Ms. Locke

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

Create a 'Home Away From Home': Make Your Property Appeal to Leisure Travelers

By Amy Locke, Director, Interior Design, Hatchett Hospitality

Residential and hotel design are closer than ever. Leisure travelers want a hotel that's different from home in nature, but similar to home in comfort, security, and features.

Hoteliers, with the help of their FF&E supplier, must be creative and willing to experiment with space allocation, interior design, and basic architecture. Here are some ways you can give your resort property the right warmth, without sacrificing any cool.

An Overview

The "look" of your property and "mix" of your amenities will be determined in large part by location and size. For example:

The specific answers will vary, but remember this important constant: resort hotels, by definition, are community centers for one-stop dining, socializing, relaxing, and shopping.

Yes, some guests will want to explore local attractions or dining, but most people like the convenience and simplified vacation plan of never leaving a resort property. That's why most resorts must distinguish themselves not only with fine lodging but also extensive recreational, dining, and entertainment options.

Guests want the ability to do what they want, when they want, or to do nothing at all. It's their vacation, so there is no sense of time or cost. Travelers live in the moment - and hoteliers are responding with special features that include:

The Arrival

At a resort property, guests expect an experience - in service and in aesthetics. That starts with a comfortable and inviting lobby where guests feel "welcomed" and can get cozy.

Today, the minimalist trend is gone in favor of residential trends such as hardwood or tile floors, bold colors, plus richer textures and finishes. The lines are crisp and the furnishings are tailored, but it's an understated and casual elegance.

There is a de-emphasis on the traditional registration desk by breaking it up into smaller, more intimate units or by changing its feel completely, For example at one resort hotel, guests register in an area designed around a steamer trunk.

The lobby and other public spaces pose two primary challenges for a hotelier and a designer:

The Guest Room

Guests typically spend more time in their rooms while on vacation - and they're also willing to splurge for upgraded accommodations and services - so there is a trend to larger rooms, to more suites, and to more secluded structures such as bungalows and villas.

The bed is a vital focus. We know that business travelers check-in to a hotel for a good night's sleep, and that's even more true with vacation travelers. Hoteliers are responding in a variety of ways that make the bed more special and more comfortable:

Americans have long worked on their vacations, so resort hotels must accommodate business people with a business center as well as with in-room internet connections.

However, when you work in your room - whether you're a business or vacation traveler - the trend is away from the desk and toward the bed, the sofa, or the lounge chair. All of these seating areas must, therefore, be visually attractive, ergonomically comfortable, and properly lighted.

Since many people have the latest technology gadgets at home, they expect to have them available on the road. Hoteliers are responding with high definition plasma televisions, sophisticated in-room music centers, and extensive video selections.

There is also a trend to coordinate all in-room technology, lighting, and security in a single, easy-to-use electronics control

Some hotel interior designers claim that with the increasing use of flat screen TV's, the traditional guest room armoire is dead. That obituary may be premature, because guests still have storage and dresser top needs.

An alternate form of the armoire is one which features file and disc slots, a drop-down desk door with a pullout keyboard tray, plus open shelf storage and vertical hanging space. There are also "shorty" armoires that can accommodate all elements of the entertainment center and put the plasma TV on a swivel for easy viewing throughout the room.

Other ways hoteliers are providing "hip but homey" touches in guest rooms include larger kitchenette and living room areas, plus unique accessories and artwork.

The Bathroom

Bathrooms are getting bigger and at some hotels, especially resort properties, they approach half of the guest room's footage. They are also becoming more highly designed, filled with lights, and an in-room spa that's suitable for primping, pampering, and relaxing.

The Design Team

Whether it's upgraded specifications by franchisors or increased demands by travelers, the result is increased spending by hoteliers - first on design, then on purchasing.

This emphasizes the need for choosing wisely when selecting an FF&E supplier, so consider these guidelines when evaluating a firm:

Today's resort hotels are highly-designed, with lots of extra amenities - changes that are partly in response to upgraded standards by franchisors but primarily due to increased demands by more sophisticated guests.

The franchise standards are a foundation, but it is the hotelier's choice of amenities that make those standards "pop" - that give a property the pizzazz which guests want and expect.

Amy Locke is director of interior design at Hatchett Hospitality. She works with franchisers and franchisees on a wide variety of hotel brands, styles, and themes – from economy to luxury, from resort to business conference, and from traditional to modern. Previous to joining Hatchett, she held a position in interior design with Ethan Allen Interiors. Ms. Locke earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta. She is completing a degree in feng shuiand is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Ms. Locke can be contacted at 770-227-5232 or Amy@HatchettHospitality.com Extended Bio...

HotelExecutive.com retains the copyright to the articles published in the Hotel Business Review. Articles cannot be republished without prior written consent by HotelExecutive.com.