Features

Design hotels

31 Oct 2014 by Clement Huang
If you pay attention to travel products, you may have heard of the term “design hotels” or “design-led hotels”. It has become such a trend that there is even an alliance dedicated to it. The Design Hotels group, established some 20 years ago, provides small, independent properties with the much-needed support that these hotels would otherwise be unable to receive, including sales, marketing and public relations, along with yield revenue management and business development deals. The group started with ten member properties, which has since blossomed into a collection of some 260 design hotels. But what constitutes a “design hotel”? The term first emerged in the 1980s in North America and Europe, where it was most often used in relation to small, independent hotels with themed aesthetics, awe-inspiring décor and thoughtful, compelling concepts. There is no cookie cutter definition for this hotel concept, because the whole point is that these hotels are not widespread. Members of the Design Hotels group range from Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita – a five-star hotel built into ancient stone caves in southern Italy – to Mira Moon, a 91-room hotel in downtown Hong Kong, with Chinese traditions being the main theme. Perhaps it’s easier to highlight what a design hotel is not – conformist, generic or appealing to the mass market. However, things have become a little cloudy with the entry of large hotel groups into the area. The success of the pioneers has resulted in commercial exposure, with multi-national hotel groups latching on to the attractiveness of the concept, and launching their own “design” brands too. Small trend goes big At the end of 1998, Starwood opened its first W hotel in New York, with the goal to redefine “the luxury and design-led lifestyle hotel experience”. These properties take design, music and fashion as their core themes, and often sponsor relevant events to boost their brand image. The first Hotel Indigo, developed by IHG as “a brand hotel with the design cache and service personality of a boutique”, opened in Atlanta, Georgia in October, 2004, and the portfolio has since grown to 58 properties around the world (as of June 2014), including ones in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The Hyatt group opened its first Andaz in London in 2007, and in 2011, the brand entered Asia with Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai. There are now 12 properties bearing that brand name in the world, with the newest having opened in Tokyo this year. According to the hotel group, “Each Andaz hotel is unique in design, amenities and cuisine, but all share a friendly attitude and warm, personal service.” Despite how these brands are being marketed, they do not seem to adhere to the traditional view of design hotels. After all, their properties are neither small, nor one-off properties – even if each boasts a different design. Instead, they are part of a larger hotel chain, which traditionally focus on the mass market and profitability, rather than a pursuit of individual design concepts for discerning customers, thus further blurring the line between a commercial and niche category. While design hotels developed by large hospitality groups have to follow “brand DNA”, Design Hotels, as a hotel alliance, prides itself for taking a more flexible approach when assessing new applicants. A spokesperson of the group told Business Traveller Asia-Pacific: “We take an unbiased approach yet with a very sharp eye to the details: from the quality of the furnishings and the architectural concept, to its aesthetic sensibility. There are [also] other pieces of the puzzle that are less visible yet equally crucial, [including] the service model.” W, Hotel Indigo and Andaz properties also have to follow the requirements set by their parent companies, such as in-room amenities and configurations. For many travellers, particularly those on business, this is a very positive trait. Having a room that is familiar can be a very important factor when choosing your accommodation. Nobody wants to waste time figuring out where the switch for a particular light is, and it is comforting to know exactly the services that you’re guaranteed to receive at an IHG hotel, regardless of whether you’re staying at an Intercontinental, Crown Plaza or Hotel Indigo. By popular demand  The rise of the design hotel trend may also have to do with people travelling more in general. A recent study written by Oxford Economics and commissioned by travel services and solutions provider Amadeus, forecasts travel to grow by 5.4 per cent per annum over the next ten years, outpacing global GDP by 2 per cent. The upward trend is largely driven by emerging markets such as China, Russia, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Turkey. As their populations become more well-travelled, they also become more adventurous. “The art of travelling today has become so prolific and commonplace that [the] cookie-cutter familiarity is no longer enough to fuel the aspirations of road warriors and holiday makers today,” states Anthony Ross, Preferred Hotel Group’s executive vice president for Asia Pacific, Middle East&and Africa. Within Preferred Hotel Group is the company’s sub-brand, Sterling Design, which reflects distinct architecture and bold interiors. According to Ross, the collection was “specially created for travellers that yearn to experience a design-focused hotel without a hefty price-tag or the need for high-end luxury”. The Casa sull’Albero in Malgrate, Italy, personifies the traits of the Sterling Design brand. Overlooking Lake Como, the property is designed with locally sourced stone, wood and glass. It combines modern amenities such as under-floor cooling and modern heating facilities with antique wood furniture, that have been worked by craftsmen in Brianza. