Comforts of Home

HOTEL DESIGN TRENDS EMERGE IN POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

TOP IMAGE: LAMINATE OUTPERFORMS SOLID WOOD FOR DURABILITY, CLEANABILITY AND REPEATABILITY, CREATING A COHESIVE LOOK ACROSS EACH ROOM. PHOTO COURTESY OF GENESIS PRODUCTS. ABOVE: OUTDOOR SPACES, SUCH AS THIS ONE AT THE TWELVE SENSES RETREAT IN ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA, ARE NOW BEING GIVEN THE SAME LEVEL OF DESIGN ATTENTION AS INTERIORSS. The hotel industry undoubtedly took the brunt of shutdowns and restrictions during COVID culture, but now that the world has emerged on the other side, travel is booming and the industry is once again cautiously thriving. U.S. hotel leisure travel revenue is projected to end 2022 14% above 2019 levels, while hotel business travel revenue is expected to come within 1% of 2019 levels, according to a recent report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Post-pandemic recovery remains uneven, particularly in many major cities and destinations where business travel continues to lag. Among the top 50 U.S. markets, 80% are projected to see hotel leisure travel revenue exceed 2019 levels, but just 40% are expected reach that milestone for business travel revenue. Many urban markets, which rely heavily on business from events and group meetings, are still on the road to recovery. Needless to say, the hotel industry is doing whatever it can to lure travelers, including taking lessons learned during those homebound times and implementing trends that have emerged—and are now expected by those looking to travel and stay in hotels around the world.

BY JENNIFER G. WILLIAMS

Travelers today are looking for a few key things, say hoteliers: simplicity, sustainability, originality and functionality.

Designers are hitting the mark, using wood-look laminates for walls, desks, countertops and beds and are creating clean lines with sustainably sourced materials, including panels produced in zero-waste facilities. Specialized laminates and panels that mimic the look of exotic woods on a large scale are not only cost effective, but also are easy on the environment— achieving the look without using the trees themselves.

Simplicity and originality can be seen from large-scale hotel operations including Hilton and Marriott to trendy boutique hotels. Designers are using specialized fingerprint-resistant surfaces to add beauty while maintaining a clean look.

Hampton by Hilton Oświęcim is steps away from shops and dining on the Main Square in Old Town Oświęcim, Poland. The Sola River and Oświęcim Castle are a short walk away, and many rooms have views of the river that flows through town.

The modern renovation of the hotel preserves the historical charm of the old town of Oświęcim and appeals to young and old. In the buffet area, the architects used wood reproduction laminates from EGGER. Combined with modern elements, it adds interest to this area while maximizing durability.

EGGER products also had a part in the design of the Arte Hotel in Salzburg, Austria. PerfectSense Matt lacquered boards with matching PerfectSense Matt edge banding add an elegant touch to the rooms without looking staged. Warm lighting perfectly highlights the furniture in the hotel lobby and the guest rooms. From the reception area to the conference rooms, PerfectSense Matt performs beautifully with its high durability and resistance to fingerprints and smudges.

SUSTAINABILITY Many hotels have committed to reducing their carbon footprint and increasing their sustainability and environmentally friendly efforts.

“More than ever, guests are looking at brands that are embracing purpose and doing their part in local communities,” says Hilton General Counsel and Chief Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Officer Kristin Campbell. “We recognize that the success of

Decorative surfaces are important when evoking the emotion of a space. As one of the world’s leading full-service providers of decorative surfaces, we develop seamlessly matched products that are ideal for spaces of today and in the future. “We Make Rooms Worth Living In.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19›

EGGER'S PERFECTSENSE MATT PERFORMS BEAUTIFULLY IN HIGH VOLUME SPACES WITH ITS HIGH DURABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO FINGERPRINTS AND SMUDGES.

EGGER PRODUCTS ARE FEATURED IN THE DESIGN OF THE ARTE HOTEL IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA.

our business and meeting changing consumer demands is linked to our ability to operate and grow sustainably.”

“For example, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, more customers are asking to hold carbonneutral meetings or reduce the environmental impact of their corporate travel,” she adds, “But, [they] aren’t sure how to update their travel and event programs to align with their own sustainability goals, initiatives, or corporate policies, nor how to measure the impact of those decisions.”

Scott Flom, product marketing manager with Genesis Products, agrees that sustainability continues to be a trend with growing visibility and commitments in the hotel industry. “Marriot International’s Serve360 is one such example with a goal to reduce carbon intensity 30% by 2026 and to be net zero by 2050. One key initiative in their pursuit of this goal is to change their approach to furniture.”

