LAS VEGAS— The 2006 Hospitality Design Expo brought a wide variety of architects, designers, owners, purchasing agents and vendors together to explore some of the latest industry trends, including retail programs, changing guest demographics, communication between owners and designers and the future of design.The more than 8,000 in attendance at the Sands Convention Center here also got a first-hand look at a sampling of the newest products.
At an educational session titled “Hospitality Goes Retail,” an expert panel gathered together to inform attendees about the rapidly expanding trend of hotels adopting retail programs in response to the increasing number of guests requesting items such as bedding and furniture be available for them to purchase.
A major part of what’s driving the trend, according to Catharine Arnston, CEO, Hoteluxury, is consumer demand. “About 6% of the population uses an interior designer but 100% of people want great design,” she said, pointing out that the lifestyle/boutique segment which features “highly styled” product, is the fastest growing hospitality segment. “Consumers are more affluent, sophisticated and design savvy, but they’re too busy to shop around…You’ll have people buying from you that haven’t even stayed at the hotel.”
Anna Mancebo, vp, spas and retail services for Marriott International explained how the company’s new retail program is an important part of its reinvention process, known as Revive. “The customer demand will reinforce the brand, supports our strategy and keeps us meaningful to our customers who want exclusive, custom items,” she said, noting that Marriott’s Renaissance brand will be next for a retail store and that the company expects to launch its current retail program internationally in the very near future.
To take a look at the next phase of design, the “Designing for the Future” seminar focused on how the emerging Generation X traveler places a high priority on the total guest experience, a major part of which, is design. “More than the Boomer generation that preceded them, Gen-Xers view sophisticated architecture and design as part of life,” New York University Tisch Center dean Lalia Rach told attendees. “They’ve grown up with a high level of technology and just assume that the design of both the guestroom and the hotel’s public spaces will incorporate these advances.”
While technolgy products had a sizeable presence on the show floor with everything from plasma televisions to touch-activated bathroom fixtures, residential-style furnishings in neutral colors were also on display in abundance.
These earth-toned color palettes clearly have many designers turning to flooring to bring flair to a space. At LilyJack’s booth, the company’s furniture sat atop a polished stainless-steel floor and at Milliken & Co., one of its colorful, customized carpet designs caught the attention of Steve Wynn, according to the company.
Glass-beaded wall coverings at Maya Romanoff had many attendees talking and first-time exhibitor Swarovski created a buzz with its sparkling booth full of mainly potential protoype products that ranged from crystal studded sheets and towels to crystal-accented tables and lounge chairs. “This is a chance for us to see new products and to get to know vendors better in a nice, relaxed atmosphere,” said Elizabeth Grimsley, director of hospitality design for Leo A. Daly’s Washington, DC office.
Meanwhile, designers and hotel brand manager panelists in the “Sensory Perception Meets Brand Perception” session reported they were concentrating more on incorporating as many of the senses as possible in their hotel projects. “We’re conscious of using different elements in the hotel design to heighten the overall guest experience,” said Steve Sherman, Westin Hotels’ director of design. “We bring this consciousness to bear when developing new brand standards, while still taking into account local and regional preferences.”
Addressing the ongoing back and forth between owners and designers, HOTEL BUSINESS® group publisher, Stacy Silver, moderated a session with a panel comprised of members of both groups.
Since one of the major issues between the two is budgeting, the owners’ side of the panel explained at what point they share the budget with a designer. “It really depends on the type of project,” said Gregory D. Casserly, president/COO, Tarsadia Hotels, who noted that while some budgets are presented up front, oftentimes, the budget can also evolve during a project.
The designers were in agreement that with regards to project budgets, honesty from owners is always the best policy. However, Rebecca Jones, principal, R.D. Jones & Associates, noted soaring construction costs have made the task of creating an accurate budget extremely challenging. “When a project budget is presented six months prior to construction, what was realistic then is not now,” said Jones. “The vision becomes a real struggle…We’re all left saying ‘how are we going to do this?’” She explained that designers are faced with having to reduce the specs and scale of a project due to budget constraints.
When asked what they look for when choosing a designer, the most popular responses among the owners represented were experience and chemistry. “Every project is different,” said Raul Leal, president, Tecton Hospitality. “We look at the quality of their work as it relates to our project as well as their creative energy and ability to execute.”
Michelle Acevedo, vp, interior design, Tishman Hotel Corp., added location was also a factor. “We like to explore the local market [when looking for a designer]. That way, they will have easy access to the property. We don’t want to repeat the same design so we are always looking at new designers,” she said.
Designer Kay Lang, principal, Kay Lang + Associates, advised that owners be sure they meet with who will be handling the project. “Know who the team is…the large firms can do a ‘bait and switch.’ If you are the owner, you need to ask ‘who’s dedicated to me?’ You want a talented designer, a good project manager and a strong core team.”
When the panel was asked to cite their main pet peeves when it comes to dealing with each other, ego was the main complaint. “We know designers are the experts— we want someone to say what works and what doesn’t…[but]ego can be a definite issue on both sides. Everyone needs to keep an open mind,” said Leal.
From the designer’s perspective, George Scammell, vp, ForrestPerkins added, “Sometimes the owner forgets they hired us to help them…it all goes back to communication and chemistry,” he said, advising designers and owners meet before a project begins to reduce confusion and potential problems.
HD Expo also explored the relationship of hospitality and residential design. In a session called “Are the Hotel and Housing Industries Converging?” architect and designer panelists looked at the blending of what previously had been mostly distinct real estate entities.
Fueling the trend has been the rise in the number of high-worth individuals who want multiple residences. “These are people who may own homes in a number of desirable locations, both urban and resort, though no one home is their primary residence,” explained Marriott Vacation Club International corporate vp, Tim Levin. “Accordingly, they move back and forth between them.”
Outsourcing was also on the minds of many attendees. The International Society of Hospitality Purchasers (ISHP) held a session that focused on the growing impact China is having on the manufacture of furniture, carpets, textiles and other goods. “There are tremendous opportunities in dealing with Chinese manufacturers in terms of pricing, but also tremendous challenges when it comes to quality control and logistics,” said Dan Dobin, Valley Forge Fabrics president.
Scheduling for shipment of finished goods can be a significant challenge in itself, noted Audit Logistics’ president Darlene Henke. “Given the level of demand, you don’t want to miss your shipping date because rescheduling can lead to lengthy delays,” she said.
— Bruce Serlen contributed to this story