For a long time, hotels were designed and built for either function or opulence. There was little in between. However, in recent years, design has taken on a new role…serving as the primary method to grab the attention of prospective guests. This recent article published in the U.K.’s Observer illustrates the point quite well. Here’s an excellent takeaway from the article…
Hotel architecture makes these contradictions most rivetingly manifest. It is a bizarre mix of a technical process, of stringing rooms along corridors and around lifts as cheaply as possible, and the ability to tell a story. In the end, designing a hotel is a struggle between the unappetising functional elements of stacking up identical bedroom units, and immersing the guests in a fantasy.The only pitfall I see emerging with this trend is an over reliance on the physical aspects of the property to make the stay memorable. Remember, without a meaningful story and a caring staff, design will only take you so far…and likely not far enough.