Design 2147 CEO Sisto Martello recently spoke with Kenneth Branyan, President of Bill Rooney Studio, about the latest in hospitality design. Here are some important takeaways from the conversation.
Q. How does your firm approach hospitality design?
A. The guest is at the heart of everything. Our clients trust us to deliver an environment that makes guests feel pampered and cared for and valued. How that is executed for each property is informed by the brand, the guest, the location, and the history. Ours is not an “our way or the highway” approach. Our role is to create the best, most elevated, custom solution. That’s going to be different from client to client. For example, the Liberty Hotel in Boston used to be the Charles Street Jail. How that property is re-envisioned and refreshed is going to necessarily be different from, say, the Peninsula Chicago, which we also did. There isn’t a “Bill Rooney Studio signature design”; there are instead many, many signature designs that uniquely reflect brands and endear guests.
Q. What is currently the biggest challenge in hospitality design?
A. For properties in the United States, I would say “money.” In other parts of the world, there’s more of a “sky’s the limit” approach to what design and development will cost. In the U.S., owners and developers are – not wrongly – focused on the business side of hospitality in a different way. How do we not only recoup our investment, but earn a profit? The challenge, which is really the opportunity, is creating an elevated guest experience that fits within a more limited budget than you might have overseas. This requires creativity and a willingness to think differently about everything from spaces to materials.
Q. What are some of the things that developers and owners need to consider when commissioning a hospitality space?
A. It’s all about creating luxury for the guest. That is true whether you’re a mid-range hotel or a five-star destination hotel. “Luxury” is relative to your brand and your market and what your guests are looking for. Every property can have its own version of luxury, and that’s what will set you apart from your competitors.
You also need to remember that you’re competing against not just the property down the street, but possibly a property in another country as people choose destinations to recharge. Then, once you do your ideal property, you probably need to revisit it every 5 or so years to refresh it, maintain your competitive edge, and keep people interested in coming back. You have to continually earn and re-earn your guests. If you’re not prepared to make decisions that will make you competitive, you’re going to have an uphill battle.
Q. How have considerations for hospitality design changed over time?
A. Probably the biggest thing that has changed hospitality design in my career has been the smartphone. People can see what other hotels look like without traveling to them, and they can photograph and post to social media when they are guests on-site.
This means brands, developers and guests are all more aware of what’s possible. Clients will ask, “I saw X at this other hotel, can we do that?” Part of our role as designer is not to copy but to figure out how to create something that is even more inspiring that also fits with the client’s brand.
On the guest side, they are able to compare properties much more thoroughly and evaluate not just which hotel they will stay in, but which destination they want to choose based on the hotel experiences that are available there. This is in the planning stage. Once they are at the property, they, in a sense, bring their own camera crew in the form of their phone, and every part of the hotel is part of the scene. We have to think about the guest experience as the physical, in-the-moment experience, but also how the physical space photographs. One example of this is the Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons New Orleans. It’s a really beautiful space that feels very other-worldly and also creates sort of cinematic backdrops no matter where you’re seated. The photographs and videos that guests take become part of the hotel’s identity, and, perhaps more importantly, the guests’ memories.
Guests are aware of more than they were even 10 years ago, so they expect more.
Q. What predictions do you have for the future of hospitality design?
A. Hospitality design will continue to be about pampering the guests. At the Four Seasons Downtown New York City, for example, we’ve created unique suites that feel like an elevated extension of the guests’ home. They can be personalized, no two are the same, and we commissioned custom bespoke pieces that really make the guests feel special. We think of it as giving the room a soul, which in turn feeds the guests’ souls. What will make the guest want to spend an extra day at your hotel just because they have such a great experience?
You can do that at different types of hotels, too, but you have to think about, how will we create this transformative experience and remain competitive with other hotels within the resources we have? Knowing what can be substituted in a VE phase without compromising the aesthetic and the feel is crucial. People interact with their hotel rooms using multiple senses, so it’s not just about what a particular fixture or furnishing looks like, it’s also what does it feel like? Does it feel like luxury? This is something we really enjoy. It’s a lot of fun.