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, a cinema room, meeting room, library, outdoor pool and gym. Other Sterling Design properties include the BLVD Hotel & Suites in Hollywood California, The Times in New York, the Olivia Balmes Hotel in Barcelona Spain, and the Mosaic Hotel in Noida India. Meanwhile, Preferred Boutique is another brand worth mentioning. Featuring a selection of hotels and resorts, each containing 100 rooms or less, the collection of hotels provide a sense of intimacy with a design style and personality that is unique and distinctive. Take the Lv Garden Huanghuali Art Gallery for example. As a member of the Preferred Boutique collection, the Beijing hotel offers 38 rooms that showcase the beauty of Chinese artistry and craftsmanship through the many cultural artefacts from the Ming and Qing Dynasties that are on display. Emphasizing this is the surrounding exterior that is filled with classic Chinese courtyards featuring landscaped koi ponds and waterfalls. Fashionably complicated   As if the topic wasn’t murky enough, another recent trend to emerge is that of “designer hotels” – which are not only design-led, but actually have been imbued with the personal style of a noteworthy fashion icon. Although typically smaller, these “designer hotels” need to have the big budgets of large hospitality giants behind them to secure the names of Armani or Bulgari. Accor’s Sofitel So brand is one such brand marketed as a “designer hotel”. Renowned designers such as Kenzo Takada, Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld have contributed to the designs of Sofitel So’s properties in Mauritius, Bangkok and Singapore respectively. Their influence extends beyond the look and feel of guest rooms, it also encompasses amenities including staff uniforms, ceramics and even the guess’s stationery and collaterals. According to Sirinate Meenakul, global director for Sofitel, this brand offers a completely different design concept to the mainstay Sofitel brand. By having well-established fashion designers incorporating their inspiration and signature flair to the design of a hotel, Meenakul believes that this distinguishes individual Sofitel So properties from one another. “Fashion designers offer a different design perspective. Each of our exclusively designed decorative objects, hotel spaces, and amenities [serve] to heighten the guest experience and emotions within each Sofitel So environment". As to whether Sofitel So could be classed as a “design hotel”, Meenakul certainly thinks so. According to her, a design hotel is a property that uses design as one of its core elements, which is what Sofitel So is all about. “A ‘real’ design hotel is a hotel that is conceptually planned with the concept reflected throughout the hotel, such as the building, interior, uniforms, food and beverage offerings and service elements to provide guests with a unique experience throughout their stay. A true design hotel focuses not only on the architecture, but encompasses all aspects of the hotel’s offering". So it seems, that by its very nature, a “design hotel” is without restriction. While the term has been latched onto as a marketing term by larger groups (much in the same vein as “boutique”), it’s incorrect to say that large groups cannot offer a design hotel brand. The term is a bit of a chameleon; it can change its appearance depending on the situation. Good for business? The next question, however, is if the focus remains fixated on individuality – can these design hotels cater to the needs of a business traveller? We ran this question by some of our readers and the responses were divided, with some ready to embrace the idea of visiting a design hotel in the event that it is able to provide the same quality comfort, location, and amenities that they would normally enjoy. Others, however, have stated that they would still prefer the reliability of corporate giants such as Marriott and Hilton. It seems that it all boils down to what the hotel itself offers. The newly opened Mira Moon hotel in Hong Kong, for example, has club floors that offer perks business travellers need, such as complimentary daily breakfast, 20 per cent discounts for laundry and limousine services, in-room check-in and personalised check-out, as well as complimentary use of business centre facilities and free connectivity. It is also located in the downtown district. However, being a relatively small hotel with 91 rooms and an interior inspired by the legend of the Chinese goddess of the moon Chang’e, Mira Moon seems to strike a good balance between style and substance. Properties by brands such as W, Andaz and Indigo, on the other hand, strike a balance between individuality and familiarity. While each of them have their own style often inspired by the surroundings, the experiences they offer have the backing of large hospitality groups, not to mention the loyalty benefits. And if your company has a working relationship with Starwood, Hyatt or IHG, why not pick one of these design-led hotels just for something different? Whether or not you are a convert to this trend, having a choice is never a bad thing.
Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls