A winning combination of beautiful boutique hotel design and well-crafted custom casegoods gives small hotels an advantage over larger hotel chains. How? A small hotel typically has between 10 and 100 rooms, which means these operators can respond faster when it comes to updating their guest rooms to reflect the latest hotel design trends than large multi-national chains.
What Trends are the Hospitality Industry Following?
The big question on every boutique hotel owner’s mind is what are the trends this year? However, boutique hotels are usually located in a unique setting that informs their brand. For example, the Joie de Vivre Hotel chain includes more than 30 boutique hotels, each reflecting the neighborhoods that surround them.
Knowing what travelers are expecting informs the style of guest rooms. For example, a small hotel located near Pier 39 in San Francisco may have a nautical theme. A boutique hotel in the heart of Portland may decide to emulate the industrial vibe of the Pearl District or feature the Pacific Northwest craftsman-style by choosing furniture made locally in its guestrooms.
1. Shared Spaces
The emphasis on collaboration and community is all around us— we see it in everything from social media to volunteering. In 2017, hoteliers are planning for even more emphasis on communal areas that are designed to bring people and shared experiences together.
One of the many advantages boutique hotels have over home shares like Airbnb or HomeAway, is their role of being a place for people to gather, and located in a neighborhood. Whether in a metropolis like New York or in Portland, Oregon, hotels by nature bring a diverse group of people together under one roof.
2. How Guests Feel
Whether your boutique hotel is luxury, budget, or something in between, guests expect rooms to look and feel good. Design plays a crucial role in hospitality, especially when defining that hotel’s brand or persona. Today’s guests are intuitively attuned to interpret design to fit their conceptions of what a hotel is really like, and if it’s the right fit, or lifestyle, for them.
3. Sustainability and Emission Reduction
Soon after green building became a national movement, hotels started taking a more holistic approach to the overall guest experience. The hospitality industry continues to focus on reducing their carbon footprint by implementing technologies such as automatic light shut-offs and asking guests to reduce water consumption during their hotel stay.
Supporting locally handcrafted and sustainable furniture is the latest boutique hotel trend
Green interior designers always strive to support locally owned and operated businesses for things like hotel furniture and art. Doing this creates an emotional tie between a boutique hotel’s customers and the community. Hotels featuring local craftsmanship and artists also give guests an insight into the local culture and its history.
While hotel design trends in 2017 continue to take shape, business travelers and tourists still want the comforts of home in addition to the luxury experience that comes with top-of-the-line beds and casegoods in guest rooms.
