Photo credit: Gensler
This blog post was originally published in HOTELS Magazine.
The hotel experience is, by nature, a refuge from the storm (of a chaotic business day, hours of travel, miles of sightseeing). A clean room, a comfortable bed, a good shower, endless Wi-Fi— these are the bones of refuge.
But they’re also the start of a hotel’s health and wellness program. And, yes, you have one whether or not you have a spa onboard, whether you’re high-end or mid-market. And it’s important for hoteliers to acknowledge, embrace, and market that. Wellness is more than a buzzword and a state of being borrowed from the health-care industry. It’s a way to solidify your brand.
Tangibly: Health/wellness is a lobby that feels cozy or one that’s alive with energy. It’s a memorable scent, an ergonomic desk chair, a rooftop pool, a fitness center that’s not hidden in the basement, a housekeeping staff armed with sustainable cleaning products.
Photo credit: Gensler
Here are five things that all hoteliers should know about designing wellness into their program and physical space along with lessons from the spa experience:
At other hotels and even some urban ones, the entry experience is meant to impart the opposite “aesthetic.” The lobby’s job is to be vibrant and social and feel part of the street/scene. That was the case at the JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton hotels at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Gensler, the design firm where I work, designed these hotels to have a seamless transition from the plaza outside and, by extension, from the happenings at the STAPLES Center. Their lobbies feel connected to that high energy and to the outdoors, and we were mindful of how that connection (via sunlight, fresh air) could be turned into a healthful experience for guests. The real passage—the refuge/wellness feeling—happens deeper into the guest experience, as people transition from those public lobbies to the respite of their guest room.
With lighting, the goal is contrast. You don’t want to have a lot of flat (uniform) light. By varying the type and level of lighting in public spaces, hoteliers can emphasize certain areas and support the designated mood. Many of the new lifestyle hotels seem darker than the norm. That can annoy guests, particularly those who need to get some work done. It’s important to find the medium ground between “too hip” and “dining hall bright.” In guest rooms, provide enough light sources so guests are able to personalize the space for the function they need. Overhead spots, table lamps, floor lamps, bedside lamps—all should play/work together like a symphony with the guest as their conductor.
I recently stayed at a hotel in India (the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai) that made me master of my own personal comfort. With the assistance of a hotel-provided iPad (conveniently situated next to the bed), I could do everything from open the drapes, to dim the lights, turn on the TV, and summon room service with a touch of the screen. It was that easy.
There’s also a movement to integrate some of these public experiences into private rooms. Thus, the entrée of spa suites (with in-room massage tables) and rooms that include fitness equipment. Personally, my favorite water experience was in the bathroom at the Park Hyatt in downtown Seoul. All of the rooms here have showers that are located on exterior walls/windows. I felt as though I was I was bathing over the city—and no, I was not self-conscious. The rooms are high up. I was further distracted by a little TV embedded in the shower wall and then by the fantastic heated floor. When in Gangnam….
Health/wellness is more than a foot massage and good workout (although they count too). It’s attention—and perhaps a more creative attention—to your guests’ well-being, which is something all hoteliers should do and can use to build loyalty and grow business.
Photo credit: Tom Ito
Tom Ito is a principal in Gensler’s Los Angeles office and a leader in the firm’s global hospitality practice. Tom launched that practice at Gensler with the renovation of The Beverly Hills Hotel in the early 1990s and has since developed it on an international scale with clients throughout Asia, the UK, Middle East and Americas. This is the first in a series of blogs that Tom is contributing on design—and its value. Contact him at tom_ito@gensler.com. |