design
Henry Chebaane
Blue Sky Hospitality
Hilary Lancaster
Fusion Interiors Group
Ilse Crawford
StudioIlse
Jeremy Grove
Sibley Grove
Jouin Manku
Jouin Manku
Kirsty Vance
I Am London
Marie Soliman
Bergman Interiors
Mark Bithrey
B3 Designers
Neil Andrew
Perkins&Will
Nicholas J Hickson
THDP
Ravi Lakhaney
Bailey London
Robert Angell
Robert Angell Design International
Sally Proctor
Majik House
Samantha McCulloch
ICA
Sara Browett
Sara Copeland Interiors Ltd
Scott Torrance
3DReid
Simon Kincaid
Conran and Partners
Simon Rawlings
David Collins Studio
Solomija Bogusz
Interior Designer
Suzanne Garuda
Garuda Design
Tina Norden
Conran and Partners
Architect of the Year
Name
Studio
Adam Hall
Falconer Chester Hall
Alastair Shepherd
Falconer Chester Hall Architects
Alexandra Birmpili
Kappa planning Ltd
Ali Alammar
Alamar Architects
Amrit Naru
ADP Architects
Ben Adams
Ben Adams Architects
Catarina Pina-Bartrum
LDS Architects
Cathryn Crisp
Randell Design Group
Christos Passas
Zaha Hadid Architects
Doug Pearson
3DReid
Ed Murray
Dexter Moren Associates
Gordon Ferrier
3D Reid
Graham Barr
jmarchitects
Herbert Lui
Dexter Moren Associates
James Dilley
Jestico + Whiles
Jen Samuel
3DReid
Jonny Sin
ReardonSmith Architects
Julie Humphryes
Archer Humphryes Architects
Luke Fox
Foster + Partners
Mark Bruce
EPR Architects
Mark Kelly
PLP Architecture
Matthew Salter
HGP Architects
Metehan Apak
Dawson Design Associates
Nicholas de Klerk
Translation Architecture
Richard Coutts
BACA Architects
Richard Holland
Holland Harvey Architects
Sarah Murphy
Jestico + Whiles
Simon Whittaker
Orms
Tom Lindblom
Principal, Architect
Tony Kho
Trehearne Architects
Yasmine Mahmoudieh
Yasmine Mahmoudieh Studio
Hotelier of the Year
Name
Hotel
Andrew Hollett
Kettering Park Hotel and Spa
Charles Oak
The Londoner
Conor O’Leary
Gleneagles
David Connell
South Lodge Hotel & Spa
Dominic Sauls
Qbic London City Hotel
Edward Workman
The Newt
Elli Jafari
The Standard London
Federico Ciampi
Mayfair Townhouse
Franck Arnold
Savoy, London
Gareth Banner
The Ned
Grace Leo
The Relais Henley
Guillaume Marly
Hotel Café Royal
Hector Ross
The Mitre, Hampton Court
James Clarke
Hilton Bankside London
John Scanlon
45 Park Lane
Julian Hudson
Fellows House Cambridge – Curio by Hilton Collection
Marie-Paule Nowlis
Sofitel London St James
Michael Bonsor
Rosewood London
Michael Mason-Shaw
Hyatt Place London City East
Murray Ward
Soho Farmhouse
Olivia Richli
Heckfield Place
Paul Bayliss
Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester
Paul Skinner
DUKES LONDON
Robin Hutson
THE PIG Hotels
Sergio Leandro
Sea Containers London
Simon Mahon
The Grand York
Stuart Geddes
The Lanesborough, London
Thomas Agius Ferrante
The Grove of Narberth
Will Ashworth
Watergate Bay Hotel
Best in Tech
Brand
Product/project
Lutron
Athena
SONANCE
Peninsula London
Majik House
Absoluxe Suites
GROHE/LIXIL
GROHE Plus
Franklite
L11 Tuneable
The Eco Award
Brand
Product/project
Harrison Spinks
The Sprint Collection
Hypnos Contract Beds
Various products
Leaflike
Pan Pacific London
GROHE/LIXIL
Cradle to Cradle certified products
Video Tree
Re Charge
CTD Architectural Tiles
The Global Collection
Yasmine Mahmoudieh
Flow
Clarke & Clarke
Eco Sustainable Weaves
Ozone Clean
OC Range
Well-Lit
Various products
Barber Osgerby
AXOR One
Siminetti
Seasons Collection
Silentnight Group Hosptiality
Various products
Best in British Product Design
Brand
Product/project
Newmor Wallcoverings
Healthcare Collection
Franklite
Perry Range
Franklite
L11 Tuneable
Hypnos Contract Beds
Various products
SMD Textiles, ILIV
Exotic Garden
Edelweiss Pianos
The Solis
The Monkey Puzzle Tree
Metamorphosis
The Collective Agency
Swell
Ziad Alonaizy
Eileen Cabinet
Dernier & Hamlyn
Bespoke lighitng for Nobu London Portman Square
Wandsworth
The Baton (and other) switches
Morgan
Rakino
Morgan
Kaya
The Rising Star Award (new for 2021)
Name
Brand/Studio/University
Adam Wardale
Middletons Hotel, York
Aleksandra Tredez
The Lost Poet (Cubic Studios)
Matthew Maganga
University of Kent
Sophie Piggot
Concorde BGW Group
Sarah Yuma
Dexter Moren Associates
The International Award (new for 2021)
Name
Brand
Wilderness Safaris
Wilderness Safaris
Bill Bensley
BENSLEY
DLR Group
Madinah Gate
noa* network of architecture
noa* network of architecture
YES.design.architecture
YES.design.architecture
Royal Mansour Marrakech
Royal Mansour Marrakech
There is no shortlist for the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry, which will be the final award presented at the exclusive ceremony.
How to attend The Brit List Awards 2021 – the awards ceremony
All designers, architects and hoteliers that have been shortlisted will receive an email asking them to confirm their complimentary ticket to attend the awards ceremony on November 3 at PROUD Embankment. Outside of the shortlist, designers, architects, hoteliers and developers can purchase tickets here (£10 + VAT per ticket if purchased before September 10)*. Suppliers, and anyone else wishing to attend, can click here to purchase their tickets (£99 + VAT per ticket if purchased before September 10)*.
*After September 10, tickets for designers, architects and hoteliers will inflate to £20 + VAT per ticket. For suppliers, tickets will inflate to £150 +VAT per ticket. There are limited number of tickets on sale, which will be issued out on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Main image credit: The Brit List Awards 2021/Hotel Designs
Shortlist announced for Independent Hotel Show Awards 2021
The shortlist has been revealed and public voting is now open for the 9th annual Independent Hotel Show Awards, which celebrate the highly skilled professionals working in the UK independent and boutique hotel sector…
The results of the Independent Hotel Show Awards, along with the winners of the Good Hotel Guide’s César Award, will be announced on October 4 on the Independent Hotel Show’s Innovation Stage.
Across two days of judging, a panel of industry experts whittled down the nominees across two key categories: Independent Hotelier and GM of the Future, in partnership with The Master Innholders.
The Independent Hotelier award recognises an excellent independent hotelier or hotelier partnership with a reputation for pushing boundaries and creating exceptional guest experiences.
Since the Awards launched in 2012, the independent hoteliers recognised in this category have continued to drive change and innovation in the sector.
Brenda Collin, EVP Europe, Preferred Hotels & Resorts and judge for the Independent Hotel Show Awards, said: “The caliber of entries this year was exceptionally high and therefore difficult choices had to be made.
“Congratulations should be offered to all the nominees who, without exception, had given back in some way to society in addition to their day jobs. Our industry is so well served by exceptional people and these awards showcase the great leaders who will inspire future nominees.”
The shortlisted hoteliers for the Independent Hotelier award are:
Joanne Taylor- Stagg FIH, MI, General Manager, The Athenaeum Hotel and Residences
Charlie Luxton and Dan Brod, Co-Owners, The Talbot Inn, The Beckford Arms and The Lord Poulett Arms
Laurence Beere FIH, MI, Co-Owner, The Queensberry Hotel
Henrik Muehle, General Manager, Flemings Mayfair
James Thomson OBE, Owner, The Witchery and Prestonfield
Ross Grieve FIH, MI, Managing Director, Seaham Hall & Luxury Lodges
The shortlisted nominees for GM of the Future, in partnership with The Master Innholders, are:
Penn Chai, Room Division Manager, Castle Hotel Windsor
Kostadin Dimitrov, Front of House Manager, Hotel Brooklyn MCR
Juris Dubrovskis, Executive Housekeeper, The Athenaeum Hotel and Residences
Rachel Henley, Hotel Manager, The Fife Arms
Nathan Parkin, Operations Manager, Lakeside Hotel and Spa
Anna Sirba, Operations Manager, Salcombe Harbour Hotel
Commenting on the GM of the Future award entries, The Master Innholders Chairman David Morgan-Hewitt FIH MI, said: “We received a large number of excellent applications, each showing great talent and passion for the hotel industry, which made it very difficult to select a shortlist of just six candidates. Each of those chosen displayed an exceptional level of involvement in the industry and the qualities of a good leader, and I would like to congratulate them on their well-deserved success.”
Elena Attanasio, Independent Hotel Show Event Director, added: “After a tough 18 months for the hotel industry we’re thrilled to be announcing the shortlist for the Independent Hotel Show Awards.
“Our shortlisted Independent Hoteliers have shown incredible strength and leadership in the face of adversity and our GM of the Future nominees should be celebrated for their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment over the past year. Now more than ever it’s important to recognise the exceptional hospitality professionals that make up the UK’s boutique and independent hotel sector.
“We can’t wait to announce the winners of the Independent Hotel Show Awards at the event on 4 October and to see the hotel community all together, in person, once more.”
For the Independent Hotelier award, the judges’ picks will be combined with a public industry vote to decide the ultimate winners. The judges were as follows:
Brenda Collin, Executive Vice President, Europe, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Charlotte Evans, Group Publishing Director, Condé Nast Johansens
Christian Graf, General Manager, Middle Eight
David Noble, Director of Hospitality and Leisure, James Hallam
Peter Hancock FIH, MI, Chief Executive, Pride of Britain Hotels
Richard Fraiman, Chief Executive, The Good Hotel Guide
Simon Numphud FIH, Managing Director, AA Media
Sue Williams FIH, MI, General Manager, Whatley Manor Hotel
Susan d’Arcy, Hotels, Luxury Travel and Wellness Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times
Zoe Monk, Editor, Boutique Hotelier
The judging panel for GM of the Future, in partnership with The Master Innholders, was as follows:
David Morgan-Hewitt FIH, MI, Chairman, The Master Innholders and Managing Director, The Goring
Tamsyn Mann, Regional People Manager, Cirrus Inns and 2019 ‘One to Watch’ highly commended GM of the Future
Elena Attanasio, Event Director, Independent Hotel Show
Sal Gowili FIH MI, GM of The Ritz London
Dr Hilary Cooke FIH MI, Director, Merlin Consultancy
Robin Hutson FIH, MI, CEO, Home Grown Hotels and Lime Wood Group
Wallace Vincent FIH, Executive Secretary, The Master Innholders
Find out more about each of the shortlisted individuals and cast your vote at independenthotelshow.co.uk/awards.
The Independent Hotel Show, presented by James Hallam, takes place on 4-5 October 2021 at Olympia London. Register for your complimentary pass at independenthotelshow.co.uk.
M Social arrives in Europe with hotel opening in Paris
Millennium Hotels and Resorts is marking the first outpost for the M Social brand in Europe, with the opening of M Social Hotel Paris Opera on August 31. The new lifestyle offering will merge the ‘elegance of the historical Parisian lifestyle with contemporary design, vibrant art and inviting rooms’ to create an enchanting retreat for guests to gather, work and discover all that Paris has to offer. Let’s take a sneak peek inside…
Following the opening of M Social in New York’s Times Square earlier this summer, lifestyle hospitality brand M Social is about to open a new hotel in Paris. M Social Hotel Paris Opera, which will shelter 163 rooms, will become the brand’s debut hotel in Europe when it opens later this month. Located at 12 Boulevard Haussmann, the hotel is in the heart of Opéra making it within walking distance to some of the city’s most famous landmarks including the Louvre, the Sacré-Cœur and the Moulin Rouge. To cater to a new diverse community of travellers, EUR 5.4 million was spent on refurbishing the former Millennium Paris Opera into more contemporary lodgings.
“People are in search of new and exciting experiences. M Social is all about creativity and passion. Combine this with the hotel’s central location and you have a winning formula to satiate travellers’ wanderlust,” said Mr Kwek Leng Beng, Executive Chairman of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited. “With Europe re-opening, this is an opportune time for us to introduce M Social to this key gateway city.”
A hub for explorers, M Social Hotel Paris Opera features spaces that are designed to be accessible, comfortable and practical to guests’ needs with rooms that offer sweeping views overlooking the famous Boulevard Haussmann. The hotel is conveniently located near major shopping, art and cultural attractions of the Paris Opera district. Guests are guaranteed to experience Paris like a true Parisian in the heart of the city of lights escaping the hustle and bustle in timelessly stylish surroundings.
Image credit: M Social
Image credit: M Social
Step back in time to 1920s elegance as soon as you walk through the revolving door into the hotel’s Art Deco foyer, made of marble surfaces, ornate chandeliers and a glass-roofed cupola. StudioCaid, the creative architects behind the newly renovated areas, describes the design concept as an exchange of styles that emphasises the contrast between classic and modern. They have incorporated into the design the artistic styles of the surrounding iconic infrastructures such as the Opera Garnier and the Louvre to create the “Hotel of Today”. Each room holds the history of Les Années Folles (in English “The Roaring Twenties”) and the future of M Social Paris. The newly renovated rooms allow guests to have an authentic Parisian experience within the comforts of today’s modern world. Accommodation choices range from cosy yet spacious Signature rooms that give views into the hotel’s peaceful inner courtyard to Grande Sweetie suites that offer separate living areas and breathtaking views of the Opera Garnier or the Sacré- Cœur.
The M Social brand was launched in Singapore in 2016. Millennium Hotels and Resorts plans to grow the brand in more cities with strong character, to capture diverse stories and build up a vibrant and creative community. M Social Hotel Paris Opera is the fourth location for the brand with other outposts in New York, Singapore and Auckland.
(In video) Hotel Designs LIVE: Designing the perfect night’s sleep
The fifth edition of Hotel Designs LIVE, sponsored by and filmed from Minotti London, invited world renowned designers, architects and hospitality experts to, once again, define the point of hotel design on an global scale while keeping the conversation flowing throughout. The second session of the day, sponsored by Silentnight Group, looked at how to create the perfect nights’ sleep. Grab a coffee and let’s begin…
On August 10, designers, architects, hoteliers and developers from around the globe tuned in to watch the latest edition of Hotel Designs LIVE. The event, which first launched in June 2020 to keep the industry connected while keeping the conversation flowing, took place virtually – broadcasted at Minotti London’s Fitzrovia showroom, and included four engaging panel discussions with world-renowned hospitality and design experts on the following topics:
A design assault on the senses
Designing the perfect nights’ sleep
Design, beneath the surface
Social spaces in 2021 & beyond
Following an engaging and energetic first session, which looked at sensory design and hospitality, the audience were invited in to find their inner zen as attention switched towards sleep performance. With new innovations and technology taking bold leaps as each day passes, the aim for this session was to explore the science behind getting the best nights’ sleep.
On the panel:
Hannah Shore, Sleep Expert, (Session Sponsor)
Nathan Hutchins, Founder, Muza Lab
Ananth Ramaswamy, Project Architect, The Doyle Collection
To introduce this meaningful session, it was integral for the audience to first understand the role of a sleep expert, which was highlighted in detail in a recent masterclassHotel Designs hosted with Silentnight Group. “We obviously look into sleep and sleep research,” Shore said. “We also look at sleep personalisation, how sleep is affected in different scenarios – ultimately to establish how the mattress can help us to sleep better.”
One term Shore uses throughout the session is ‘TLC’, which is an acronym for temperature, light and comfort; three areas she and her team look at when monitoring sleep performance.
Also on the panel was Nathan Hutchins, a designer believes the team TLC is about the whole package. “TLC is about making people feeling good,” he said. “It’s about the entire environment of the hotel and the bedroom that we all create, from the bed to the architecture to the design, around leading guests into a sense of security and relaxation as they enter their hotel room.”
Ananth Ramaswamy joined the panel wearing the Doyle Collection hat, which allowed the audience to use the brand as somewhat of a case study. “We design our bedrooms around sleep performance,” he explained. “We have eight hotels [in the collection], and all are sheltered in different architectural buildings. Sleep is a very important touchpoint and everything that surrounds the bed is very considered.”
Here’s the full video of the panel discussion (on demand), which was produced by CUBE:
The full recordings of the first session, A design assault on the senses, is now available to watch on-demand. The other two sessions (‘Design, beneath the surface and Social spaces in 2021 & beyond) will be available to watch on-demand shortly.
Since you’re here…
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
Checking in to The Fellows House Cambridge – one for the history books
Armed with a limited knowledge of Cambridge – but a deep connection to cycling and ingenious college pranks – editor Hamish Kilburn checks in to the city’s new hotel, The Fellows House – Curio Collection by Hilton. His time away from his desk to explore design firm Twenty2Degrees Design Partnership’ latest project sharply becomes a history, chemistry, literature and art lesson packaged up in one unforgettable hospitality experience…
You don’t have to join a guided tour to know that the city of Cambridge is littered with history – and not all of it as pleasant as the innovative pranks from the ‘night climbers’. But I would thoroughly recommend that you go on one anyway (and ask for Tony Rodgers as your guide if you do). If nothing else, the entertainment value alone will etch the trip securely in your memory, while reminding you why Cambridge is a fascinating city. Alternatively, or in addition to, you could always give punting a go.
In a mini metropolis that is home to some 20,000 students all housed within 31 separate and competing collages that make up Cambridge University (See, Tony, I did listen), it baffles me somewhat that the hospitality scene here is not rupturing the seams of the city wall. With all its deep historic events, winding tales of mystery and scientific breakthroughs, Cambridge is a hotel designer’s dream! But for whatever reason – perhaps something to do with land value and hoteliers not wanting to get too close to the next college prank – the city, in my informed opinion, is home to just a handful of exceptional hotels. And perhaps, to preserve itself as a place somewhat lost in time, it is better off that way.
“We want everyone to experience Cambridge like a fellow and make the most of their time with us by feeling inspired and comfortably at home.” – Paavan Popat, Executive Chairman of The Fellows House.
The latest jewel to emerge shelters an unmatched history, chemistry, literature and art lesson in one module. After much anticipation, The Fellows House Cambridge has opened its doors – and in doing so has created its own legacy by marking the first Curio Collection by Hilton to arrive in the idyllic city. “We are extremely proud of the final product,” said Paavan Popat, Executive Chairman of The Fellows House. “We want everyone to experience Cambridge like a fellow and make the most of their time with us by feeling inspired and comfortably at home.” And following that official statement, my journey began.
Although the location is not slap-bang in the middle of Cambridge – however, the walk into the city centre takes less than 10 minutes and is a welcome way to find your bearings – the hotel design narrative is something of a treasure trove. Before guests have even stepped foot inside the hotel, the first nod to a Cambridge fellow can be seen. Two columns clad in patinated copper stand in Alan Turing’s legacy. On careful inspection – of course, any sculpture in the memory of Turing requires a great deal of thought – each of the columns are skilfully etched with mysterious text formatted like the Enigma code. However, this time, the codes hide famous quotes from Cambridge fellows for visitors to decipher at their leisure. The immersive experience begins, I thought as I went to check in.
Image caption: The enigma column outside the hotel, in homage to Alan Turing, is the first indication that The Fellows House in Cambridge will shelter a deep design narrative. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
From here, guests glide into the lobby lounge, which is a reclined area that smells magnificent, where the interior design, led by masterminds at Twenty2Degrees, responds to the location and academic heritage, which naturally includes countless clever references to the fellows of the university. “We very much wanted The Fellows House to be a neighbourhood amenity – an exclusive hotel but with an inclusive ambience,” Nick Stoupas, Director of interior design firm Twenty2Degrees tells Hotel Designs. “Clearly, The Sage Café at the front of the hotel [next to the lobby] and with its own street entrance is very much about drawing in the locals.”
Image caption: The Sage Cafe, with a separate entrance at the front of the hotel, is a light, bright and relaxing place where I sat for hours catching up on my emails, as I am sure many locals do also. | Image credit: The Fellows House
The power of art is extraordinary. No one knows this more than the art curators at Elegant Clutter, who were tasked to give a new layer to the interior design, which follows Twenty2degrees’ natural instinct to “design interiors that are original, yet true to brand, which are modern, infused with sense of place and a sense of fun, yet are seriously fit for purpose,” as Stoupas perfectly puts it. The body of art, therefore, is closely tied to the fellows that the name of the hotel marvellously celebrates. “When we were walking around the city on our first research trip, you could feel the history all around you,” explains Harry Pass, Creative Director at Elegant Clutter. “Cambridge is one of those locations which is overflowing with inspiration; it becomes more about what we have to consider ‘leaving out’ of the collection, as there is so much material!”
Image caption: One of the first artworks guests see when they enter the lobby is a portrait of Davidson Nicol, Cambridge’s first African fellow. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
Image caption: The contemporary lobby is adorned with unique art pieces, including the deconstructed abstract nod to Cambridge’s affinity to cycling. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
The portrait of Davidson Nicol, Cambridge’s first African fellow, is one of the first pieces of art that caught my attention, and I struggled to move past it. Hung on the opposite wall is a modern installation of bicycles. However, the celebration of the city’s affinity to two wheels is not quite as you would imagine. The bike frames have been deconstructed and placed together and repeated to create an impression of constant movement, which is kind of wonderful in a modern hotel lobby that is, in its own way, conducting a constant flow of traffic.
The Cipollino Ondulato Rosso marble to the reception desk is honed to striking effect and behind this a full-height pigeon hole cabinet of the kind once popular in the colleges. Each cabinet is labelled with a word in an old typewriter font, which on their own are nonsensical. Piece them together, however, and the form a poem by a Cambridge fellow.
The materiality in the public areas is vast and just as considered as the artwork. Upholstery fabrics are tactile, with the rouge pink tone of velvet offsets the dark marbles and timbers. To complete the design, the modern orb-like chandelier from Chelsom, finished in brushed brass, is a welcome touch to a hotel lobby that has timeless style and character.
Image caption: The colour pallete of the lobby/lounge and The Folio Bar is dark and rich to reflect that of a private members’ bar. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
In truth, I spent the majority of my time in the public areas – and why wouldn’t you when an eclectic art collection and thoughtful design scene catches your eye and challenges your history knowledge from every perspective? That and I had a lot of emails to catch up on, which were comfortably answered while reclined in the leather chesterfield sofas next to large armchairs that have been playfully deconstructed as if to show the secrets of their inner craftsmanship.
Moving further into this space, the seductive coating of design yet again draws guests in and provides subtle reveals through partially glazed panels and free-standing walls of spaces beyond as well as new reflections captured in distressed mirrored columns – a proficient way to create barriers without halting flow. At the far end of the space, another art masterpiece in aged copper rounds off the journey. It is an etching inspired by fellow C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which emulates the printing blocks used to create the original book by scaling-up and reversing the process to create a mirror image. And, not be left out, is a recording from Winnie the Pooh, written by another fellow, A.A Milne, which plays in the public restrooms.
Truly, every corner of the hotel’s public areas has been observed. Even the corridors, often forgotten spaces in hotels, have been utilised to keep the narrative of Cambridge and its fellows flowing. “Our references are very real but the way we have treated them is far from literal,” adds Stoupas. “We have layered these notes in a way that means returning guests and those who are staying for a long period of time will continue to discover new ideas and engaging stories.” They become an experience of Cambridge, if you like, putting the spotlight on brilliant minds interpreted through a design lens to encourage guests to look beyond what they already know.
Past a pool table in the middle of the room – my kind of hotel – in the far end of the hotel is The Folio Bar, but don’t let the warm ambiance fool you into a false sense of security, because the cocktails, made to look like the results of chemistry experiments, are lethal.
Image credit: The Folio Bar, where the design is strong and the cocktails are lethal. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
Designed to feel like a private members’ club – and it does so effectively with a warm and rich colour palatte with notes of deep reds and oranges – the lighting in this part of the hotel plays a major role. With little direct natural light available, the theatre of artificial lighting highlights feature elements, artwork and accessories, revealing luxurious finishes and creating a mood conducive to quiet conversations against the intermittent sounds of cocktail shakers.
Nearest to the bar, an elegant cocktail cabinet displays glass drippers used to curate local drinks in-house but which would look as if they should be in a scientist’s laboratory. At the other end, there is a full-height bookcase accessorised with scientific curiosities, games and a collection of books by or about the fellows.
Image caption: The result is that the drinks menu adds further drama and depth to the interior design scheme that surrounds it. | Image credit: The Fellows House
Image caption: Even the bar has links to fellows. Each cocktail has been named after – and in honour of – a fellow of Cambridge. | Image credit: The Fellows House
The space is open and inviting. Where walls do exist, though, they have been designed to merge into artwork. For example, a free-standing wall alongside the bar hosts a “DNA Panel”, a celebration of the discovery of DNA by Cambridge fellows which, so the story goes, was modelled over a pint in the nearby Eagle pub. The double helix formation is carved and painted and the DNA profile of, I am told, the owner of the hotel itself is embedded into the piece as gold-painted strips. To the side of one of the lift lobbies, a faux aged brick wall has been created where the plaster has been made to look like it has “degraded in time” to disclose the college crests, painted as faded ghost signage.
Adjacent to The Folio Bar – but far enough away to lock in different atmospheres – The Folio Kitchen comprises a large indoor conservatory-style space which opens onto The Fellows Garden where a terrace and The Observatory snug give guests the opportunity to wine and dine al fresco. While flowing directly from The Folio Bar, the restaurant offers a step-change in ambience with a light-filled space thanks to a large roof lantern over the main dining area and a fully glazed wall at one end. In one direction, the restaurant looks towards a buzzing open kitchen, in the other towards the courtyard garden. “Since this area is hidden from the street, it feels a little like a secret gem for those in the know,” adds Stoupas.
The Folio Kitchen combines the contemporary and classic within a fresh and inviting colour palette. Walls and columns are clad in whitewashed brick and the accent colour is Cambridge Blue with punches of ochre orange in the leather upholstery. A Calacatta marble sharing table together with marble topped dining tables are elegant and sophisticated. They also provide a counterpoint to the traditional millwork of the roof lantern recess and the timber banquets as well as the geometric black and white tiling to the floor, all of which are a nod to historic Cambridge.
Certain elements are drawn through from the rest of the public areas. Antiqued mirror continues to play an important role in capturing design vignettes and adding drama to the space while original artworks are key to the storytelling. For example, a romantic poem written nearly 100 years ago by a Chinese student and a leader of China’s New Culture Movement becomes a collection of framed love notes to Cambridge abstracted into handwritten texts, modern re-workings of Chinese symbols and laser cut lettering.
Image caption: The Folio Kitchen combines the contemporary and classic within a fresh and inviting colour palette. | Image credit: The Fellows House
Image caption: The artwork on the wall, if pieced together, makes up a poem of a famous Chinese poet who studied at Cambridge University. | Image credit: The Fellows House
The restaurant is refined, cosy and playful, aptly complementing the menu which features homely British classics served with a twist as well as a number of plant-based dishes, I couldn’t help by notice.
We’ve come all this way – travelled through time, it feels – and we have not yet even mentioned the guestrooms – or apartments, I should say.
The hotel houses 133 apartments, which are contemporary and pared-back – leaving room for guests to make their suite their own, which I think is a nice element. Pale timber floors and a monochrome colour palette are paired with marble topped tables and dark timber features and furniture. Accents of colour are introduced in the framed antique-style Cambridge maps which pay homage to alumni and fellows, Charles Darwin, Henry Cavendish, John Flamsteed and Siegfried Sassoon – but one can’t help but feel that the artwork in the rooms need to work harder to compliment the level of detail in the creative curated mix of art experienced elsewhere in the hotel. That’s not the say, by any means, that the rooms are not stylish, comfortable and extremely well specked, complete with Villeroy & Boch basins and WCs, Geberit flush plates and hansgrohe rainfinity showers.
Image caption: There are 133 apartments sheltered inside the hotel. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
Image caption: All of which feature state-of-the-art kitchens and lounge areas. | Image credit: The Fellows House Cambridge
Prior to checking in to this hotel, Cambridge to me felt like an exclusive zone; reserved for students and the alumni who passed the entry exam and the famous interview process. Well, now, I have a new perspective and deeper understanding of the city’s rousing past, thanks to the opening of this contemporary hotel that fills in all the history gaps. In fact, I feel like I need to return to in order to discover more.
Leaving Cambridge, less than 24 hours after I arrived, I feel as if I have somehow graduated from somewhere remarkable – and hotel that is both true to its roots while also being fully equipped to the new contemporary hospitality era that we are moving into – it even has a spa and gym. Until next time, The Fellows House Cambridge.
IHG launches new luxury & lifestyle brand, Vignette Collection
Hotel group IHG has announced Vignette Collection as its new Luxury & Lifestyle brand, with hotels in Australia and Thailand the first to join the collection…
Vignette Collection becomes the sixth addition to IHG’s brand portfolio in the past four years, taking it to 17 in total across nearly 6,000 hotels in more than 100 countries. The Collection further enriches IHG’s fast-growing Luxury & Lifestyle offer for both leisure and business travellers.
IHG’s Vignette Collection will give owners of world-class independent hotels the opportunity to retain their distinctive identity, while benefitting from our global scale, Luxury & Lifestyle expertise, and powerful IHG Rewards loyalty programme. These exclusive properties in sought-after urban and resort locations will accelerate IHG’s growth and meet an increasing appetite from travellers for ‘one-of-a-kind’ stays.
Keith Barr, CEO, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “Our new Vignette Collection gives IHG a compelling way to welcome world-class independent hotels into our brand family, combining each property’s distinctive identity with the power of our global scale. As our first hotels in Australia and Thailand both showcase, each property is as unique as the next, and all will be endorsed by IHG’s trusted reputation for quality.
“We’ve been strategic with the enhancements we’ve made to our luxury and lifestyle portfolio in recent years, which at more than 400 hotels and 100,000 rooms is the second largest in the industry. We’ve built on the heritage and global success of our InterContinental brand, with the rapid international expansion of Kimpton and Hotel Indigo, and acquisitions of Six Senses and Regent. We expect to attract more than 100 Vignette Collection hotels in 10 years, and the brand will be key to delivering our ambition of industry-leading net rooms growth.”
Among the first hotels to join IHG’s Vignette Collection will be Hotel X, a 5-star hotel, dining and lifestyle destination in the centre of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, Australia. Hotel X’s distinctive design and luxurious facilities celebrate this iconic Brisbane neighbourhood through ultra-cool art, Avant Garde lighting and exceptional views of the cityscape
Thailand’s vibrant Pattaya Aquatique hotel will also be one of the first hotels to join the Vignette Collection. Working in collaboration with Thailand’s leading integrated lifestyle real estate group, Asset World Corporation Public Company Limited (AWC), the hotel is based in Pattaya’s Aquatique district, the city’s first iconic lifestyle destination.
“AWC feels honoured to be the first partner in Asia and one of the first globally to launch a hotel under IHG Hotels & Resorts’ new Vignette Collection,” added Mrs Wallapa Traisorat, CEO and President, AWC. “With the backing of IHG’s global systems and support, we are confident that our unique hotel, located in the vibrant and lively beachfront destination of Pattaya, The Aquatique, will appeal to all travellers seeking inspirational and exceptional experiences.”
