Garden Cottage: Cottages at Waters Edge, Crystal Mountain Resort. Custom wall art, books by Michigan authors on the shelf, art by Michigan artists on the walls.
Hotel design tries to anticipate what the customer is looking for in an experience. Today, that experience is much more thoughtful, more local, more residential, more virtual and more customizable. The notion is being challenged that a brand formula created by a “corporate office”, rolled out in test cities, cloned throughout a continent is a guarantee to attract customers. Hospitality design is a sister to fashion design and shares the runway in announcing style to drive demand, but attitudes and expectations are changing.
The market responds to style leadership. But today, our customers have many more references and aren’t as willing to choose a hotel based on a branded style. They more likely to enjoy a space that allows them to extend their casual and online lifestyle.
No longer is the idea of staying in a place that is better than home an automatic room sale.
Thoughtful
Making charging devices easy and obvious. Not everyone wants to unpack for a night’s stay, make the whole luggage thing convenient. Make it personal, share with your guest the stories behind the decisions made.
Local
Responsible use of materials from the region. Local artwork, locally harvested or manufactured materials.
Residential
No formal casegoods, more apartment style furnishings.
Virtual
Instant access to the internet, TV’s that can be monitors to personal computers, voice activated thermostats and lighting controls.
Customizable
Within reason, allowing the room to be adapted based on need. That might mean offering stack chairs, or a easy to move sofa.
r.o.i. Design knows for a property to be successful, they have to adapt. Most guests recognize the efforts made to make their stay more personal. To win the hearts of customers, we just need to show them we understand what they need for the best possible experience. That may not be a major remodel, it may be one or two things this season and a few more the next.