Design has the power to be the key differentiator in hotels today
BY SHUJATH ALI
With their ever-increasing demands, hotel guests today have higher expectations and, to remain competitive, an increasing number of hotels are reshaping the look, feel and appeal of their properties using exterior and interior designs as one of their key differentiators. Eco-consciousness, story-telling, wellness, smart-room technology, are some prevailing design trends being implemented, across hotels – budget, luxury and business. These slow but sweeping changes in the design of hotels are an effort to nail the guest experience and ensure they keep coming back
Michael Wang, AIA, Senior Continent Head, Global Design Asia Pacific, Marriott International, emphasises, “We focus on making sure that the design of each hotel has elements and concepts that are memorable and experiential. Especially important is to focus on the hotel’s first impression and the design of the social zone, so the hotel can be truly locally relevant and talk of the town.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Indeed, from a majestic staircase to an atrium lounge or a magnificent art installation, several design elements play a vital role in making an indelible impact on the guest’s mind.
Madhav Sehgal, General Manager, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, elaborates, “Evoking the architectural glory of Mysore, The Leela Palace Bengaluru stands majestically amongst acres of lush green gardens. Here you will find the most spacious and elegantly styled guest rooms in the country. Warm, impeccably trained staff will anticipate and attend to your every need. The Leela Palace Bengaluru offers an experience of true world-class luxury.”
He adds: “The palm-lined approach to the hotel leads past an exquisite marble fountain into a windswept lobby that overlooks lush gardens, waterfalls and lily ponds. A striking feature of the hotel is its majestic airy porte-cochere at the entrance. The Leela Palace Bengaluru features six floors of elegant and spacious 357 rooms and suites, measuring from 465 to 2,900 sq. ft.
Most rooms have balconies overlooking the azure pool or the verdant gardens in the courtyard and includes a luxurious Italian marble bathrooms are 110 sq. ft. in size which has a separate walk-in glass shower enclosure, toilet, fog-free mirrors and a bathtub.”
Zone by The Park is an upscale social-catalyst brand, devised to cater the ‘design-conscious, price-conscious’ travellers. Drawing from The Park’s design spirit, the concept envisions an interactive series of buzzing spaces using
the best of contemporary design with creative and playful interiors, multifunctional spaces, great restaurants, bars and a vibrant nightlife.
INGENIOUSLY MULTIFACETED
From a few minutes to a few hours, guests may spend any amount of time in the lobby. Being their first point of entry and because it has many functions, it must be designed creatively.
At Andaz Delhi, various interesting elements make the lobby resemble a lounge area with an open reception and a large communal table for stimulating interactions, a library and interesting art installations which throw open endless stories
about Delhi.
Nishanth Vishwanath, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Pune acquiesces. “The formidable lobby of our hotel is reminiscent of Pune’s significant past. A commanding array of columns adorned in classical marble are forged into a series of arches consisting of contemporary timber panelling with
metal expressions.
This Indian silhouette inspires and delineates the formal entry space. The result is a series of transition spaces which seamlessly connect from the dominant lobby to the intimate comfort of the residential-style reception area.” He adds: “The Tea Lounge and Bar is within the heart of the Grand Lobby where a circular seating arrangement is complemented by a traditional
floral centrepiece.”
GO LOCAL
Hotel design today organically pivots around the idea of creating incredible guest experiences, through a destination that grows authentically out of its environment. Thus, ‘transformative experiences and local community’ are at the heart of The Postcard Hotel’s offerings.
Each hotel is about unique experiences from food, design, artisanal welcome cocktails which honour its surroundings, giving guests a sense of the neighbourhood and the destination in a distinctive way.
The Postcard Moira is nestled in one of the four heritage villages of Goa; The Postcard Velha is surrounded by 300 acres of virgin coconut plantations in old Goa; and further south, taking travellers back in time, The Postcard Cuelim, houses a 350-year-old chapel.
Grand Mercure Gandhinagar, GIFT City, has been designed keeping the culture and beauty of India in mind. Different symbols and art are seen around the hotel. Upon entering, one is greeted by Mandala, which means “circle” in Sanskrit, a symbol of deeper connection with the inner self and outer world. The lobby represents the outer world where the guests meet other guests and are welcomed by the hotel staff while the rooms can be seen as an inner sanctuary where the guests connect with themselves.
The Adalaj Vav stepwell in Gandhinagar, built by Queen Rudabai, acts not just as a water reservoir but as a spiritual refuge. The unique octagonal shape of the stepwell can be seen scattered around the hotel – from the tables at the lobby lounge to the lift lobby
wall art to the pattern at the
corridor carpet.
TELL A TALE
Storytelling is thus inextricably woven into a hotel’s design ethos today. A narrative of some sort is always important. It provides a basis for the language of design as well as an avenue to communicate with the end-user. Most guests enjoy local glimpses of the destination at the hotel.
“Design is one of W Goa’s four core passion points,” explains Tanveer Kwatra, General Manager, W Goa. “While our iconic oversized W installation stands tall at the entrance, the wall art murals behind the welcome desk employ Goan folk art and bright colours to signify the vibrant culture of the city. This is a recurring pattern you witness throughout the property where design is used as a key element to highlight the amalgamation of contemporary luxury and local culture.