Whether it’s a city haven, sun-kissed resort, or beyond, IHG’s Vignette Collection will provide one-of-a-kind stays, with each hotel serving up a distinct service style and character.
Owners of independent hotels and small chains are increasingly attracted to the opportunity to benefit from the scale, expertise and investment of a global hotel brand leader, such as IHG. Those joining IHG’s Vignette Collection will gain rapid access to world class revenue delivery and guest reservation systems, Luxury & Lifestyle expertise, our powerful IHG Rewards loyalty programme, and procurement savings. All of this will come without high upfront costs and each hotel will retain its distinctive identity.
Alongside the significant owner benefits, Vignette Collection will meet the needs of travellers seeking exciting independent stay experiences, and provide a greater choice of outstanding destinations to earn and burn loyalty points. Nowhere is this more sought after than in Luxury & Lifestyle, where the desire for distinct experiences and unique service is permanent.
Seamless conversions of high-quality, unique independent luxury and lifestyle hotels and small portfolios will further fast-track IHG’s growth in a market worth more than $100 billion, and where more than 1.5 million rooms globally are currently independent. Over the next 10 years, IHG expects Vignette Collection to attract more than 100 properties globally.
Now open: W Philadelphia – a racy love letter to the ‘City of Brotherly Love’
The highly anticipated wait for the arrival of W Hotels in the Philadelphia is over. The metropolis affectionately known as the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ has welcomed the opening of W Philadelphia to its glowing skyline…
Located in the heart of downtown, W Philadelphia is housed with a 51-storey skyscraper, and its arrival is already being described as a celebration of the city’s street art, musical legacy and historic embrace of originality – as seen through the provocative lens of the W brand.
W Philadelphia is the first W-branded hotel to open in North America since W Aspen in 2019, and follows the unveiling of W Osaka, which, earlier this year, marked the brand’s arrival in Japan.
“Philadelphia is the quintessential city for a W hotel – rebellious, unexpected and original.” – Tom Jarrold, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide.
Embracing the same drive, grit and irreverence that sparked our nation’s revolution, the new hotel liberates the city’s traditional rules of luxury through its design as well as a lineup of local creative partners who authenticate and elevate every stay.
Image credit: W Hotels
“Philadelphia is the quintessential city for a W hotel – rebellious, unexpected and original,” said Tom Jarrold, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “Its diverse neighbourhoods and rich history attract travellers from around the country and the world and we are excited to put our unique stamp on its luxury hotel scene.”
From The Sound of Philadelphia and the city’s legendary 1970s nightlife scene to its famed urban grid richly juxtaposed with vibrant green spaces, the design of W Philadelphia is as rich and diverse as the city itself. Punctuated throughout the hotel is an extensive artwork collection, much of it exclusively commissioned by the hotel using the talent of local artists. From abstract murals celebrating urban gardens to oil and digital print portraits of the city’s most famous musicians of the past and present, the art of W Philadelphia is as thoughtful as it is thought-provoking.
W Philadelphia features 295 guestrooms including 39 suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling windows and breathtaking, panoramic city views. Nods to traditional Pennsylvania craftsmanship can be seen in entry way and bathroom tile patterns as well as Shaker-style chairs at each workspace. Illuminated in the guestrooms are the words of the Declaration of Independence, etched in graffiti font on a custom light fixture. The signature W Bed is made with a bespoke bedspread print – “Philly Toile” – featuring both modern and historical city icons. A throw pillow features the iconic Robert Indiana LOVE statue on one side and, for a playful twist, the word LUST on the opposite side.
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The hotel’s six suite categories feature oversized soaking tubs and ornate details including Danby marble and Chesterfield-style furnishings, as well as the only private guest balconies of any luxury hotel in the city. Local artwork imagined under the theme of “Collective Independence” is displayed in salon groupings inspired by the impressionist and modern art collections housed at the nearby Barnes Foundation. The WOW and Extreme WOW Suites push the unexpected even further with custom foosball and billiard tables as well as in-room DJ booths.
Render credit: W Hotels
Equally important to the design of a W is each hotel’s sonic identity. Shaping the sounds of W Philadelphia’s music activations is Joshua Lang, a multi-faceted artist with a background in design and music. In addition to spinning regular sets on property as resident DJ, Lang will book DJ talent with his distinct approach to curating the sound and vibe specific to the hotel’s social outlets: think soulful and loungey in the Living Room with funk and soul and high-energy and vibrant house and global dance music on the WET Deck.
The hotel features an eclectic selection of spaces for guests and locals to socialise as they unwind and indulge. First is the Living Room, with design inspired by the historic sunken gardens of Fairmount Park. By day, coffee from local artisan roaster Rival Bros. will be served in custom ceramics from Philadelphia-based houseware and design studio, Centerpeak, and, by night, craft cocktails curated by famed local mixologist Resa Mueller will flow. The focal point of the Living Room is a wall of hand-painted, custom ceramic skulls which draw inspiration from the Hyrtl Skull Collection at the nearby Mutter Museum and feature references to hip-hop, fashion and garden icons.
Tucked away behind the skulls and a two-way mirror, guests will find “Stevens’ Prophecy,” a salon adorned with artwork celebrating Hollywood and Philadelphia royalty, Grace Kelly. The name is a reference to the story of Grace Kelly’s high school yearbook superlative in which it was predicted she would become “a famous star of stage and screen.” The salon will soon feature its own specialty menu including small-batch as well as limited-run spirits.
On the 7th floor, the WET Deck features a heated, year-round pool with intricate, green and blue custom tile work inspired by French parterre pattern, while the WET Deck Bar is adorned with a large-scale, pixelated floral motif from floor to ceiling. All WET Deck Talent will wear custom uniforms from Philadelphia’s own Grant BLVD, a Black-owned sustainable fashion brand that upcycles vintage clothing. Around the corner, guests will discover a lush green space known as the Secret Garden, where Illuminated busts of Benjamin Franklin and Marie Antoinette are tucked amongst the greenery for a modern twist on traditional garden design. The urban retreat will play host to local pop-ups and host live music performances where guests and locals can discover up-and-coming talent of the musically-driven city.
Render credit: W Hotels
Render credit: W Hotels
Located on the same floor, the AWAY Spa embraces socialisation with a lounge, beauty bar and DJ set-up for private events. AWAY features five treatment rooms inspired by the colour palette and joie de vivre of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette as well as two large-scale wallpaper prints of Marilyn Minter’s provocative take on beauty and pleasure – Kicksilver and Goldkicker.
In addition to all of this, the hotel also has more than 45,000 square feet of event space inspired by the brand’s long-standing passion for music. It begins with pre-function space connected by a monumental grand staircase with a dramatic floating chandelier made of 10,000 gold coins as a nod to Philadelphia’s banking history. Alcove seating under the stairs shares space with a locally-produced skull sculpture, another reference to the famed Hyrtl Skull Collection and a signature iconography of rock n’ roll. Each of the 37 meeting rooms flow with natural light and high-design lighting concepts that create the feeling of private recording studios. Lastly, the sun-drenched-by-day Great Room features floor-to-ceiling windows, abstract floral carpeting as well as circular lighting fixtures and shimmering wall finishes that resemble the night sky during evening events.
London based hospitality design specialist Richmond International has revealed sophisticated and elegant interiors on board P&O Cruises newest ship Iona…
The design vision for P&O Cruises latest ship Iona was to make ‘the sea the star’. Design firm Richmond International was tasked with creating an environment that brings the outside in, spaces where guests can retreat in comfort and where they are delighted every time they visit.
The project includes the design of several spaces including the cabins and suites, Oasis Spa, The Limelight Club, The Club House, The Crow’s Nest, Ivory Suite, The Epicurean restaurant, and Ocean Studios cinema. Through carefully considered design, each space has its own distinct character and ambience that effortlessly blends into the next.
“It was a pleasure to work with P&O Cruises again on this fantastic new project following the success of our work on Britannia,” explains Richmond International Director Terry McGillicuddy. “With Iona we have created an elevated guest experience through meaningful design touches that create a sense of luxury and sophistication.”
Cabins, suites and corridors
Taking inspiration from the ocean, the cabins and suites reference the ship’s environment through subtle design touches. For example, the carpet pattern features nautical knotting and the circular mirroring and artwork playfully nod to traditional portholes. The use of light blue and sandy yellow tones throughout are a reflection of the sea and shore.
The Conservatory Mini-suites on board Iona, which are a first for P&O Cruises, continue the theme of bringing the outside in with the introduction of an additional conservatory space. This area can be closed off from the main cabin or opened up to create a direct connection with the balcony and sea. The L-shaped sofa seating area offers an ideal setting for a morning coffee or pre-dinner drinks with stunning seascape views.
The premium suites, complete with a spacious lounge area and lavish marble-style bathroom, are characterised by their muted sandy tones and contemporary styling adopted to channel the spirt and elegance of luxury yacht design.
In the corridors a directional-lined pattern is used on the carpet and feature panels have been introduced outside each room with a letter box for invitations and menu cards, integral lighting, and cabin number
The spa
Spanning two decks, the expansive spa is a sanctuary of relaxation with an understated and refined aesthetic. A timber ceiling feature, designed to reflect the movement and rhythm of the ocean, overlooks the reception. The connection with the ocean is also highlighted with the use of soft corners and light materials as well as ocean inspired tiling on the walls.
Timber panelling frames the treatment rooms. Most of these have comfortable window seats boasting ocean views through the large windows. In keeping with the nautical theme, the wooden screening and wall panelling also feature a flowing wave design.
Spa areas include the thermal suite, complete with a large central hydrotherapy pool with massage jets and air recliners, a therapeutic sauna, sensory steam rooms and experiential showers, a gym, and a fitness studio.
The Limelight Club
The backlit bar and central stage area are the focal points in this intimate dinner and entertainment venue. The surrounding furniture and carpet follow a deep purple colour scheme, further enhancing the space’s sultry, exclusive ambiance. At the rear of the room several booths have been created each with their own decorative chandeliers.
image credit: Richmond International/P&O Cruises
The Club House
The Club House is a multifunctional space, effortlessly moving from day to night, from a morning coffee spot with views across the ocean to an evening entertainment hub hosting comedy nights and live bands.
A bright and inviting space, The Club House takes inspiration from spring colours with the use of botanical greens and yellows for the marble tables, furniture, and carpet. Around the upper seating area, a ceiling feature incorporates these colours into a pergola installation with a greenhouse feel.
The Crow’s Nest and Ivory Suite
The Crow’s Nest takes its inspiration from the high seas featuring naval references throughout, for example the use of brass metalwork and mirroring. Deep navy blues and metallic gold finishing bring a sense of sophistication and exclusivity to this bar area. The introduction of soft lines in the circular screens and carpet pattern also represent a musical influence; a nod to the entertainment that take place in this space.
The multi-purpose Ivory Suite is adjacent to The Crow’s Nest and transitions seamlessly, using the same carpet pattern but with a cream base.
The Epicurean restaurant
Iona’s fine dining restaurant The Epicurean features floor to ceiling windows offering uninterrupted views. Taking centre stage inside the restaurant is the undulating ceiling achieved through panel work and lighting that reflects the movement of the waves. The rise and fall of the ocean is subtly mirrored in the variation of teals, creams and whites that are used in the carpet and artwork.
Ocean Studios
With rich scarlet hues and bare bulb Hollywood lighting, this four-screen cinema complex is a true celebration of the great cinema era. Guests are guided from the foyer to the screening rooms by a lane of patterned carpet and lighting that is surrounded by a series of film posters.
What you need to know about Mosaico’s two new collections
In the last 18 months, surface brand Mosaico has launched two new collections to its portfolio. Following the brand delivering an impressive Product Watch Pitch at our recent Hotel Designs LIVE event, we wanted to know more about the latest additions in the P-Saico and Cut Up ranges…
Mosaico has launched two new ranges – and as well as being beautiful to look at they are also answering to the demands of modern travellers, which are calling out for tactile and interesting surfaces in hotel design.
Firstly, let’s look at the new addition to the P-Saico range …. Melange! So named because the brand has mixed the existing P-Saico colourways to create four new dual toned options.
The range is through body porcelain and so for use indoor and outdoor, wall and floor. And the range has LEED accreditation too so perfect when considering sustainability criteria.
Image credit: Mosaico
Then you can see the variation in the further two images from the new Melange collection, both in Plaster Coal. However, they look quite different due to the use of different coloured grout and it is amazing how this can change the dynamics and look of the decoration.
Image credit: Mosaico
Image credit: Mosaico
You can see how the choice of grout colour highlights/outlines the patterns differently so it’s well worth considering how this can impact your scheme to create/add something quite individual.
Then, the surface brand has just launched Cut Up!
Image credit: Mosaico
This is different to anything else the brand has as it has used incisions and applied textures to a larger slab creating divisions that break up the larger piece, as with the original concept of the mosaic format.
The range is also through body porcelain and comes in four colourways. There are three modules with different detailing so Mosaico suggests fixing off bond to ensure no obvious repeat pattern and to mix the modules so the embedded textures appear more randomly across the installation, each installation can then be entirely unique. And of course, the choice of grout colour can dramatically change the finished look!
There is something about the randomness of the decoration and the imperfect nature of this range allowing you to interpret it’s use to suit many schemes.
As you can see, the brand is crafting new designs and diversifying from the regular mosaic format. With new shapes and materials, it hopes this inspires designers to integrate these new ranges as really interesting features, with a bit of a twist on mosaic, and with the help of your chosen grout colour, to fashion a really unique contribution.
Mosaico are introducing new shapes and material, different to the regular square format we all know.
Mosaico was a Product Watch Pitch Partner at Hotel Designs LIVE, which took place on August 10, 2021.
In conversation with the ‘rugtrepreneurs’ at Modieus
Combining fashion with design to create some extraordinary carpet and rug patterns, Modieus is officially on the radar of our editorial team at Hotel Designs. Here, editor Hamish Kilburn catches up with the founders of the brand to understand more about the creative work that happens behind the scenes…
Modieus is Dutch for fashionable, which makes sense when casting your eyes over the brands latest collection, Makers Mark. Established six years ago, the company is determined to be the most stylish commercial flooring brand in the southern hemisphere – we found there’s a lot more to them than just supplying beautiful carpets and rugs.
Founder Xander Okhuizen (previously APAC Director at Brintons Carpets) and General Manager Daren Griffin (previously Head of Project Management PTY at Brintons Carpets) shared what they’ve learnt in their long careers in flooring, and how they differentiate themselves from other contract flooring brands.
Image credit: Modieus
Hamish Kilburn: What is the most important aspect of your business?
Xander Okhuizen: People are the most important – nothing else. If people don’t want to work with you, you have nothing. We offer our clients a total solution and take all the stress out of projects.
A lot of our competitors can get 90 per cent of a project right, but what really counts is getting the last 10 per cent delivered perfectly. That’s where Daren comes in because good project management matters.
Daren Griffin: The projects we work on can take anything from six months to four years to complete. Our success comes from having processes in place and making sure everyone in the team understands what is expected. I review each project and ensure we are offering a commercially viable solution for both our customer and for our business. We also review every completed project; the whole team has visibility of costs and profit – yes even the sales team!
Image credit: Modieus
Image credit: Modieus
HK: You must be the first management team that shares costs with their sales team, does that mean you discount a lot?
XO: No – quality has a price, we don’t aim to be the cheapest, we aim to be the best. And sometimes that means we walk away from projects.
I tell my sales team not to “sell” – we don’t want lots of orders, we just want good orders. They must be brave enough to walk away from a project if it’s not good for our business. I don’t believe in giving empty promises – when we take an order, we keep our word. We have built excellent relationships with the Mills and have an amazing supply chain in place.
DG: Design, Sales and Project Management work as a team and with total transparency on the success of every job. Everyone in the team has a fixed salary and Xander has ensured there is no ceiling on the bonus people can earn. I’ve been at Modieus for more than four years and it’s a different way of working that gets the best out of people (we even get our birthdays as extra holiday).
Image credit: Hotel Indigo, Adelaide / Modieus
HK: Where does your expertise lie?
DG: Modieus is based in Australia, but we operate in more than 15 countries internationally – we’ve supplied carpets from Greece to Brazil. Our core sectors are hospitality, airports, aged care, and offices. We supply any construction and any configuration from broadloom and rugs to entrance mats (which can trap up to 90 per cent of dirt entering a building).
XO: Selecting the right flooring is vital – you never hear kids screaming in a carpeted airport. But smart design is also key – a well-designed carpet can last 20 years in heavy footfall areas. Our expertise is in supporting our clients to select the right specification and design for their project and managing the whole process from start to completion.
Image credit: Modieus
HK: What design trends do you see emerging at the moment (or don’t see evolving further)?
DG: Tastes vary internationally, each country is different. Our designers have worked in multi-markets and have a limitless design capability. Even in Australia there are stark differences, for example Queensland is very bright and bold, compared to Victoria and New South Wales where palettes are much more muted.
XO: One trend I don’t understand is white carpets in guestrooms. First impressions count, so a white carpet in a guestroom may look great as a concept but it is a housekeeper’s nightmare. People buy carpet every 10 years, but we sell it every day so it’s our job to tell hotel owners what will work best. We will never take the order if we don’t believe the specification is right.
Image credit: Modieus
HK: What’s the business outlook like?
XO: It’s been a tough year for hospitality internationally. In normal times Australians spend more on international tourism ($65bn) than they do domestically ($43-45bn), so this has been an opportunity for some sectors.
DG: You know you can physically fit the whole of Europe into Australia, right? Money isn’t leaving the country as many people are spending it on a domestic holiday or on home renovations. Business hotels are not doing as well, but we see country resorts, and pubs and clubs doing very well.
XO: Central Business Districts in cities will evolve to lifestyle living – we are seeing this in Sydney already, where offices are being converted to residential apartments.
Even though people are sick of zoom, I don’t see a full return to offices. People may work two or three days in the office, which will have an impact on office space. I don’t see companies needing 6 levels in a building when they can do with three, so these spaces will be repurposed for multi-use.
I have a very positive outlook on life and business. Work hard, treat people well, do the right thing – I have built a business that I always wanted to work for, and I am pleased to have a great team around me to deliver our potential.
Modieus 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.
Designed and manufactured in the heart of Yorkshire, Harrison Spinks has been handcrafting the perfect night’s sleep since 1840. But that’s not all, as editor Hamish Kilburn finds out…
Harrison Spinks represents ‘the best in British manufacturing’, using only the finest in luxuriously natural and sustainable fillings, award-winning, 100 per cent recyclable pocket spring systems and in-house woven FR chemical treatment free mattress fabric. Each mattress is expertly handcrafted to order using time honoured skills, creating a sleeping experience for your guests which cannot be equalled.
World leaders in sustainable comfort innovation, the brand’s aim is to provide guests with not only the most comfortable and supportive but a healthy and environmentally sound night’s sleep. The team are the proud recipients of not one but two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in Sustainable Development and in 2019 gained a Carbon Neural+ accreditation.
Image credit: Harrison Spinks
From growing its own natural and sustainable fillings and rearing sheep for their woolly fleeces on its 300 acre North Yorkshire farm, to designing and manufacturing 100 per cent recyclable, glue free Cortec™ pocket springs and weaving 100 per cent FR chemical treatment free mattress fabric in-house, the brand’s team are described as ‘true bedmakers’.
Launched in autumn 2020, the Sprint rolled mattress collection allows hoteliers to offer their guests an environmentally sound, comfortable and supportive night’s sleep. Each of the three models within the collection marries blends of sustainable fillings and innovative spring systems, helping to achieve the ideal balance of comfort, support and body temperature management. Alongside this collection sits the luxurious Signature Collection with pocket spring counts ranging from 3400 – 19750, delicate blends of sumptuous sustainably sourced fillings such as cashmere, silk and mohair work in harmony with its unique and 100 per cent recyclable Cortec™ spring systems and highly flexible contouring Micro springs. A world first and a new dawn for comfort technology, the revolutionary Cortec™ pocket springs feature in every Harrison Spinks Hospitality bed. Unique and ground breaking, these smaller and finer springs are the team’s secret to superior comfort. Contouring to your body with accuracy and precision, with the absence of glue meaning that not only is every spring system 100% recyclable but also each spring is able to work individually for maximum efficiency. Whichever model you choose your guests will experience the perfect night’s sleep.
Since you’re here, why not read our review of The Cave Hotel, one of many hotels that shelters Harrison Spinks mattresses?
Each Harrison Spinks Hospitality mattress is zero to landfill and 10 per cent recyclable. As a business we’ve committed to going glue, foam and FR chemical treatment free and this ethos runs through the brand’s entire hospitality range. Driving change we pledge to recycle every mattress we produce that contains Cortec™ springs, in 2021 opening its mattress recycling plant, ensuring all the components are recycled through the appropriate channels. So not only will the guests sleep well, the hoteliers will sleep soundly too.
Harrison Spinks 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.
Living like a local in Portugal – inside Lumiares, Lisbon
The Lumiares, Lisbon is a five-star boutique bombshell, where the style is personal, not “corporate”, relaxed not “stuffy”, gives an authentic nod to Lisbon’s colour, culture and patterns. Editor Hamish Kilburn falls in love with Portugal again when exploring the city’s latest destination hotel…
The fully renovated hotel, which is housed in a former XVII century Palace in the heart of the city, has all the key amenities and facilities for business and leisure travellers who want to feel at home when away from home.
The Lumiares’ philosophy is to highlight the authenticity and personality of Lisbon by collaborating with local Portuguese businesses to showcase ‘the best of Portugal’. Almost every item of furniture, artwork, textiles and room accessories has been conceived, designed and manufactured in Portugal, some within 500m from the hotel, which transcends a new take on ‘living like a local’.
Image credit: Lumiares Lisbon
The starting place for design and artwork within the 47-key hotel was the location. Perched on the central edge of Bairro Alto, the hotel is situated in a Lisbon quarter home to a bohemian mish-mash of everyday residents, artists and merchants’ studios, restaurants, quirky shops, lively bars and cafes; a warren of asymmetrical buildings with mismatched facades of varying heights and hues, its narrow streets and pavements cobbled in Lisbon’s iconic square paving stones.
Image credit: Lumiares Lisbon
Surveyed from above, the quarter forms a striking grid of patterns, light and dark; painted walls adorned with Lisbon’s beautiful hero colours – sky blue, rosy pink and warm ochre. These colours change and intensify throughout the day – creating yet more contrast as the unique, golden light of Lisbon turns to dusk. By day, the neighbourhood is sleepy and quiet, while at night it comes alive and becomes a place of contrasts. This is reflected in the bold black, white and brass-accented flooring in the lobby area, a bespoke collection of abstract and geometrical original artworks on display throughout the rooms, and a captivating sculptural brass chandelier dominating the building’s grand staircase.
Image credit: Lumieres Lisbon
In design terms, day-to-night, light-to-dark transformation was brought to life to capture Bairro Alto’s topography of pattern and grids – choosing boldly geometric prints in the materials, fabrics, artwork and flooring, accented with the colours and golden light we see all around us. From the lobby’s bold black and white and brass-accented flooring, the colourful abstract original artwork of Maser to designer Beau McClellan’s captivating sculptural and cubic brass lighting installation in the hotel’s central stairwell, the unique character of the Bairro Alto quarter was central to the design theme.
The hotel’s simple style, charm and character is described as a colourful love letter to Portugal – what a way to fall back in love with authentic travel again…
Following delivering a successful Product Watch Pitch at Hotel Designs LIVE, Milliken explain how its floor tiles can go beyond being just beautiful products in the new era of lifestyle and wellness…
Milliken floor tiles help to create the wow factor and that Insta perfect first impression on arrival at a hotel.
The floor tiles that Milliken produce also have many practical benefits that set them apart from other flooring choices, such as sound absorption, reduced impact sound and improved well-being for those who work and stay in hotels and hospitality settings.
They help reduce unwanted airborne noise and increase the sound absorption of the hotel space by using Milliken’s patented Comfort Plus cushion backing, along with high-performance fibre that reduces noise reverberation time and therefore softens echo. Milliken Comfort Plus cushion backing is particularly beneficial in reducing the nuisance of impact sound, such as the sound of passing footsteps down a hotel corridor.
“We are able to support those hotels having a very bold design in some spaces together with a very tonal scheme in other areas of the hotel.” – Karen Burt, EMEA Strategic Accounts Director, Milliken.
Image credit: Milliken
Image credit: Milliken
The brand’s clear focus on wellbeing and biophilic design are extremely beneficial in the design and specification of hotel interiors. Good, clean air quality is important to the guest experience and carpet can have a positive effect on improving indoor air quality. Gravity causes dust particles to fall to the floor and collect in the carpet fibre, reducing the circulation of dust in the air we breathe.
Milliken’s global design studios can produce custom design on a very small scale which is a result of the patterning techniques that they have. “We have been seeing a real uptake in creative flooring – take the 25hours brand for example,” explains Karen Burt, EMEA Strategic Accounts Director, Milliken. “We are able to support those hotels having a very bold design in some spaces together with a very tonal scheme in other areas of the hotel.”
Image credit: Milliken
Kate Collier, Marketing Communications Manager at Milliken, comments: “In terms of wellness, the acoustics come into play as well. We personally feel we fit really nicely into this new era of lifestyle because of the flexibility and the global nature of our brand. In the US, we are now seeing our hospitality team introducing more modular design in public areas. We’re also able to be more creative in our ‘vision lab’ so that designers can use our tools to establish the right look for the right project.”
The brand’s carpet is engineered to the highest levels of specification. Selection of raw materials, robust design, development and manufacturing processes ensure superior quality, comfort, aesthetics and durability. Comfort Plus cushion backing ensures guest comfort and safety as well as protecting the carpet face from wear and can significantly extend its life.
Milliken carpet is supplied in modular tile format. This offers many benefits over traditional broadloom carpet. Modular carpet creates less installation waste than broadloom carpet, as well as being quicker and easier to handle and install. This in turn reduces disruption and the possibility of hotel downtime. Maintenance is easier as is dealing with spills and damaged areas. With tiles, replacement of soiled, stained or damaged areas is fast and easy as one tile is simply picked up and another quickly swapped in.
The Creo collection, Milliken’s latest hospitality carpet collection, has been designed with hospitality environments in mind. It’s inspired by Brazilian street art, featuring three vibrant colourways – Sao Paulo, Rio and Brasilia, offered in three lively pattern families – Avenida, Beco and Rua. The specifier can select the preferred pattern and colour combination for field, runner or rug combinations providing a multitude of design options.
Milliken was a Product Pitch Partner at Hotel Designs LIVE recently, which took place on August 10, 2021.
Sneak peek inside The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort and Residences
Designed by HBA Miami and Mac-Michaels Interior Design, with architecture by SB Architects, The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort and Residences is expected to open in spring 2024. Inside the elegant 166-room resort and 69 private luxury condominiums capture the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast and deliver a sense of relaxed comfort and barefoot luxury. Editor Hamish Kilburn gets a sneak peek inside…
SB Architects, an international architecture firm celebrated for creating spaces that capture the history, culture, and context of each location, has revealed the design for The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort and Residences, a new resort community nestled in the beautiful white sands of the Gulf of Mexico.
Image credit: SB Architects
Situated on a barrier island outside of Sarasota, Florida, The St. Regis Longboat Key is scheduled to break ground this autumn and will deliver luxury seaside living with the amenities and service of a world-class, five-star resort upon opening in spring 2024.
Developed by Unicorp National Developments, the elegant 166-key resort and 69 private luxury condominiums will be distinguished both for the property’s architectural expression and the level of luxury that the St. Regis brand will bring to the locale. SB Architects is working alongside Hirsch Bedner Associates Miami (HBA), Marc-Michaels Interior Design, and Enea Landscape Design to bring the vision to life.
Image credit: HBA Miami
Comprised mostly of glass, the buildings feature clean lines, fine detailing, and soaring floor-to-ceiling windows that draw in natural light and showcase stunning coastal views. “Our goal was to create a sense of relaxed comfort and elegance through contemporary design in both the resort and private residences,” said Pinar Harris, SB Architects’ Vice President and Principal. “Drawing inspiration from the existing landscape for materials and celebrating the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico through visual connections to the ocean, the design channels the spirit of the St. Regis brand through a timeless expression of barefoot luxury.”
An immersive experience begins the moment guests and residents arrive, as they enter through a canopy of jacaranda trees. Inside, an entry corridor enhances the view to the ocean through an immersive, barrel-vaulted digital ceiling, where ambient lighting reflects the sky’s spectacular sunset colours daily. Projectors display graceful birds across the ceiling intermittently, capturing a sense of movement and bringing the outdoor environment inside.
In addition to drawing inspiration from dance-like moments in nature, including the skillful flight of birds along the shore, the resort interiors by HBA honor Sarasota’s culture and history by gesturing toward the intersection of circus and dance. Sarasota is renowned for its performing arts – including The Sarasota Ballet – and for its circus heritage, owing to circus impresario John Ringling, who so loved Sarasota that he chose it for the winter quarters of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey. Showcasing a clean and natural palette of colours, the contemporary interiors leverage these local insights in subtle touches, such as rope-like chandeliers suspended from the ceiling; an oval-shaped ballroom inspired by aerial rings; and in the St. Regis Bar, a centre feature latticed like a circus cage rising into the ceiling.
In the guestroom corridor, carpet patterns are reminiscent of local ocean currents while flowy drapes drawn over artworks and dramatic lighting add an element of theatrical surprise. Resort guestrooms and luxury residences offer unobstructed views of the ocean, with glass railings creating seamless connections between the outdoor living spaces and natural surroundings. Guestrooms feature wood paneling in the living area and subtle touches of color. Careful layering of materials, such as ceiling paneling with wood grain on the underside of the exterior balconies, complements the natural palette in the interiors and adds a sense of warmth to the architectural expression.
Image credit: HBA Miami
The resort features a 20,000 square foot St. Regis Signature Spa, a salt-water lagoon with live fish and sea life, and an open-air Sunset Bar overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, in addition to a meandering drift stream, heated infinity edge pool, beachside event lawns, and business meeting facilities. The private condominiums – ranging from approximately 1,500 to nearly 6,000 square feet – comprise three six-story buildings and offer residents access to the amenities at St. Regis Resort & Spa, in addition to their own dedicated private amenities, including a waterfront pool and spa with a privacy sundeck and Resident’s Clubhouse featuring a world-class Wellness Center with meditation and yoga studios. Each residence will feature expansive terraces – some with infinity edge plunge pools – and a secured private access elevator opening directly into the residence.
How Benholm Group created a ‘planted paradise’ inside a hotel room
‘La Chambre Verte’ is the name of the new biophilic, ‘planted paradise’ that was created inside Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel by Benholm Group. Following presenting an insightful pitch at Hotel Designs LIVE, Adrian Byne, the Group’s Marketing and HR manager, takes us inside…
At Benholm Group, we have pioneered the use of creative planting for interiors for more than 25 years; not only as eye-catching focal points, but also to promote the natural health benefits that being surrounded by plants can bring. We have long understood the value plants can bring to every environment.
Known to us all as ‘‘biophilic design’, the use of plants in providing cleaner air and connecting us with nature, when coupled with natural light, certain colours, acoustics, and fragrances has long been proven to have a positive effect on both mental and physical wellbeing.
