Full-facility and spot-renovations are natural parts of hotel life cycles. Often viewed by owners and operators as a necessary evil, the redesign process should instead be viewed as an opportunity to improve the guest experience, over-deliver on the brand promise and implement a revenue-based master plan to strengthen incremental profit centers.

Tom Hoch

Public spaces

In a major (yet subtle) demographic twist, today’s business traveler is more likely to be Generation X or Y than baby boomer. The way these 25- to 40-year-olds perceive public space is dramatically different than older travelers (who used to seek privacy even in public spaces). They tend to be more social, and prefer more open and inviting spaces to spend their time.

With that in mind, open spaces can pull an entire room together, while offering guests immediate access to the reception area, restaurant/bar, spa and fitness centers. High ceilings and wide-open rooms with no separation are ideal. The space creates energy and community between guests, which enables them to linger within the space, increasing money spent on food and beverage, merchandise and gifts.

High-tech toys

Using advanced technology isn’t a new design concept for guestrooms at many high-end and boutique hotel properties. Amenities such as headboard-embedded speakers, adjustable lighting, and iPod and MP3 docking stations are common throughout the industry. But this same attention to technological detail often is overlooked in the design of a hotel’s public spaces. Incorporating top-of-the-line electronics in the lobby, reception areas, bar/restaurant and fitness facilities create a superior guest experience that builds brand loyalty among tech-savvy, Gen-X and Gen-Y travelers. Access to virtual private networks or secure networks can also be a deciding factor for event planners selecting a property for corporate retreats and large meetings.

More than LEED

The hotel industry, especially in the boutique and luxury brand categories, has been on the leading edge of “going green” for many years. Properties targeting environmentally sensitive business and recreational travelers need to take green to the next level to stand apart.

For example, reclaimed lumber can be used as hardwood flooring instead of carpet. Or unique pieces of furniture can be taken from raw materials. Tom Hoch Design recently used air-dried, sawmill-cut walnut planks for a custom table. Designed and built by artisan craftsmen, the table has “live edges”—meaning the edges were preserved before varnishing, giving the table a beautifully authentic appearance. The natural gaps and holes within and between the wood planks, each 12 feet long, were filled with more than two pounds of high-quality turquoise. The result is a beautifully crafted, custom piece that tells a story and embeds itself in guests’ memories.

‘Edgy’ with style

The beat poet Jack Kerouac had it right: “Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.”

During the renovation process, hotels can dress up spaces without risking a design that’s too trendy, and thus quickly outdated. There are several steps that hotels can take to avoid falling into the trap of trendy design. Anchor the interior with key architectural details that can easily carry throughout the structure, like paneling, columns, ceiling treatments, timbers and beams. Accent the room with custom furniture and fixtures that speak to the brand and character of the establishment. These intimate details are evergreen, and become lasting focal points as the establishment ages.

To give character to the room, style it with pictures, rugs, décor and other adornments that can easily and cost effectively change as styles evolve. This approach makes for easier updates and renovations, while the interior architecture installs itself as permanent character elements.

Tom Hoch currently serves as President and Creative Director of Tom Hoch Design. Mr. Hoch has over 25 years of design experience gathered from numerous hospitality design assignments nationwide and abroad. His Oklahoma City based company was originally founded in 1963 by Mr. Hoch’s parents Tom and Joanne Hoch. He leads the company’s successful involvement in high-end hospitality, golf clubhouse and resort related designs both nationally and abroad. 

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