Pulling Back The Curtain on The Hotel Architecture & Design Process
By Cynthia Mejia
This article was co-authored by Michael "Doc" Terry, Senior Instructor, UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management
As a hotel executive and subscriber, you are a curious and intelligent professional with lodging expertise that may touch upon some or all of the who, what, why, and when of hotel service, operations, financial, and marketing knowledge.
You make it your business to self-educate via podcasts, magazines, ezines, conference attendance, social media, guest reviews, employee feedback, etc.
High on the list of education absorption is this publication, which you enjoy scanning to gather the latest intel. Moreover, deep down, you are intrigued about the brain trust that creates the plan to construct and design the massive work structure known as ’a hotel property’. Let’s take a closer look at hotel architectural design, as seen through the lens of a hotel developer.
Assuming that you wish to increase your knowledge about hotel architectural and design trends, it’s quite likely that this area is not your expertise (fact: architects consist of just 2% of the U.S. population, and women in the field comprise only 0.8%). You may be intrigued by the thought of owning or developing a hotel, although you may not have the funding to do so (fact:– less than 0.01% of GMs have built or developed a hotel). Given your perspective as a frequent hotel guest, or hotelier/lodging manager/supervisor, or C-suite level executive, you consider yourself a hotel expert within your particular domain, maybe you have often daydreamed - how does hotel architecture and design happen?
Competent developers, owners, architects and designers, and related consultants (branding, marketing, futurists) are constantly gathering and reviewing pre-pandemic and post pandemic results, which encompass social, technological, economic, political, legal, and environmental considerations. Reviewing this information is critical to project possible future guest interests, concerns and expectations that might endure into the 2030’s. A few of the obvious considerations include overall cleanliness, sanitation, health (physical and mental), high-tech overcoming high-touch for most hotel classes, racial and disability inclusion, global travel growth, environmental sustainability, employee associates’ concern about mistreatment, and guests’ "you live only once" (YOLO) philosophy.
Taking all of this into account, Wikipedia has defined ’architecture’ as the art or practice of designing and constructing a building with a style - especially with regard to a specific period, place, or culture. "Trends" are defined as a prevailing tendency or inclination, a general movement, a current style or preference, or to extend in a general direction.Â
Based on the R&D you have conducted in this area, put yourself in the chair of a multimillionaire hotel entrepreneur and developer, who is eager to build her/his first hotel during the next 18 months, will need to borrow additional millions at the now escalating interest rate, and have little room for error in the choice of hotel type and style of the future. You understand that this is a high risk, high reward investment and hitting or missing the trends will significantly affect the return on the investment.
You are certain of one thing – the need for a licensed Architect (which can cost 2-4% of the total project), and fully understanding that this licensed Architect has 1) Completed a professional degree in architecture - accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB); 2) Obtained relevant lodging experience & professional practice via paid internship(s); 3) Passed a series of comprehensive exams known as the Architect Registration Examination (ARE); 4) Experienced with similar industry projects, and is able to determine the project requirements, specifications & objectives, draft and prepare contractual documents for building contractors, engineers, design firms and related staff, prepare scaled drawings (either with computer software or by hand), and formulate structure specifications. While the architect is responsible to construct the bones of the structure and design the exterior skin, you and the architect will also need the services of an interior designer to bring the interior hotel’s personality to life.
The following future considerations and examples will walk you through and provide insight into the thought process of architecture and design decisions for tomorrow.
London Bankside Hotel
Concept Sets the Expectation
You have spent hundreds of hours shaping the identity of the hotel and guest experience by contemplating two general questions: 1) What do I think I know for sure today about the industry, stakeholders, guest psyche?; and 2) What do I suspect will drive hotel business tomorrow? These questions led to market reviews, geographics, demographics, psychographics, lifestyle branding…..and eventually to the age-old architects/designers conundrum ’form follows function’, which is how the design of something should support its emotional purpose, guided by the reality of ’function follows finance’, or the funding limitations.
A well-designed space can target the types of guests desired, highlighting the features and amenities of your hotel, helping you outshine the competitive set, inspire meeting planners to choose your property, winning recognition from the local community, delivering on your brand promise, and achieving ROI results. You drilled down to infuse the 4 Es – education, entertainment, (a)esthetics, and escapism – into the background, history, accomplishments, real or imagined personalities, materials, forms, and functionality of different spaces throughout the hotel, reflecting the original concept and design inspiration. You are insistent that every inch of real estate, interior and exterior hardscapes and softscapes should help tell the story.
You then scanned through hundreds of paper/digital ’big data’, spent nights at 23 different hotels, benchmarking the best of every tangible and intangible element in your competitive set. Your detailed research included analyzing location context, target markets, franchise /independent pros and cons, Gens X, Y, and Z, business and leisure guests, individual and group interviews, urban and suburban, highway, and resort nuances, historic, futuristic, global, fictional, formal, etc.
