Briefing: Design – Demand and revenue

Hotel design is rapidly evolving to keep up with consumer demands and global trends. When it is done well, clever design can really add to the revenue of a hotel.

The hospitality industry spends annually about $3.7 billion on energy. Initiatives like UNWTO’s Tourism and Sustainable development goals are in place to help companies making good choices. A reduction in room size has emerged as another trend that can save hotels money while maximizing space through design.

In this briefing our experts discuss design drivers and profitability:

The pod or ‘capsule’ hotel concept, originated in Japan where space is exceptionally tight. It is being used mostly in airports and cities. Marriot has taken on board the small room concept in its Moxy brand, which has one hotel open so far at Milan Malpensa Airport. Yotel has hotels in New York, London, and Amsterdam. The successful Pod Hotel from BD Hotels has two hotels in New York, and one planned in Washington DC.

Sustainability has become an important aspect of development in all industries. As one of the worlds’ largest industries Travel and Tourism has a huge footprint.  According to the UNWTO, the industry accounts for 5% of greenhouse gas emissions, and a typical hotel uses 218 gallons of water per day per occupied room. As discussed above, improvements in this area will not only greatly benefit society and the environment, but can reduce outgoings for the hotel.

Although this movement is not driven by the consumer as much as other changes in design, such as social areas in hotels and wifi, studies have shown that guest are very much in favour of sustainability programmes. A study from Cornell University found that three quarters of guests participate in green programs when they are offered at the hotels, and 45% of guests in one hotel in New York said they would be willing to pay a higher room rate for hotel sustainability initiatives.

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Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: The urban planning revolution

Modern developers and investors are thinking about urban space differently. Mixed-use builds are maximising space in cities, and some hospitality companies are doubling up assets in new projects.

In Manchester, proposals have been made for a new “community” on the site of the old ITV studios. This will have 2-3 new hotels, including an event hotel called Manchester Grande. Nearby, Cycas Hospitality is planning to open two IHG hotels, a Crowne Plaza hotel and a Staybridge Suites, in The University of Manchester‘s campus development.

Our experts give their perspectives on new developments:

The St John’s community development in Manchester is being planned by Allied London, who now have control of the former ITV/Granada studios site. They have also proposed plans for a ‘vertical village consisting of 1,200 homes within six interconnected towers.’ This would be built on a separate area of former ITV owned land.

The University of Manchester‘s campus development is a £1billion project. The Crowne Plaza business hotel and the Staybridge Suites extended stay accommodation will adjoin Manchester Business School’s new two-storey Executive Education Centre. The hotels will serve university visitors and business travellers.

These large scale projects reflect the developments in Stratford for the 2012 Olympics, where IHG also placed two asset classes together; Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites.

Mixed-use projects and new “communities” are being developed across the globe, often in high rise buildings when space is tight. In Dubai a new ‘Cayan Cantara’ development by Cyan Group will have two towers and an adjoining bridge. The project includes branded residences, hotel apartments, shops, and a spa.

These clever developments will continue to offer hotels, serviced apartments, and other asset classes more and more different ways to fit into the changing urban landscape.

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Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Hotels invest in innovative design

Last month IHG announced plans to open a new Hotel Indigo in The Sustainable City (TSC), a new large scale community development in Dubai. The city is intended to have the highest sustainability standards and the new Hotel Indigo will match this with a building designed to recycle all waste water and use 100% solar power. Also in May an innovative hotel design Snoozebox won the Good Design Award Trophy in the Architectural Design category at the Good Design awards in Sydney.

In this briefing four experts discuss the value of innovative design:

Great design ideas are helping hotel companies modernise, differentiate, increase sustainability, and tap into new markets.

Snoozebox is a self-contained portable hotel which can be set up at events and festivals as an alternative to camping. Each room has an ensuite wet room bed a TV and wi-fi. Each pod room is 7.5 square metres. Snoozebox is providing accommodation at many of the festivals around the UK this year including Glastonbury.
IHG’s Hotel Indigo brand has been around since 2004, it is focused on design with each hotel intended to reflect the area it is in and look like a boutique hotel despite being part of a brand.

CitizenM is another brand hinged on design. Its hotels incorporate bright colours, modern style furniture, ‘luxurious living room style lobbies’ and a 24hour canteen and bar to appeal to modern travellers and distinguish itself from more traditional hotel design.

The Good Design Awards is an annual international event which covers design in all industries. The European hospitality industry also has its own European Hotel Design Awards. Last year the wellness hotel the Lanserhof Tegernsee, Marienstein, Germany won the European Hotel Design of the Year Award at EHDA, and The Edible Hotel by Dexter Moren Associates won Tomorrow’s Hotel for a design with an open plan lobby, an edible wall, and an aquarium.

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do so here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by yBC for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

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