Welcome to the first issue of Design & Build Review Hotels, a new digital magazine dedicated to the design and development of hotels around the world.
In this issue, we take a look at the issues that pushed Japan鈥檚 Henn-na hotel to lay off a large percentage of its robot staff in favour of human workers, examine the meat-free alternatives used to furnish the plant-based Vegan suite at Hilton London Bankside, and find out about the guest-focused development of Form Hotel Dubai, which incorporates novel features that allow visitors to customise their stay.
Plus, we profile prominent hotels that are working to reduce their environmental impact by integrating sustainable features into their designs, find out if hoteliers are ready to bet on voice assistants, round up exciting designs that turn outdated spaces into novel hotel concepts, and take a look at the latest luxury offering聽in Beijing.
Whether you are on an iPad, desktop, smartphone or other device, you can聽聽for free online.
In this issue
Rage against the machine: lessons from the world鈥檚 first robot hotel
When Japan鈥檚 Henn-na 鈥渟trange hotel鈥� opened in 2015 it drew headlines by replacing human workers with robots. But with tales of malfunctions and general ineptitude, many of the droids have been given the boot.聽Ross Davies聽takes a look at what went wrong for the hotel.
Animal alternatives: the plant-based textiles enhancing green credentials聽
Instagram-friendly design solutions are all the rage in luxury hotels, particularly those looking to ramp up the desirability of exclusive guest experiences. In London, food design studio Bompas & Parr has found a way to weave a key consumer trend into the hotel space, creating the 鈥榳orld鈥檚 first鈥� vegan guest suite that is decked out exclusively in plant-based materials. We find out more about the textiles used to furnish the suite.
Form and function: Dubai鈥檚 guest-focused development
Dubai is known for its extravagant and luxurious hotel designs, but a new concept in the city鈥檚 Al Jadaf neighbourhood is making headway for its novel features that allow guests to personalise their stay. We find out more about the guest-friendly design of Form Hotel Dubai.
Eco-friendly design: the rise of self-sustainability in hotels聽
Reducing the environmental impact of hotels is a key issue, particularly for the growing number of eco-conscious consumers who are willing to fork out for a guest experience that ticks both ethical and luxury boxes. Patrick Kingsland聽profiles six hotels and brands integrating sustainable features into their designs.
The smart move: are hoteliers ready to bet on voice assistants?
Just as they sit in many modern households, voice assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, could soon be a commonplace feature in hotel rooms. The benefits for guests and hoteliers are clear, but questions over privacy remain, as聽Ross Davies聽reports.
Recycled spaces: breathing new life into outdated structures
Sustainability in design is not limited to the eco-consciousness of the materials used in construction, but also includes the space that the structure is erected upon. As guests seek out increasingly novel hotel experiences to enhance their stay, we take a look at some of the striking hotel designs that repurpose existing spaces to create innovative guest experiences.
The聽Puxuan hotel and spa: inside Beijing鈥檚 latest luxury offering聽
Designed by Ole Scheeren, the聽Puxuan hotel and spa is the latest luxury offering from urban resort concepts located just a stone鈥檚 throw away from the Forbidden City. We take a look inside the eye-catching design of this unusual concept.
Next issue – June 2019
In the next issue of Design & Build Review Hotels, out in June, we take a look at the rising demand for 鈥榓uthenticity鈥� in contemporary hotel designs, explore Damien Hirst鈥檚 $100,000-per-night Las Vegas Suite, and find out how motels in the UK are revamping the roadside guest experience with luxury designs for budget prices.
Also, we examine Woods Bagot鈥檚 winning design for Sydney鈥檚 first luxury hotel in 20 years, profile notable ways that hotels are using interior design to target well-being trends, and review Peter Pichler鈥檚 designs for Tree House hotel rooms in the Italian Dolomites.
Plus, we take a look back at some of the most iconic hotel foyers throughout history and find out how the 鈥榟ome away from home鈥� trend is influencing the design of modern hotels.
