Where do you draw the line between a ‘lifestyle hotel’ and a ‘design hotel’? How can design hotels stay edgy as new brands keep entering?

New ‘lifestyle’ brands such as Radisson Red, Venu, Vib and Jen are joining earlier entries such as W Hotels, CitizenM and Indigo to attract Millennial-minded customers. They look and feel like design hotels. In this roundtable, designers and design hotels discuss with Raini Hamdi the future of design hotels amid new concepts such as ‘lifestyle’ hotels:

Design-oriented, technology-savvy and culturally-attuned, aren’t ‘lifestyle’ hotels competition for design hotels?
NERI Professing is different from reality. We obviously have to see the result before making an opinion.

SCHWALIE The guest profile is constantly evolving, so hotels and brands need to adapt their strategies to meet societal and lifestyle trends. This new crop of lifestyle brands is doing just that, targeting the customer who has an eye on technology, who wants to be among like-minded people through networking spaces, etc. We at Design Hotels have always had our pulse on trends right from the beginning. Design is not a superficial marketing tool, and it is an element that breathes and grows with its environment.

AICHER Having realised modern travellers’ yearning for a point of differentiation and unique hotel stay experience, it has become a strong trend among established, big hotel chains to create brand clusters which exude a lifestyle feel, or are design-oriented. We believe that while each brand has a potential to succeed, being an individual hotel property which constantly reinvents its service promise, seeks ground-breaking service propositions – handy smartphones, electric eco-friendly limousine transfers, creative thematic coffee breaks – keeps us at the forefront of the competition.

NAGATA Unfortunately these new brands do not represent competition for design hotels. Design hotels will always be design-focused while lifestyle brands have been created to capture segments of the market that chains are unable to attract with their more traditional brands.

BECK Definitely there are more ‘lifestyle’ choices available than a few years back… We’re quite excited to see how other brands interpret this concept and how they will distinguish themselves from the current players. Competition, yes for sure, but isn’t that what makes the design world exciting and pushes quality?

How do design hotels stay ahead of the new ‘lifestyle’ breed?
SCHWALIE They push the boundaries of design, experience and technology. For example, the growing movement in beacon and other mobile technology allows them to customise a guest visit. Knowing in advance what the guest’s preferences are allows for a more intelligent and personalised service. In terms of the experience, authenticity is the key. Whether for business or pleasure, lifestyle travellers seek places where the architecture, design and ambience reflect the local environment and offer an authentic experience. The challenge is proving that you have a vision, that there is some substance behind the glossy marketing, that differentiates your hotel from the copycats. It is all about individuality, personalisation, recognition, self-education and sustainability.

One of our new member hotels in Umbria, Eremito, is encouraging travellers to make time for themselves and truly get away from it all. With single rooms that evoke the cells of monasteries and an atmosphere that encourages contemplation and soul-searching, they are pushing

the boundaries of solo travel. They have silent dinners in the restaurant; there is no Wi-Fi, TV or phone – the experience is truly about digital detox and self-discovery.

Hotels have also started to immerse their properties within a village environment. Examples include Hotel Hotel in Canberra and Ham Yard Hotel in London. A guest is only a few steps away from the local community and activities, from a haircut, cinemas and theatres to flower shops, a bowling alley or library.

AICHER Both individual travellers and meeting organisers expect certain services to be included in their stay. The Mira Hong Kong has been offering free Wi-Fi since its opening in 2009 – imagine, there are still hotels out there charging you for Wi-Fi or limiting the number of devices you can connect! We listen to our guests and we regularly meet up with department heads to discuss their needs. It’s not always easy to predict what the next step is, but in most cases it’s about the basics.

Who are the current trendsetters in design hotels?
NERI We think André Balazs is always pushing the boundary especially with the Chiltern Firehouse. He has the notion of a winter garden, so he placed a bar in the middle of a space that is usually given to a lounge area. His rooms are large and eclectic.

Also, the Soho (House club) and its community of creative individuals. Edition by Ian Schrager is also interesting. In Asia, Alila as a group is bringing a lot of sophisticated products and The Unlisted Collection has an eclectic mix.