This concept has now been brought to the forefront of luxury hotel design with our collaboration on ‘La Chambre Verte’ – a unique, immersive hotel room experience filled with lush planting and host of other delights. Located within Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, our collaboration alongside other industry experts, including luxury skincare brand La Rue Verte and award-winning DJ Brian D’Souza, combined to create a multi-sensory, luxury bedroom spa experience incorporating biophilic plant design, CBD rituals, meditation and sound therapy.
Echoing the practice of forest-bathing, an ancient Japanese process of relaxation, La Chambre Verte encourages guests to unwind in the green space of their hotel room, while observing nature’s beauty; to feel stress levels reduced happiness increased, and importantly, have a better night’s sleep.
Our experienced design consultants were chosen to bring the room to life with lush greenery, to ensure that all plant species would thrive in the climactic conditions of the room and contribute to guests achieving the perfect night’s sleep.
Sketch credit: Benholm Group
As part of the design process, we worked closely with the hotel to ensure that the room felt spacious and light, with plenty of floor space for ease of movement around the room. Overcoming certain challenges was a key part of this process, such as ensuring the room was always fully functional, being careful that plant installations did not damage the expensive wall coverings and furnishings, even down to the maintaining good sightlines to the TV!
Image credit: Naomi Vance Photography for Kimpton Blythswood Square
Our experienced design consultants carefully identified plants that have been proven to improve air quality effectively and combined these into an attractive jungle-like display that is both pleasing to the eye and creates a healthy, relaxing environment. Many of the plants have a useful information tag attached detailing its attributes in providing cleaner air – guests can even scan a QR code to order the plant for their own home or office.
Image credit: Naomi Vance Photography for Kimpton Blythswood Square
Inside the room, trailing Ivy cascades down from a living wall panel above the bed, Monstera leaves and Palm fronds frame every view, and lush clusters of hanging, exotic plants purify the air and boost the immune system. Plus, our specialist maintenance technicians are all part of the scheduled housekeeping inside the room to ensure plants are kept healthy and vibrant.
Image credit: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
To have the opportunity to work on a project which is designed to highlight the benefits of biophilia for mental as well as physical well-being has been a real joy, and we look forward to helping others in realising the potential of plants in their own spaces.
Why not get in touch and find out how Benholm Group, a Product Watch Pitch Partner at Hotel Designs LIVE, can incorporate our vibrant variety of plants into your interior space? From offices to restaurants to luxury hotel rooms, being surrounded by plants will delight and revitalise.
Main image credit: Naomi Vance Photography for Kimpton Blythswood Square
(In video) Hotel Designs LIVE: A design assault on the senses
Watch, on-demand, our exclusive panel discussion that was broadcasted recently on the Hotel Designs LIVE platform. To launch the virtual event, which took place on August 10 at the Minotti London showroom, editor Hamish Kilburn welcomed world-renowned designers and hospitality experts to explore sensory design in hospitality (scroll down for full video)…
On August 10, designers, architects, hoteliers and developers from around the globe tuned in to watch the latest edition of Hotel Designs LIVE. The event, which first launched in June 2020 to keep the industry connected while keeping the conversation flowing, took place virtually – broadcasted at Minotti London’s Fitzrovia showroom, and included four engaging panel discussions with world-renowned hospitality and design experts on the following topics:
A design assault on the senses
Designing the perfect nights’ sleep
Design, beneath the surface
Social spaces in 2021 & beyond
During the editor’s welcome, editor Hamish Kilburn was joined with Anke Summerhill, Managing Director of Minotti London which was the event’s headline sponsor. The pair discussed what’s new in the Minotti 2021 Collection as well as exploring how recent cultural shifts will impact the social nature of hospitality while the panel for the first session of the day were preparing to go live in the virtual wings.
The first session of the day, sponsored by bathroom brand GROHE, was inspired by a previous session that was broadcasted on the Hotel Designs LIVE platform, which looked at sound in design. Taking what he learned during that hour-long conversation with designers and architects, Kilburn was keen widen his perspective to discuss all of the senses in hotel design and hospitality. “Following that insightful session on sound’s role in hotel design and after reading a mountain of press releases recently that all reference sound, touch and even smell to evoke a deeper meaning of wellness and wellbeing, it feels fitting to position the editorial spotlight on the sensory experience for our next event,” Kilburn said when introducing the subject. “It also comes as the industry, albeit slowly, is starting to reopen and reconnect.”
On the panel:
Damian Saint, Music Director – W Hotels Asia Pacific
Robbie Bargh, Founder, Gorgeous Group
Diana Espejo, Director of Technical Services (EMEA), Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas
Justin Wells, CEO, Wells International
The conversation began with Kilburn asking the panel why only now we as an industry were starting to look at the benefits of sensory design in hospitality experiences. “I might challenge that, becasue I think in design, we have always been striving to extend the positive outcome for the end user,” explained Justin Wells, CEO, Wells International. “Take the retail sector, for example, which has been exploring sensory design for many years. Currently, today, there is a heightened awareness around reconnecting and with a higher demand for wellness and wellbeing it has perhaps amplified our appetite for understanding technology. As a designer and architect, I have always researched how we can create a better, more holistic approach – and sensory design is most certainly a way to achieve this.”
To understand how a brand like Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas was utilising the technology around sensory design – and how the brand plans to inject their luxury wellness and wellbeing hospitality experience in an urban environment, Diana Espeja, Director of Technical Services (EMEA) for the brand explained: “The Six Senses brand is growing and the challenge was face is how we translate our core values into different environments. The beauty of this is that our pillars of wellness and sustainability are really universally applicable – so we are constantly challenging our consultants to think outside the box on how we can achieve this. We do use the sensory experience not only in our design, but we also like to create really unique moments for guests who are checking in. In Ibiza, for example, the energy was amazing – and we really wanted to inject this into the design and the hospitality. We are constantly evolving and there is not a formula that works across all of these destinations – you have to research the area.”
Moving the conversation on, Kilburn then engaged with Robbie Bargh, a F&B experience consultant and the founder of Gorgeous Group, to better understand how sensory design can be utilised effectively in F&B spaces. “Telling stories is a fully immersive experience and to do this you have to use all of the senses,” he said. “Everyone gets obsessed by the way something looks, but actually when you get into it, the sound, smell and touch are all equally important to consider. And now, this is even more important.”
The full recordings of the other three sessions (‘Designing the perfect nights’ sleep; Design, beneath the surface and Social spaces in 2021 & beyond) will be available to watch on-demand shortly.
Since you’re here…
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
What’s in the spotlight this September on Hotel Designs?
This September, Hotel Designs is serving up a plethora of stories that will be dedicated to furniture and wallcoverings…
On the surface (excuse the pun) recently, due to the pandemic, there’s been a lack of activity happening the form of trade shows – and therefore, designers, architects and hoteliers have found it difficult to keep in the know of the latest products.
This September, a month that we usually reserve for international design weeks and after parties, we are going to be bringing you our edit of the latest furniture pieces that should be on your radar as well as looking at this season’s wallcovering trends and hero collections.
Furniture
Although Milan Design Week’s Salone Del Mobile is still going ahead this year – albeit under a very different veneer of protocols than usual – we have decided to wait until Spring 2022 to attend the international festival, when hopefully by then we will be able to see and experience furniture brands in their true vibrant settings. However, in order to keep our global readers in the loop, we will be sharing highlights from Milan as well as looking at what’s emerging elsewhere in the world.
Wallcoverings
To be honest, it’s difficult to tell which trend or pattern will emerge next as there is so much, thanks to technology, that wallcovering brands can achieve these days. In order to cut through the noise, we will be presenting our edit on the latest and most innovative wallcovering collections to ensure are on your radar.
If you are a supplier and would like to find out more about how you could feature in Hotel Designs, or know of a product that we should be talking about, please email Katy Phillips.
The Brit List Awards is a cabaret – early bird tickets now on sale!
The Brit List Awards 2021 will arrive in unprecedented style this year, as we prepare to take over London’s most famous cabaret venue, PROUD Embankment, for one night only on November 3! What’s more, early bird tickets have just gone on sale (but hurry as there are limited spaces available)…
Have you heard? This year, the climax to The Brit List Awards 2021 – AKA the awards ceremony – is a cabaret (old chum), and we want you to, in true Liza (that’s Liza with a ‘Z’) Minnelli style, ‘come to the cabaret’!
On November 3, 2021, the design, architecture and hospitality community will gather at PROUD Embankment, London’s famous cabaret venue, for a night of frivolous celebration behind the red curtain to crown this year’s winners of The Brit List Awards 2021.
Image caption: The glamorous Jestico + Whiles ladies, Vitalise Katine, Sarah Murphy and Rosalynn Youdan
How to attend
We have just released our ‘early bird’ tickets, which, if purchased by September 10, will allow designers, architects, hoteliers and developers to attend ‘the cabaret’ for just £10 + VAT per ticket – click here to secure. For suppliers and anyone else who does not qualify as a designer, architect, hotelier or developer, tickets purchased before September 10 are priced at £99 + VAT – click here to secure.
Image credit: Hotel Designs
Image credit: PROUD Embankment
Image credit: PROUD Embankment
But hurry! We have limited tickets available for The Brit List Awards 2021. After September 10, tickets for designers, architects, hoteliers and developers will be £20 + VAT. For anyone else wishing to attend, tickets will be priced at £150 + VAT.
About the venue – PROUD Embankment
PROUD Embankment is a majestic two-storied venue that is designed to host a spectacular array of shows and events. Complete with sumptuous otherworldly interiors, the venue will transform on November 3 as a playground for respected designers, architects and hospitality experts as The Brit List Awards 2021 comes to a close with the awards ceremony.
Founded by the club owner and entrepreneur Alex Proud himself, the PROUD group started in 1998 with galleries. Since then, it has grown exponentially to become one of Europe’s leading photographic galleries and cabaret venues. From the historic and decadent feel, to its immersive interior design details such as a jungle-like photobooth gallery, PROUD Embankment is truly spectacular with a sense magic in the atmosphere, complimented soon with a sprinkle of Hotel Designs glamour.
About the Brit List Awards 2021
Image caption: The Brit List 2019 finalists Charlie Rosier and Fabienne O’Neill from Cuckooz
Image caption: Team at Dexter Moren Associates celebrating John Harding being profiled in The Brit List 2019
Image caption: Interior Designer of the Year, Goddard Litterfair’s Jo Littlefair with editor Hamish Kilburn at The Brit List Awards 2020
The Brit List Awards 2021 is Britain’s most meaningful design and hospitality awards ceremony. In addition to the individual awards up for grabs, the top 25 entries in the interior design, architecture and hospitality categories will be profiled in the prestigious The Brit List, Hotel Designs’ annual publication that references the top 75 most influential individuals in British design, architecture and hospitality.
The shortlist for The Brit List Awards 2021 will be available shortly ahead of the winners being announced at the awards ceremony. We hope you can join us at the cabaret, old chum!
Hotel concepts: 3 hotel pools that will blow your mind
Editor Hamish Kilburn continues to enjoy this month’s spotlight on ‘hotel concepts’ by sharing three hotel pools that he discovered recently…
Many would argue that the sign of a quality hotel can be measured by the quality of its pool – we’re talking more style over size.
With my wellness hat on – in sync, I hasten to add, with modern traveller demands as we start to emerge from the pandemic with a hunger for wellbeing – I have been on a quest to find unconventional design pools – and here’s what I found.
Villa Vedas at The Luxe Nomad
Image credit: The Luxe Nomad
Image credit: The Luxe Nomad
It’s not strictly a hotel (forgive me) but Villa Vedas, which is exclusively managed by The Luxe Nomad, is a prime example of a property that decided to tear up the rulebook when designing its interiors. Villa Vedas is designed and engineered to feature a breathtaking 22-metre span without any supporting columns in order to provide an unobstructed view right through the property and out to sea. The villa itself represents approximately 1,800 square metres of construction, and is a modern architecturally designed home that is unique and unequalled, with many interesting design features, most of which have been meticulously fabricated on site. The property features a large living area, dining areas, a bar, a media or snooker room, and two bedrooms downstairs, and three bedrooms upstairs. The living area can be opened to benefit from the regular breeze off the ocean, or alternatively enclosed and air conditioned by deploying the Häfele glass sliding wall system, and turning on the Daikin VRV central air-conditioning system.
“I am the Robin Hood of building. Not only do I clean Indonesia and help solve the worlds plastic problem, I feed the poor doing it.” – Designer Stuart Bevan.
But that’s not all. The designer behind this wonderful project, Stuart Bevan, has recently taken a turn towards a sustainable future with an innovative approach to pool design and management. “I was also the builder and the local designer in collaboration with an Australian architect for Mrs Sippy Bali, Bali’s premier pool club that featured Bali’s biggest saltwater pool, Bali’s first and only high dive tower with 4m deep pool and the first pool in the world to to use my new newly developed 100 per cent recycled plastic pool finish. EcoLuxe is a beadcrete made from recycled water bottles. The average pool uses 150,000 water bottles. That’s 150,000 bottles off the beach, out of the rivers and landfill. I take plastic out of the system, not just recycle it. I swap rice with local villages, kilo for kilo to collect waste plastic for my product. It is taking Bali by storm! And I am about to start international export. Indonesia only recycles two per cent of its plastic. I have an unlimited supply of raw material, only it needs to be hand collected. Hence my rice swap program. I am the Robin Hood of building. Not only do I clean Indonesia and help solve the worlds plastic problem, I feed the poor doing it.”
The Spa at 45 Park Lane
Image caption: The Spa at 45 Park Lane is a botanical dream designed by Joubin Manku. | Image credit: The Dorchester Collection.
Image credit: Dorchester Collection
It’s impressive all on its own that 45 Park Lane, a luxury hotel that was once mistaken for sitting in The Dorchester’s illustrious shadow, has recently unveiled a new spa that now shelters the longest pool on Park Lane – the real estate alone in that leafy corner of London usually mean that spa facilities are limited in place for large revenue-generating F&B outlets. But against the odds, 45 Park Lane, which is part of The Dorchester Collection, can now boast itself as a place that nurtures both wellness and wellbeing in style. What makes this project even more extraordinary is the fact that the new spa is located underground, which created a challenge for designer Jouin Manku and developer Clivedale London. The answer on how to bring the outdoors in was to adorn the walls with hand-placed mosaic tiles to inject a sensitive nod to biophilic design. The result is an enchanting space that feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of London.
Four Seasons Safari Lodge
It’s all in the location for our next property, which is strategically situated next to a watering hold in the Serengeti, Africa. Perched on a series of elevated platforms and walkways, the Lodge allows guests an unparalleled view of the local safari wildlife from the comfort of the pool.
Riad Elegancia, Marrakech – a traditional yet contemporary hotel
Riad Elegancia in Marrakech is the latest addition to the Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts group – the 10th hotel to open in the portfolio – and sister property to La Maison Arabe in Marrakech, Morocco’s first boutique riad hotel which opened in 1998…
Behind Marrakech’s towering pink walls, hidden in one of the Medina’s unsuspecting alleys close to the Bab Doukkala mosque and vibrant Jemaa el-Fna square, you will find Riad Elegancia. Following a major refurbishment in 2020, this charming 11-key truly boutique property offers one of the most authentic riad experiences in the city, whilst providing all the modern luxury touches of a five-star, boutique hotel.
Set over three levels and built around two patios, the building remains loyal to its Arab-Andalusian architectural roots. The riad’s interiors pay homage to true Moroccan craftsmanship, with traditional features running throughout the property including a magnificent chandelier hanging in the atrium.
Image credit: Riad Elegancia
Each one of the 11 en-suite rooms features a hand-carved or painted cedarwood ceiling, with nickel silver and chiselled copper features, smooth and shiny tadelakt (plaster), and colourful zelliges (Moroccan tiles) in geometric patterns.
Image credit: Riad Elegancia
Image credit: Riad Elegancia
Painted with Morocco’s distinctive colour palette of Majorelle blue, yellow, pink and green, Riad Elegancia’s rooftop is a destination in itself. Up here you’ll find a sophisticated space to relax and soak up the panoramic views of the ancient Medina.
Image credit: Riad Elegancia
The rooftop pool is heated during winter months for guests’ comfort. There’s also a sundeck, a Jacuzzi and a restaurant and bar area, both great spots from which to enjoy the city’s unrivalled sunsets over a cocktail and home-cooked food.
Dining at Riad Elegancia is an important part of the guest experience, with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner served throughout the day. Meals are prepared by the riad’s resident female “Tabakha” (Moroccan chef) who combines Moroccan-inspired flavours with a hint of Mediterranean influences. Cooking classes are also available to guests wishing to bring a taste of the exotic back home.
Head down to the basement level to find the riad’s beautiful “Espace Raha” Oriental Hamman & Spa, a peaceful sanctuary dedicated to beauty and wellbeing, and a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Image credit: Riad Elegancia
Features include a traditional Moroccan hammam made from marble, one of the few riads in the city to offer this experience on site, plus two treatment rooms including one for couples, where therapists use natural, locally-sourced products. There’s also a relaxation area, a fitness room with the latest cardio and weight training equipment, and mats for rooftop Yoga.
Despite the hotel being designed to reflect the traditional architecture and interiors that are typically found and celebrated in the city, the hotel is equipped for tomorrow’s on-demand modern traveller. High-speed Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and underfloor heating, for example, are additional and convenient touches designed to enhance the guest experience at Riad Elegancia, making this a great home away from home whatever the season or reason for travel.
Riad Elegancia’s 24-hour concierge service delivers the same exceptional standards that guests can expect from all Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts and The Residence by Cenizaro properties across the world. From arranging airport transfers and Covid-19 PCR tests, to coordinating desert excursions and hot air balloon rides, the team is dedicated to making your stay in Marrakech as comfortable and hassle-free as possible.
Guests of Riad Elegancia are also welcome to use the facilities at La Maison Arabe, only a short walk away, including access to the hotel’s exclusive country club and pool, set amongst olive groves just outside the city in the Palmeraie suburb.
Hotel concepts: Wild & wonderful hotel developments
To celebrate this month’s feature of ‘hotel concepts’, editor Hamish Kilburn puts some interesting hotel developments under the spotlight – some more realistic than others – that are currently on his radar…
As with any brief to source new and truly innovative ideas, to find hotel concepts that were really going against the tide I needed to look outside what I already knew leading designers, architects and hospitality experts were currently working on.
Recently, I was lucky enough to sit on the judging panel for the Accor Design Awards, an initiative that was launched by the hotel group in order to celebrate and champion young student designers globally. In doing so, the panel of judges were able to see, from the unmatched perspective of bold, fearless young designers who have not yet made a name for themselves, an unedited landscape of ideas that naturally challenged the conventional approach to design, architecture and hospitality. From hovering hotels to floating vessels, each idea was supported by solutions for the industry moving forward.
Inspired by this year’s shortlist of finalists, I made it my mission to see what other hotel concepts are out there. From space hotels, to floating suites and a plethora of sustainable architecture concepts that will take hospitality into a new era, here’s what I found…
NOMADish – a conscious floating hotel
Our first hotel concept to look at in this feature was born out of that awards – and won not only the judges over but also the public. Manon Figuier, Victoire Datchary, Mathéo Maurel, Harold Loquillard from L’Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique, whose project NOMADish provided an innovative solution that hit the three key goals: overall guest experience, element of surprise and delight, and consideration for social, economic, and environmental responsibility, won the first prize. They also won the Public Choice Award, voted for by the general public via our bespoke online award voting platform.
The concept drawn up by the team of students allowed guests to shelter themselves in their own floating pod, that would allow them also to explore the city and never wake up to the same view twice. In addition to showcasing a new hospitality experience, the team also confronted sustainability by utilsing the power of hydrogen to fuel this approach.
Tetra Hotel
Image credit: Tetra Hotel
No, the aliens have not landed (not yet anyway). Tetra Hotel is a concept drawn up by David Ajasa-Adekunle who has reimagined the ‘pod’ hotel in such an innovative way. His idea to build Tetra Hotel combined the use of symmetrical rows of rhombus-like geometric ‘pods’ that sit lining the banks of a glacial river in Iceland. According to other reports, every room will feature a multi-storey configuration, starting with a work area on the ground floor, moving through an entertaining space on the middle, and finally a top-floor bedroom and shower situated beneath an enormous skylight.
SVART – the world’s first ‘energy-positive’ hotel
Image credit: Snøhetta/Plompmozes/Miris
The 99-key Svart hotel, which we believe is still on track for opening in 2022, will incorporate stilted, circular design, and will be positioned atop of the Holandsfjorden Fjord, allowing guests to enjoying an unparalleled 360-degree view of the Svartisen Glacier. We have been privileged to follow this concept from very early development, to when it announced its interior design team – and more recently by inviting the team to speak on the Hotel Designs LIVE platform.
To reach hefty sustainability goals, several cutting-edge design choices have been made. Architects working on the project first conducted an extensive mapping-out of how solar radiation behaves in relation to mountainous context throughout the year, in order to optimise energy output. The findings influenced the design of the hotel, with hotel rooms, restaurants and terraces strategically placed within a circular design to exploit the sun’s energy no matter the time of day or season.
The hotel’s roof will be clad with Norwegian solar panels that were produced using clean, hydro-energy. This will further reduce overall carbon footprint, while energy-intensive building materials such as structural steel and concrete have been avoided as much as possible.
The space hotel – will it happen?
Image credit: Philippe Starck
The space race is on, it seems. Following numerous rumours and ignored press releases, there seems to be a buzz in the air that space travel – and dare I say it hospitality – is not a question of ‘will it happen’ but more ‘when will it happen’. Sir Richard Branson recently flew to the edge of space on aboard a rocket-powered plane, 22 years after he created the Virgin Galactic brand that aims to fuel a brand-new tourism industry. Aside from moral questions regarding sustainability and whether or not there is a ‘need’ for space travel, it has undoubtedly floated the idea of space hotels on our radars.
While the headlines were publishing Branson’s achievements, 250 miles above the earth in the wilderness of space, with cabins designed by the world-renowned Philippe Starck, the idea of Axiom space station, which is the brainchild of former NASA chiefs, is coming together and has a ‘launch date of 2024. Costing a reported $2 million, the Axiom station is intended to become the first ever free-flying, globally available private space station, which is planning to launch in 2024. Although its manufacturing requires space engineers, the interiors have been handed over to French industrial architect and hotel design legend Philippe Starck who will have the honour of designing the cabins inside – think “nest-like comfort” – that will frame panoramic views of our home planet below.
GAIA hospitality concept
Image credit: AMA Design
With the aim to design a hotel resort that offers guests an unparalleled at-one-with-nature experience, AMA Design has developed a hospitality concept called GAIA, a floating eco hotel that pushes boundaries to re-connect people with nature. The concept has been designed to fit into its context. Respecting its natural environment in a light and positive way whilst considering sustainable design and circular economy principles, the hotel fits into an emerging contemporary ‘Eco-Gothic’ style. Built from pre-fabricated lightweight composites from boat technology, finishes will be all natural such as bamboo and timber so that visitors are immersed in a natural environment framed with the sky and sea.
Al fresco guestrooms
Image credit: Zero Real Estate/Appenzellerland
We’re not over this trend, which we first highlighted this time last year following us identifying an undeniable demand for one-off travel experiences that allow travellers to be ‘at one’ with nature. Well, you can’t get more connected to the elements than this. New hotel concepts continue to emerge showing completely open-air rooms in the middle of nowhere. One of the developers that is leading the way is the aptly named Zero Real Estate. The theory behind the layout, with the bed being perched on a wooden platform, is that the natural landscape becomes the backdrop. Removing surfaces altogether to eliminate boundaries is a drastic strategy in the post-pandemic world, which will not work for everyone, but it certainly works to deepen one-off experiences for luxury modern travellers.
Hotel group Accor has announced the signing of the first TRIBE hotel in Hungary in partnership with Futureal, a leading real estate developer in CEE. The 250-key TRIBE hotel will open in Budapest, Hungary, at the end of 2023. The project is being described as a “major milestone” in Futureal’s operation as part of its new business line focusing on hotel developments…
Accor is stepping up its ambition in the lifestyle market with the expansion of the TRIBE hotel brand in Europe. The Group has established a partnership with Futureal for the first TRIBE hotel not only in Hungary, but also in Eastern Europe. The new property will be located in the vibrant city centre in Kertész Street, one of the capital’s most frequented tourist areas. The construction work of the complex is expected to start at the end of 2021 with opening forecast for 2023.
Image caption: Renders or images of the interiors of the hotel in Budapest have yet to be unveiled, but the TRIBE brand shelters contemporary, chic design schemes. | Image credit: Accor
Image caption: Renders or images of the interiors of the hotel in Budapest have yet to be unveiled, but the TRIBE brand shelters contemporary, chic design schemes. | Image credit: Accor
Image caption: Renders or images of the interiors of the hotel in Budapest have yet to be unveiled, but the TRIBE brand shelters contemporary, chic design schemes. | Image credit: Accor
“TRIBE is an alternative lifestyle hospitality brand with modern, unique and urban spaces designed in collaboration with local designer,” said Frank Reul, Vice President Development, Accor Northern Europe. “The TRIBE brand aims to surprise travellers with an original, exciting and carefully curated experience that focuses on style rather than price, making it a leader in the design-led affordable luxury lifestyle sector. The vibrant capital of Hungary, and the 7th district, is perfect destination for this sophisticated and contemporary brand, and is sure to win the hearts of guest and locals.”
The first TRIBE in Hungary will offer more than 250 rooms and spaces designed by the Puhl and Dajka Architects Studio to provide inspiring state-of-the-art technology and comfort. Guests and locals will benefit from a vibrant community experience including a sky bar with spectacular view and intimate atmosphere, bicycle rental, a fitness centre and a co-working office. Distinguished international design studios have contributed to the Hungarian hotel’s unique concept including DeSallesFlint Interior Design, as well as Nina Weinstein Lighting Design and Hilla Mayer Lighting Design. The investor of the hotel is Futureal Group, one of the leading real estate developers and investors in Central and Eastern Europe.
TRIBE is Futureal’s first hotel development, further expanding the company’s diverse portfolio. Building on its vast domestic and international real estate development experience, Futureal is going to enrich the centre of Budapest with a high-quality, unique and competitive hotel.
“Futureal is about to open a new chapter in its successful real estate operation of almost two decades as we are entering the hotel sector,” added Tibor Tatár, CEO of Futureal. “As a result of careful preparation, deep market research and planning, our latest business line can start with a remarkable project in Hungary. We believe that we have found the right partner in Accor to introduce an exciting brand to the local market, and to create a solid, long-term cooperation for realising further developments.”
The hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2023.
First impressions: The importance of biophilia in social space
Following presenting an engaging pitch at Hotel Designs LIVE last week, Leaflike’s Brandon Abernethie discusses the importance of biophilia in social spaces to create a lasting and vibrant first impression…
Creating the perfect arrival experience is something Leaflike has been doing in hospitality for more than 20 years.
As specialists, we create a client proposal via a visualisation service, bringing the vision to life.
Providing a connection to nature goes deeper than aesthetics. By injecting biophilic design into your interiors offers health, environmental and financial rewards in any space, especially at the entrance of a venue, the lobby, reception areas and entrance hall.
These indicators suggest:
Higher levels of social connectivity, improved wellbeing and reduced stress.
Increased footfall to the venue, enhanced worker productivity and increased spend.
Increased biodiversity providing better infiltration and reduction of carbon emissions.
Guests choose to visit and stay in hotels where they can rest and relax. Therefore, biophilia is such a key part of the design to achieve the right environment for guests to spend time, share their experience and ensure they return. Hotels can charge more per night for rooms with biophilia in the room, as well as a room with a view or greenery outside, green walls are used to hide unsightly features.
Its interesting to see how Terrapin’s 14 patterns of biophilic design explores a holistic view or biophilic design and the human connection to the natural environment.
Want to know more? Leaflike, which was a Product Pitch Partner at Hotel Designs LIVE recently, is hosting a webinar on September 9 with Guy Hilton, General Manager at Hilton Waldorf. To find out more, visit the website.
Speakers announced for Independent Hotel Show London
Independent Hotel Show London, presented by James Hallam, is returning with a bang as it announces an impressive speaker line-up for its ninth edition, taking place at Olympia London on October 4 – 5 2021. Hotel Designs, a proud media partner for the show, will also be taking part…
The packed two–day seminar programme at Independent Hotel Show London will see a wide range of insightful content across the Innovation Stage, in partnership with eviivo and dressed by sofa.com, and the Social Business Space, designed by Aorta, along with new feature the Tech Solutions Bar presented by Hospa, which will provide objective, expert tech advice for guests at the show.
A highlight of the two-day programme will be a no-holds-barred session on ‘The Future of Hospitality’ hosted by Robert Richardson FIH, CEO of Institute of Hospitality. Panellists Chris Gamm of Springboard, David Taylor MI FIH of Lore Group, Julia Sibley MBE of The Savoy Educational Trust, Kathy Dyball of Caterer.com and Sally Beck of Royal Lancaster London will be setting the hospitality world to rights as they discuss retaining staff, strengthening the reputation of the industry and where to direct future resources and investment.
“Editor Hamish Kilburn will be hosting the session entitled: Sensory Design: Imagining the Impossible.”
Elsewhere in the programme, Juliet Kinsman, Sustainability Editor at Condé Nast Traveller will host an all-star panel for ‘ESG: Building A Sustainable Business Strategy’. Philippa Hughes of The Bull Inn Totnes, Sue Williams MI FIH of Whatley Manor Hotel, Will Ashworth of Watergate Bay Hotel and Another Place Hotel Collection and Beach Retreats and James Ghaffari, Director of Growth and Product, B Lab UK, will take a close look at what it truly means for a hotel to be socially and environmentally responsible.
The Social Business Space designed by Aorta will once again be a hub of discussion, debate and learning, as hoteliers are invited to sit down and discuss topics such as rebuilding the urban city hotel, the rise of residences, creating a lifestyle brand and what it means to be an environmentally and socially conscious business.
Independent Hotel Show Event Director Elena Attanasio commented: “The Independent Hotel Show programme is packed with content aimed directly at our audience of boutique, luxury and independent hoteliers. We know the specific issues, trends and challenges that affect our audience and work hard to provide practical, implementable thought leadership alongside more wide-ranging analysis and insight.”
Other sessions on the Innovation Stage include:
City Kickstart: Reviving the Urban Hotel.While the entirety of the hotel and hospitality industry has been hugely impacted by the events of the past 18 months, city hotels have in many cases missed out on the benefits of the UK’s staycation boom. This session looks at how we can revive and revitalise the nation’s urban hotels.
Sensory Design: Imagining the Impossible. The smell, sound, taste and touch of a space have a huge influence on how it’s experienced. In this session, Hotel Designs’ editor Hamish Kilburn is joined by an expert panel to explore what’s possible in multisensory hotel design.
Through The Keyhole: How Well Do You Know Your Guests? Most independent hotels are gathering customer data in some form, but many don’t know how to effectively convert that raw information into insights, improvements and increased profits. This session will provide lessons and learnings from hoteliers who’ve made data work for them.
Blurred Lines: Changing the Hotel Framework.The hotel model is changing, and innovative hoteliers are exploring new ways of operating and new potential revenue streams. Join this session to hear how thinking outside the box can lead to countless possibilities.
Sue Williams, General Manager of Whatley Manor, commented: “Independent Hotel Show is an essential event to attend if you wish to keep moving your business forward. So many inspiring speakers on relevant subjects that challenge us all. It is one of our industry events that I always prioritise in the diary.”
Cork surfaces: An authentic way to welcome in nature
NATURALS is a collection of elegant natural cork floors by Granorte for use in high-end residential and commercial interiors…
Using a natural cork veneer and underlay with a strong and stable HDF core, NATURALS brings the unique natural aesthetic of cork in a floor with a high-performance construction that’s suitable for commercial use.