“Laminate cabinets and furniture made from engineered composite wood are 100% carbon neutral,” he says. “Replacing all solid wood furniture in hotel rooms with engineered composite wood has made an immediate climate-positive impact. Plus, laminate outperforms solid wood for durability, cleanability and repeatability, creating a cohesive look across each room.

“We’ve seen an increase in the adoption of laminated composite wood products in the residential and commercial space,” continues Flom. “In addition to the ability to offer any color or wood-grain pattern, Genesis also offers paintable and stainable laminates, which achieve the look of solid wood without the negative impact to the environment.”

Genesis Products is a corporate sponsor of the Climate Positive Now Initiative, an organization dedicated to educating design communities on sustainability of architectural materials.

FUNCTIONALITY In addition to the obvious effects on core business strategies in the hotel industry, the pandemic also forced many venues to adjust their layouts and interior design to create roomy spaces that set guests at ease. Some of these design changes have become an expected part of any stay, along with certain other functional innovations.

“Over the last two years, outdoor space has been crucial for hotels and this is still an area we’re seeing many hotel brands invest in,” says hotel design firm OCCA’s founder and design director, Kate Mooney. “Outdoor spaces are now being given the same level of design attention as interiors with lighting schemes, artwork and stunning furnishings to make them feel inviting and opulent as well as safe. Some hotels are even creating outdoor work stations at the pool or beach to ensure that everyone’s needs are catered to.”

The pandemic changed the way many people work, with many forced to work from home. Many embraced this change and have not returned to traditional office spaces. This in turn gave rise to the work from hotel trend, which seems to be here to stay. Many properties are adjusting to meet these evolving needs of their guests, with rooms serving as more than just a place to sleep, say experts.

“As more people opt to travel while they work, there will be an increased need for rooms that are as comfortable and convenient to work in as they are to rest in,” says Mooney. “From ensuring there are ample outlets and excellent WiFi facilities to creating areas that lend themselves to video calls without the guest’s bed appearing in [the] shot, these new considerations are giving rise to exciting new trends.”

That functionality can be seen in tweaks to many guest rooms. Richelieu offers several hardware options that help maximize space while increasing functionality.

Richelieu’s Smart Living concept allows optimization of any living environment at home, at the office, and in hotels and

• Decorative Paper • Edgebanding • Finish Foils

info@us.surteco.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 ›

POCKET DOOR AND BARN DOOR SLIDING SYSTEMS FROM RICHELIEU CAN SAVE SPACE IN MICRO-LIVING UNITS.

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

restaurants with multifunctional and ergonomic solutions to make them more versatile and comfortable for everyday well-being. New innovative systems and mechanisms are being developed to revolutionize how we use space.

From foldaway bed mechanisms and adaptable multi-purpose furniture to pocket or sliding doors, Richelieu works with customers from every area to help create spaces without sacrificing comfort and elegant design.

And according to industry experts, the following trends also are catching on like wildfire:

TECHNOLOGY Technological innovations never cease to amaze us; the newer innovations in the hotel industry are truly remarkable. Designed to make life easier both for hoteliers and their guests, these improvements go beyond reliable WiFi and business centers. More properties—both large and small—are turning to keyless entry and offering mobile app check-ins, a self-service technology that allows hotel guests to skip the front desk lines and complete their entire checkin process via mobile devices.

BOUTIQUE HOTELS In a world where we can have anything we want at the click of a button, more people are craving unique experiences, and that has migrated to where they stay. More travelers are looking for one-ofa-kind accommodations that many times offer a sense of place and history. Boutique hotels are cropping up in cities all across the world—some affiliated with larger chains and many independent. Their small-scale attention to detail and well-curated experiences are just what some travelers expect. SMART ROOMS Think of your smart home, away from home. A smart room is a hotel room that has various types of technology, making it more comfortable and convenient for guests. This might include things like automatic curtains, temperature control, voice- or app-controlled lighting or sound systems, inroom entertainment systems, and more.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ROOMS The Millennial and Gen-Z generations make up a large chunk of today’s travelers, and they are greatly influencing hotel design trends. With more younger generations concerned about environmental issues, hotels are looking to provide them with environmentally friendly alternatives. These range from with use of LED lighting in lobbies and rooms and recycled linens to solar panels and green buildings created from recycled materials.

Today’s hotel design trends are embracing the future while looking to the past—using sustainable materials that look fresh and inviting and blending hotel comforts with increased functionality and purpose. s p

AS MORE PEOPLE HAVE OPTED TO TRAVEL WHILE THEY WORK, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED NEED FOR ROOMS THAT ARE AS COMFORTABLE AND CONVENIENT TO WORK IN AS THEY ARE TO REST IN.

Surteco provides more than a product; we provide a comprehensive solution. Inspiring designs, surfaces and edges.

info@us.surteco.com