SCHWALIE Eremito, as mentioned above, is right in the heart of the trend towards digital detox and self-discovery. The Firmdale Hotels is also the group to watch.
Georgia is becoming a popular destination and we have two new member properties there, Rooms Hotel Kazbegi and Rooms Hotel Tbilisi. A new opening that is on everyone’s radar this year is Les Bains in Paris, a hybrid development encompassing a club, performance space, a restaurant and bar, and 39 luxury rooms and suites.

BECK The Indigo brand has been successful and is one of the first design hotels in Asia. We’re thrilled that HBA recently completed Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road, the first Indigo in South-east Asia. The vibrancy and bright colours of Bangkok really suit the concept of Indigo and we found lots of inspiration around its energetic neighbourhood to integrate into the design. We are looking forward to more Indigo hotels opening in Asia, but it will also be interesting to see how other brands, for instance, CitizenM, adapt to the local style.

But it seems there are more trendsetters outside Asia.
NAGATA The current trendsetters are primarily in the US. But brands like Ace Hotels, CitizenM and Thompson Hotels are all looking to expand into Asia where there is huge demand. While we see many Millennial-focused restaurants like Potato Head, no one has successfully created a Millennial-focused design hotel.

SCHWALIE Europe continues to be our strongest market, both for new hotels in the pipeline and (as market source).
Overall we are targeting a 10 to 15 per cent growth this year for Design Hotels. In 2014, room revenue into our hotels closed at 189 million euros (US$208 million) compared with 160 million euros in 2013, both through distribution performance and a portfolio net growth of 20 hotels. For 2015, we expect room revenue to surpass 220 million euros and for us to reach a portfolio of over 300 hotels.

What trends are design hotels embracing and why?
NERI A strong social agenda. You see it in Ace Hotel in New York, the Camper hotels in Berlin and Barcelona, Amanpuri in Phuket, Eet Heim in Stockholm, Chiltern Firehouse in London, etc.

Amanpuri, for example, creates a courtyard surrounding the pool and all activities are held in this courtyard. With Eet Heim, the domesticity of the hotel makes interaction easier.

NAGATA Creating new experiences and locally relevant interiors. As hotel guests are inundated with so many experiences, it is becoming harder to curate unique experiences. Fairmont Sanur, for example, has outdoor living rooms and a submerged spa to create such new experiences.

The other trend is to create spaces as if they were born out of the land through the innovative use of local materials and textures. The floor of the guestroom at Fairmont Sanur, for example, is laid out in a handmade grayish green ceramic tile. The colour and texture of the tile, along with the local sandstone walls, help in creating a design respectful of its location.

BECK The lobbies are undergoing the biggest change, from large halls that people just pass through, to smaller, intimate spaces that invite people to stay, lounge, work and socialise. The traditional set-up of people working from their office desk is shifting; people want other spaces to work where they can order a coffee, sit on a comfortable lounge chair and socialise with other travellers while working on a laptop or tablet. The traditional reception desk will soon be merely a part of the lobby, especially with the introduction of self check-in stations and mobile check-in.

Rooms are also changing. Guests like to get the most flexibility out of the room, to be able to work not only from their desk but various locations. They love to have a comfortable bed but would not want to pay for unnecessary things. As a result, some brands omit the bathtub for a more spacious, luxurious shower, for example.

What is the biggest challenge facing design hotels?
NERI So many similar hotels. The challenge is to go beyond the buzz and the opening hype.

NAGATA Brand recognition. In today’s society, where we have so many choices, the recognition of design hotels as a strong brand versus the international chains is often a challenge.

BECK Initially, design hotels were created out of a desire to change the way the
hotel industry works. To not follow one design scheme where all hotels look and feel alike, but to create identities, to rethink what hotels need to be, how to respond better to guests’ evolving needs and build a product that’s based on the people using it. The 21st century guest was the main focus and the concept of the hotel included design, but also technology and service. The challenge will be not to forget that.

Great design does not only look good but is practical and comfortable, making guests feel good when they are using it. Technology should be user-friendly with switches and power sockets in the right place and is easy to understand.

In some cases, we put design above everything; we forget what it’s all about originally. As lifestyles change, we must constantly reflect on who we’re designing for.

AICHER We believe that the most successful design hotels keep guests not only comfortable during their stay, but in a constant state of awe with the hotel designer’s creative vision. And so, style, comfort and functionality are all important factors which need to be fitted in perfect proportions into the overall concept. Being intuitive and user-friendly cannot be forsaken. This often boils down to simple things like light controls, connectivity, etc.