“NATURALS is constructed with 80 per cent natural raw materials and contains no PVC.”
At the heart of NATURALS lie eight decorative agglomerated cork effects such as Standard and Champagner that echo mid-century cork tiles and the expressive natural linear patterns of Linea and Split. Each is available in a range of colours ranging from white through to dove blue, terracotta, mocha and slate grey. The result is a collection of 28 cork floors that can be used to bring a unique natural aesthetic to projects.
Paulo Rocha, Granorte, explains, “The calming influence of natural surfaces is well spoken about is being used to support wellbeing in all kinds of projects. From commercial offices to hotels, natural surfaces are a dominant theme, but not everyone wants a wood floor. NATURALS brings an organic aesthetic in a broad range of decorative effects that can lift natural palettes out of the ordinary.”
Every NATURALS look is protected with Granorte’s WEARTOP® finish, a water-based PU lacquer that provides a durable and easy to maintain finish. Beneath, a cork underlay with Microban® antibacterial protection provides additional support, improved acoustics and underfoot comfort.
The floor comes in 910 x 300mm planks featuring a commercially proven Uniclic® glue-free joint for floating installation. Made by Granorte in Portugal using waste cork from wine stopper production, NATURALS is constructed with 80 per cent natural raw materials and contains no PVC.
Granorte is a Recommended Supplier. To keep up to date with supplier news, click here. And, if you are interested in also benefitting from being a Recommended Supplier, please email Katy Phillips.
DoubleTree by Hilton to launch residences in Bahrain
DoubleTree by Hilton Al Sayh Residences is expected to open as early as 2022, offering hotel residences to long-stay visitors…
Hotel group Hilton has announced plans to bring its DoubleTree by Hilton brand to the Kingdom of Bahrain. DoubleTree by Hilton Al Sayh Residences has been signed together with Al Sorouh Hospitality Development Real Estate and is due to open its doors in 2022.
Board Member of the Al Sorouh Hospitality Development Real Estate and CEO of Mabanee Kuwait Waleed Alsharian said: “We believe this is a great partnership that will add a valuable offering to the area. We are very pleased to be working with Hilton and bringing DoubleTree by Hilton to the Kingdom of Bahrain and look forward to further partnerships with Hilton in the Kingdom and the region.”
Carlos Khneisser, vice president, development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton, added: “Following the recent opening of our first hotel in the country, Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay, this signing brings us to four properties trading or in the pipeline in the market. It sees us continue to expand our offering in the serviced apartment segment, which is an area of the market where we see growing demand from long-stay visitors.”
Featuring 113 serviced apartments, 61 one-bedroom and 52 two-bedroom apartments, DoubleTree by Hilton Al Sayh Residences will be located just a short drive from Bahrain International Airport. Situated close to Bahrain Bay, a waterfront business district and mixed-use community with unique offerings of dining, and nearby several other attractions including The Avenues Bahrain mall which holds 120 stores and F&B outlets at its seafront location.
Guests will be able to enjoy uninterrupted ocean views in a number of apartments, an all-day dining restaurant and a sophisticated rooftop café and outdoor pool with views across Bahrain. The hotel will be located at Al Sayh, Manama, walking distance to Al Sayh Island, National Heritage Site of Bahrain. Its proximity to Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Causeway will provide guests with easy access to King Fahd Causeway to reach Saudi Arabia.
Weekly digest: Exclusive meet, Sin city design & an L.A. debut
Hello and welcome to the weekly digest, with me editor Hamish Kilburn at the helm. In this round-up of stories from the last few days, we enter inside Virgin Hotels’ latest property in Las Vegas, take a deeper look at designer Tara Bernerd’s latest unveil and even find time (and the space) to introduce you to a brand-new architecture studio. Enjoy…
Can you believe it, I am writing this week’s digest while balancing my laptop on top of a vessel while punting – and why not? In order to feel truly creative, I need to get outside my comfort zones – and my pyjamas past 07:00 now that life is getting back on track – in order to experience new things. This week, that means I’m rolling up my sleeves in between reviewing a new hotel in Cambridge in order to ‘punt’ my way through a city tour (and this round-up).
So, without further a due, allow me to show to you the main sights of Hotel Designs this week.
Image caption: The bar inside the Commons Club. | Image credit: Nikolas Koenig
And like all good experiences, we start our tour in Vegas (yee haar). Sin City has a new neighbour, and it comes in the form of a red-laced, rather swanky looking hotel. Leading New York-based hospitality design studio Rockwell Group has unveiled new images of its designs of the public areas inside Virgin Hotels’ new property in Las Vegas – and it’s everything and more we were expecting it to be…
Nap time! To celebrate our ‘beds’ feature for August, we ask Richard Naylor, Group Sustainable Development Director at Hypnos Contract Beds, to share his expertise on design and materials trends and offers insights into how hotel design could adapt as we begin to welcome guests back…
Nicholas De Klerk (a former Director at Aukett Swanke) and Sze Wei Lee (a former Associate at Aukett Swanke) have teamed up to launch a new design and architecture studio. Based in London, Translation Architecture is on a mission to translate innovate ideas into extraordinary spaces on tomorrow’s hospitality scene. Hotel Designs exclusively speaks to the two founders to establish more…
Our tour leads us to Hollywood! The 190-key Thompson Hollywood, in the heart of Los Angeles, expands the brand’s west coast footprint. With interior design by British studio, Tara Bernerd & Partners, the hotel’s effortless style is something special. Let’s take a peek inside…
This week’s journey ends in style in Cologne. Ruby Hotels, which shelters the well-known ‘lean luxury’ hospitality concept, has opened a 186-key hotel in the city.“Ruby goes Late-Night” is now the motto at Ruby Ella – and becomes the brand’s 11th hotel property…
And that’s enough fun for one week – before my laptop falls into the River Cam…
Since you’re here…
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Exclusive: Meet the founders of Translation Architecture
Nicholas De Klerk (a former Director at Aukett Swanke) and Sze Wei Lee (a former Associate at Aukett Swanke) have teamed up to launch a new design and architecture studio. Based in London, Translation Architecture is on a mission to translate innovate ideas into extraordinary spaces on tomorrow’s hospitality scene. Editor Hamish Kilburn exclusively speaks to the two founders to establish more…
Hamish Kilburn: Where did the name Translation Architecture come from?
Nicholas De Klerk: The role that writing plays in translating abstract ideas into design concepts is a key part of our design process. Dialogue and conversation, often taking the form of writing, are important to our collaborative creative process. As the practice has taken shape, this notion has developed in interesting ways:
Translation in Outlook: We have an internationalist approach, but are rooted here in the UK, and find that an interesting creative tension to explore in our work.
Translation in Practice: Embracing collaboration is bedrock value of our practice. We see the design process as collaborative from start to finish, with the client, wider design team, builders and makers and ultimately with building users.
Translation in Design: We genuinely believe that design is enriched by making space for multiple voices and ideas.
Translation in Building: We know that 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 (The UK’s target for achieving Net Zero Carbon) have already been built. So, while designing new, low energy, sustainable hotels is a deeply exciting prospect, improving the energy efficiency of our existing hotel stock is an incredibly important task, and one which is a focus of our practice.
Image caption: A concept hospitality set that Nicholas De Klerk and Sze Wei Lee worked on in 2017.
Sze Wei Lee: Our logo is a ligature of the two initials in the studio name designed for us by Alister Shapley. It can be seen as the two letters, a space, a building or a view out of one. Our design process, which is invested in the idea of translation – from concept to drawing, drawing to building, building to use – is embodied in this glyph.
HK: What are the big differences from working at Aukett Swanke to Translation Architecture?
SWL: There is no getting around the fact that it has been a big change! We both worked in the company for over a decade, often on projects together. We learned a great deal and made many friends over the years, as one often does in a large practice environment.
A smaller practice inevitably has less in the way of resources but compensates for that with the ability to be more flexible and responsive to the needs of clients and projects. We are also able to adapt readily to the challenges of constantly evolving technologies, environmental and supply chain issues.
HK: What would you say are the main benefits of setting up your own studio?
NDK: It’s been a very interesting time. We started out working remotely, as many people have been doing over the last year. This has its challenges but brings with it many freedoms. This has allowed us to define the ways in which we would like to work differently – we will keep the positive aspects of this as we build our studio and as we all come out of the pandemic.
There is also inevitably a more direct sense of personal responsibility. You are creating not just new spaces and places for people but also a personal legacy. We see this as both a responsibility and a privilege.
HK: What makes your working relationship unique?
SWL: Something we have forged over years of friendship and working together is a deep sense of trust and mutual respect. We believe this is essential for anyone looking to start a new creative partnership.
HK: Can you tell us a bit more about some of the projects you are working on?
NDK: We are currently working on two UK hotel projects. These are both for a new brand – The Relais Retreats which is a waterside hospitality concept developed by Grace Leo and Tim Hartnoll. One of these will complete its first phase within the next month. Both are complete refurbishments of existing buildings, one of which is Grade II Listed. The heritage and urban context of each building is fundamental to the hotel concepts that we are developing. Both also embrace changing attitudes to work by creating beautifully designed and well serviced, generous lounges with great F&B which nonetheless create a comfortable environment with a domestic feel to it – a work from home environment that doesn’t necessarily need to be at home.
Image caption: The Relais Henley: The Quarterdeck Bar
Image caption: The Relais Henley: The Quarterdeck Bar
SWL: We are also in discussions for a retail concept in the London’s west end which we are quite excited about.
HK: Both of these projects are on British soil. What makes Britain a major design hub?
SWL: London, like many other cities in the U.K., is one of those places where people from different parts of the world can meet and form professional and creative connections. We feel very fortunate to have benefitted from this.
NDK: The UK also has incredibly well-preserved built heritage and architecture in cities and market towns across the country. This heritage and sense of place is something that is a constant source of inspiration to us.
HK: What advice would you give to people who are in a similar situation to you when you decided to set up this studio?
SWL: It is important to have networks in whichever sector you want to work in. This is hard to do across the board, so it helps to have a focus. We have had a hugely positive response to our decision to join forces and there is no doubt in our minds that this goodwill is due in part to the relationships that we have built in the hospitality industry and architectural profession over time.
Also, be humble, stay open and keep learning!
HK: How important has collaboration been as you start this chapter?
SWL: Fundamental. As we said earlier, collaboration is hard-wired into our identity as a practice, our ethics and design process.
Leading New York-based hospitality design studio Rockwell Group has unveiled new images of its designs of the public areas inside Virgin Hotels’ new property in Las Vegas – and it’s everything and more we were expecting it to be…
Leading New York based interdisciplinary architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, which recently completed the design scheme inside Moxy South Beach, has unveiled its design of the interiorsof Virgin Hotel’s debut property in Las Vegas, which is a re-conceptualised and revitalised property in the former Hard Rock Hotel.
The design studio’s authentic ability to push boundaries to disrupt and challenge conventional hospitality and design in a meaningful way is probably the reason why it has been developing Virgin’s signature playful spirit since 2015, when the firm designed Richard Branson’s first Virgin Hotel in Chicago in 2015.
Naturally, therefore, Rockwell Group was appointed to design the ‘Virgin Spaces’ that surround the main casino, including a new porte cochère and entry experience – The Junction – as well as a check-in area for guests, the Commons Club and the Commons Club Restaurant and the Shag Room. The studio also designed two additional bars within the main casino and transformed the lobbies throughout the hotel.
The hotel, which first entered our radar earlier this year, is situated a few miles away from the iconic Strip, and Rockwell Group chose to accentuate this separation by creating a luxury destination that taps into the wider context of the desert landscape with pure forms and sculptural moments. The public spaces within the hotel reference desert modernism and, wherever possible, blur the lines between indoors and out, with glazing and an outdoor terrace.
Image credit: Nikolas Koenig
Image credit: Nikolas Koenig
With limited creative inspiration in a city that was effectively built in the wilderness (a strong part of its allure, of course), the design team envisioned taking guests on an adventure along a desert highway, spotted with natural wonders and follies – a clear homage to the city of Las Vegas and its surrounding desert landscape. The neutral, natural material palette includes flagstone flooring and rammed earth walls with pops of Virgin’s signature red, agate stones, and greenery. The result is an inclusive series of lounge and dining spaces that invite guests to linger and explore.
A new entrance welcomes guests with monumental, rammed earth walls, a cactus garden planted in a dune-like setting, and a striking geometric breezeblock wall. The dramatic centerpiece of the porte-cochère is an angular canopy clad in reflective gold metal, while red tiles frame the entry portal, signifying the Virgin brand and contrasting with the neutral rammed earth that surrounds it.
The Junction – the main lobby, gathering, and lounge space – announces Virgin Las Vegas’s departure from the Vegas norm and helps guests orientate themselves. A plywood, coffered, hung ceiling undulates throughout the space creating an impressive sculptural setting with light wells that glow at night.
Alongside the Junction, the design team have designed a more private space – the Harmony Lobby, which houses a VIP check-in and a bar. A long communal library table in front of a fluted wooden screen features a record player and earphones, inviting guests to linger, surrounded by a central mirror-clad ceiling cove that unites all the spaces and features acrylic chandeliers that seem to float above.
Image caption: The bar inside the Commons Club. | Image credit: Nikolas Koenig
Extending from the lobby, the Commons Club features a bar surrounded by a casual dining area that spills out onto an expansive terrace. The circular bar sits under a sculptural dome that terminates in a 20-foot diameter skylight with a diffused pattern. The bar die is composed of crushed, coloured glass inspired by rammed earth, while the back bar features a circular, sculptural tower composed of angular, mirrored panels that surround a glowing crystal centre inspired by cracked earth. Curved metal screens embellished with agates surround the back bar and create a sense of intimacy.
Sitting next to the Commons Club, its namesake restaurant features central banquette seating framed in light-coloured wood that sits under a recessed cork ceiling and pendant lights. Dining tables are made of an unexpected wood chip terrazzo and the seating niches at the perimeter of the restaurant feature art and breezeblock detailing.
Image caption: The Shag Room. | Image caption: The bar inside the Commons Club. | Image credit: Nikolas Koenig
The Shag Room, a casual yet sumptuous bar and lounge is accessed through a speakeasy photobooth entrance and features plush soft seating and banquettes in shades of purple and red upholstery with shag carpet surrounding a conversation pit. Swooping Persian carpets hang from the ceiling, and the main bar is hidden behind dramatic drapery.
Elsewhere in the hotel, the team at Rockwell Group have made interventions to the floor and ceiling landscapes in the casino area, with a red carpet design that mimics curving tracks in the sand dunes and ensures design continuity throughout the hotel and the casino.
Meanwhile, the guestrooms and suites were designed by Los Angeles-based Studio Collective, which has previously completed projects inside Hotel June, Hotel Figueroa and The Landsby Inn.
Image credit: Virgin Hotels
Image credit: Virgin Hotels
Image credit: Virgin Hotels
The rooms inside Virgin Las Vegas are spread over three distinctive towers – Opal, Canyon and the all-suite Ruby Tower. These spaces manage to balance the vibrancy of Las Vegas yet remain calm and inviting for guests checking in.
Industry insight: Sound solutions for hotel bathroom design
Hotel guests today are increasingly expecting much more from their hotel stay. But, as Sophie Weston, channel marketing manager at Geberit explains, understanding the impact of unwanted noise on the guest experience can hold the key to a more positive outcome at what is a critical time for the hotel sector…
The impact of sound cannot be over-estimated. Our ears work even when we’re asleep, with the brain continuing to process the sounds it detects. And when we are awake, the impact that those everyday, seemingly mundane sounds can have a huge impact on our wellbeing. Consider the effect that a constantly dripping tap or flushing toilet, for example, can have on one’s mood.
Sound is something we’re particularly passionate about at Geberit, with acoustics one of our core research areas. When we first commissioned a YouGov poll in February 2020, we wanted to get a greater insight on the effect of unwanted internal noise and, in particular, bathroom noise. We also wanted to understand a little more about how these ‘unwanted noises’ affected wellbeing.
Noisier than ever?
Our survey found that almost a third (30 per cent) of respondents who had stayed in a hotel in the last 12 months (February 2019 – February 2020) had been disturbed by bathroom noise at night. What was clear, too, from our research was the impact of this; more than half (51%) of respondents cited unwanted internal noise as having a negative impact upon their wellbeing.
Fast forward from our 2020 poll to the aftermath of the pandemic, and the importance of guest experience has never been more keenly felt. With the hotel sector one of the most hard hit by lockdowns and restrictions, the so-called ‘stay-cation’ boom this summer and easing of restrictions has offered a timely boost to the industry. The sector now has a unique opportunity to encourage this year’s guests back. And this starts with a positive guest outcome.
Meeting challenges
It’s fair to say that the hotel washroom has a crucial role to play in defining one’s guest experience. And yet, looking at our YouGov research, bathroom noise is clearly an issue for many. So what solutions are available for architects and designers to meet these very obvious challenges?
From acoustically optimised pipework with noise reducing properties, to decoupled pre-walls for added noise insulation, manufacturers are constantly innovating sound-proofing solutions that help to mitigate the age-old issue of sound from flushing toilets and other unwanted bathroom noise.
Wall-hung toilets with concealed cisterns and pre-wall frames decoupled from the construction, for example, are an effective way to prevent noise from travelling down the wall and through the floor. Opting for a toilet mounted using a frame such as Geberit Duofix can almost halve the decibels produced by a traditional floor standing toilet.
Likewise, sound optimised drainage piping can reduce noise transfer from flushing water, washbasins or showers. The Geberit Silent db-20 range, for instance, inherently uses more dense materials and, when combined with rubber and plastics where possible for decoupling and dampening, will prevent the transmission of sound more effectively than less dense materials.
Positive guest experience
The confidence is there. We carried out a YouGov poll in March 2021 of 2,000 adults across the UK which found that 43% of respondents planned to visit a hotel this year, compared to just 25% who had visited a hotel in the six months before the pandemic.
And, as the trend for selling ‘experiences’ and creating an escape for guests continues, so too does the value of creating a unique, positive experience to help build stronger memories and ensure customers keep coming back. The hotel washroom could hold the key to this.
Geberit 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.
A Tara Bernerd project: Thompson Hollywood makes its debut in Los Angeles
The 190-key property, in the heart of Los Angeles, expands Thompson Hotels’ west coast footprint with interior design by British studio, Tara Bernerd & Partners. Let’s take a peek inside…
Hyatt Hotels has announced the debut of Thompson Hollywood, a luxury lifestyle hotel situated on Wilcox Avenue near Hollywood and Vine. A dynamic mix of global sophistication, hyper-local immersion and intuitive service, the prime location embodies the Thompson Hotels brand’s promise to provide guests with the ultimate “in-the-know” experience at the refined edge of travel.
Image credit: Hyatt Hotels
The new 11-story hotel features 190 mid-century-inspired guestrooms, including 16 suites, a sophisticated feature dining concept from acclaimed LA-based chef Lincoln Carson and Bar Lis, a destination rooftop lounge and pool with unparalleled city views. Sure to be a gathering spot for tasteful travellers and the eclectic Hollywood community alike, the much-anticipated project is owned by Relevant Group in collaboration with Steinberg Hart for architecture and interior design by Tara Bernerd & Partners, with Ten Five Hospitality overseeing food and beverage.
“Every touchpoint of the Thompson Hollywood experience has been concepted for the discerning traveler, particularly as pent-up travel demand has tourists and locals seeking memorable moments,” states Bruno Vergeynst, Managing Director of Thompson Hollywood. “Whether it’s the thoughtfully designed lobby and guestrooms by Tara Bernerd & Partners, chef Carson’s sophisticated dining concepts, the Bar Lis rooftop lounge or our intuitive guest programming, Thompson Hollywood invites guests to embrace a breezy Angeleno lifestyle.”
The 11-storey hotel innovatively combines the hallmarks of timeless elegance with a raw industrial edge to create a unique atmosphere that is relaxing and inspiring, familiar and new. The overall design is bold and confident, drawing upon the West Coast Modernist movement and a dash of Hollywood glamour as inspirations to seamlessly blend for a contemporary and elegant approach throughout.
Upon entry, a trellis-covered walkway beckons guests to a lobby adorned in mid-toned timber and teeming with verdant greenery, forming a tranquil and welcoming haven upon arrival. A spectacular custom terrazzo floor awaits guests underfoot, featuring an intricate metal inlay pattern that perfectly complements the elegant mid-century and contemporary furniture, bespoke Tara Bernerd & Partners rugs and inviting terrazzo reception desk. The convenient lobby bar – topped with a striking retro-green onyx – serves up coffee, cocktails or casual bites for those coming, going or staying to socialise, all with the laid-back hospitality and inclusive spirit emblematic of the Thompson Hotels brand’s desire to ensure everyone who walks through the doors feels more like a resident than a guest.
Throughout the property and into the guestrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows flood rooms with natural sunlight, offering sweeping vantage points of the Hollywood Hills and beyond, and immersing guests directly in the city’s bustling energy. Guest bathrooms feature walls and vanities finished in rich terrazzo amidst contrasting pale-tiled floors, while exclusive D.S. & DURGA amenities add another touch of luxury to the experience. An honour bar containing various curated selections, lustrous Egyptian cotton linens, 55-inch smart televisions, and a state-of-the art 24-hour fitness studio round out the other exceptional amenities that elevate every stay.
Image credit: Hyatt Hotels
Image credit: Hyatt Hotels
Through layers of inviting textures, timeless mid-century furniture and finishings, luxurious terrazzo details and a curated selection of modern art throughout, Thompson Hollywood redefines the notion of Hollywood glamour and is poised to become one of Los Angeles’ chicest destinations for culturally astute travellers and locals alike.
Thompson Hotels are known for featuring world-class culinary destinations on property. Thompson Hollywood features two exceptional food and beverage experiences created and operated by Ten Five Hospitality. They include the Martin Brudnizki-designed signature restaurant, Mes Amis, a modern French brasserie, and Bar Lis, a French Riviera-inspired rooftop lounge with spectacular wraparound views of Hollywood and Greater Los Angeles.
Helmed by celebrated chef Lincoln Carson, Mes Amis (French for “My Friends”) draws inspiration from bustling cafés and brasseries from Paris to Lyon while reflecting a decidedly Southern California sensibility. The menu reinterprets classic French dishes with an approachable bent, using the freshest produce and ingredients from local farms and markets, including the world-renowned Hollywood Farmers’ Market. Mes Amis is a new chapter for chef Carson following his nationally acclaimed Bon Temps, which received accolades from Food & Wine, Esquire and the Los Angeles Times. An industry leader and James Beard Foundation-nominated pastry chef, Carson’s background also includes stints at New York’s Le Bernardin, La Cote Basque, The Mina Group, Superba Food + Bread and more.
Designed by Bernadette Blanc, Bar Lis sits atop Thompson Hollywood, representing the crown jewel of the experience. Chic without pretention, the new rooftop lounge captures the iconic spirit and playfully sophisticated vibe of the Cote D’Azur. Serving inventive cocktails as well as fresh bites of locally sourced seafood, crudité and authentic bistro classics under the open sky, guests can enjoy Sunset Hour with unobstructed views of the Hollywood Hills, including the Hollywood sign. Bar Lis’ retractable roof ensures all-weather, all-year-round entertainment while a dedicated entrance with private elevator allows for more exclusive soirees. At night, Bar Lis comes alive with vintage and contemporary DJ sets, making it the perfect spot to top off the stay.
“Introducing Thompson Hollywood in one of Los Angeles’ most sought-after real estate market is a groundbreaking move for the hospitality brand,” says Grant King, Managing Partner of Relevant Group. “This property not only perfectly sits at the storied intersection of the technology, media and entertainment realms, but will inevitably heighten Hollywood’s visibility as a coveted hospitality destination.”
Located nearby to Sunset Strip, Runyon Canyon, the Hollywood Bowl, Griffith Observatory, Hollywood Boulevard, the Capitol Records Building and more, Thompson Hollywood sits at the very nexus of Los Angeles’ most appealing sites. The property joins other Thompson Hotels that are slated to debut in 2021, including Thompson Savannah, Thompson Denver, Thompson Buckhead and Thompson Austin.
It’s ‘show time’: Ruby Hotels arrives in Cologne, Germany
Ruby Hotels, which shelters the well-known ‘lean luxury’ hospitality concept, has opened a 186-key hotel in Cologne.“Ruby goes Late-Night” is now the motto at Ruby Ella – and becomes the brand’s 11th hotel property…
Ruby Hotels, the Munich-based hotel brand that first launched in 2013 with the innovative ‘Lean Luxury’ philosophy, led by hospitality pioneer CEO and Founder Michael Struck, has opened its first hotel in the city of Cologne. Ruby Ella, the 11th hotel of the Ruby Group ,designed by Matthew Balon, is located in a prime downtown location: the former Capitol area, famous for its rich history in TV studios and entertainment.
The 186 rooms are spread over six floors and take guests into the legendary world of late-night shows, paying homage to Cologne’s status as the most important media location in Germany. The public areas with check-in, bar & café are located on the first floor of the impressive new building, which is ideally situated in the city centre on the Hohenzollernring and in the immediate vicinity of the trendy Belgischen Viertel. As in all Ruby Hotels, the Ruby Ella Bar is open 24 hours a day for Cologne locals and provides an enrichment on the Hohenzollernring nightlife mile. Where once iconic German hosts like Harald Schmidt and Stefan Raab offered late-night shows of the highest class, today the Ruby Ella Show presents itself. Large illuminated signs, a typical stage with talk show host desk & guest chair, a colourful mix of vintage furniture and quite a few props from the cult late-night show times of the 90s can be found in the public areas. Highlights include an original camera crane, the eight-meter-long “Show Time” vintage lettering on the ceiling and the show band instruments suspended in front of it.
Image credit: Ruby Hotels
The centrepiece is the 24/7 bar with its quilted turquoise leather fronts that echo the typical look of old leather chairs and contrast excitingly with red marble and raw brass. Urban charm is provided by the open concrete walls that run throughout the hotel and rooms. These also show the typical Ruby signature: high open ceilings, fresh bright white, glass rain showers integrated into the room as well as wooden wall paneling and high-quality oak floors. The design highlight above each bed is the “Late-Night” moon lamp whose cable depicts the skyline of Cologne.
The new building, set back in the quiet courtyard of the former Capitol, is located in the heart of Cologne. In addition to numerous restaurants and cafés, there are opportunities for shopping, as well as several cinemas and clubs, making the Hohenzollernring one of the most popular promenades, especially among young people. It takes five minutes by public transport from Friesenplatz to the main train station and 25 minutes to Cologne/Bonn Airport.
The building, designed by architect Christoph Ingenhoven according to the highest sustainability standards, is impressive even at first glance. A particular eye-catcher are the almost 100 trees and shrubs planted in a staggered pattern on the hotel. The planting concept came from Swiss landscape designer Enzo Enea. Cologne-born Daniel Suré is taking over the management of Ruby Ella. The experienced hotel manager has already worked in renowned hotels in Switzerland and Germany. “The location of our Ruby Ella between the Belgischen Viertel and the Gerlingquartier is perfect for discovering the Cologne lifestyle on your own,” said Suré. Whether on a business trip or a city break, in just a few steps you’re right in the middle of the action.”
Image credit: Ruby Hotels
Image credit: Ruby Hotels
The hotel and rooms follow Ruby’s Lean Luxury philosophy: a location in the heart of the city, top design and high-quality amenities with the essentials, and remains an affordable option, by consistently dispensing with superfluous and non-essentials. “This works because, following the example of modern luxury yachts, we accommodate our luxury in a relatively small area and simply leave out non-essentials,” explained Struck. “We also organise ourselves with the help of our own technical solutions in a completely different way than is usual in the industry. We plan and build more modularly, centralise more strongly and automate consistently behind the scenes. This helps us to make a luxurious and unique hotel experience affordable for our guests.”
Balancing form and function with Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD
Following joining Hotel Designs LIVE as a Product Watch Pitch Partner, Schlüter Systems’ David Villafuerte explains more about KERDI-BOARD, part of the brand’s full waterproofing wetroom system…
Design creativity within a hotel setting is often a big pull for guests looking for a unique and memorable experience. This is especially the case for bathrooms, wetrooms and spa facilities within the hospitality industry due to relaxation and wellness becoming even more of a priority since the start of the pandemic.
Image credit: Schlüter Systems
Creating something stand-out is not always straightforward to achieve though as there are several factors to consider. Firstly, the substrate used must be suitable for a tile or stone installation. Secondly is the decision of whether to go for a system from one or several manufacturers and lastly, the products chosen need to be versatile enough to give you full creative control. Thanks to the BBA-certified tile backerboard Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD, the hard work has been done for you so all you need to do is get those creative juices flowing.
Image credit: Schlüter Systems
KERDI-BOARD is part of our full waterproofing system and aids in the creation of bonded waterproofing assemblies with tile or stone coverings. Using a system from a single manufacturer gives you peace of mind that the different components have been designed to work together so you can be safe in the knowledge that your design will stand the test of time.
Image credit: Schlüter Systems
There’s a choice of seven thicknesses of KERDI-BOARD from 5-50mm, which means it can be used to create various design features such as shelves, niches, partition walls and even seats within a bathroom area. Pre-formed shapes such as corners or curves allow you to create custom furniture and features whilst reducing installation time on site. Two recent hotel projects showcased the limitless possibilities on hand when using KERDI-BOARD within a specification.
The Newt in Somerset is a hotel and spa which underwent a major renovation and restoration, particularly within the newly built Barton Spa. KERDI-BOARD was depended on for many different focal points within the spa area, including the vanity units in the male and female changing rooms. The portico around one of the doors in the main spa was a particularly eye-catching element which added character to the space. The durability of the KERDI-BOARD allowed for 20mm Carrara Marble to be easily fixed over for a beautiful and luxurious finish.
Headland Hotel in Cornwall saw a beautiful serpentine wall created for one of the pools, constructed with the help of KERDI-BOARD, and clad with River Stone to give a stunning finish. Due to the versatility required, one of the key products used was KERDI-BOARD-V, the variant created specifically for curved areas. Installed with sealing components Schlüter-KERDI-KEBA and Schlüter-KERDI-COLL, a fully waterproof system was achieved effortlessly and created an eye-catching feature.
As you can see from the above examples of KERDI-BOARD in situ, there are plenty of ways that it can enhance a hotel spa experience at the specification stage. Using the reliable backerboard ensures that both function and form are covered, whilst leaving you plenty of room for creativity – and if you are finding this tricky, our design and technical support is on hand to assist where needed.
Schlüter Systems 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.
Illuminating the importance of customer service in lighting design
Designers and procurement specialists should consider customer service quality when making decisions around lighting design, argues Paul Smith, Head of Specification Sales, Häfele UK…
Well-considered lighting designs and installations evoke different reactions in us; they can calm, motivate, inspire and even enliven our mood.
Lighting is also integral to helping us effectively achieve any number of functions from exercising and socialising, to working and relaxing.
When it comes to lighting in hotels, systems must be so advanced in their design that they can create the perfect conditions for all of our needs, on demand. As such, we must consider the practical elements of lighting design – where to position it and what type of lighting to use – as well as how the lighting system can complement a room’s aesthetics. For example, concealed switches can be installed into furniture, whether made out of wood, glass or stone, so they are hidden from view. Lighting can also combine with sound technology to give users an immersive experience.