Having digitized hundreds of pages of projections, profiles, preferences, and priorities in an effort to understand the educated future forecast, you outlined the skeleton chapters of your futuristic lifestyle storybook, which include the following seven key considerations: (1) Technology (mobile marketing software, digital assistants voice search/AI, Robotics, facial recognition/keyless entry, dining tabletop kiosks for ordering/wait-time/paying, and VR/AR social entertainment); (2) Sensory well-being (body, mind, and soul for guests and employees/associates, including ergonomics); (3) Cleanliness/sanitation (hypoallergenic pillows, non-fragrant soap, black light to detect trouble areas, ultra-violet (UV) ray disinfection wands and seven-per-cent hydrogen peroxide solutions to effectively kill bacteria); (4) Social interaction options (lobby, rooftop, business center, recreational, meditation center); (5) Environmental sustainability (repurposed structures, recycled eco-friendly materials, reduced carbon emissions, air/water quality, alternative energy, and green best-practices in maintenance, services, logistics, products, and supplies - event planners are insisting); (6) Peer-to-peer home-sharing vacation rentals (more than 100 million adults will use sharing economy in 2023 vs 45 million in 2016); (7) and ’Bleisure’ hybrid stays …living, working, traveling, and playing merging unique furniture, guestroom zones, individually designed spaces, and movement towards connected/extended/ suites.
Now that you have a sense of the future movements and trends, you are able to carefully structure a logical Architectural Business Plan, an audio-visual storyboard which can be shared with the architect, and later, with the designer. Your story is ready to be told by way of the interior/exterior depicted by the architect’s and designer’s creative 1/2/3 dimensional forms, materials, artifacts, equipment, furniture, and spaces – and what experts consider the most critical of all, ’the story’ to be told by the structure. Therefore, you begin the arduous task of hiring the best architect (who often assists in recruiting the designer) for your particular project, knowing that the joint relationship demands that each of you contribute industry knowledge and future guests’ expectations. After interviewing numerous architects and designers, you settle on one that understands your particular vision.Â
Location Context
Indigenous conditions dictate challenges and opportunities to build the hotel’s story. Examples include geography, weather, climate, water, soil, sea level, mountain ranges, seasons, temperatures, and rituals/festivities. These conditions and local activities will also dictate occupancy, ADR, and revpar by season, which is critical. The ability to utilize the outdoors is a significant financial consideration for commercial and family business, and individuals and groups, as it can be a blessing and a curse for outdoor events, rooftop bars, poolside/seaside/mountain side, recreational/spa activities, natural landscaping aesthetics, and food and beverage. The frequency and intensity of the sun can also dictate ideal colors, textures, and materials for the design of the property.
The Exterior Storybook Cover
During the hotel architecture and design process, the architect or designer considers a few key areas, such as the exterior curb appeal, which provides the first impression of the structure and often defines the hotel’s purpose. This first impression is illustrated by the hotel’s sensory exterior, which may consist of veneer, repurposed material, colors, entryway navigational signage, and safety lighting upon entrance. Hardscapes such as benches, fountains, waterfalls, and gazebos, and softscapes come to mind as the first reception passageway point for the guests, when the entry turnstile begins and shapes the client’s initial ’moment of truth’ – the introduction to the story.
Functionally, the entrance area should be easy to navigate with or without luggage, provide attractive up/down lighting, and must exude friendliness and warmth. The brief visit through the portal entrance can encourage guests to return to this hotel centerstage (aka lobby) during several day parts of their visit. The initial arrival vista often determines the guest’s impression throughout the entire stay, as the perfect integration of buildings and landscape architectural design, softscapes and hardscapes, can create a natural aesthetic design showcasing the personality of the property, triggering positive emotional senses. As the living part of any landscape, the softscape adds personality by strategically incorporating shrubs, trees, flowerbeds, soil, vegetable gardens, flowers, grass, topiaries, etc. These elements can evolve, adding ever-changing beauty and character, allow for ecological transformation and modification of diverse environments, and incorporate sustainability, addressing wildlife integration, soil management, pest control, and reducing urban heat islands.Â
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
Center Stage Lobby: Moment of Truth
The interior center stage or lobby supports the backstory with artifacts, colors, murals, heights, materials, furniture, flooring, sounds, aromatherapy, appropriate signage, and temperatures, which taken together has the power to persuade or dissuade. This is perhaps the best opportunity to ’brand’ the hotel’s main gathering space. Designs are moving in the direction of very high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, bold eclectic colors, audio (load and high energy, or soft and relaxing (meditation station and classical) earphone/buds plug ’n’ play, aromatherapy, and gamification activities.
