As holiday season approaches and this spell of bad weather appears to be sticking around forevermore, we’re looking at the designs behind the places stay when we’re not at home. These are the places we rely on (and pay good money for) when we want to get away. Hotel guests have now got higher expectations than ever before and more choice than ever before. Good hotel design offers bespoke and personal touches to make their brand stand out against the rest – providing a memorable yet seamless experience.

Hotel interior design has to practical, performance of the design scheme is key to providing a place that caters to it’s employees and guests alike. The layout of any hotel goes far beyond spacious bedrooms with the need for effortless yet distinctive way finding, welcoming lobby areas, meeting rooms, kitchen and catering, gym and spa facilities.

Great design instigates superb service and in an industry where hospitality meets comfort and privacy, every aspect of the hotel’s functionality must be considered. Hotels are notoriously difficult to get right. So many parts of the puzzle have to fit together in order to create what would probably be deemed a satisfactory experience. Guests are often harder to please than you would expect which can make the process of designing an outstanding hotel seem like something of a miracle.

From the ease of entrance to the welcoming atmosphere of the reception area – the customer’s experience of the space has to be immaculately designed from the moment they arrive, to the second they leave. The goal is to impress – considered lighting, fabrics, furnishings, brand identity and colour palette throughout the entire project whilst appropriately specifying product dependant on the use or function of the room.

Creating a sense of brand identity doesn’t have to mean splattering a corporate logo throughout the premises. Subtle hints of specific colours or shapes running through the entire design scheme can pull an entire project together. Whilst the desired ambience in the restaurant or dining area will be different to that in the reception area or bedrooms it’s crucial that each space feels like it belongs to the same establishment in order to ramp up the brand loyalty and return custom.

At WyldeIA we design places to work, learn, rest and play in. Hotel design brings all of these concepts together ; design for remote working, business meetings, conferences, relaxation and leisure. Getting it spot on is understandably a challenge – but when designers get it right, they really do impress!