Image credit: Häfele
Although lighting alone serves to illuminate a space, as part of a wider design scheme, layering different lighting can achieve even more. Accent lighting highlights specific features within a room, while spotlights focus the eyes on a specific area, emphasising interesting objects or acting as pathfinders. Task lighting – often in strip form – helps us use work areas for their main purpose, while ambient lighting can achieve a specific mood and make a space feel bigger or cosier. Essentially, layering lighting can better balance room dimensions, improve spatial awareness and highlight a room’s most important assets, becoming critical to how a space operates, as well as how it looks and feels.
So intrinsic is lighting to the enjoyment of guests’ visits to hotels, that it is essential to consider it at the very earliest stages of crafting a room’s blueprint and theme, rather than seeing it as a bolt on. However, achieving such an effective outcome requires the support of lighting specialists and tailored services that put lighting central to hotel design.
Image credit: Häfele
Häfele’s team of specification experts work closely with architects, contractors and hotel operators, helping to bring their lighting ambitions to life with a variety of expert services. Whether it’s a refit of an outdated scheme which aims to make long term time and cost savings, or a new development that is set across multiple locations over several years, the Häfele team will embed themselves into a customer’s vision and recommend the best products and services for their needs and budget.
Through the Lighting Design Service, hotel designers can submit room plans to the team of designers, who will, in turn, create bespoke lighting layouts on their behalf using the Loox and Nimbus lighting ranges. The team will work in partnership to understand the requirements of a space, creating a design which strikes a perfect balance between furniture lighting and other lighting elements, so they truly complement one another and put lighting at the centre of the hotel’s aesthetic.
The Lighting Design Service comes into its own when used in combination with Häfele to Order. Created to support those working on either higher volume projects or in spaces that require made-to-measure components, Häfele to Order allows hotel designers, planners and fit out teams to specify products to the exact size, quantity and finish. These are then cut, assembled, packaged, labelled and delivered to the requirements. By only purchasing precise quantities, product isn’t wasted and precious time is saved on site.
Whether room lighting is static or built into fitted furniture, the right layout, layering and placement can make the all important difference to how a space works. Häfele’s lighting and ordering service provision is designed to support every level of the hotel design supply chain, from the architect at initial consultation phase, to the installer delivering the fit out and, ultimately, the hotel operator who benefits from their space being a functional, effective place to work and reside.
Häfele UK 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.
Bed trends: A post-pandemic insight into future guestrooms
One of the hardest-hit trades during the pandemic has been the hotel industry, however things are looking up with bookings for UK staycations jumping by a record 300 per cent following the announcement of the lockdown roadmap in February[1]. To celebrate our ‘beds’ feature for August, we ask Richard Naylor, Group Sustainable Development Director at Hypnos Contract Beds, to share his expertise on design and materials trends and offers insights into how hotel design could adapt as we begin to welcome guests back…
As we begin to move to a ‘new normal’ it’s time to consider how the events of the last 12 months will have an effect on factors like design, as interior designers are encouraged to think outside the box to deal with the challenges posed by the post-pandemic hospitality industry.
Materials
Learning to adapt their designs according to post-pandemic lifestyles, interior designers may re-evaluate some of the more common items or materials traditionally used in their hospitality projects. Considerations such as replacing rugs and carpets with tiles and stone, will make open spaces easier to manage and clean during busy customer change-over times, whilst still retaining style thanks to the vast array of options on the market.
In addition, opting for antimicrobial textiles and bleach-cleanable fabrics on larger items like beds and upholstery will ensure peace of mind for visitors whilst choosing materials with natural antimicrobial properties like copper, brass, bronze, or copper-nickel for high-touch surfaces such as light switches, sockets and door handles, will safeguard them from germs, keeping both staff and hotel guests safe.
Image caption: Hypnos Residence mattress
Although the pandemic has made us hyper conscious of cleanliness and hygiene, the basics shouldn’t be overlooked as restrictions ease, especially when it comes to guest room beds. Fitting a mattress protector that encapsulates the top and sides of the mattress will help to prevent stains and odours and ensure the bed lasts longer.
The pandemic has also encouraged many of us to re-connect with nature, and this is something that should be a consideration for designers as they look to incorporate elements of Biophilic design into their hospitality design schemes. Opting for natural materials like the ethically and sustainably sourced wool used in Hypnos’ Beaumont and Ashbourne and Lansdowne Cashmere ranges is one way to bring elements of the natural world into guest bedrooms without compromising on the luxurious feel that guests seek from a hotel stay.
Utilising in-room tech
Smart technology is something that has emerged within the hospitality industry, but we could begin to see a rise in the use of these kinds of technologies in a post-pandemic world.
Reducing the need for contact with surfaces like upholstery or switches will be of increasing importance in room design. Technology like voice activation is ideal in this ‘new normal’ world as it would enable guests and housekeepers to control everything from blinds and curtains, to lights and electrical items, without needing to physically touch surfaces. All great for reducing the spread of potential germs.
Image caption: Hypnos Beds were specified inside Corinthia London. | Image credit: Corinthia London
Furthermore, single point controls whereby guests control all room features from a single tablet, or from an app on their phone, is another way to minimise contact. Similarly, infrared taps in bathrooms and self-cleaning sanitary ware offers a no-touch solution for guest bedrooms, empowering guests to feel reassured of their safety and comfortable in their environment.
Add to this the provision of technology to minimise contact during check-in, which is something that is already in place in some hotels, and it could really help guests to feel safe and at ease.
For hospitality establishments that don’t already have it, moving over to check-in apps and keyless door entry, which negate the need for larger, manned reception desks, will allow them to rethink existing spaces and re-work them for the needs of the modern, hygiene-conscious hotel guest.
Image caption: Hypnos Sanctuary mattress
Air quality & space
Something that shouldn’t be overlooked in the overall design and layout for a hotel or guest room is ventilation and space. Ventilation and air quality, whether that’s through natural ventilation and increased access to private outside areas like balconies, is of the utmost importance.
The addition of advanced air filtration systems to ensure clean, sanitised air in both public areas and private guest spaces is something that more hospitality establishments need to factor in to their design or consider investing in.
Whilst guest bedroom design and layout will always be important, communal hospitality areas, such as lobbies, could see some of the biggest changes, with designers opting for more open, spacious schemes, allowing greater room for social distancing and wider thoroughfares for guests.
Sustainable design
An undeniable benefit of the last year has been the reduced environmental impact that has resulted from people across the globe having to stay at home. With sustainability once again in the spotlight, it is clear that it will continue to be a key booking decision for guests and consequently should be front of mind for interior designers working on hospitality projects.
Whilst products and décor should be robust and hygienic, the provenance of where they come from or how they’re made shouldn’t be overlooked. By working with moral companies with a sustainability focus, hoteliers can ensure that they are doing their part in creating safe but also ethical interiors, something of increasing importance to consumers.
As the world’s first Carbon Neutral bed manufacturer and only bed manufacturer to have been certified for a decade, Hypnos has led industry change on carbon reduction and was recently awarded ‘The Planet Mark – Carbon Neutral Certification’ and a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development for its commitment to environmentally-friendly design, sourcing transparency and ethical bedmaking. The company was also awarded the Global Recycled Standard which is given to companies who use recycled materials from socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.
By specifying products like Hypnos’ no-turn Beaumont mattress, designers can not only reinforce the significance of making sustainable choices, but design choices like this are also another way to maintain high hygiene standards. The low-maintenance design of the Beaumont means that housekeepers can limit contact with the hotel bed, ideal for post-Covid life where cleanliness, safety, and attention to detail will be of utmost importance. The mattress needs only seasonal rotation and has been manufactured to be 20% lighter than Hypnos’ other hotel mattresses meaning it can be turned with ease when required. The sewn-in topper guarantees a luxurious feel for hotel visitors, and when coupled with the versatile design of Hypnos’ Zip and Link beds which can be quickly and easily split from a king-size to two single beds, this will limit the need for room changes and allow for flexibility with room allocation.
Working with the right partner
Whether designing for a boutique hotel, or an up-scale international branded hotel, managing refurbishments and new furniture installations effortlessly and efficiently with cost, safety, timings and logistics in mind can be challenging, especially with the added pressures of the pandemic.
Understanding the complexity behind renovations and refurbishments, particularly for large scale developments Hypnos works closely with hospitality providers and designers to offer its unique Eight Step Sleep Plan – a thorough consultation and step-by-step process which supports hospitality provider’s or designers from their initial enquiry right through to completion.
These changes may be a departure from pre-pandemic hotel design but nevertheless, are important considerations for hoteliers and designers to ensure a safe and stylish environment for visitors and tourists to return to the hospitality sector.
Hypnos 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 caption: Hypnos was specified inside a wildlife reserve in Kent, England. | Image credit: Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve
Gessi, through a luxurious proposal that reveals hi-tech aspects waiting to be discovered, once again becomes a trendsetter, bringing decorations and aesthetics to be integrated in outdoor bathroom design and nature…
With Outdoor, private wellness is dipped in nature, in the open air, without compromising on design and technology. Special moments of wellbeing in close contact with the outdoor environment, to fully experience the sensations that only an outdoor space can provide.
Image credit: Gessi
The shower columns of the Gessi Outdoor Wellness System have been specifically designed for outdoor spaces. They offer innovative combinations of materials, finishes and processes, with the aim of recreating the stylistic and functional pleasantness of the Gessi Private Wellness System in the open air.
Image credit: Gessi
Image credit: Gessi
The refined and delicate lines of the collection are naturally integrated into the landscape, creating a continuum and a harmonious fusion between the indoor and the outdoor environment.
Outdoor aspires to be a project able to transmit Gessi’s idea of design, the aesthetic research of a product and the care for details, to the open air.
Image credit: Gessi
A product that stands out for its captivating and strong personality, for its iconic and at the same time discreet shapes. Qualities that make Gessi Outdoor Wellness designs cross-cutting, able to adapt perfectly and naturally to the surrounding environment. The collection also stands out for its two different aesthetics, G01 and G02, and the choice of six finishes and textures.
With an elegant, modern and sophisticated appearance, Gessi G01 and Gessi G02 give rooms a refined and contemporary style. G01 conquers thanks to its slender, tubular and essential design, giving a special atmosphere to terraces, gardens and swimming pools.
Gessi Outdoor G02 presents itself with an outstanding line and a minimal and essential look, sometimes almost schematic. The geometric structure characterised by a rectangular-section steel tube features an adjustable shower head equipped with special augers for a rich rain jet.
The shower head of both lines is available with a smooth surface treatment or in 4 different textured patterns (Trame, Intreccio, Cesello, Meccanica), while the vertical tubular body is equipped with elegant ton-sur-ton ring controls or in a contrasting finish, available smooth or knurled.
The Outdoor collection adapts perfectly to different environments and styles: from tropical swimming pools to Japanese onsen and modern city penthouses. A design product that combines contrasting and at the same time complementary philosophies of life, where the unique objective is to give emotions by emphasising the person and, consequently, the time they dedicate to themselves, so that every moment is a precious and exclusive moment.
Gessi 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.
Innovative commercial interiors event, Workspace Design Show, will debut on November 4 – 5 at Business Design Centre. Here’s what we’re looking forward to…
International Furniture Specialist, The Furniture Practice will be showcasing the latest high-end furnishings available from world-class brands such as Vitra, Gubi, Brunner and Andreu World, to create a stunning environment for the conference talks at the show.
Other leading brands on display at the Show include Buzzispace, Actiu, Dams Furniture, TC Office Group, Abstracta, Interface, Camira Fabrics, Mute, Kettal, IOC Project Partners and many more.
Workspace Design Show is excited about the top-level experts and partners involved in the show. The anticipation continues further with the announcement of a series of well-respected voices from end-user clients at the Workspace Design Talks, including:
Robert McLean, Head of Real Estate & Design at PwC
Emily Harding, Workplace Design & Culture Lead at Aviva
Alan Bainbridge, Head of Workplace & Corporate Real Estate at BBC
In the build up to the event, Stephen Guy, Chief Integration Officer and Chief of Staff at McCann World Group said: “This is a great opportunity to hear from a broad and diverse group of workplace industry leaders to inspire a new sense of place for greater collaboration, connection and creativity.”
Matt Waring, Editor of arc magazine, one of the world’s leading publications for lighting design in architecture, recently chaired the third instalment of the ‘Spotlight Series,’ a webinar programme created by the team at Workspace Design Show. On why lighting should be focused on, Waring said: “For too long, workspaces have fallen victim to drab, uninspiring, uniform lighting, which can seriously impact our productivity and wellbeing. We spend almost a third of our lifetimes at work, so it’s essential that our workspaces are designed to be comfortable and enjoyable places to work, and lighting forms an integral part of that.”
During the ‘Light Your Space’ session, the panellists, a team of industry specialists, raised some interesting points for discussion, ranging from the new working office to lighting your home office, as well as discussing how the lighting industry can do more than just simply produce products.
Panellists included:
Paul Nulty, Founder of Nulty Lighting
Rebecca Hodge, Senior Lighting Designer at Foundry Lighting
Susan Lake, Design Director at Susan Lake Lighting Design
Located on the shores of bohemian Santa Eulalia Bay, Hotel Riomar, Ibiza, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel is surrounded by the island’s crystal-clear waters on one side, and idyllic rolling landscapes on the other. Situated on the water’s edge, the newly opened hotel will bring balance and serenity through a harmonious connection with nature…
Where the river meets the sea, a place of natural wonder from which energies are channeled you will find Hotel Riomar, Ibiza, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, which marks the brand’s arrival onto the ‘White Isle’.
The 116 guestrooms offer stunning views of Ibiza’s glistening waters, the island’s rural surroundings and historic landmarks including the 16th Century Puig de Missa. The minimalist, timeless design features a calming monochrome palette interspersed with accents of warm earthy reds, inspired by Ibiza’s iron-rich soil.
Gastronomy, mixology and relaxed vibes meet at the Ocean Brasserie & Bar, offering guests the chance to enjoy casual alfresco dining, kick back in one of the pool cabanas, or wind down at the hotel’s acoustic music nights set in the ‘Secret Garden’. The brasserie lounge extends to the outdoor terraces, making an affirmed connection to life under the sun and concealed within shade. Light flows, energy stays the same. Bar life intimacy; secluded moments on show. Restaurante Riomar exudes style from breakfast to dinner.
Image credit: Marriott International
Tribute Portfolio is a growing global family of characterful, independent hotels drawn together by its passion for captivating design drive to create vibrant social scenes for guests and locals alike. With more than 32 hotels open and growing, Tribute Portfolio has struck a chord with those who seek out independent experiences and crave a connection with the community when traveling. From boutique resorts like Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in California and urban hotels such as The Vagabond Club in Singapore, to hotels in indie-spirited locales like Noelle in Nashville and The Slaak in Rotterdam, each Tribute Portfolio hotel celebrates its individuality offering travellers a fresh, often colourful, perspective.
In Conversation With: Amtico’s hotel specialist, Sarah Thorpe
Covid-19 has presented everyone with new and difficult challenges, but the hotel and hospitality sectors have been particularly hard hit. Sarah Thorpe, one of Amtico’s hotel specialists, sat down with Hotel Designs to talk about some of the hot topics affecting industry designers and specifiers…
Hotel Designs: What are some of the long-lasting effects of Covid-19 on hoteliers and the decisions they make?
Sarah Thrope: Obviously it’s been a tough 12 months for the hotel industry globally, both for small, independent hotel owners and international household name operators. Guest experience has always been paramount, and this is only going to become more of a focus in 2021. Despite the uncertainty, we have seen companies and individuals using this time to renovate and refurbish – much like homeowners!
The decisions owners and operators are having to make are far reaching, with social distancing, hygiene and safety being common topics of conversation. Everything is being reviewed, right down to the choice of surfaces.
HD: Picking up on surfaces, what changes are you seeing there?
ST: Soft, tactile fabrics and furnishings have long been the go-to for hotel designers, as they complement hard surfaces such as marble for a luxurious feel.
However, some of these just are not practical in a world where you’ve got to be able to sanitise everything on a regular basis. Porous natural materials are at risk of damage from harsh cleaning agents, while soft fibrous materials such as carpet attract dust and particles so can be more difficult to keep clean.
Hard floors such as LVT (luxury vinyl tile) allow for a quicker, more straightforward clean, and are durable enough to withstand even chemical cleaning. Choosing LVT with advanced antimicrobial technology provides demonstrable hygiene benefits and provides peace of mind for specifiers.
To help soften the feel, pair LVT with rugs that can easily be moved and sanitised so as not to sacrifice that reassuring home from home feel – after all, no-one wants to stay in a clinical environment!
HD: A visit to a hotel can be seen as a source of escapism, and the various lockdowns mean that long-anticipated stays away will mean so much more to guests. Just how important are interior schemes to enhancing that guest experience?
ST: Whether it’s a business trip, a well-earned weekend break without the kids, or your annual fortnight away, the experience starts from the moment you open that brochure or visit the website. Walking through the doors for the first time and into a homely reception or grand lobby, sets the tone for the stay – those first impressions count!
It’s all about the senses and how they’re stimulated – colour, texture and smell all play their part. Designers are constantly being challenged to come up with new, innovative designs, but these don’t need to break the bank.
Speak to manufacturers and suppliers with in-house teams who can provide support. Amtico has design and CAD specialists who will help with everything from moodboards through to bespoke colours, motifs and layouts. Or try our Designers’ Choice collection of laying patterns which can easily be customised to suit your scheme.
HD: Safety in all public spaces is a hot topic. How can flooring choice contribute to achieving safety standards?
ST: Most people associate safety floors with utilitarian back-of-house sheet or rubber flooring and wouldn’t dream of specifying a safety floor for customer-facing areas. The new generation of safety LVT means that means safety doesn’t automatically have to mean sheet. Natural and authentic looking woods and stones allow designers and specifiers to enjoy the best of both worlds – aesthetics and performance.
Amtico’s 36+ safety LVT colourways look just like their standard Signature and Spacia counterparts, so they can easily be used together in schemes. Amtico 36+ provides sustainable slip resistance for the life of the floor, and can even be specified in Parquet, making, it an obvious choice for higher traffic or slip-risk areas such as lobbies, corridors and bathrooms.
HD: What about acoustics?
ST: There’s nothing like waking up refreshed after a great night’s sleep. Yes, a great bed has a lot to do with it, but so does not hearing the guests in the room above you.
By choosing flooring with sound reducing properties, transference between floors can be reduced by anything from 15-20 dB, perfect for bedrooms, corridors and communal areas. Amtico’s integrated acoustic backing allows specifiers to combine ease of cleaning and maintenance with sound reduction properties in a single product.
HD: Is sustainability still a primary concern for specifiers and hoteliers? How can suppliers help?
ST: Commitment to sustainable practices has been a long-term trend in the hotel industry, and despite the challenges of Covid, continues to be a key consideration.
Transparency about supply chain, product journey and corporate commitments to sustainability are something that specifiers are increasingly looking for. By working with a British manufacturer like Amtico, these questions are easily answered. There are other benefits to ‘Made in Britain’ as well as traceable supply chains. Not least low carbon footprint, short lead times and commitment to manufacturing excellence.
Sneak peek: Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort’s latest renovation
The iconic luxury hotel in St. Lucia, Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, is expected to unveil new accommodations, upgraded culinary outlets, renovated spa and wellness facilities, and more in November of this year. Here’s what we know…
November 2021 will mark a new chapter for Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, which is situated on the shores of the picturesque St. Lucia coastline. Following a five-month closure, which began in June, the property will reopen its doors in November with an enhanced guest experience through a variety of property renovations and experiential upgrades. Set to debut are nine accommodations, a plethora of upgraded culinary outlets, brand-new beachside fitness facility and expansive amenity enhancements including a refreshed spa and new main pool area.
“Every aspect of the renovation has been thoughtfully designed to bring the best out of each space.” – Mark Sterner, General Manager.
“We are excited to kickstart this multi-phase renovation journey that will bring a new and elevated luxury guest experience to our already celebrated Sugar Beach property,” says Mark Sterner, General Manager. “Every aspect of the renovation has been thoughtfully designed to bring the best out of each space and provide a new level of service, privacy and hospitality to our valued guests. Those visiting in November can expect to see Sugar Beach completely revived and like they’ve never experienced before.”
The property is currently home to a variety of culinary destinations from fine-dining to al-fresco, all set to get a luxury upgrade come November. The fine-dining restaurant, located in the main house, will see an interior refresh that will further show off its grand location overlooking the beach and UNESCO Pitons, alongside the addition of a new open-air bar experience. Down by the beach at the popular al-fresco dining locations, a new barefoot luxury culinary journey will await. Various enhancements will be unveiled including the expansion of undercover outdoor seating areas that will allow guests to dine beachside no matter the weather.
Render credit: Viceroy Hotels & Resort
Render credit: Viceroy Hotels & Resort
The iconic main pool sitting beneath the edge of the UNESCO Pitons mountains, will be completely renovated to debut what the brand is calling ‘a totally new guest experience’. A multi-tiered landscaped design of the pool area is being built to house a fleet of exclusive luxury cabanas and a brand-new poolside bar where guests can order light bites and drinks. Also overlooking the main pool, a special events lawn is being landscaped to accommodate the increased requests for private celebrations and functions.
Catering to the soaring demand for private accommodations, November will see the addition of nine new luxury guest rooms. Four one-bedroom beachfront bungalows are being built right on the shoreline, while Five one-bedroom luxury cottages are being built higher up the mountain. Each will unveil a contemporary interior design with a fresh, neutral colour palette, complemented by unmatched views of the estate gardens, Pitons and beach.
A brand-new spa and wellness experience will also debut come November. The property’s award-winning Rainforest Spa, nestled in the heart of an actual rainforest surrounded by lush foliage and soaring mountain vistas, will add one couples treehouse treatment room. Bringing the total treatment room count to 10, the new couples treehouse will be built on stilts and perched high above the ground.
Render credit: Viceroy Hotels & Resort
With a completely different design to the existing treatment rooms, the new treehouse will have large glass windows that overlook the serene forest, an indoor free-standing bathtub, outdoor shower and balcony that will provide various options for couples to relax before and after their treatments. A new spa partner will also be announced when the property reopens alongside an exciting, revised treatment menu, and a refreshed lobby space. A new wellness and fitness facility is also being built more centrally located right on the beach and will be home to a gymnasium and yoga studio.
As Sugar Beach is set to unveil this new chapter of its legacy, those visiting from November 2021 will be the first to experience the enhanced product that will be amplified with the property’s well-known, top of the line service and impeccable island hospitality.
Bathroom brand GROHE publishes third sustainability report
To the surprise of nobody at Hotel Designs,GROHE has smashed its sustainability targets, and has announced an even greater sustainability commitment to the areas of water conversation and avoidance of plastics. Editor Hamish Kilburn takes a deeper look at the bathroom brand’s unquestionable achievements…
Every minute, a lorry load of plastic ends up in our oceans. The health of the oceans often seems like a distant problem, but all life on earth depends on the marine ecosystem’s health – this becomes very clear when you consider that approximately 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the oceans. To mark this year’s Plastic Free July awareness campaign, GROHE published its third sustainability report, which outlines the brand’s continued commitment and efforts to sustainability, covering all aspects from business model and products to processes, employees and suppliers.
As evident in the newly published report, GROHE has been able to reduce its water consumption in production by 38.7 per cent, not only significantly exceeding its target of 20 percent first set in 2014, but also achieving it ahead of schedule. With projects such as the Less Plastic Initiative launched in 2018, the brand has also set itself the goal of eliminating plastic from its packaging. As a result, up until June 2021, 32 million pieces of plastic packaging have already been saved.
The report also provides an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at sustainability management at GROHE and the successes of recent years. In 2019, for example, 21,306 tonnes of the main materials used in the production process were recycled materials – a weight comparable to more than 106 blue whales. In this way waste is avoided, and, in the end, water that would be needed to produce new materials is also saved.
From linear to circular – GROHE paves the way for the economic model of the future
Building on its comprehensive sustainability measures of recent years, GROHE is now taking its sustainability strategy to a new level with the recent launch of four of the brand’s best-selling products as Cradle to Cradle variants.
This means that all four products have been tested for the use of environmentally safe, healthy and recyclable materials. The Cradle to Cradle approach goes far beyond the conventional recycling of products, as a tap, for example, is already designed and manufactured with the intent of using its components in its end-of-life-phase for the creation of new products.
GROHE Cradle to Cradle visual diagram
The circular journey continues – take-back processes for discarded C2C products
GROHE has taken a decisive step towards a circular future with the certification of its first Cradle to Cradle Certified products, but the journey continues. The brand is working on take-back processes for its discarded C2C products – an important step towards avoiding waste and saving valuable resources to help maintain the fragile balance of our ecosystems.
GROHE 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.
Raffles to more than double current portfolio of luxury hotels by 2023
The legendary brand that is Raffles Hotels & Resorts is set to open flagship properties in Dubai, Udaipur, Bahrain and Macau later this year. Here’s what we know…
With newly appointed CEO Stephen Alden at the helm, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, which first emerged in 1887 with the opening of the now iconic Raffles Singapore, embarks on an exciting new era, which will start with aggressive growth in the Middle East in 2021 and beyond.
A legendary brand known for transforming landmark properties in storied destinations around the world, Raffles is on track to more than double its illustrious portfolio, adding a host of distinguished locations that will continue to set the standard in the luxury hospitality industry. Later this year, Raffles will open a second hotel in Dubai (The Palm), along with Bahrain, Udaipur and Macau. Next year and beyond, the brand will debut flagship locations in London (2022), Boston (2022), Doha (2022), Jeddah (2022) and Moscow (2023), among others.
“Raffles approaches every endeavour with the utmost thought, care and discernment; our global expansion is no exception. With our pioneering spirit, we have sought out locations where we can really bring Raffles’ gracious welcome and tradition of excellence to life,” said Stephen Alden, CEO, Raffles & Orient Express. “Each new Raffles property is a destination in itself, and we are creating places where people want to be, in tune with our well-travelled guests’ contemporary lifestyles.”
Next year will see two watershed moments for the brand – with Raffles making its debut in North America and the United Kingdom. Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences is located in the heart of the Back Bay, Boston’s most prestigious neighbourhood, and comprises a distinctive hotel as well as exquisitely appointed residences.
Raffles London at The OWO and The OWO Residences by Raffles will be an opening unlike any other in London. Located within the iconic Grade II* listed Old War Office building, an architectural masterpiece originally completed in 1906 which has witnessed world-shaping events, this property is set to be a momentous addition to the brand.
2021 unveils
Raffles the Palm, Dubai – The hotel is set to open its doors in Q4 of 2021. This will be the first Raffles resort on the Palm Jumeirah – the world’s largest man- made island and archipelago. Raffles the Palm Dubai, located across 100,000 square metres of landscape on the West Crescent, will feature 389 luxurious rooms, suites, and villas, each with a balcony and sea-view terrace, and offer eight bar and restaurant concepts.
Image caption: An aerial shot of Raffles The Palm Dubai
Raffles Al Areen Palace, Bahrain – A serene sanctuary known as ‘the island of a million palm trees’, Raffles Al Areen Palace is located near the island’s protected wildlife park and reserve – home to a wide range of exotic animals and desert plants. With 78 opulent pool villas, one of the largest spas in the region and a wealth of tailor-made and signature Raffles experiences, this palatial property is set to redefine luxury hospitality in Bahrain. Honouring the Raffles heritage, the property will play its part as a cultural hotspot. A collection of one- and two-bedroom villas will feature living and dining areas, an intimate office, and expansive master bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. A lush and majestic resort, Raffles Al Areen will feature an enchanting secret garden under the care of the hotel’s dedicated palace botanist.
Image caption: Render of the lobby inside Raffles Al Areen Palace
Image caption: Render of a suite inside Raffles Al Areen Palace
Raffles Udaipur, India – Bringing this new-built site to life on a 21-acre private island in Udai Sagar Lake, the palatial Raffles Udaipur will be a sumptuous property, set to open in 2021. Surrounded by spectacular hills and a view of the 400-year-old temple in the background, the property has 101 rooms, each with a private pool. The hotel will provide a rare and authentic experience of one of India’s most scenic destinations.
Image caption: Exterior of Raffles Udaipur in India
Raffles at Galaxy Macau – The hotel will be situated within a stunning architectural landmark featuring a glass airbridge that connects the two towers on every floor. Each of the 450 suites draws inspiration from a modern palazzo, with curated artworks and some featuring private pools and gardens. Raffles at Galaxy Macau will be a spectacular addition to the Galaxy Macau, a world-class luxury integrated resort that offers an array of bespoke leisure activities, on-site entertainment and a specialty restaurant helmed by a multi-Michelin-starred Japanese chef.
Image caption: Exterior render of Raffles at Galaxy Macau
2022 unveils (and beyond)
Raffles London at The OWO, UK – The hotel, sheltered in a historic building, will be the capital’s first Raffles property – a storied building that served as Winston Churchill’s base during the Second World War and was the birthplace of Ian Fleming’s James Bond. Many original architectural details have been preserved while also allowing room for updated design elements. Comprising of 125 rooms and suites, 85 residences, a collection of nine restaurants and bars and an immersive spa, the hotel and residences represent an incredible opportunity for the public to experience this historic property. It is set to be completed in 2022 and will open to the public for the first time in more than a century.
Image caption: Exterior render of Raffles London at The OWO, UK. | Image credit: Whitehall Residences Limited, c/o development manager Westminster
Development Services Ltd.
Image caption: Exterior render of Raffles London at The OWO, UK. | Image credit: Whitehall Residences Limited, c/o development manager Westminster
Development Services Ltd.
Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences, USA – Located in Boston’s prestigious Back Bay neighbourhood, the 35-storey building will be a new landmark in Boston’s skyline, with 146 residences, 147 guest rooms, and six restaurant and bar venues, including a sky bar and speakeasy. The property will feature state-of-the- art facilities and amenities. The striking three- story sky lobby, the first of its kind in Boston, will be the centrepiece of the property, complete with a grand staircase spanning the 17th, 18th and 19th floors.
Image caption: Interior sneak peek inside Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences. | Image credit: Rockwell Group
Image caption: Exterior render of Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences. | Image credit: Binyan Studios
Raffles Doha, Qatar – A cultural tribute to Qatar’s heritage, the Iconic Towers in Lusail, a representation of Qatar’s national seal, will be home to the new Raffles Doha. A lavishly impressive property with 132 sophisticated suites and 49 branded apartments, the luxurious combo hotel will feature state-of- the-art entertainment and recreational facilities, boutique shopping, movie theatres, restaurants and a cigar lounge, as well as a variety of meeting spaces.
Raffles Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Inspired by the rich history of Saudi Arabia and Jeddah’s old town architecture, Raffles Jeddah will have 181 guestrooms – including a spectacular wedding suite and penthouse suite with in-room entertainment – and 188 branded residences. Alongside six restaurants and lounges, there will be an extensive library, a 1,200 square metre spa with eight treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art fitness club. The hotel’s meeting facilities include a 1,500 square metre ballroom overlooking the corniche and 1,000 square metres of conference rooms.
Image caption: Render of suite inside Raffles Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Raffles Moscow, Russia – The new flagship Raffles Moscow, located next to the Kremlin in the heart of Moscow, is expected to open in 2023 – becoming the first Raffles hotel in Russia. The landmark hotel will offer 153 exquisite rooms across nine floors with views overlooking the Kremlin and Red Square. These will include 20 two- bedroom suites, 19 junior suites and two presidential suites with private terraces. Each guestroom has breath-taking views of the city, with a select few offering access to the hotel’s courtyard terrace.
