The Hottest Hotel Design Elements for Baby Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z
By David Ashen Principal and Founder, dash design | December 23, 2018
As a hotelier, which generation do you cater to? Boomers, who favor luxurious rooms, along with prime amenities and service? Millennials, who live through mobile technology and ultra-connectivity? Or Gen Z, the high-tech group concerned with global diversity and social justice?
Or maybe you've managed to meet the needs and preferences of all three generations?
Keeping Current with Millennials and Gen Z
Most of the attention by today's hoteliers has been on making the millennial and younger generations comfortable, including a heightened emphasis on spaces with digital connectivity and opportunities for social interaction, like bar areas that do double-duty at check-in points. Also popular are gathering areas located at high altitudes, like rooftop bars and exclusive penthouse lounges, with some seeing lines forming at their entries at 5 p.m. Adding to the scenes are rock-star-status mixologists and cocktail menus.
By creating spaces that make it easy for the younger guest to stay connected through digital and personal interactions-absolutes craved by millennials and the up-and-coming generation, Gen Z-hoteliers are satisfying the groups' lifestyle preferences, giving them good reason to book a room or two at their properties during the travelers' business and pleasure trips.
Many hotel brands are paying attention to the younger set's vibe, giving patrons plenty of option for gathering and socializing, like the Freehand New York that features a cool retro 80's era game room, and five food and beverage outlets-yes, there are five. When most hoteliers cringe at operating one full-service restaurant, the Freehand has taken on multiple outlets to make this a multi-level bar and restaurant destination that happens to have hotel rooms. From the ground floor to the roof, there are quiet getaways, like the George Washington Bar on the second floor, where the guest can cozy up with friends in an intimate atmosphere infused with history, to the boisterous rooftop Broken Shaker which mixes a tropical tiki bar with the New York City skyline. There is nothing but choice in this hotel, which, while aimed at younger generations, also-surprisingly-attracts GenXers and Boomers.
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