Photo: Open-space design at the Bali-themed Flores Hotel and SPA, Druskininkai (Lithuania)
As more and more travellers are embracing the wellness movement, and architectural techniques and technologies develop, hotels across the world are working harder than ever to ensure their brands remain on-trend.
Deconstructed or ‘Open Plan’ is Here to Stay
The open-plan hotel room, where the bedroom and bathroom are in one room and have no walls separating them, has been one of the most unusual hotel design trends – but it seems it is here to stay, as hotels are looking for more innovation in design.
The open-plan design creates the illusion that there is more space in the room and hints at an exotic, SPA-like atmosphere, which might be very attractive for couples or solo travelers.
At the Lloyd Hotel and Cultural Embassy in Amsterdam, for example, most bathrooms are open-plan and a curtainless shower might be simply sticking out of the wall.
The Bali-themed SPA hotel FLORES in Druskininkai, the SPA town of Lithuania, has designed some of its rooms as open spaces in order to maintain the theme of harmony within and without, stressing no need for walls and inviting for total relaxation in nature-inspired rooms.
Keeping Things Homely
Chilling out in the bed of a hotel room and watching television while wearing pyjamas is sometimes the best part of a holiday, and even in the most luxurious of surroundings, the simple comforts of home can be sometimes missed.
A number of hotels of all budgets are moving away from uniform-designed rooms, and offer guests are bespoke, homely experience by including differently laid-out rooms, with handmade trinkets and furnishings, mix-and-match furniture, and natural stone and wooden floors.
The Atemporal-Hotelito in Lima (Peru) is a great example and was nominated as the best hotel in terms of how it makes guests feel. This renovated 1940’s mansion offers a personalized lodging experience – its rooms and its entire decor is positioned to create the atmosphere of a home lived in by a world-travelling photographer who is barely at home while he travels the world. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and informal.
More Inspiration from Nature
In recent years, increasing numbers of hotel designers have started incorporating natural elements into their work after it was found that being exposed to nature could reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and boost all-around wellbeing. Biophilic design (that focuses on human connection with nature) goes far beyond adding some plants to a hotel lobby.
Hotel FLORES in Druskininkai, Lithuania, draws heavily on the tropical surroundings of Bali. Fitting in alongside the town’s close connection to nature, its 42 rooms give visitors the opportunity to take in views of the surrounding pine forests and the Nemunas river in a tropical atmosphere with its beds decorated with wooden mosaics, mats woven from banana leaves, natural rugs, and exotic SPA treatments.
Vivood Landscape Hotel, located in Alicante, Spain, combines natural beauty, modern design and eco-friendly features. Superior suites come with private outdoor terraces and Jacuzzis.
Smart Hotels – There’s an App For That
Technology is awesome, and its many benefits have started filtering into hotel design. In line with the rise of the smart hotel, apps on mobile devices can be used to control everything from room temperature, to putting in a drinks order at the bar.
What’s more, in the case of the Radisson Red hotel network, text is also replacing landlines in terms of customer service. However, the smart hotel is more than a simple gadget for your smartphone and other mobile devices – it’s not uncommon for rooms to have streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV, and some are already replacing their Wi-Fi with Li-Fi – and Internet connection through lights.
Undoubtedly, 2019 will be filled with new design trends. However, the ones listed above will continue to be developed as the hotel industry embraces new technologies, and designers continue to create new aesthetics.