Main image caption: Exterior render of Raffles Doha, Qatar
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts makes debut at former Olympic venue
St. Regis Hotels and Resorts has made its glamorous debut in China’s coastal city of Qingdao, which is the former Olympic sailing venue of the 2008 Games. Let’s take a look inside…
The highly anticipated opening of St Regis Qingdao marks the first Marriott International luxury brand hotel in the northeastern Shandong region.
Strategically located in the landmark Haitian Center in the heart of historic Qingdao – overlooking Fushan Bay, the Olympic sailing venue for the 2008 Olympics – the hotel is set to delight the city’s luminaries and tastemakers with its elegant design, refined craftsmanship and time-honoured signature rituals.
“We are very excited to expand our luxury footprint to one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the region with the debut of the iconic St. Regis brand, bringing bespoke experiences curated for the most discerning travellers,” said Henry Lee, President, Greater China, Marriott International. “The opening of The St. Regis Qingdao ushers in a new benchmark of luxury hospitality in this dynamic city and underscores our commitment to continuously grow in Eastern China.”
Image credit: Marriott International
The arrival of St Regis in Qingdao follows a very public effort from Marriott International to expand its portfolio growth in Asia, following the group opening its 70th hotel property in Japan.
Occupying the 58th to 78th floors of the 369-meter-tall Haitian Center, The St. Regis Qingdao is the tallest hotel in the region, enthralling guests with panoramic vistas of the Yellow Sea and picturesque coastal scenes.
Drawing inspiration from the brand’s rich heritage, the renowned Singapore based interior design firm, LTW Designworks, subtly infused local Qingdao influences with St. Regis’ avant-garde aesthetic. This includes a crystal chandelier inspired by a legendary dress of golden thorns that Caroline Astor, mother of St. Regis founder John Jacob Astor IV and doyenne of New York high society in the Gilded Age, wore to one of her famed Midnight Suppers.
Image credit: Marriott International
A brilliantly-lit grand staircase offers the perfect venue for the celebrated St. Regis tradition of sabering a bottle of champagne to mark the transition from day to night. The backdrop of the grand staircase is a 74-metre-high atrium art wall that reflects the delicate traces left on the beach by the ebb and flow of the Yellow Sea.
Image credit: Marriott International
Image credit: Marriott International
The hotel features 233 guestrooms, including 30 luxury suites with spectacular ocean views. In each guest room, the bedside backplate features camellia motifs as an homage to the official flower of Qingdao, representing inspiration, integrity and romance. The bespoke amenities, design narratives and spectacular views combine to transport guests into a world of exquisite luxury and service. Guests will also enjoy the brand’s signature Butler Service, offering around-the-clock anticipatory service and ensuring that each guest’s stay is customised according to their tastes and preferences.
The St. Regis Qingdao also invites guests to embark on multi-sensory culinary journeys with exceptional presentations, memorable flavours and spectacular views at its five distinctive dining outlets. The Drawing Room, located on 59th floor, offers an indulgent Afternoon Tea along with panoramic seascapes. In spaces that combine contemporary chic with traditional charm, YAN TING serves authentic Cantonese cuisine featuring the freshest locally-sourced seafood. Social is an exciting all-day dining experience, featuring international delights at breakfast, along with fresh local seafood and western grill items on the lunch and dinner menus. The Carvery celebrates convivial dining in a classic New York steakhouse setting. In the evenings, guests are invited to The St. Regis Baroverlooking Qingdao city and its charming nightscapes to enjoy handcrafted cocktails. The signature St. Regis cocktail, the Bloody Mary, is given an intriguing new twist using essences of sparkling Qingdao beer, fresh local clams and fine sea-salt and aptly reintroduced as the “GáLa Mary”.
With a total of more than 2,000 square metres of dedicated event space, the hotel offers venues and facilities for iconic gatherings and meetings. The Astor Ballroom, covering an area of more than 900 square meters, is the perfect setting for celebrations, events, galas and talk-of-the-town wedding banquets. The St. Regis Qingdao also offers a bespoke wedding planner service to assist couples in planning their once-in-a-lifetime dream wedding.
The exclusive St. Regis Spa elevates the traditional spa visit into an enjoyable social occasion featuring five treatment rooms including the St. Regis Spa Suite, a private space for couples, families or small groups of friends to relax and enjoy bespoke treatment time together. The Celebration Bar is a joyous space of refined elegance serving the finest Champagne and effervescent cocktails. Fitness enthusiasts will enjoy the hotel’s well-equipped fitness centre and indoor infinity swimming pool offering stunning views of the surrounding sea and sky.
Image credit: Marriott International
Image credit: Marriott International
“We are thrilled to celebrate the debut of The St. Regis Qingdao. As one of the most important destinations for business and leisure travellers in China, Qingdao now has a most iconic luxury landmark,” said Jennie Toh, Vice President, Brand Marketing and Management, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “We look forward to sharing Qingdao with guests through the lens of St. Regis’ signature glamorous spirit, sophistication and impeccable service when they visit the destination.”
The Brit List Awards 2021 – entries close on Friday!
FINAL CALL for all designers, architects, hoteliers and brands to submit their free entries for The Brit List Awards 2021 (scroll down to read more about the categories and how to claim a complimentary ticket to the awards ceremony). Entries CLOSE on August 6 (this Friday)…
Following months of campaigning, designers, architects, hoteliers and brands have until Friday August 6 to submit their free entry for The Brit List Awards 2021.
The Brit List Awards, sponsored by Crosswater, is one of the most prestigious awards campaigns for designers, architects, hoteliers and brands in the UK to be associated with. Each year, Hotel Designs opens up the nominations and the nationwide campaign begins to find the best hotel designers, architects and hospitality professionals.
CLICK HERE to submit your free-of-charge application/nomination.
This year, following last year’s virtual event, The Brit List Awards will climax with a spectacular awards ceremony, which shortlisted designers, architects and hoteliers will be given a complimentary ticket to attend – but you have to be ‘in it to win it’. “For many reasons, The Brit List Awards has become an event that we at Hotel Designs are extremely proud of,” explained editor Hamish Kilburn who will lead this year’s judging panel. “Not only does it seriously help to raise the profiles of exceptional designers, architects and hoteliers, but it also credits the individuals – whatever their backgrounds – who are ensuring that Britain remains a creative hub of design, architecture and hospitality.”
*In addition to the individual awards that are up for grabs, the top 25 entries in the interior design, architecture and hospitality categories will be profiled in the prestigious The Brit List, Hotel Designs’ annual publication that references the top 75 most influential individuals in British design, architecture and hospitality.
Click here to read about last year’s winners. Click here to read more about this year’s event and timeline. Click here to read our FAQs about The Brit List Awards.
You can now purchase your tickets to attend thelive awards ceremony, which takes place on November 3 at PROUD Embankment (designers, architects, hoteliers & developers, click here. Suppliers, click here).
The Bay Window Tower House is a tower building with bay windows in Shibuya, Tokyo, which has just won 2020 Architecture MasterPrize in the ‘Small Architecture’ category. Let’s take a look why…
The 2020 Architecture MasterPrize in the “Small Architecture” category was presented to Takaaki Fuji + Yuko Fuji Architecture for their project “The Bay Window Tower House”. The prize is awarded by an international jury of designers, architects, curators, and academics with the aim of promoting the appreciation of architecture around the world.
The prize-winning building is located in the Tokyo district of Shibuya and comprises a small family home and office. Taking their inspiration from traditional Japanese verandas, the vision was to create rooms that offer all manner of pleasant places to sit. Takaaki Fuji + Yuko Fuji Architecture conceived the building as a tower with bay windows on each floor from which the residents can enjoy
Based on an environmental analysis, the tower was designed to exhibit different environmental qualities depending on the time of year, time of day, floor, and orientation – to make the most of the varying conditions in terms of light, wind, and warmth. Carbonised cork – a material that exhibits a low weight, high heat insulation, and ease of workability – was used to reduce the thermal load. views of the city.
Image credit: Masao Nishikawa
Image credit: Masao Nishikawa
The different floors are connected by aspiral staircase. Takaaki Fuji + Yuko Fuji selected materials such as wood, cork, and certain types of paint – materials with their own unique character that develop and flourish over time.
In harmony with the changes to the materials, the building was also designed to meet the similarly changing needs of its inhabitants. For example, lamps are integrated into the pieces of furniture that can be moved wherever they are needed – so the room layout can be easily adapted as the children grow older. “The uniqueness of the building is the result of its environment and the people who live in it,” summarises Takaaki Fuji.
Image credit: Duravit
Image credit: Duravit
Integrated into one of the bay windows – in fact right in front of the window – is a Duravit DuraSquare furniture washbasin, which is perfectly at home thanks to its timeless looks and longevity – even as the design of the room changes. In the bathroom, a Starck bathtub is set into the expanded window area, affording a breathtaking view of the downtown skyscrapers.
Duravit is one of Hotel Designs’ recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips by clicking here.
In Conversation With: Furniture designer Louise Sawyer Bacou
To kickstart our month putting ‘beds’ under the editorial spotlight, editor Hamish Kilburn speaks to furniture designer Louise Sawyer Bacou, Director at La Maison London, to understand the details, challenges and triumphs that came when confronting one of her most bizarre briefs to design a bed literally unlike any other…
As far as handcrafted furniture designers go, Louise Sawyer Bacou is on top of her game. Director of La Maison London, she has some impressive projects under its belt. Ilse Crawford commissioned the studio to fit out all of the bedrooms inside the iconic Babington House as well as Soho House New York. Compliment to the studio being able to sensitively answer just about any brief, the furniture designer and her team were tasked to furnish the rooms inside The Crazy Bear Hotel in Beaconsfield and add sensitive drama inside The Reading Rooms in Margate. And if that wasn’t enough, Bacou’s bespoke furniture pieces helped ‘set the scene’ recently in the popular Netflix feature film, Rebecca.
Image caption: La Maison London was commissioned by The Crazy Bear to design and make bespoke furniture for the rooms. | Image credit: The Crazy Bear
Image caption: The Reading Rooms in Margate feature La Maison London furniture. | IMage credit: The Reading Rooms, Margate
As impressive as these projects are, it was her bespoke – and slightly unusual – four-poster, double bunk bed that the studio designed and made for Serangoon House in Singapore that really captured my attention. The client, Satinder Garcha, the CEO of Garcha Hotels, was inspired by images of a Louis XVI-style bunkbed, which the studio had designed for its Made In House range. “He explained that, from the basis of what he’d seen, he’d like to have a four-poster bed made which could also function as a freestanding bunkbed and which could take a large mattress size,” Bacou explains. “This bed would be for his new hotel opening in Singapore with the idea that it could both accommodate numbers of up to four, when large families were travelling together etc, and could also present itself as an elegant four poster bed for when a room was being booked for one or two people.”
Image caption: A four-poster bed – commissioned by Satinder Garcha and made by La Maison London – which can also function as a freestanding bunk bed. | Image credit: Mel Yates
Image caption: The bed’s style is described by Louise Sawyer Bacou as “a symphony of Rococo S curves without any of the obvious straight lines that might easily lend themselves to a two tier structure.” | Image credit: Mel Yates
To mark the start of Hotel Designs putting the spotlight on ‘beds’ this month, here is my exclusive interview with Bacou, in which I learn how the designer’s ambition – not to mention her endearing inability to say no to clients – led her to complete one of her most unusual projects.
Hamish Kilburn: What were your first thoughts when you were were approached by The Garcha Group with this brief?
Louise Sawyer Bacou: ‘Inventive’ was my first thought; ‘complex to achieve’ my second; followed by a slow-motion moment while I tried to calculate all the numerous technical considerations a bed like this would require.
HK: And how did this project stretch your limits as a furniture designer?
LSB: The challenge was extended further when the bed that Garcha chose from our range, to style the new design from, was the ‘Cherub Bed’– a symphony of Rococo S curves without any of the obvious straight lines that might easily lend themselves to a two-tier structure.
Luckily though, I like a challenge and so bolstered by Garcha enthusiasm to have the idea realised, I set about to use all the tools at my disposal to make this work. Satinder is definitely a visionary which this good for design, as this type of person will always re-write the rules to have something new created.
HK: Culturally speaking, how was this brief different to any other that you have faced before?
LSB: Working in culturally diverse places, like London or Singapore, will always induce a creative, cross pollination of ideas – it’s something I’ve always been attracted to, so working on this project has allowed me to explore a fusion of ideas from two continents which I’ve loved.
There are times when what we do at La Maison London is quite purist, stylistically and technically – we use old-school methods and knowledge to achieve furniture that has an authentic language but when these same tools are used to push the envelope, it’s exciting to create designs that hold some of the old intrinsic values but are also reimagined as part of a new story.
HK: What were the main challenges you were confronted with during this project?
LSB: The first challenge was how to marry the aesthetic of a four-poster bed with the functionality of a bunk bed when each would usually work from quite different height perspectives. I had to find a balance between the two by using the lines of the bed to allow both scenarios to work, while taking into account the ergonomics of its use as a bunk bed. I may have made that sound simple but it took time.
Another challenge was that the style of the bed, to be Rococo, as it had no obvious lines that presented themselves for the columns. I created these columns to work aesthetically but also to allow them to have the best inherent strength for the bed, structurally, as a freestanding piece. These columns have also been reinforced with internal metal rods (for good measure) which run the length of the bed offering extra stability.
The challenge is always to find the harmony between form and function so that each aspect is enhanced by the other.
“I would like to use the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired over the years to create more re-envisioned pieces.” – Louise Sawyer Bacou, Director, La Maison London.
Image credit: Mel Yates
HK: Is there any furniture challenge you cannot solve?
LSB: I’m going to say no because I like design challenges. Going forward, I would like to use the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired over the years to create more re-envisioned pieces.
HK: With such a statement bed, how did you then confront the rest of the interior design?
LSB: The bed is the statement piece that holds the conversation in each room. I’ve chosen furniture, fabrics and palette that support the bed’s leading role and adjusted the story within the varying bedroom sizes.
The larger rooms lend themselves to a more opulent feel that the space allows, for the smaller rooms we’ve curated for a balanced feel. The furniture chosen for each room is beautifully crafted and finished to compliment the over all bespoke look we are aiming for.
Colour always has its own story and is linked to the tonality of light within any region so, for this project in Singapore and especially for the fabrics, I’ve used a palette of bejewelled colours to accent which has been a joy to work with.
HK: What was the most valuable lesson you learned during this project?
LSB: There have been many valuable lessons on this project – which is still a work in progress as the photos seen here show the prototype which has been just made for the mock up rooms. I think the biggest lesson came about, not least, because of the period we find ourselves in, globally.
There have been times when the metaphoric tides (and actual tide – read Suez Canal) seemed to work against the usual flows of production which depends on the smooth interactions across multiple borders (for all of us). Unusual situations came from many angles but I was amazed that everyone involved – from the team in Singapore, to the teams of craftspeople we’ve work since years, to teams in logistics – all worked, at every step of the way, to problem solve, to find ways through with a ‘can do’ attitude. This is something I will take with me: The ingenuity of people to create better outcomes in all outcomes.
With brand standards of the hotel brand Hotel Indigo stating that ‘no two hotels are the same’, the interior design team at IHG called upon the ‘rugtrepeneurs’ at Modieus to design colourful and personality-packed rugs inside the rooms and suites at Hotel Indigo Adelaide…
The sixteen-storey boutique hotel on Market Street is the first Hotel Indigo in Adelaide and the sixth signing for the brand in Australasia, following Hotel Indigo Brisbane Fortitude Valley, Melbourne Docklands, Sydney Central, Melbourne Little Collins Street and Auckland.
Image credit: Hotel Indigo
Image credit: Hotel Indigo
Crucially, no two Hotel Indigo properties are the same, with each drawing on the story of its local area to inspire every aspect of the hotel to help guests feel part of the destination.
With its vibrant atmosphere and special place in Adelaideans’ hearts, there would be few neighbourhoods more apt for a Hotel Indigo than the Central Market precinct. The boutique hotel rooms pay homage to the legendary festivals of the city. The modern colour palette is brightened by natural light and colourful wall art, inspired by neighbourhood festival posters. Locally influenced decor is celebrated in the famed tessellated tile patterns of Adelaide with copper fixtures harking back to South Australia’s copper mining history.
Image credit: Hotel Indigo
Built in 1869, Adelaide Central Market is one of Adelaide’s best-known landmarks, and one of Australia’s largest fresh produce markets providing a range of fresh and multi-cultural products, including fruit & vegetables, meat & seafood, cafes, breads and much more.
Image credit: Hotel Indigo
The ambience is joyful, any time, any day. Modieus worked on this fabulous project with architectural practice @loucaszahosarchitects and developer @GuavaLime to create contemporary, playful yet refined interiors which celebrates the many flavours, colours, and milestones of Adelaide.
Image credit: Hotel Indigo
Modieus were delighted to supply the rugs for each guestroom, owner Xander Okhuizen said, “It was great to work with architects Loucas Zahos and developers GuavaLime. The tessellated tiles of South Australia’s 19th century houses inspired our colourful geometric flooring. Shape-shifting and colour-swapping from room to room to reflect the neighbourhood’s diversity – beauty really is in the details.”
Modieus 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.
Weekly digest: Ace moves into Brooklyn & a Royal welcome in Crete
Editor Hamish Kilburn here rounding off your week (and month) with a digest of the hottest stories from the last few days. Before we start, first, a checklist: Have you applied yet for The Brit List Awards? Have you signed up to attend Hotel Designs LIVE. If not, hurry, as you only have a few days left to do so…
Quite frankly, July couldn’t have come soon enough! Following an unjust – and extended – sin bin, the hospitality industry is finally able to return to the arena in order to showcase the true value of an industry that is held together by people, relationships and boundary-defying innovation. Our celebration of these hero players comes in the form of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs’ annual awards ceremony – free to apply/nominate for – that’s aim is to credit the individuals who are taking design and hospitality to new heights. Therefore, I urge you (even if you are in doubt) to submit your free entry, before August 6, to this year’s awards – you literally have nothing to lose. Don’t forget, this year we have introduced two new awards: International Award and The Rising Star – even more reasons to get involved…
In the meantime, the editorial team are putting the finishing touches on preparations ahead of our next Hotel Designs LIVE event. If The Brit List Awards are about celebrating the heroes, then Hotel Designs LIVE’s role is to bring the industry’s finest together to keep the conversation flowing by discussing key issues in global hotel design and hospitality. With limited spaces available, time is running out to attend in the audience.
Other than keeping these two vital dates and events front-of-mind, we have spent this week exploring some milestone projects, writing about new products and we even found time to publish our latest virtual roundtable, which explores the heavily discussed topic of injecting personality into the bathroom. Here are our top stories of the week…
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Following the highly anticipated opening The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, Hotel Designs gets its hands on the official images, which highlight the design scheme that aimed to celebrate the “timelessness of the Cretan soul in a contemporary way”.
Our latest virtual roundtable, in association with Bathroom Brands Group, comes following Hotel Designs LIVE in May where we hosted the panel discussion entitled: ‘Bathrooms beyond practical spaces’. Extending what we learned at the event, we invite a handful of designers to explore how to inject colour and personality into the bathroom…
From the brand who shook up conventional public areas and encouraged the rest of the hospitality industry to open their doors to the community as well as travellers, Ace Hotels has officially arrived in Brooklyn. Located in Downtown Brooklyn, the hotel stands on the cusp of Boerum Hill, above the ever-evolving intersection of everything: a geographical Venn diagram of intersecting energies, from the tree-lined streets and brownstones of Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens to the art and culture clusters of Fort Greene, and all the way down to the restless East River.
Anticipation is building around the reopening of events and Design London is among the shows that are gearing up to showcase the best in design. The show will welcome the architecture and design community to the capital’s new favourite neighbourhood, North Greenwich, for its inaugural event.
When crafting a bathroom it’s the finishing touches that often bring everything together and complete the look; be it elegance and glamour or a sophisticated urban edge. The new Black Selection of accessories from KEUCO with its deep black silk matt finish brings a touch of luxury to every element in the collection.
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
3D tech: Dernier & Hamlyn expands studio capabilities to meet designers’ needs
As part of its continued investment into the latest technology to provide the best service to its designer clients, bespoke lighting manufacturer Dernier & Hamlyn, which recently sponsored our roundtable on bespoke possibilities in luxury design, has increased its capabilities by adding 3D printing technologies to their already impressive studio services…
Although recently acquired, the 3d printer is already being used extensively to produce a wide range of prototypes that help designers and their clients to visualise what the bespoke components or light fittings produced in Dernier & Hamlyn’s factory will actually look like.
It is also successfully being used to produce patterns rather than the more traditional ways such as having them carved in wood or made from bronze or brass which is not only more cost effective, but also greatly reduces the lead times in getting the patterns to the foundry for casting. For some applications this process can also be utilised for elements of the actual light fittings themselves. Recent advances in finishing techniques now enable Dernier & Hamlyn to get these parts finished to suit the client’s requirements whether it’s a sprayed or a specialised metal finish.
This new service complements the existing wide range of skills available from Dernier & Hamlyn’s design team from the very traditional sketching of initial ideas and concepts, hand drawing of intricate designs, CAD drawings used to inform manufacture and finishing through to photo realistic renders.
“Up until now we have always had to outsource all of our 3d printing requirements,” said Mark Harper, Head of Design at Dernier & Hamlyn. “Not only was this an expensive operation as many companies have minimum order quantities but also meant timescales for delivery were out of our hands. Having this printing facility within our own studio means we can now provide a much more flexible and fast service which is key to our focus on quality and high levels of customer service and satisfaction.”
While some designers approach Dernier & Hamlyn with fully formed designs and material specifications there is often still a need to work through the engineering challenges of how their bespoke lighting can be made, installed and maintained. In many cases the designers have a clear idea of what they want to achieve aesthetically but are looking for support and expert advice to help translate their aspirations into light fittings that not only look fantastic in their hotel projects but provide appropriate lighting levels, colour rendering, efficiency and vitally, can be manufactured within the required budget.
Dernier & Hamlyn is one of our recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips by clicking here.
From the brand who shook up conventional public areas and encouraged the rest of the hospitality industry to open their doors to the community as well as travellers, Ace Hotels has officially arrived in Brooklyn.
Located in Downtown Brooklyn, the hotel stands on the cusp of Boerum Hill, above the ever-evolving intersection of everything: a geographical Venn diagram of intersecting energies, from the tree-lined streets and brownstones of Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens to the art and culture clusters of Fort Greene, and all the way down to the restless East River. The property offers 287 guestrooms, an expansive in-room art programme, a public lobby with multiple bars and an art gallery, plus additional food and beverage outlets on the horizon. Designed by Roman and Williams, with architecture by Stonehill Taylor, Ace Brooklyn’s unique facade welds seamlessly with interiors inspired by the raw artist studio spaces of the European modernists — with soothing and stylish custom furnishings outfitting its every alcove.
“We see Brooklyn as it’s own city, filled with so much hope, possibility and excitement for the future,” said Brad Wilson, President, Ace Hotel Group. Ace Brooklyn has been a labour of love — a gorgeous building in many ways a reunion and a reinvention, and one we’re delighted to share with our guests and neighbours as the evolution of Ace Hotel. We’re proud to have filled its spaces with the talents of many collaborators across art, design and culture; it’s a testament and tribute to the irrepressible creative energy of the borough, and a firm investment in its future.”
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Made up of metal, glass and precast concrete elements, the building’s rough-edged façade celebrates the natural beauty of its materials, along with the rugged handiwork of the builders who brought them together. The facade’s dramatic centrepiece is a custom ceramic mural crafted by iconic modernist Stan Bitters, coupled with a sculptural light installation designed by Roman and Williams in homage to the Hotel Okura in Tokyo — a beacon of modernist hospitality designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi, which was sadly demolished in 2015.
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Inside, interiors marry exposed concrete with other naturally textural elements — surfaces of douglas fir, oak, plywoods and leathers — to form organic, open shapes throughout. The lobby features vintage and custom seating throughout, with half moon windows illuminating the lobby bar in natural light. The bar is finished with an original wall sculpture from RW Guild artist Verdan Jakšić, and a discreet, large scale drawing by Tara Geer.
“After seven years, we are proud to unveil one of our most comprehensive architectural and interior commissions to date for Ace Hotel Brooklyn, our third collaboration with Ace Hotel,” added Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, Founders and Principals, Roman and Williams. “We aimed to embrace a solid muscular design vocabulary, employing confident lasting construction methods and materials, ones with gravity and strength. A primitive modernist philosophy guided us, it is expressed in the tactile spirit of the design. From the building’s strong and unadorned facade, to the celebration of raw old growth timber in the public screens, to the honest plywood furniture collection in the bedrooms, we aspire to be as energetic and untamed as Brooklyn itself.”
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Drawing significant inspiration from Le Corbusier’s beloved workspace retreat Le Cabanon, the guest rooms at Ace Hotel Brooklyn were imagined as cabins of creative refuge: elegant and efficient, with the kind of breathing room that stirs up all sorts of possibilities. The furnishings are handcrafted from raw, understated materials — including custom sofas and chairs, classically-loomed cotton bedding and purpose-built, minimalist fixtures. Custom bed covers were crafted by Maine Heritage Weavers; bath products are from uka; in select rooms, acoustic guitars are provided by D’Angelico Guitars; turntables are made by Music Hall, with vinyl record selections courtesy of our friends at Rough Trade. Ace Brooklyn’s in-room art programme was curated by artist Niki Tsukamoto, and brings together a dream-woven assortment of original textile and fibre pieces from roughly two dozen artists, many based in the borough.
Image credit: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Throughout the rest of 2021, The Gallery at Ace Hotel Brooklyn will showcase works by artists featured in the guestrooms, starting with a show of textile works by Cynthia Alberto and Weaving Hand in July and August 2021. The hotel lobby’s Ace Shop will also be featuring custom home goods and jewellery from a number of the artists on an ongoing basis.
Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay has officially opened its doors to guests in time for the upcoming Eid Al Adha vacation. The 192-room hotel, located in Manama, is the first to open under Hilton’s portfolio of brands in the Kingdom of Bahrain…
Nestled in the heart of Bahrain Bay and directly connected to the newest retail and leisure destination in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Avenues Mall, Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain boasts 192 spacious rooms (including 35 suites), all with breath-taking bay and sea-facing views and complete with curated furnishings that meet the daily lifestyle needs of guests, such as a clutter-free desk, a sleek 55-inch LED screen, and complimentary access to Wi-Fi.
Catering to a wide variety of experiences be it for a short weekend stay or for longer periods, 70% of the guest rooms offer confirmed connecting rooms. Each space is artfully accentuated with earthbound tones and sea inspired design notes and neutral colour palettes, creating a sanctuary of style and calmness.
Additional features include flexible meeting spaces with state-of-the-art facilities, and a fully equipped fitness center alongside an infinity pool and jacuzzi. In addition to a room service menu, the hotel offers unique food experiences through its restaurant Together& Co serving guests breakfast, lunch and dinner with glittering waterfront views of Bahrain Bay.
“As Hilton Garden Inn continues to expand, boasting more than 900 properties around the world, we’re thrilled to be the first Hilton-branded hotel to open in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Alan Roberts, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. “We couldn’t dream of a more idyllic location for this property, overlooking the beautiful Bahrain Bay and Manama skyline, and we’re delighted to bring our world-class hospitality to this part of the world.”
“We found it essential to incorporate an added sense of well-being in the design of our spaces reflecting the Kingdom’s vast history of pearling and deep-rooted ties to the sea through our choice of soothing sea-inspired hues and colour palettes,” commented Manuela Brode, general manager at Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay, adding, “The sunny island of the Bahrain is also known for being a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities, and our diverse team which boasts 16 different nationalities, half of which are local Bahrainis, all look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy an idyllic one-of-a-kind experience at Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay”
Adding another level of assurance in light of the ongoing situation, the hotel features Hilton CleanStay, an industry-leading programme that delivers a new standard of cleanliness across all of Hilton’s hotels globally. Developed in collaboration with Reckitt, maker of Lysol and Dettol, Hilton CleanStay allows guests to enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay, providing peace-of-mind from check-in to check-out.
Virtual roundtable: Colour & personality in the bathroom
Our latest virtual roundtable, in association with Bathroom Brands Group, comes following Hotel Designs LIVE in May where we hosted the panel discussion entitled: ‘Bathrooms beyond practical spaces’. Extending what we learned at the event, Editor Hamish Kilburn invites a handful of designers to explore how to inject colour and personality into the bathroom…
Gone now are the days of bathrooms being used solely as practical spaces. When colour, pattern and material trends spilled over in the ’70s, the bathroom became an experiential area where designers could rip up the rule book to reflect personality. With the demand for experience-driven travel and the addition in recent years of wellness and wellbeing being top of modern travellers’ agendas – not to mention technology evolving at a rapid rate – the options designers can now use in the bathroom is phenomenal.
To see how far we can take colour and personality in the bathroom, we invited leading designers from multiple brands and studios to help us explore how we can meaningfully add a bit of flair in these once-forgotten spaces.
On the panel:
Fiona Thomspon, Principal, Richmond International
Akram Fhami, Co-founder, London Design House
Nick Hickson, Co-Founder, THDP
Diana Darmina, Interior Design Manager, Lamington Group
David Balmer, Senior Projects consultant, Crosswater
Tom Lowry, Key Accounts Manager, Projects
Hamish Kilburn, Editor, Hotel Designs
Paul Savage, Design Director, IA Architects
Hamish Kilburn: Traditionally, why did colour not play a large a role in the bathrooms?
Fiona Thompson: In the luxury hotel sector, the simple answer is that we were reflecting what had been done previously – so it was more a nod back to the heritage of the projects, which were usually sheltered in historic buildings. In terms of sanitaryware, there was a big change in the 70s from using colour to then only using white. And that’s probably because white represents cleanliness. However, in more trendy brands we are seeing colour being injected back into the bathrooms, but it is a big step for more luxury hotels.
The bathroom is the last thing that gets stripped out of a hotel, so anything we do has to stand the test of time.
“I have seen a shift toward a more experience-led design when it comes to bathrooms in hotels” – Diana Darmina, Interior Design Manager, Lamington Group.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Akram Fahmi: I would say there has been a shift over the last 10 years of moving to blacks, dark bronzes for accent colour in the bathroom. But I think sanitaryware companies have been widening their colour ranges as styles and fashion has also moved on. I think black is here to stay; it’s now staple and consumers accept it’s a stylish option, but colour, bold colours, pastels are having a renaissance. We have been devoid of fun for almost two years, staring at our own bathrooms at home thinking, ‘I want something to lift me in the morning, perk me, surprise me continually’. I think colour has that ability to affect your mood. Bold yellows give you warmth and comfort, red is energetic and bold, green is calming and fresh. All these amazing feelings from colour, and designers need to be braver when it comes to utilising it in powder rooms and bathrooms. In fact, I think bathrooms are the perfect place to be a little quirky or offbeat. The bathroom is the most informal space in a house or hotel. It’s ultimately the space you need to feel comfortable without clothes on – and if you can’t have fun without clothes on, when can you!
Diana Darmina: Working in the hotel industry, I have seen a shift toward a more experience-led design when it comes to bathrooms in hotels. At room2 we always push for our bathrooms to be playful and energising in their look and feel. We always push for our bathrooms to be remembered as a place which guests love, but would probably not have the courage to do in their own homes.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Nick Hickson: Some brands are very prescriptive when it comes to brand standards and certainly with the sanitary ware being white. So, it’s tough to have conversations about injecting colour in. You could suggest minor changes, such as the shower tray being made from Quartz Stone or designing the space with tile surfaces.
