Which hotels around the world have you been blown away by? Las Vegas is home to so many flamboyant structural designs, including New York New York and Caesar’s Palace, that make Sin City so appealing. The architectural cleverness is something which makes hotels so highly sought after. Gather some ideas
Over the last five years, we have seen interesting changes to the hospitality industry. As development consultants, we help organisations deliver built projects across a range of sectors. The leisure industry is one of the key areas in which our business operates, and it is really growing for us. The
Which hotels around the world have you been blown away by? Las Vegas is home to so many flamboyant structural designs, including New York New York and Caesar’s Palace, that make Sin City so appealing. The architectural cleverness is something which makes hotels so highly sought after. Gather some ideas from our guide below and start planning your next escape… The Luxor, Las Vegas, USA It’d be rude not to start with a Vegas delight and, while there are many magnificent choices that could make this list, this Egyptian design is a building which doesn’t gain as many plaudits as it perhaps should. It’s arguably one of the most unusual actual designs in the Nevada hotspot (no weather pun intended!) with 30 floors to take in in the gigantic Sphinx. With huge pharaoh statues welcoming you in the lobby, the Luxor opened for business as the first (and only) pyramid-shaped hotel in Vegas in 1993 and remains an architectural marvel gracing the famous strip. Hoshinoya Fuji, Fujikawaguchiko, Japan Let’s face it — glamping is a worldwide phenomenon these days. There are so many luxurious pods popping up across the globe that could tickle your fancy. The Hoshinoya Fuji in Japan however offers something a little bit unique. Step inside your cosy pod and you’ll be met with an air-conditioned unit with an array of comfortable furnishings and an ensuite bathroom. But what’s so special about this spot? Well, the ceiling-to-floor windows provide an exquisite view of the scenery surrounding you — the awesome beauty that is Mount Fuji. While that may sound great, it gets better! You can step outside your space and onto a private timber decking area to fully bask in the natural glory. The patio isn’t just any plain space either. Instead, it includes hammocks and fire pits to allow you to relax in style. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya Going on a safari adventure is on many people’s bucket lists. But, instead of being in the comfort of a vehicle driving up to the animals, why don’t you let the wildlife come to you? In Kenya you can do just that thanks to Giraffe Manor. This delightful hotel is found in one of Nairobi’s most iconic buildings and enables the resident giraffes to pop their heads through the dining room windows in search of a treat. You really can’t get much closer to living with wildlife! Sun Cruise Resort, Jeondongin, South Korea Have you always fancied a holiday on a cruise ship but are wary about getting your sea legs? This quirky number in South Korea gives you all the luxury of a cruise liner while still being on dry land. With a claim to fame of having the best view of the sunrise in South Korea, the Sun Cruise Resort will see you spend your quality time aboard a liner that is carefully placed upon the cliff top of Jeondongin. With over 200 rooms, guests can take advantage of more than just the views, with a revolving sky lounge, night club, karaoke and sea water pool all on offer. Lover’s Deep Submarine, St Lucia Okay, so sometimes quirkiness comes at a cost — as is evident in this submarine offering. The underwater hotel can be yours for a little over £200,000 per night. Bargain, eh? Well, although this option is head and shoulders above the others on this list in terms of cost, for those with money to burn, this once-in-a-lifetime experience is ideal. Delve beneath the deep blue sea and you’ll have the choice to moor at your own chosen location, meaning you can take in any view you like, such as St Lucia’s stunning coral reef. Not only that, but you can also choose your own décor for the duration of your stay. While this luxury bedroom will be out of reach for most of us, it definitely deserves its ‘quirky’ title. La Balade des Gnomes, Durbuy, Belgium If dogs aren’t quite your thing, this Belgian boutique offers up an array of designs, including a Trojan horse. With 10 rather unique rooms, ‘The Walk of the Gnomes’ to give it its English name is situated in an elegant 17th Century town and gives visitors the choice of rooms that each could be at home on a Tim Burton movie set. Alongside the giant wooden horse on offer, you can also choose from the likes of a Macquarie Island room in which your boat-like bed mysteriously appears to be floating on real water and you’ll also find some sandy stretches! The world of hotels is a fantastic place and each year architects are outdoing themselves and producing some out-of-this-world designs. The main question is, what will the future hold for hoteliers? Article provided by leading UK decking boards retailer: Arbordeck. Sources
Over the last five years, we have seen interesting changes to the hospitality industry. As development consultants, we help organisations deliver built projects across a range of sectors. The leisure industry is one of the key areas in which our business operates, and it is really growing for us. The ‘Air BnB’ effect, as it has been coined, has changed the way people look at hotels. There is much more choice available now, and consumer trends suggest that travellers are booking places which offer more homely and comfortable features in increasing numbers. This is true for business travellers as well, who might be staying away for work, and like the idea of having more than just a room to reside in. Apart-hotels and the serviced apartment sector is expanding, with companies like Staybridge Suite hotels pursuing major growth plans in this area. The company reports that globally, there are 250 Staybridge Suite hotels open, with a further 151 hotels opening in the next three to five years. What is the appeal? More space seems to be key. Travellers benefit from relaxed suites, with fully-equipped kitchens, separate working areas, entertainment and free Wi-Fi. They get the comfort of home, with the benefit of hotel-standard services. Communal areas follow suit, providing further usable cooking, dining and eating spaces, which during the evenings become the setting for hotel organised-socials. For developers, dual-brand hotels – which see hotel companies combining their offerings, so that apartment-style hotels are partnered with more conventional hotels, allowing an element of shared services – are an appealing prospect. Companies are able to share the cost of construction as well as operational expenses, resulting in development savings as well as increasing the likelihood of achieving economic feasibility on a project. The future… The dual-brand offering, which in itself is not a new idea, looks set to increase in popularity. This is arguably the hotel industry’s response to the ‘Air BnB effect’ and to a rise in demand for serviced apartments. Dual-brand hotels will be new to many cities in the UK, although the trend is growing here, following huge success throughout Europe and America. Manchester has recently started construction of its first Crowne Plaza/Staybridge Suite, which is planned to open later in 2018. The Global Serviced Apartments Industry Report 2016/2017 comments that “the future is no longer just a serviced apartment sector or a hotel sector. It is no longer binary. Hotels are introducing apartment-like hotel rooms with apartment style facilities and amenities.” Our experience… Within the leisure sector, we have significant experience in delivering hotels, including multiple projects under the Ibis brand across Wales and the South West and a £16.5 million hotel development in Liverpool that was ultimately operated under the Novotel brand. We are working on a 17 bed extension on the Holiday Inn Express in Colliers Wood, and a refurbishment of the Holiday Inn Express in Cardiff, which we’re doing the contract administration and cost management for. We are also excited to be part of the development of South Wales’ first co-branded hotel, which combines an apart-hotel with a traditional hotel. It’s an interesting time for the leisure industry, and it’s fantastic to be part of a positive movement which responds to consumer demand and provides an elegant solution, which benefits both the developer and the end user.