Multiple guest types must be considered here – those who bypass the desk (keyless entry), but observe the open, hospitable zone (perhaps with beverage and nosh opportunities); guests who scan/kiosk and may return later for the blur of social interaction, workspace, and/or F&B; and guests who check-in F2F (face to face) to seek information; and visiting non-guests wishing to experience ’the show’. Desks are disappearing fast in favor of AI and robotic reception, luggage transports, and mobile app education to every generation. For example, a roving hospitality host/hostess may be the only human in sight. It is important to consider trendy hotel lobby bars and coffee shops, designed with attractive, open, inviting, social zones - open 18 hours a day for hot, cold, alcoholic/non/low-alcoholic, energy, nitro cold brew, health smoothies, or flavored H2O.  Â
Marriott Moxy, Frankfurt
Experience Economy Spaces
Throughout their visit, guests frequent areas of socialization and activities (formerly known as common areas), especially breakfast, event space foyers, lounges, restaurants, dedicated hospitality spaces, and business work centers or spa/pool destinations. These ’escape areas’ present opportunities for education, entertainment and/or aesthetics opportunities, contributing to the overall visitor experience. These are strategic zones, where most guests travel or gather, and they need to support the hotel property branding by complementing with a fun and lively guest experience. When designing these areas, focus on both the functional and aesthetic needs of the guests while expressing the local culture. The floor zone plan should include separate areas for high energy, entertainment, relaxation, socialization, food and beverage, and to create memories and photo ops. Interior design thematic touches include fountains, fireplaces, artwork, and high-quality upholstery.
Psychology plays an important role in choosing the right colors for your hotel’s interior design, as soothing colors, like blue and green, promote relaxation and calm. Accents of gold or yellow stimulate conversation in business areas or conversation nooks. Purple lends a feeling of sophistication, luxury, and opulence, especially when paired with grays or metallics. Light colors are perceived as airy and make rooms feel brighter and more spacious, while dark colors lend sophistication and intimacy. Balance form and function in all public spaces by choosing comfortable seating pieces with appropriate lighting (i.e., intensity, heights, tabletops, wall lamps), follow ADA guidelines, and select appropriate signage for guest visibility and navigation.
A hotel can find new levels of success when it forms a relationship with the community by highlighting local art and artists within the property. This form of education, entertainment, and escapism gives guests an opportunity to see more of the culture of your location, creates a strong bond with local artists and businesses, and can boost your hotel’s interior design significantly. Artifacts and art pieces work particularly well in the lobby, dining areas, event space foyers, and transitional spaces like hallways (tip: rotate pieces periodically).
Nestwell Bedroom Sassenberg, Germany
Guest Room Delight
The JD Power 2022 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study revealed that guests are less satisfied with guestrooms, while ADRs are trending up. Based on this information, you can appreciate that guestroom design must be an extension of the hotel’s backstory by featuring technology, holistic health (mind, body, soul), nutrition, design, physical activities and sports, spas and treatments, and digital well-being. The inclusion of AI provides an excellent example with "Alexa". For an enhanced technological hospitality experience, Alexa connects guests to their hotel rooms, as they are able to set an alarm, order room service, request housekeeping, adjust room controls (thermostat, blinds, lights, etc.), and ask location-specific questions, such as what time the hotel pool closes or the location of the fitness center.
The hotel’s story should be captured in all the small details and elements that make up the room of the future. It is also a good idea to divide the room into smart functional zones, such as a sleeping area or a recreation zone. Multi-task pieces provide the flexibility and efficiency of a pleasant stay at the hotel, such as ultra-comfortable beds with storage units underneath, a reduced desktop to accommodate upright guest posture, sofas with end tables built into the structure, and adequate storage for luggage and clothes are the absolute musts.
The bathroom is a central relaxation point for many, especially when outfitted with natural materials, dimmer light settings, and a spacious shower area with a choice of shower spray. Hotels in the future will forgo carpeting and bedspreads for the ultimate in clean. As indoor air quality has become increasingly important, air filtration systems and tools to measure and monitor indoor air quality will become standard.
Hotel zoom rooms are popular
Employee Associates’ Accommodations Count
The pandemic was a wake-up call for many lodging organizations, that employees are more than workhorses. The attention to these valuable human resources is the future, in parallel to AI digital assistants/chat and work bots may replace, or work alongside, many of today’s associates. The new human capital hotel skeleton of the future will consist of guest services representatives who will frequent the hotel lobby, dining, and common spaces as roving super concierges, and engineers who monitor the robotic equipment and minimal number of housekeepers, will need to get off their feet for a few minutes and decompress before continuing their shifts. They need a ’third place’ onsite to relax, meditate, grab energy food, catch up on e-mail, or chat with fellow employees, and it’s essential to their productivity. Their dedicated space should include comforting amenities like employee cafes, break rooms, and cafeterias, but more. Go above and beyond to create a fun, anti-cubicle environment with bright decor, music and stimulating activities/video entertainment, daily catered lunches/lunch ’n’ learns, yoga classes, fitness centers, and well-lit restrooms/showers with lockers.
Beat the Future Hotel A & D Curve
Hospitality architecture and design firms are currently facing challenges that not too long ago seemed unimaginable from a structural and design standpoint. In order to adjust to the new normal, innovative architects are now creating designs that address both the guests’ and staff needs. While historically much of hotel design was guest-focused, hotel associates who spend more time on the property are deserving of vibrant and healthy workspaces. Given the challenges with recruitment in the foreseeable future, the hotel front of house and back of house environment should be enticing to both guests and employees, and designed intentionally so.
Main Image: Moxy NYC Chelsea