Meanwhile, there are new brands entering that want to define new categories. Those lifestyle brands don’t want white or to feel corporate. Instead, they are reaching out for something more experiential – something coloured or made from other materials than simply white porcelain.
David Balmer: Also, with hygiene being such a big focus point, there is still that need and demand for the perception of cleanliness. So, what we are seeing is that colour is being used on the outside of ceramics and not on the inside to maintain that.
“Traditionally, we were concerned and timid to use coloured brassware because of the cost and quality.” – Paul Savage, Design Director, IA Architects.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
HK: Crosswater, from a brand’s perspective, would you say those lifestyle brands have allowed you to inject colour in your products?
DB: Without a doubt. If you look at the new versions of the basins with the tinted brass or gold on the outside of the bowl you will see we are able to add more personality in our products thanks to the demand.
Paul Savage: From my previous experience of working with one of the large American operators, there was no colour in the bathrooms. If we take the high-luxury brands as an example, they want to achieve a classy look, and they are also protecting the owner’s investment. So typically we would expect a hard refurb of a bathroom every 14 years. Traditionally, we were concerned and timid to use coloured brassware because of the cost and quality. We would say that housekeeping would do the most damage to the rooms because of some of the strong cleaning solutions they use. Now that the quality has improved and the cost has come down I think we will see more of it.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
HK: Were you wanting to inject more colour into your projects before you were able to do so because of the delay in the supply catching up to the demand?
PS: I think with how popular lifestyle brands are, I think it’s a really good opportunity to make a bathroom really unique. I really do think the development of lifestyle hotels – and the expansion of that sector – is allowing the industry as a whole to think more creatively when it comes to the bathroom. You can still sensitively add colour to these bathroom spaces to more classic hotel bathrooms but there are less opportunities.
FT: Also, the perception of a bathroom in a luxury hotel was traditionally marble or stone or granite. That has changed substantially – and now there are so many other materials for designers to choose from that still give the perception of high-end luxury. The traditional mindset has changed quite a lot.
NH: Nowadays, we would design the room, selecting from a vast range of surfaces and materials before we specify the bathroom products in order for the space just to feel as considered as other areas of the hotel.
“You don’t have to be clinical to be clean.” – Fiona Thompson, Principal, Richmond International.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
HK: With Covid-19 being the elephant in the room, do you think the new demands will put a halt in how much colour will be put into the bathrooms?
FT: I think everyone just wants to move on. You don’t have to be clinical to be clean.
HK: As designers, selecting colours and tones that match is very important. Do you ever find this difficult in the bathroom?
NH: Sometimes. So, at the moment, matt black is a very popular bathroom finish for taps and even basins. I have in the past struggled to find hinges of doors that match in, but generally the result is very impressive when you use contrasts in the bathroom.
“We are not against the idea of taking out the basin outside the bathroom in order to open up the space and create more of a language between the bathroom and the bedroom.” – Nick Hickson, Co-Founder, THDP.
Image credit: Bathroom Brands Group
HK: How else, other than using colour, can we inject personality into bathrooms?
FT: Bathrooms are becoming quite focal key points in the design of a guestroom because they are the differentiator. I think using and exploring patterns and textures are therefore great ways to hep these areas stand out. People are becoming more playful, I have noticed, especially in hotels where the bathtub is removed from the bathroom in order to open up space.
NH: And even the basin, we are not against the idea of taking out the basin outside the bathroom in order to open up the space and create more of a language between the bathroom and the bedroom.
PS: There has been a massive renaissance in materials such as terrazzo in the last few years, so that’s a really good opportunity to bring in colour. Also, we are seeing that wallpaper is becoming a popular option in bathrooms for a feature wall. So, people are certainly getting bolder. The only thing I would tend to avoid is lighting that changes skin tone, because these areas are spaces where people go to groom and get ready. The other easy way to tell the design narrative is through artwork.
HK: Nick, you joined us for HD Live where we explored bathrooms beyond practical spaces. What would you say were the key takeaways in that discussion?
NH: One of the biggest things for me was being able to sit down with other designers (both seniors and juniors) to discuss key topics. We had a designer from Marcel Wanders Studio and Zaha Hadid Architects – and just understanding how others think about this topic. The other conversation we had, which I have been asked about since then, was materiality in bathrooms – I think we can afford to be a bit more adventurous these days.
Image credit: Burlington
Image credit: Burlington
HK: What would you say is really exciting you at the moment when specifying bathroom projects?
FT: I think it’s beyond look and feel and now it’s really about guest experience. The world has moved from wanting just a good thermostatic shower and a good toilet. I think now there are more products out there to help us create more of an immersive experience. With that in mind, the vast array of materials out there is very exciting! There’s certainly a demand to understand more about where materials come from.
NH: There are so many new products out there that are pushing the envelope. In-house designers are also pushing us to be more creative when reacting to a brief. I’m also loving the fact that broken-up mosaics are being used in bathroom design schemes, which I think is very interesting.
PS: The biggest difference for me, in recent years, is now the accessibility to coloured brassware – before you just couldn’t afford it in the budget! Also, the improvement to finishes and coating. Developers and investors don’t like taking risks – they need to know that the products are going to stand the test of time. So, we have really enjoyed being able to use these materials. The trends go full circle – next thing you know, chrome will be back in fashion!
Tom Lowry: Yes, and it’s important for brands like Bathrooms Brands Group to ensure that we focus on long-lasting trends. I have certainly seen an appetite for earthy colours and materials that have texture – as opposed to just looking at colour.
HK: I think the Bespoke Collection by Burlington is a fantastic example of this – and actually it was this collection, followed by the Riviera Collection, that allowed me to really see how the bathroom can absolutely become the ‘hero shot’ for a hotel. What are your thoughts?
PS: I think guests are much more sophisticated – and exposed via social media to high-end design. I think they expect this design being carried through to the bathrooms.
NH: Being conventional is now unforgivable on the hotel scene – we are constantly thinking, as designers, how we can push a projects design narrative.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
HK: For many, it’s easy to see colour injected in bathrooms sheltered under lifestyle brands. How can colour be sensitively injected in more luxury hotels?
FT: Whether it’s colour or texture, it’s about giving the space personality – and injecting sense of place. So, it becomes about using locally sourced materials. We did a project in Las Vegas where the bathroom was bigger than the rooms, so we used lots of back-painted glass to make it an extraordinary space. It is about doing things that are appropriate for the local location and culture. The bathroom now is quite often half the size of the bedroom, so it has to be a signature piece, if you like, but also keep it cohesive to the rest of the room.
“Layering colour, tone, accent in the choices of FF&E, accessories, artwork, make bold choices in the colour of joinery, doors and of course powder rooms!” – Akram Fahmi, Co-Founder, London Design House.
AF: I think it’s a very good question, colour is sometimes seen as cheap or tacky, but I totally disagree. Many modern luxury hotels have this element of seriousness, elegant and sophisticated tonality – we are all guilty of it at some point in our careers, and yes, that tonality and “properness” is expected and often pushed by the hotel operator and guest expectations, and yes it might look beautiful, but is it fun? No. Is it quirky? Not really. So how do you bring interest, surprise, moments of emotion into a the luxury environment, and I think the answer is layering. Layering colour, tone, accent in the choices of FF&E, accessories, artwork, make bold choices in the colour of joinery, doors and of course powder rooms! Colour has been slowly washed out of hospitality over the years, if you look back historically at hotels like the Savoy, the bold greens, or the Dorchester ballroom in the 1930s was full of pinks, blues and golds. These spaces historically had colour and we need to get back to celebrating these spaces again and have fun rather than align to a pretence that sophistication is black and white or grey.
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
Image credit: Bathrooms Brands Group
HK: We’ve spoken in depth about guestroom bathrooms, but what about public bathrooms – can we afford to throw out the rule book in these spaces?
FT: I think public bathrooms can be much more playful – I like to see a bit of reverence in these areas!
PS: I agree, a bit of humour doesn’t go a miss. You really can, to a degree, judge a restaurant’s design on their bathrooms. If they are not an afterthought, if they have been considered then it’s a great opportunity to do something different.
HK: And finally, how can designers working on a tight budget still add personality into the bathroom?
PS: Accenting. The price of coloured brassware has come down so it’s easier to include these in a project – and opens design opportunities. Another way is to add colour on the outside of basins, and also paint on the wall – a half height tiled wall and paint is an easy way make these spaces a bit more characterful.
NH: And don’t be afraid to paint the ceilings too.
AF: I think that white is always an easy ‘go to’ in terms of making a space feel larger or brighter naturally. However, there are many tricks one can use to give that feeling of space, whether it be to give the feeling of height, or making a space feel brighter. Use of colour is very clever tool, highlighting door architraves and skirtings for instance in an accent colour can give a feeling of height as your eye is physically drawn up and down.
Bathrooms Brands Group is one of our recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, click here.
Flooring case study: Creating connection and flexibility at work
Leading Australian law firm Lander & Rogers envisioned a workplace that reflected its values of being authentic, connected and innovative. The brand required the attention of creative flooring brandModieus to achieve their desired interior design scheme…
The recently completed Lander & Rogers workplace in Melbourne combines socially activated spaces for connection and collaboration with quiet work settings for privacy and focus. This contemporary space fosters creativity, whilst providing people with flexibility and adaptability in the way they work.
Image credit: Carr/Lander & Rogers
Melbourne based architecture and interior design studio Carr completed the base build interior design in collaboration with the Grimshaw studio. Joining the project in the early stages, initially on workplace strategy, Carr developed an intimate understanding of the client’s needs. The result is a holistic design outcome melding powerful functionality with a warm and natural aesthetic. Hotel Designs send their congratulations to Sue Carr for her appointment this week as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to interior design, to education, and to women in business in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Image credit: Carr/Lander & Rogers
Image credit: Carr/Lander & Rogers
Leveraging the insights and learnings gathered through the strategy and briefing, Carr recommended an open plan, agile ready workplace, balanced with a variety of quiet spaces to retreat and reset. It was a radical change from the previous workplace, but one that responded authentically to the client’s needs. Key to successful planning was balancing the openness with moments of respite. “It was important the planning principles respected the need for privacy – both visual and acoustic – within the open plan and shared zones. The ratio of enclosed retreat spaces versus open plan settings was responsive to the client’s needs and data collected during the strategy phase,” says Associate Nicole Coutts. The final workplace model is flexible and diverse, allowing the Lander & Rogers team the ability to expand, change or contract as needed – a particularly important option in light of the events of 2020.
Modieus was delighted to supply the soft flooring, owner Xander Okhuizen said: “We designed beautiful hand tufted rugs to zone the open plan spaces and sumptuous Axminster carpets for the office areas, to create the perfect ambience and balance for this contemporary workplace. The soft flooring provides luxury underfoot and importantly it absorbs noise, so plays a vital part in creating the right acoustics in the office environment.”
Modieus 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.
Bathroom trends: Black accessories for a touch of luxury
When crafting a bathroom it’s the finishing touches that often bring everything together and complete the look; be it elegance and glamour or a sophisticated urban edge. The new Black Selection of accessories from KEUCO with its deep black silk matt finish brings a touch of luxury to every element in the collection…
There are 19 offerings in the Black Selection series by KEUCO. This includes three different styles of towel hook as well as different versions of towel rails, tumbler holders, toilet paper holders, shelves and cosmetic mirrors.
Each element has been coated in a special lacquer making them exceptionally durable, tough and easy to clean and all are colour matched in RAL 9011. This means that the products can be combined with KEUCO’s freestanding accessories and shelving which is also available in RAL 9011.
The Black Selection is tactile, the surface has a velvety matt finish, making it not only pleasant to touch but easy to grip. The simple lines and minimalist design of the accessories make them unobtrusive in the grand scheme of bathroom design, but boldly stylish in their simplicity.
Like a perfect little black dress the KEUCO accessories do not draw attention to any one particular aspect; but artfully complement the finished scheme.
KEUCO offers a large assortment of fittings, accessories, mirror cabinets, lights and mirrors, washbasins and bathroom furniture “made in Germany”. At KEUCO design and function play a key role. Perfectly manufactured products combine aesthetic form with sensible functionality. A standard that is systematically applied, from the idea right to implementation.
Collaboration with designers is a long tradition at KEUCO; the company has been family run since it was founded in 1953.
KEUCO 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.
In pictures: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Following the highly anticipated opening The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, Hotel Designs gets its hands on the official images, which highlight the design scheme that aimed to celebrate the “timelessness of the Cretan soul in a contemporary way”. Editor Hamish Kilburn explores…
Situated on a serene, undisturbed coast outside the picturesque village of Panormos, a brand-new haven awaits the modern nomad. Combining Crete’s rich heritage with exceptional experiences of the here and now, the Royal Senses is the latest chapter in lifestyle hospitality from the Troulis Royal Collection.
Positioned right next to its sister property, the recently renovated seafront Royal Blue with its 100-acre premises, the Royal Senses makes its mission to go above and beyond that of a typical luxury family resort. As a true ambassador of Crete’s rugged beauty, the Royal Senses is deeply intertwined with the landscape of the island and the character of its people, while still maintaining a cosmopolitan aura.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Built with togetherness as a guiding principle, the resort’s 179 suites and villas connect seamlessly with their natural surroundings. Accommodations range from spacious 35-square-metre rooms, where undisturbed sea views and natural furnishing materials bring to mind a private cove, to ultra-luxurious 200-square-meter villas with amenities such as private infinity pools organically carved from the rock that surrounds the island. Ever present is the element of water: the four large communal pools and the 74 private infinity pools lined with elegant sun loungers and cabanas seem to cascade from level to level, creating a sense of motion that stirs the soul of the traveller.
For Zacharias, Kostas and Manolis Troulis, co-owners of the Troulis Royal Collection, this project showcases their lifelong dedication to Crete. “We are fully committed to our responsibility to the island, its people and our cultural heritage,” they said. “We wish to show guests all sides of the Cretan identity and embed ourselves purposefully into the texture of the island.”
The celebration of Cretan roots has been the main driving force behind the resort’s overall architectural and design approach. “The landscape’s rough beauty creates a wonderful juxtaposition with the clean, minimal lines of the buildings,” said Nikos Peppas and Katerina Tsiolaki, of Peppas N Architects, when describing the project. “We designed and positioned all buildings in such way that ensured unobstructed views to the endless blue of the Aegean Sea, wherever you are.”
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
The interior design project was awarded to Constantina Tsoutsikou while she was Creative Director at Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) London. Following her departure from HBA, Tsoutsikou became the founder and creative director of the new London-based high-concept practice, Studio Lost. Her task, outlined in the original brief, was to showcase the owners’ genuine commitment to local authenticity in a modern way.
Since you’re here, why not listen to our podcast episode with Constantina Tsoutsikou?
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
“We wanted to create a destination that benefits local communities,” explained Tsoutsikou, who briefed local artisans in their workshops and on-site. “I found a wealth of excellent craftsmanship and local techniques that informed the design as we went along. We created handcrafted bespoke furniture, repurposed items, objects and artwork that celebrate the artisanal skills of the islanders throughout.”
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
The rooms and suites, all flowing towards their outdoor terrace, are built to remind the contemporary globetrotter exactly where they are — with framed views of the Cretan sea setting the tone. Earthy and textural, every guest room features carpentry and furniture from highly skilled local third-generation craftsmen (many of whom make their living by building traditional fishing boats), while furnishings, such as the cushions, are entirely made by hand in traditional motifs from the local women weavers association. The walls, treated with softly textured paint and cornices, are subtly marked out with traditional Cretan patterning, whereas the juxtaposition of rough and smooth surfaces mirrors the untamed character of the island itself.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
All rooms maximise the time spent outdoors celebrating views and private pools, while the dark metal finishes and details such as leather wrapped door handles add an extra layer of depth in the overall look and feel. The open, boundless, layout connects the indoors with the outdoors and invites guests to enjoy these generous, calm spaces in their entirety.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
At the Royal Senses, the traveller is called to connect with a community of kindred souls and experience a renewed sense of ancient mindfulness. This sense of community is highlighted by the fact that guests can seamlessly traverse across both resorts. Experienced in tandem, the Royal Blue’s private beach and marina and the iconic hilltop views of the Royal Senses set the tone for a holistic exploration that goes beyond the beaten path. Here, Crete’s multifaceted culture and ceaseless joie de vivre can be taken in at one’s leisure.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
As celebrating locality is of the utmost importance for the resort, the three restaurants (two of which offer la carte menus) and the various pop-up food bars at the Marketplace honour Crete’s rich culinary tradition in various ways. Along with four bars, these dining locales create the perfect backdrop for precious moments together.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
True to the spirit of engagement and togetherness, the resort provides travellers a plethora of distinctive experiences to help them connect with the island and one another. At the farm, visitors can stroll the fragrant hillside, discover a cornucopia of local herbs and harvest their own fruits and vegetables. Guests may also enjoy the resort’s unique Marketplace – a home to curated selections from small-farm producers and local artisans, blending tradition with a contemporary shopping experience.
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Last but by no means least, guests can luxuriate at an activity spa offering therapies that exclusively utilise Cretan herbs, as well as a heated pool, leaving them radiating with serenity and relaxation.
Rustic, authentic, joyful and proud, the Royal Senses Hotel & Spa is above all a contemporary interpretation of the Cretan soul.
Main image credit: The Royal Senses Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton
Design London to make its London Design Festival debut in September
Look alive, London! Design London will make its London Design Festival debut in creative Greenwich from September 22 – 25, 2021. Here’s what we know about the trade show…
Anticipation is building around the reopening of events and Design London is among the shows that are gearing up to showcase the best in design. The show will welcome the architecture and design community to the capital’s new favourite neighbourhood, North Greenwich, for its inaugural event.
Taking place from September 22-25, Design London, will be the largest official trade destination at this year’s London Design Festival marking a new phase for what was formerly known as 100% Design, the UK.’s longest running trade show dedicated to design. The dynamic and propelling show will be housed in Magazine London, a brand new, state-of-the-art venue on the Greenwich Peninsula overlooking Canary Wharf and just a short walk from North Greenwich Station and the shiny new Design District.
An essential platform for those looking to network and source the latest and most innovative furniture, lighting and design pieces during the annual festival, the four-day event boasts a jam-packed programme of engaging content and a highly curated selection of sought-after design brands from around the globe.
Discussions
As part of the main programme there will be a timetable of talks curated by Katie Richardson, led by renowned industry influencers and thought leaders, each themed and addressing the most pressing topics to encourage debate. Design London is excited to announce British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori as its headline speaker and chief collaborator; he will open the talks programme on day one of the show and welcome guests through a kaleidoscopic tunnel of colour inviting them to take a seat in his joyfully designed auditorium, ‘Transparency in shades of colour’.
“I’m super excited to be part of Design London’s launch and to design my first ever dedicated talks space; meeting people and expressing my creativity is what I love most and this brings the two together,” says artist Yinka Ilori. “Community and creating spaces to make people feel safe and comfortable is so important, especially this year, and with Design London being the U.K.’s first major design show, it’s the perfect environment to unite, celebrate and uplift one another.”
Following months of grey, the show will offer visitors a welcome spectrum of colour through a vibrant lineup of speakers. Those who will succeed Ilori include Eley Kishimoto, and Pearson Lloyd. New London Architecture (NLA) will form a specialist panel to debate the future of our cities whilst commercial interior design studio Trifle Creative will join a workspace discussion. Dulux’s Creative Director, Marianne Shillingford will take to the stage with a cast of colour experts, Roddy Clarke will conduct a talk centred around sustainability in craft, and in a hospitality panel, speakers will discuss how hotels are reinventing themselves in a post pandemic world.
Exhibitor highlights
The expansive venue will house a multitude of international brands including Dutch furniture producers Artifort and Van Rossum; and esteemed Italian manufacturers Ethimo Design; Penta, and Artemide who will show their antiviral ultraviolet Integralis range alongside a selection of iconic pieces and new products from Bjarke Ingels (BIG) and Neri&Hu. The Association of Industries of Wood and Furniture Portugal (AIMMP) will present a Portuguese ensemble of brands; and Fritz Hansen’s focus on circularity will be complemented by a neighbouring pavilion of over 10 new Scandi names curated by Lifestyle & Design Cluster in conjunction with the Danish Embassy.
As part of a ‘world tour’ city-inspired collection, bathroom innovators Ideal Standard will create a cinematic experience; Industrial design label Buster + Punch is set to unveil a new look and a new line of home hardware; and bespoke sculptural lighting company Cameron Design House will reveal new contemporary brand Empty State as well as creating a spectacular installation with never-before-seen handmade chandelier, Kuulas.
[d]arc room will return to London for its fifth year with an established lighting area within Design London and a series of lighting talks led by experts. Exhibitors within this pop-up include Delta Light, John Cullen Lighting, Mesh, Nichia and Thorlux. Visitors to Design London can also expect to see work from award-winning London based design studio Haberdashery London; and architects and designers Beep Studio who will join forces with the show’s sustainability partner, Schneider Electric.
Brimming with festival-like content, Design London’s visitor experience will be enhanced by a series of street food vendors and designer bars by Campari which will line the banks of the Thames making it a one-stop shop during the busy London Design Festival.
“Greenwich Peninsula is one of London’s most fascinating and rapidly expanding neighbourhoods with a new Design District fuelled by creativity so we felt it was the best location for Design London,” explains Jedd Barry, Marketing Manager, Design London. “The district is peppered with public exhibitions and contemporary art installations and we’re excited to add to that with our cutting-edge content. We’ll be showcasing originality, diversity and innovation, and particularly look forward to celebrating the U.K. as one of the most important places for specification internationally.”
Hotel Designs is a proud media partner of Design London. The full Design London programme and list of brands will be announced in due course. For more information visit the website.
Following what has been the most stressful 18 months in the hospitality and hotel design industry in living history, Hotel Designs is gearing up for a jam-packed August, which will include the return of Hotel Designs LIVE – the virtual conference for all designers, architects, hoteliers and developers – and the deadline for industry professionals and brands to apply/nominate for The Brit List Awards 2021 is fast-approaching.
Image caption: Interior Designer of the Year, Goddard Litterfair’s Jo Littlefair with editor Hamish Kilburn at The Brit List Awards 2020
Image caption: The Brit List 2019 finalists Charlie Rosier and Fabienne O’Neill from Cuckooz
Image caption: Team at Dexter Moren Associates celebrating John Harding being profiled in The Brit List 2019
The Brit List Awards is back for another year to identify the leading interiors designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers operating in Britain. The applications/nominations process is free-of-charge – but hurry because entries close on August 6. After that, entries will be handed over to our expert panel of judges before the winners and the top 25 designers, architects and hoteliers in Britain will be unveiled at the Awards Ceremony on November 3 at PROUD Embankment, London.
Here’s a reminder of this year’s categories:
Interior Designer of the Year*
Architect of the Year*
Hotelier of the Year*
Best in Tech
The Eco Award
Best in British Product Design
The Rising Star Award (NEW FOR 2021)
International Award (NEW FOR 2021)
Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry
*In addition to the individual awards that are up for grabs, the top 25 entries in the interior design, architecture and hospitality categories will be profiled in the prestigious The Brit List, Hotel Designs’ annual publication that references the top 75 most influential individuals in British design, architecture and hospitality.
You can now purchase your tickets to attend thelive awards ceremony, which takes place on November 3 at PROUD Embankment (designers, architects, hoteliers & developers, click here. Suppliers, click here).
Exclusively open to designers, architects, hoteliers and developers, Hotel Designs LIVE was first launched in June 2020 to keep the conversation flowing and the industry connected during the pandemic.
For the fifth chapter of Hotel Designs LIVE, the event will shelter four engaging panel discussions on topics such as sensory design, sleep performance, surface trends and social areas, with world-renowned hotel design experts joining us throughout the day in order to ensure the conversations we start are meaningful and unlike any other.
Here’s a reminder of the agenda for the day:
Click here to read more about the various panel discussions and speakers who will join us at Hotel Designs LIVE. Click here to secure your space in the audience (limited places available).
Union Investment acquires new operators for hotels in New York City and Portland
Union Investment has acquired two new, big-name operators, Motel One and Curio by Hilton, for its hotels in New York City and Portland. Here’s what we know…
The developer Union Investment has signed two leading operators for hotels in New York and Portland, both of which are held by UniImmo: Global. Motel One has signed a 20-year lease for the hotel in New York City. In Portland, Oxford Capital Group, LLC will take over as tenant and manager of The Porter hotel. The hotel will continue to form part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The hotel in New York City has already been handed over to Motel One, and the hotel in Portland is also due to be handed over this month.
“In this challenging market environment, we’re pleased to have found solutions that secure a viable future for these hotels. We have achieved this by teaming with strong hotel partners with whom we have worked closely for many years. The follow-on leases were agreed quickly, underlining just how attractive these two properties and their locations are,” said Martin Schaller, head of Asset Management Hospitality at Union Investment. The previous operators of the two hotels came under pressure as the pandemic unfolded and were no longer able to meet their lease obligations. The operator of The Porter had to pull out of the hotel for financial reasons.
“The toughest part of the journey is now behind us. The US hotel market is already staging a comeback and hoteliers are anticipating a surge in demand. With Motel One and Oxford as operators, our hotels in New York City and Portland are extremely well positioned to benefit from the expected turnaround,” said Martin Schaller.
Motel One’s lease with Union Investment in New York City marks the chain’s entry into the US market. The German hotel group is scheduled to take over the hotel on 21 July. The property is located in downtown Manhattan, close to the World Trade Center complex, and has been operated under the Courtyard by Marriott brand since 2016. Motel One will carry out extensive refurbishment and rebranding. The agreement with the previous operator was terminated prematurely by Union Investment. Motel One already operates lifestyle budget hotels in eight properties held by Union Investment across four funds. “As Motel One’s biggest landlord, we are delighted to have the opportunity to extend our longstanding strategic relationship outside Europe as well. We’re looking forward to jointly bringing this successful lifestyle concept to the local market and travellers from all over the world in the heart of New York very soon.”
RIBA-approved: Schlüter Systems’ CPD learning for architects and specifiers
Schlüter-Systems, the market leader in high performance integrated systems and solutions for tile and stone, are hosting a suite of RIBA-accredited CPDs online aimed at architects and specifiers…
The CPD seminars are a fantastic way of learning about best-practise within the construction industry. Each seminar provides a detailed look into a specific area, and the aim is that you come away armed with the tools you need to install products with ease.
Considerations for Tile and Stone Installations
Offering an overview of what should be kept in mind when dealing with tile and stone considerations, this seminar provides a solid introduction to working with these materials.
Specifying Integrated Underfloor Heating Systems
Focusing on the different options available for the specification of underfloor heating, this seminar details the ins and outs of hydronic and electric systems and what type of projects each are best suited to.
10 Point Plan for a Perfect Wetroom
Exploring wet room installations at the design and specification stage, this seminar will go through a variety of topics. This includes integrated vs. multi-manufacturer combined systems, waterproofing, technology and the difference between waterproof systems and water-resistant systems.
Specifying Solutions for Crack-Free Tile and Stone Coverings
Learn how to guarantee a crack-free finish for tile and stone, with recommendations and essential considerations in specifying problem-free coverings that last. Find out what you need to know about uncoupling, movement joints and best practise.
Specifying External Applications with Tile and Stone
Enhance your understanding of how to protect bonded installations of tile and stone installed on balconies, terraces, and patios. This seminar explores how to counteract the stresses of the environment and achieve functional assemblies.
The CPDs are presented by Schlüter’s Area Specification Consultants and are currently being held online – to find out more and to book, please visit www.schluterspecifier.co.uk
Weekly digest: Maldives dip, the power of smart design & 3D printing at its best
Well hello there! You’re just in time to catch this week’s rendition of the ‘weekly digest’, which is essentially the only article you need to read in order to keep up to date with all the latest happenings on the hotel design stage. I’m Hamish Kilburn, editor of Hotel Designs, and I’ve done all the hard work/research for you – so sit back and enjoy…
Where do we start? This week we’ve covered news from all angles, including innovative sustainable furniture solutions, not-t0-be-missed exhibitions coming up and we’ve even helped one brand mark its territory on continental European soil. As the summer intensifies – and more and more brands start loosening their lips about their development plans – the editorial team is preparing to go live with yet another Hotel Designs LIVE event (on August 10) and doing everything it can to ensure that no designer, hotelier, architect or brand is unfamiliar with how to apply (free-of-charge) to The Brit List Awards 2021 – entries close on August 6.
But for now, here’s your round-up of all the hottest stories that we have published this week (and why not read this week’s news while listening to our latest episode of DESIGN POD)?
Accor, no stranger the pages of Hotel Designs, has just announced the signing of a luxury resort in the Maldives that will boast 80 villas overlooking the emboodhoo lagoon at CROSSROADS Maldives.
With wellness and wellbeing now higher up on the agenda than it has ever been, Ari Peralta, Founder of Arigami, conducts some research of his own to understand and explore whether or not smart design can be utilised to enhance not only the consumer journey but also the mental health of guests checking in…
Architect and designer Yasmine Mahmoudieh, following years of studying sustainable design and materials, has designed a piece of 3D-printed furniture with partner Nagami that has been created out of 100 per cent plastic waste…
It was only ever going to be a matter of time – and timing – before Locke, the pioneering lifestyle hospitality brand was to launch it’s first hotel in continental Europe. Well, following the brand’s arrival in Dublin, Locke has finally touched down in Europe with a hotel opening in Munich.
Following the recent unveil of Hilton Molino Stucky Venice’s new rooms and suites, editor Hamish Kilburn caught up with the designer who brought the iconic project to life within the heritage building. With sustainability and materiality key focuses of the design ethos and brief, Studio Forino’s Biagio Forino was in his element, staying true to his belief that “you cannot disregard the importance of using environmentally friendly building materials…”
Thanks to its unique perspective over the industry – not to mention access to bathroom brand’s premium products – UKBathrooms qualifies in our hearts to give us an accurate trends special on how designers can inject Scandi style in the bathroom…
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
Accor has partnered with the Design Museum in London this Summer – here’s why
Hotel brand Accor, which, as far as we can see, is on track for world hospitality domination, has partnered with the Design Museum in London to support and celebrate its summer exhibition, ‘Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life‘…
On June 19, the, the Design Museum’s brand-new exhibition, “Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life”, launched in partnership with ALL: ACCOR LIVE LIMITLESS, Accor’s free to join loyalty program.
The exhibition explores the life and works of French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand, whose pioneering designs shaped the 20th century with many of her modern ideas still found in the way we live today and in hotel design around the world.
As well as celebrating the groundbreaking designer, Accor’s partnership also highlights the importance of design and ease of living across the hotel’s brands, in particular ibis Styles, where design and style is at the very core. Both Accor and the Design Museum share an understanding of the power of design to improve lives. Every ibis Styles hotel has its own unique design and theme, offering functional living space whilst still adding personality and style to each room, echoing Perriand’s functional design ethos.
Image credit: Felix Speller
Members of ALL will be able to book a Design Museum package, which gives the opportunity to receive complimentary tickets (worth £18) to the new exhibition when booking an overnight stay in a participating hotel in London. Guests who are not yet a member can sign up to the free to join lifestyle loyalty program and enjoy the member perk straight away.
As well as at the London ibis Styles hotels, the Design Museum package will also be available at Sofitel St James, Pullman St Pancras, Novotel London Blackfriars and Mercure London Bridge.
The Design Museum’s “Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life” runs until September 5, 2021. Curated in collaboration with the Perriand family and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, the exhibition falls on the 25th anniversary of Charlotte Perriand’s last significant presentation in London, held at the Design Museum in 1996. Featuring large-scale reconstructions of some of Perriand’s most famous interiors, as well as original furniture, her photography and her personal notebooks, the exhibition sheds new light on Perriand’s creative process and her place in design history.