“The spacious wooden chalets with chic comfort and capabilities allow one to soak up the city’s electric pulse and fuel your escape with sophisticated and swanky decor. The moment you walk through the grand entrance doors of W Goa – an artwork in itself – you are transported into a world of W.”
At ITC Kohenur, guests have complimented the bangle artwork and the diamond chandelier at the reception which have an immediate connect with Hyderabad, which is known for its bangle-craft and jewels.
Similarly, at WelcomHotel Amritsar, a 100-year-old haveli, art renditions and photographs of the Golden Temple adorn public areas along with old portraits of the haveli and the family tree of the royal lineage.
At Andaz Delhi, many design elements, have been thoughtfully customised to what story we want to present. Take, for example, ‘The Shrine’ which celebrates and nurtures relationships of every nature and urges guests to be a part of it. Given that weddings form a core offering, The Shrine is a photo favourite amongst couples who are getting married.
The exceptional experience begins when two people stand on either side of the rock, put their heads in the hollow depression in the middle and chant ‘Om’ in synchronization. Their respective families sit on benches on either side, inside the shrine.
The sound then resonates and becomes one with the presence of water below the rock being an integral part of the soundscape.”
TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN
Guests expect sustainability and, at the same time, hotels are evaluating their environmental impact. While more hotels are reusing towels and installing automatic lights in an effort to be green others are taking energy conservation and sustainability to new heights. Natural light, solar panels, recycled wood, organic materials, hourglass timers in showers, locally handcrafted items and repurposed furniture, are some of the latest trends.
Convenience is critical for enabling guests feel at home. To build long-term loyalty, understanding the guests’ mindset is important and technology has to be skillfully woven into the experience.
Wang explains, “There are uses of behind-the-scene technology such as mechanical, electrical, lighting systems that give the guests the comfort as well as energy efficiency for the hotel.
At the same time, there are uses of technology in design that guests can appreciate and see such as mobile check-in and testing of Robutlers in some of our hotels. Besides we have IoT (Internet of Things) smart guestroom that we are working on which could be the guestrooms of the future with voice-activated features and services that will be customised for each guest based on their profile and preferences.”
DESIGN DICTATES
A restaurant’s design, in some cases, can be just as important as the food it serves. After all, eye-catching photographs for Instagram are a must in the age we live in. While some are reviving retro styles and patterns others are creating new trends. Aligning the restaurant design with the hotel’s branding is crucial.
Design clearly dictates a guest’s choice. From contemporary décor with bolder colours to natural elements and avant-garde furniture to eclectic tableware, restaurants are trying to make a style statement through their design.
The 18th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Pune offers panoramic views not only of the city but also the surrounding countryside where Pune’s rich history is ingrained. This significant past is captured and displayed into an interior for both the Indian bar and restaurant Aasmana, as part of the concept i.e. East meets West.
At Andaz Delhi, AnnaMaya’s interiors incorporate Old Delhi in all its glory through sacks of spices and colourful hand-painted glass windows like in Chandni Chowk as well as weathered wooden doors that are reminiscent of the picturesque bylanes of Old Delhi’s markets.
Juxtaposed with this is a brown and white geometrical-tiled floor like the one in markets and food halls in Europe. Together these elements help to integrate the local flavour with the look and feel of a traditional European food hall.
Taking inspiration from Lippan Kaam, the mud and mirror art of Kutch, this graphic can be seen displayed above the buffet and show kitchen, adding strokes of colours giving it a modern touch.
Interior designer Sumessh Menon of Sumessh Menon Associates adds, “With every restaurant vying for a USP, some of the popular bar and restaurants are the ones with a cosy outdoor space carved into their footprint or tucked away on the rooftop. More so in space-starved Mumbai, outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces are much more desirable such that there is the pleasure of alfresco dining while being in close proximity with the lively energy of the bar inside. Vibrant and energetic design trends to carve out the perfect setting.”
WORK WITH THE BEST
Hotels engage the best interior designers and architects nowadays and work closely with them. Akshat Bhatt, Principal Architect, Architect Discipline, Delhi, enjoys challenges. “It is fascinating to take something old and possibly forgotten and give it new life,” he says.
He adds: “We are running out of space, forests, and water. There aren’t enough resources to continuously produce new things. To that effect, we’ve done a few projects – The Postcard Hotels in Goa, The Oberoi Grand in Kolkata, The Oberoi, New Delhi – all of which are brownfield projects. These are now restored and redeveloped with a new identity. At The Oberoi, New Delhi we were also commissioned to design 12 luxury suites in a span of six months. The client brief was to reflect the legacy of the iconic hotel while merging with the architectural context of the 1st century.”
Design forms an innate part of the overall experience that a hotel offers – it breathes life into an otherwise usual building. Guests are more likely to select a hotel which communicates with them or unravels new stories and helps in creating visual memories thus making design an imperative element for all hotels.
