To be honest I was a bit taken aback when I saw the new design. I was at Novotel Pepys Street, by Tower Bridge, to hear and see the launch of Accor’s Planet 21 green initiative, a drawing together of all the company’s environmental programmes. The Novotel has been totally refurbished as competition in this area of London becomes more intense as multiple openings add new hotels to this prime tourist area.I was given a quick tour of the property by the GM. Told that the new bedroom and bathroom was a model to be rolled out across Novotels everywhere, I was politely disbelieving. I see this development, smart as it is, as a step backwards from previous provision. It may be more stylish, more contemporary, but it moves away from the separate toilet, the separate shower, and the separate soaking tub that Novotel so successfully introduced in their previous ‘NG’ bedroom I checked with the design office, and was assured by Yann Le Cam, the Accor Design Manager, that this is indeed the new iteration.
I double checked through the UK pr and the answer was firm, the shower is back over the bath, the toilet was back in the bathroom. I was told that a door could be added ‘if needed’ which I presume means that in France there will still be a separate toilet enclosure. However despite the smartness of the new design I still think this is a regressive step.