Main image credit: The Design Museum/Felix Speller
Architect and designer Yasmine Mahmoudieh, following years of studying sustainable design and materials, has designed a piece of 3D-printed furniture with partner Nagami that has been created out of 100 per cent plastic waste…
The flow chair from Impact Design Now, which is available in seven shades, is one of the first 3D printed pieces with partner Nagami that is created out of 100 per cent plastic waste.
The Slice and the TriVase is 3D-printed out of plastic bottles from the ocean where 10 per cent of the production goes to Parley of the ocean’s charity organisation. ‘Parley of the Ocean’ is heavily involved in clearing marine plastics.
Image credit: Design Impact Now
Image credit: Design Impact Now
Following the launch of the innovative pieces of furniture, it seems as if this is just the beginning for designer and architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh whose previous work includes Standhotel and a new education and hospitality concept that was unveiled at imm Cologne 2020. “The collection that I designed is only the beginning of our mission to make the world more sustainable in our chosen field,” she explains. “We will also be launching later this year an online marketplace to gather all the recycled and sustainable materials researched over decades from exceptional individuals and companies in order to make it accessible to the architecture and design industry. We have a collective responsibility to educate our clients and make them aware that sustainable materials are not necessarily more expensive than traditional materials. My mission and goal is to have a positive impact on our planet by creatively using materials that are not harmful for the environment and human beings.”
Responsibility for hotels goes far beyond using some natural wood and conserving energy and water. Instead of having fine exotic woods, especially in the luxury sector, which we should preserve and not touch, designers like Mahmoudieh are demanding that we recycle existing materials, repurpose, and choose organic materials from nature like cactus, vegan leather, or the skin of apple. There are excellent natural products that will conserve all limited resources we have on our planet. “We constantly are trying to find materials from all over the globe or artists that contact us already to have their products available for our hotel and hospitality projects that we are working on,” concludes Mahmoudieh.
Duravit launches White Tulip showroom design competition
To coincide with the successful launch of the latest bathroom series by Philippe Starck, Duravit UK announces the launch of its Showroom Design Competition, in partnership with Virtual Worlds…
Open to all Duravit Showrooms within the UK & Ireland, entries can be submitted from now until 10th September 2021. During this time, Duravit UK invites showroom designers to submit a design for a showroom display space which must include the complete White Tulip series, for the chance to win products specified upto the value of £15,000 (ex VAT).
A panel will judge the entrants based on creativity, use of the White Tulip series and overall use of the showroom space.
The winner will be announced in October 2021. The final showroom display must be realised by December 31, 2021 to qualify for the prize. Martin Carroll, Managing Director of Duravit UK mcomments:“We are delighted to be partnering with Virtual Worlds for this exciting competition which will hopefully uncover the extensive design talent within our showroom partners and the industry”.We are very excited about the launch of another Philippe Starck series and will be very interested to see how our showroom partners can create their interpretation of the environment this series deserves.
Full terms and conditions can be viewed on the website.
Lauren Sutton, Head of the Design Hub at Virtual Worlds comments: “Virtual Worlds are delighted to be working with Duravit and the White Tulip design competition, which will help to showcase creative design within the bathroom industry and we look forward to seeing how our 3D and 4D tools can help create truly wonderful spaces”.
White Tulip is the first full bathroom created entirely by Philippe Starck. From bathtub, washbasins and furniture, toilets and bidets, to connected mirrors and a complete collection of faucets, the delicate and elegant form of all components within the series echoes the organic silhouette of a tulip in bloom, exuding an sculptural and affectionate character. Expressive and timeless design combined with first-class workmanship and cutting-edge technologies to satisfy the highest standards.
Duravit is one of Hotel Designs’ recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips by clicking here.
Lifestyle aparthotel brand Locke unveils first property in continental Europe with the launch of Schwan Locke in the heart of Munich…
It was only ever going to be a matter of time – and timing – before Locke, the pioneering lifestyle hospitality brand was to launch it’s first hotel in continental Europe. Well, following the brand’s arrival in Dublin, Locke has finally touched down in Europe with a hotel opening in Munich.
Situated just a few minutes’ walk from the Theresienwiese, the site of Oktoberfest, Schwan Locke features 151 spacious, design-led studio apartments, as well as a complimentary co-working space, gym, coffee shop, retail space, leafy courtyard and craft cocktail bar.
Locke’s innovative home-meets-hotel concept aims to put the guest at the centre of the experience, creating spaces that are designed to be lived in in, not just slept in. This makes each location attractive to a wide range of travellers from the leisure and business markets – for both long-, mid- and short-term stays.
Image credit: Locke
Each of Schwan Locke’s signature studio apartments offer more space than a typical hotel room – featuring fully equipped kitchens, living areas and dining space. Schwan Locke’s premium apartment, the Ludwig Suite, takes this concept a step further; with a six-person dining table and custom cocktail bar, plus an expansive terrace with views of over the city.
Designed by interior architecture firm Fettle, Schwan Locke’s design is inspired by the Deutscher Werkbund, which established itself in Munich in the early 20th century. The Werkbund sought to redefine aesthetic standards by combining traditional crafts and industrial mass production techniques, in the belief that high-quality applied art could improve the nation’s quality of life.
Image credit: Locke
Image credit: Locke
The spaces at Schwan Locke pay homage to these principals rather than a pastiche of this iconic style; housing custom-made furniture as well as a sophisticated, mid-century-inspired colour palette. All the upholstered furniture for Schwan Locke is bespoke and inspired by furniture from the early 20th century. A colourful yet relaxing palette features throughout the social spaces and apartments, including muted reds, greens, yellows and blues that echo the era of the early modernist movement, while maintaining a sense of fun.
Schwan Locke is home to a unique art collection, which draws inspiration from the pioneering women involved in the Werkbund movement – from photographer and sculptor Marianne Brandt to Lilly Reich who was on the board of directors. The collection also champions local talent, featuring vibrant artwork from designer and illustrator Veronika Grenzebach, graffiti artist Armin Kiss-Istok, and illustrator Tomomi Maezawa.
Image credit: Locke
“Schwan Locke marks the first of two Locke openings in Munich and it is a particularly exciting start for all of us. Like other Locke locations in the UK & Ireland, we have gone to great lengths to create a space that is deeply rooted in the neighbourhood – where both locals and visitors can feel at home,” said Eric Jafari, Chief Development Officer & Creative Director, Locke. “Achieving this was a significant creative challenge, but also a unique opportunity. Munich is steeped in a rich and diverse history, while also being home to a unique creative landscape. We wanted to celebrate this – paying homage to the city’s past, but working with disruptive, forward-thinking partners to bring our vision to life.”
Bette manages to reduce price of built-in washbasins – here’s how
The price of Bette built-in washbasins has reduced by up to 40 per cent following new optimised and automated production in the bathroom products…
Bathroom brand Bette has optimised and automated the production of three of its built-in washbasins and is passing the cost saving on to its customers as a price reduction of up to 40 per cent. The high quality BetteAqua, BetteComodo and BetteOne built-in washbasins are made of glazed titanium-steel and match baths and shower trays in the collections of the same name.
Bathroom products made of glazed titanium-steel from Bette’s manufacturing facility are a combination of high-tech industrial production and master craftsmanship. For the BetteAqua, BetteComodo and BetteOne built-in washbasins, the company has made a number of adjustments to streamline and automate the production process.
“Thanks to the optimisations in the production process, we have been able to further improve the price-performance ratio of the built-in washbasins, which benefits all our customers,” explains Sven Rensinghoff, Head of Marketing and Product Development at Bette.
The BetteOne built-in washbasins have been changed to the dimensions 600 and 800 x 495 mm, while the BetteAqua and BetteComodo built-in washbasins are available in the existing sizes. A new feature for all three washbasins is a uniform rim height of 20 millimetres. In other ways, the proven design, high quality and wide range of colours remains the same. The washbasins are produced in Germany, are durable, easy to clean and robust. They come with Bette’s impressive 30-year guarantee on the high-quality glazed titanium steel.
Bette is one of our recommended suppliers and regularly feature in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
A message from Leaflike: “The best is yet to come”
Ahead of pitching at Hotel Designs LIVE on August 10, 2021, Leaflike, which has already been specified in a plethora of iconic hotels, has a message for designers, architects and hoteliers: stay tuned, as the best is yet to come…
Here at leaflike, we have been providing hospitality biophilia for more than 20 years and now is a great time to reflect and recognise what we have achieved together, plus look forward to good times ahead.
Established in 1999, Leaflike has worked with some of the best names in the industry and sometimes get rather nostalgic about all the great projects over the years, helping customers create their perfect arrival experience.
We have a unique team of designers and a distinctive talent to combine all types of foliage including live, lifelike and preserved to create the most spectacular and sustainable solution to meet your requirement. We are not shy to share with you some of the great projects we have facilitated to ensure our customers get the finest attention to detail and create that stunning first impression: The Savoy, The Biltmore Mayfair, The Waldorf, Pan Pacific, The View from the Shard, Brown’s Hotel, The London Edition, Hilton Park Lane, Galvin at Windows, Copthorne Tara, The Franklin, The Arch, K West, The Queens Gate Hotel, K&K Hotels, Macdonald, De Vere, Village, Crown Plaza, Marriott, Holiday Inn and Yotel to name a few!
“We are delighted to see our heritage and strength in the market, supporting customers through tough times in the 2009 recession and again during the last 18 months, we are here to stay as a trusted partner for you, today and tomorrow,” commented Steve Abernethie, Managing Director, Leaflike.
More recently, Leaflike have been working with customers on their sustainable planting solutions, recognising that it is an essential part of the project. For example, switching to recycled planters made from recycled IT equipment or coconuts, hydroculture planting and from live to preserved planting. Recognising there is a maintenance cost too, cutting a weekly fresh cycle to a 12 week preserved cycle means the plants can be re-used and the maintenance is less frequent.
“We strive for the best for our customers and ensure our working practices are best of British, locally sourced and produced, our expert team of designers are amongst the most talented to ensure the handcrafted floral displays and planting solutions are the best they can be,” stated Brandon Abernethie, Head of Design, Leaflike. “We are always looking for the next trend and design-led solution that will fit the client brief, ensuring its bespoke, transforming any space with unique and sustainable planting solutions that give maximum visual impact.”
From the initial site survey to installation and maintenance, our horticulturists and master florists are ready to bring your vision to life and make it last.
Leaflike will join Hotel Designs LIVE as a Product Watch Partner in the ‘surfaces’ panel discussion. To attend the event, click here (designers, architects, hoteliers and developers attend free).
Thanks to its unique perspective over the industry – not to mention access to bathroom brand’s premium products – UKBathrooms qualifies in our hearts to give us an accurate trends special on how designers can inject Scandi style in the bathroom…
Scandinavian interiors have taken the design world by storm as minimalist trends take inspiration from a blend of textures, soft hues, and sleek modern décor to encapsulate this sought-after style.
Discover the following ideas that celebrate clean lines, utility and simple furnishings that are functional, beautiful, and serene.
Image credit: Bette
Combine statement shades and brass fittings
Introduce this season’s metal of the moment into your bathroom and provide an air of extravagance with distinctive palettes and dazzling finishes. Channel the epitome of scandi-style flare and paint a blank canvas as muted hues give a seriously calming vibe with neutral undertones that capitalise on natural lighting and a minimalistic feel.
Incorporating gilded furnishings and shiny brass accents present a serious sense of luxury into any room. Crosswater’s Gallery 10 Brushed Brass Walk-in Recess Shower Enclosure works wonderfully against moody hues, as warm metallics set against deep-tone backdrops. Rich jewel tones and shadowy neutrals evoke a luxury appeal and complement each other beautifully. Pair this with the Britton Hoxton Basin Mixer Tap, which promises to add a touch of style and elevate your bathroom.
Image caption: GALLERY 10 matt black glass corner shower. | Image credit: Crosswater
Master the minimal look with wall-hung accents
“Scandinavian minimalism showcases simplicity, purity, and calmness and encourages your interiors to do the talking,” comments Graeme Borchard, Managing Director, UKBathrooms. “Exercise restraint in your décor choices, as this style speaks to tidy tendencies and a desire to live in an inviting and comfortable setting. Include light colour palettes and cosy accents, which is an approved trend in Nordic countries.”
Villeroy and Boch Subway 2.0 Compact Rimless Wall Hung WC is a chic option, creating room for extra space due to its wall-hung design creating a clutter-free environment. Compliment this with the Ideal Standard Tempo Wall Hung Vanity Unit in a beautiful white finish to help you make your “hygge” bathroom a reality. Hanging wall mirrors are also a renowned Scandi-inspired trend, as clean lines create a bold statement as they reflect light and make spaces appear more open.
Image credit: VitrA
Introduce monochromatic colours and moody accents
Borchard continues: “Marry these pieces with distinctive backdrops as moody Nordic-style bathroom fully clad with black accents provides a visual contrast to white fixtures as black adds drama to any space. A black exposed shower kit is a great way to bring a touch of inky indulgence into your bathroom. Pair this with a matt black basin tap to radiate a showstopping theme you can carry throughout the bathroom.”
Say ‘yes’ to pops of colour and patterned flooring
Mint greens and beautiful blues make a clever colour combination with their ability to brighten up a room and radiate timeless versatility as stark white walls, warm wood textures, and pops of colour are all solidly Scandinavian in flavour.
A contemporary white bathtub is a popular favourite, creating an environment that promotes positive energy, adding ambience to your bathroom space. The Victoria and Albert Monaco freestanding roll top bath makes a stunning showpiece for any bathroom, oozing elegance and offering classic, neat lines that will seamlessly slot into any bathroom. Wooden units are an ultra-stylish way to bring a touch of texture into interior designs. Villeroy & Boch’s Avento large vanity unit in a gorgeous wooden finish, is a stylish space-saving option, creating a clutter-free laid back and airy ascetic. To complete this look, uncover a distinctive yet daring Scandinavian trend and opt for some patterned floor tiles.
Image credit: Villeroy & Boch
Incorporate understated accessorise
Finally – invest in some wooden mats, tree stumps, cabinets, woven baskets, and boxes for added storage and incorporate some stone-style décor. Harness a stylish connection to the outdoors and ground yourself with natural colour schemes and plenty of plants, as bringing the outdoors into your home could decrease stress and blood pressure levels. Plants are also the perfect way to incorporate colour and natural touches into your interior and sets the scene for your Scandinavian-inspired sanctuary.
UK Bathrooms is one of the brands that has taken advantage of our Industry Support Package and Crosswater, Bette and Villeroy & Boch are all Recommended Suppliers. To keep up to date with supplier news, click here.
Architect Flaviano Capriotti has curated the brand new, two-bedroom Bvlgari Suite inside Bvlgari Hotel Milan, which is complete with a private terraced garden that boast simply stunning views over the vibrant city…
With Bvlgari Hotels planning its portfolio growth, with luxury hotel openings expected in Tokyo, Rome and Miami in the next few years, it would be easy to miss how the brand’s currently opened hotels are ensuring to remain at the height of luxury within their territories.
As well as summer launching the Dom Pérignon Trolley and Picnic by Niko Romito, Bvlgari Hotel Milan has also unveiled a masterpiece suite, curated by architect Flaviano Capriotti.
Expansive and impeccably appointed, with a rooftop private garden of 194 sqm, the new 210 sqm two-bedroom Bvlgari Suite is a peaceful haven of pure, undisturbed luxury. A thoughtful expression of timeless contemporary design, the new suite comprises two bedrooms, a living room and even a private garden with 360-degree views of Milan’s skyline. Additional touches include a library featuring rare art and design books, furniture from Antonio Citterio’s Flexform and Maxalto collections, custom drapes and headboards displaying the Bvlgari eight-point star.
Image credit: Bvlgari Hotels
Image credit: Bvlgari Hotels
The Bvlgari Suite master bedroom presents an elegant walk-in closet and a large restroom with a vanity table, steam shower, and a Brera stone 900kg carved bathtub that, due to its size, was set in the suite by crane before installing the room’s windows. Its second bedroom accommodates a king or twin bed option, a walk-in closet, and views of the city from both its bedroom and large bathroom. The Suite spacious living room, defined by its teak finishing and floor to ceiling windows, is furnished as a private residence with a beautiful library and a fireplace that serves both the inside and the outside wrap-around balcony and terrace. The Suite also features a private kitchen alongside a dining area that can accommodate up to eight people.
Image credit: Bvlgari Hotels
Upon request, guests at the Bvlgari Suite can experience the latest generation full-length mirror FORME Life and training equipment to work out directly from the privacy and comfort of the Suite. The touch-screen mirror offers the opportunity either to book a virtual training session with Lee Mullins, the founder of Workshop Gymnasium, or to pick from a library of pre- filmed Workshop workouts, the favourite session of yoga, Pilates, bodyweight training, stretching, breathing, and meditation routines.
Image credit: Bvlgari Hotels
And just because it shelters luxury does not mean it’s not sustainable. As part of the hotel’s renovation work, a geothermal system has also been installed to improve the environmental impact and the carbon footprint of the property. It employs heat resources retained in shallow ground to heat or cool the different hotels’ environments and to create hot water that was previously provided by boilers. Using non-polluting renewable energy, the geothermal energy is able to supply what was previously obtained with two plants, significantly reducing the overall consumption of gas and emissions.
Following the recent unveil of Hilton Molino Stucky Venice’s new rooms and suites, editor Hamish Kilburn caught up with the designer who brought the iconic project to life within the heritage building. With sustainability and materiality key focuses of the design ethos and brief, Studio Forino’s Biagio Forino was in his element, staying true to his belief that “you cannot disregard the importance of using environmentally friendly building materials…”
Born in Salerno, (Milanese by adoption), Biagio Forino opened his studio in 1987 dedicating himself with passion to his work, in the constant search for beauty and taking care of every detail for an overall result in harmony. “My work is an expression of my way of life,” he says. “The intellectual dimension of research and meticulous design is always accompanied by the realisation aspect in every little one detail, with rigour and technical efficiency, from building practices to the search for works of art, for the transformation of dreams into reality ”
Most recently, the designer was asked to renovate the suites inside Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, which emerged following Hilton’s Travel with Purpose commitment, which states: “By 2030, we [Hilton] are committed to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental footprint in half through responsible hospitality across our value chain.”
Image credit: Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Formerly a flour mill factory on the peaceful island of Giudecca, the hotel is a modern Venetian masterpiece steeped in history. The historically listed building has been exquisitely restored with a series of recent refurbishments including sophisticated deluxe rooms and new spacious elegant suites – some offering guests enviable views of picture-perfect Venice.
After arriving at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice by water taxi, guests are spoiled for choice with 379 rooms and suites, one of the largest spas in Venice, an unrivalled conference centre and a collection of bars and restaurants. The new Presidential Suite at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is the tallest and largest suite in town with private access to the hotel’s popular rooftop pool and bar. Fondly referred to as the First Lady Suite following a visit by Michelle Obama herself, the spacious new Presidential Suite is designed with tranquil blue and silver interiors, large floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light to illuminate the delicate Murano glass vases.
Image credit: Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Image credit: Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
“My goal was to ensure that after a day of cultural visits in the most beautiful and unique city in the world, customers feel the desire and pleasure to return to Hilton Molino Stucky Venice to relax.” – Biagio Forino, Founder, Studio Forino.
Hamish Kilburn: What was your biggest challenge designing the new suites and presidential suite?
Biagio Forino: The existing suites were extremely dark and dusty. The furniture was dark wood with black leather headboards and carpeted floors. My biggest challenge was to transform the suites into a light and bright environment using soft colours enriched with touches of brilliant colours.
Image credit: Hotel Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
HK: Tell us a bit more about the materials you used during this project…
BF: When I entrusted the realisation of my project to the ‘Status Contract’, I made sure that all materials were used with the certifications that guaranteed compliance with the regulations to safeguard ecology. From the use of glues, of woods, to the materials used for the upholstery of the sofas, the mattresses of the beds, the lighting with low energy consumption, the air control systems, etc!
Aside from the original darkness inside the rooms, another challenge was to make the suites as comfortable as possible making sure that the technology was present but integrated and harmonised with the very warm and welcoming yet contemporary style. Among the various materials used, I focused on one in particular for the bedside tables and desks using carbon because I wanted to bring the technology of boats into the furniture since we are in a city of sea also famous for its Moro Di Venezia.
HK: The views from the hotel are incredible! As you have now designed the tallest and newest suite in Venice, do you have a favourite viewpoint of the city from the new suites?
BF: Obviously, from all the Tower Suites the view is very beautiful but certainly my favourite is from the top of the tower which is accessed from the top floor of the Presidential Suite which allows you to see Venice at 360 degrees. It is truly a breathtaking view, a privilege that I wish everyone to be able to give themselves at least once in their life.
Image credit: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
HK: How would you describe your signature design style?
BF: Elegant, sophisticated and welcoming
HK: How do you hope guests feel when staying in the new suites and presidential suite at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice?
BF: My goal was to ensure that after a day of cultural visits in the most beautiful and unique city in the world, customers feel the desire and pleasure to return to Hilton Molino Stucky Venice to relax and rethink the wonders they enjoyed and experienced.
HK: What projects is Studio Forino working on now/have in the pipeline?
BF: We are working on several projects for private clients and open public space areas. We are transforming two wonderful historic villas, one in Forte Dei Marmi in Tuscany and one in San Michele Di Pagana, not far from Portofino, in two luxury bed and breakfasts equipped with every comfort. In short, Studio Forino is busy!
Reminder: The Brit List Awards – less than 3 weeks to apply (for free)
Your chance to submit your free-of-charge entries for The Brit List Awards 2021 is slipping through your fingers – entries close on August 6 (scroll down to read more about this year’s categories and how to apply)…
The Brit List Awards is one of the most prestigious awards campaigns for designers, architects, hoteliers and brands in the UK to be associated with. Each year, Hotel Designs opens up the nominations and the nationwide campaign begins to find the best hotel designers, architects and hospitality professionals.
This year, following last year’s virtual event, The Brit List Awards will climax with a spectacular awards ceremony, which shortlisted finalists will be given a complimentary ticket to attend – but you have to be ‘in it to win it’. “For many reasons, The Brit List Awards has become an event that we at Hotel Designs are extremely proud of,” explains editor Hamish Kilburn who will lead this year’s judging panel. “Not only does it seriously help to raise the profiles of exceptional designers, architects and hoteliers, but it also credits the individuals – whatever their backgrounds – who are ensuring that Britain remains a creative hub of design, architecture and hospitality.”
Entries for The Brit List Awards close on August 6 (it is completely free to apply)
Here’s a reminder of this year’s categories:
Interior Designer of the Year*
Architect of the Year*
Hotelier of the Year*
Best in Tech
The Eco Award
Best in British Product Design
The Rising Star Award (NEW FOR 2021)
International Award (NEW FOR 2021)
Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry
*In addition to the individual awards that are up for grabs, the top 25 entries in the interior design, architecture and hospitality categories will be profiled in the prestigious The Brit List, Hotel Designs’ annual publication that references the top 75 most influential individuals in British design, architecture and hospitality.
Below are the faces of last year’s designers, architects and hoteliers who were profiled in The Brit List – all of whom benefited from ample exposure following The Brit List Awards.
The faces above made up The Brit List 2020.
Click here to read about last year’s winners. Click here to read our FAQs about The Brit List Awards.
CLICK HERE to submit your free-of-charge application/nomination.
You can now purchase your tickets to attend thelive awards ceremony, which takes place on November 3 at PROUD Embankment (designers, architects, hoteliers & developers, click here. Suppliers, click here).
If you would like to discuss various sponsorship packages available, please contact Katy Phillips via email, or call 01992 374050.
Accor, the leading international hotel operator in the Maldives, has signed a hotel management agreement with S Hotels, Resorts Public Company Limited and Wai Eco World Developer Pte. Ltd. (WEWD) to introduce SO/ Hotels & Resorts to this idyllic Indian Ocean archipelago in 2023. Here’s what we know…
Accor, no stranger the pages of Hotel Designs, has just announced the signing of a luxury resort in the Maldives that will boast 80 villas overlooking the emboodhoo lagoon at CROSSROADS Maldives.
Nestled on its own exclusive island overlooking the azure Emboodhoo Lagoon, just 15 minutes by speedboat from Malé’s Velana International Airport, this eclectic resort will bring a fresh sense of avant-garde style and sophistication to the Maldives, while also reflecting the local spirit of this captivating country.
Scheduled to open in 2023, the new resort will take centre stage on the third island of CROSSROADS Maldives, the extraordinary integrated leisure destination in the exotic South Malé Atoll, connecting it to a wealth of world-class attractions and facilities.
Vivid, vivacious and full of personality, SO/ Hotels & Resorts are only found in socially vibrant destinations such as Berlin, Bangkok, St Petersburg and Singapore. One of the fastest-growing brands in Accor’s lifestyle portfolio, it is designed for savvy travellers who have a passion for fashion and like to keep their finger on the pulse. Every stay is underpinned by the brand’s signature ‘Just Say SO’ service, to craft truly unforgettable experiences.
This makes SO/ the perfect fit for CROSSROADS Maldives, which was recognised as the “Best Leisure Development Maldives (Five-Star)” in the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2021-2022. The presence of such a dynamic player on the global hotel scene will play a key role in helping CROSSROADS Maldives to expand and reach new markets worldwide, thanks to Accor’s global distribution and loyalty network.
Image credit: Accor
Guests will be able to unwind on SO/ Maldives’ private island or take advantage of fantastic facilities at The Marina at CROSSROADS, an 800-metre lifestyle area and beach walk where visitors can discover cool cafés, refined restaurants, a chic beach club, upmarket boutiques, a spa, the Marine Discovery Centre and a 30-berth yacht marina. Unforgettable events can be hosted at the oceanfront wedding venue and meeting space.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of SO/ Hotels & Resorts in the Maldives,” commented Garth Simmons, Chief Executive Officer – Accor Southeast Asia, Japan & South Korea. “This playful and distinctive lifestyle brand can only be found in the world’s most iconic destinations so it is the perfect fit for this renowned island paradise. The resort’s location within CROSSROADS Maldives will allow guests to experience a truly vibrant luxury lifestyle offering with plenty of options for both relaxation and adventure. SO/ Maldives will be a place to see and be seen for bold and stylish socialisers and we look forward to working with S Hotels & Resorts and WEWD to bring this project to life.”
“We are so excited to unveil SO/ Maldives as the latest jewel in CROSSROADS Maldives’ crown, as we continue to transform the tourism landscape in this highly-desirable destination,” added Dirk De Cuyper, Chief Executive Officer, S Hotels & Resorts. “With its signature sense of style and commitment to creating unique guest journeys, SO/ is the ideal fit for our third island. It will stand out from the crowd, complement our two other industry-leading brands and complete our collection of luxury and lifestyle resorts, further raising the bar for hospitality in the Maldives.”
“The Maldives is a truly special place and we are delighted to enter the market with such a prestigious project,” said Zaw Win Maung, Managing Director, WEWD. “S Hotels & Resorts has a proven track record of developing exceptional lifestyle resorts, including CROSSROADS Maldives, and the edgy style of SO/ always strikes a chord with its trend-setting guests. With such strong partners, we are confident of creating a one-of-a-kind resort experience at SO/ Maldives.”
SO/ Maldives will join Accor’s collection of five resorts in the Maldives which include the midscale Mercure brand, premium Pullman and Mövenpick brands, and the luxury Raffles and Fairmont brands. Accor is a global industry leader in the lifestyle segment with 13 dedicated brands such as Mondrian, Mama Shelter, and 25hours.
Geberit, a European leader in bathroom technology and ceramics, has made a number of improvements to its product ranges across its Select and Aspire collections, bringing architects, designers and specifiers an even wider choice for enhanced design flexibility in the washroom…
Following an insightful roundtable discussion on tomorrow’s perception of clean, bathroom designer and manufacturer Geberit has added two new colours, Lava Glass and Sand Grey Glass, which are available as both flush plate finishes and options for the front cover of Geberit’s Monolith range of sanitary modules. The Monolith range will also now include an additional two new finishes (Concrete and Stoneware Slate).
Image credit: Geberit
Image credit: Geberit
In addition to these changes, Geberit has extended its Renova Plan range of bathroom furniture, with two new colourways and a series of product enhancements across the series.
The range is now available in Hickory Light and Hickory furniture colours, in addition to existing White high gloss coated and Lava matt coated.
Image credit: Geberit
An improved slim drawer system on the vanity unit also delivers a 2cm height increase for users, with internal panels also upgraded to match the colour of external panels across all products.
Sarah Hillsdon, Geberit UK Category Manager, said: “These changes to our Geberit Select and Aspire collections enable easier upgrade solutions and bring a series of enhancements to add more choice for customers and clients. We are also delighted to be able to bring in a series of tweaks to improve the products for end users – demonstrating our commitment to continuously develop our bathroom products.”
Geberit 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.
Weekly digest: Seychelles arrival & a review of London’s latest spa
Editor Hamish Kilburn here, checking in with your weekly digest to give you the low-down of some of the hottest stories that we published over the last few days – we’ve had arrivals in the Seychelles and Zimbabwe while also exploring a rather swanky new spa on London’s Park Lane…
July is proving to be a busy month. Not only are there just a few weeks left to apply/nominate (free of charge) for The Brit List Awards 2021, but we are also counting down the days until we broadcast our next Hotel Designs LIVE event – designers, architects, hoteliers and developers can click here to purchase their complimentary tickets. And while we at Hotel Designs are slowly preparing ourselves to move away from virtual and instead start meeting the industry in person once more, there’s a lot happening on the hospitality scene.
Right on cue, here’s our digest of the top stories and features from this week:
I have always wondered how a hotel like 45 Park Lane can differentiate itself from not only its neighbouring sibling but also other luxury hotels in the neighbourhood. After a few years of making my way through the cocktail, wine and steak menu, I have no regret to admit that I had been looking in the complete wrong direction all this time. The answer to how 45 Park Lane can remove itself from the cold-morning shadow of its older sister is in fact situated in what was, until recently, a building being used as offices.
Located on the lower levels of the hotel, and reached via its very own lift (which I haste to add is completely accessible for people of all abilities), the hotel has recently opened a spa, designed by Joubin Manku and developed by Clivedale London, that will simply take your breath away – and transport you worlds away from the hustle and bustle of London.
LXR Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s collection of independent luxury properties, has the opening of Mango House Seychelles, a hotel we first teased our readers with in January. The intimate and exclusive island oasis promise “a captivating, yet refined Seychellois experience on southern Mahé’s unspoiled beachfront.”
Have you heard? Independent Hotel Show London, presented by James Hallam, will return to Olympia London on October 4 – 5 2021 – and visitor registration has just opened. The Independent Hotel Show will bring together professionals from across the independent, luxury and boutique hotel sector for the first major industry gathering of 2021.
Following Fiona Thompson spectacularly winning at The Brit List Awards 2020, where she virtually walked away with the Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry title, Hotel Designs is finally about to present the Principal at Richmond International with her trophy. We joined the designer for lunch and a catch up in their home county, Kent, commonly known as the Garden of England…
More than 40,000 readers per month enjoy the content we publish on Hotel Designs. Our mission is to define the point on international hotel design, and we are doing that by serving relevant news stories and engaging features. To keep up to date on the hottest stories that are emerging, you can sign up to the newsletter, which is completely free of charge. As well as receiving a weekly round-up of the top stories, you will also access our bi-monthly HD Edit –staying ahead of the curve has never been so easy!
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