As a hospitality service provider we love delighting customers, we are passionate about design and we connect like-minded people in fond memories.

Kuala Lumpur is striving to become the region’s gastronomic hub, calling enthusiasts’ attention to its first food festival and F&B standards rating system, among other initiatives.

Think food, think Kuala Lumpur! That’s the message Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s tourism unit and the mayor of Kuala Lumpur hope to drive across to tourists, with intensified efforts to position the Malaysian capital into a gastronomic haven of South-east Asia and to develop a comprehensive standards framework, as outlined in the Tourism Master Plan 2015-2025.

Many initiatives were thus introduced in 1H2015. The tourism unit organised Malaysia’s first-ever gourmet food festival, Kuala Lumpur Big Kitchen Festival 2015, in the city from May 29 to 31 at Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square). Food trucks and stalls served all kinds of local, fusion and gourmet items, offering visitors plenty to sample. A hotel dining section satisfied those seeking a finer dining experience.

Kuala Lumpur’s food ambassador,  Norman Musa – who is also the executive chef and co-founder of Ning restaurant in Manchester, UK – as well as other local celebrity chefs conducted cooking workshops and demonstrations to ‘edutain’ attendees on the variety of Malaysian dishes. One of the highlights was the KL Big Kitchen, Big Race, in which 12 pairs of participants raced between Merdeka Square and Chow Kit wet market to retrieve ingredients missing from recipes, drawing on clues provided at different legs of the race.

In fact, in conjunction with ITB Berlin in early March, Norman had given a cooking demonstration to the travel trade and international media at Berlin’s Kochatelier. That was part of his 2015 European tour covering also Paris, Amsterdam and London to demonstrate the art of Malaysian cooking and promote the city’s gourmet scene through a series of hands-on cooking ateliers.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s tourism unit has also recently produced a Food Trails map in association with popular lifestyle publication, TimeOut Kuala Lumpur, for FIT  travellers and tour operators to include in their itineraries.

“The map is a great way for travellers to navigate their way through the food streets of the city,” said Noraza Yusof, head of tourism, Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

The idea is to give exposure to and highlight the culinary attractions in five areas, namely Kampong Bharu, Old Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Alor, Jalan Pudu and Brickfields, covering cuisines of the city’s main ethnic communities of Malays, Chinese and Indians.

The Kuala Lumpur Food & Beverage Quality Assurance rating programme, introduced in February, was part of the tourism unit’s efforts to develop a comprehensive standards framework for dine-in establishments. It is also intended to allay food hygiene concerns among foreign tourists. Food outlets that have been rated will sport ‘Quality Assured Restaurant Kuala Lumpur’ stickers.

Ahmad Phesal Talib, mayor of Kuala Lumpur, said: “This new initiative is meant to raise the standard of F&B establishments and facilitate service excellence. Food outlets are audited based on global industry standards and accreditation is valid for two years and renewable.”

Targeted at dine-in establishments such as fine dining restaurants, café, bistros and fast food chains, the audit covers areas such as hygiene, cleanliness, facilities and amenities, customer service, food variety and presentation, as well as safety and security.

Ahmad Phesal added: “Those who have not yet met the minimum standards required will be provided with a report identifying areas of improvement, in order for them to upgrade themselves to reach the minimum score for accreditation.”

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Malaysia Chapter president, Jagjit Singh Sambhi, suggests that City Hall also provides a listing of accredited restaurants to make it easy for locals and tourists to identify them.

Meanwhile, the city’s iconic street food paradise of Jalan Alor is set to get a major facelift for a more pleasant ambiance. City Hall will invest RM12 million (US$3.4 million) to upgrade the food street through improvements in the drainage system, landscaping and cleanliness. The project is expected to commence in July and be completed within a year.

Luxury Tours Malaysia senior manager, Arokia Das, opined: “It is great that City Hall is taking efforts to improve Jalan Alor, which is so well known among Singaporeans and Thais. Every kind of local food can be found there to suit all palates.

“Food is very important for tourism. Asians and Westerners love to try the local cuisine, and this is one great way of promoting the city – through people’s stomachs. This initiative should have been carried out a long time ago, and it is great that City Hall is putting so much passion into it!”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, June 19, 2015 issue, on page 21. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Nature is no longer Khao Yai’s only draw as high-end accommodation and other offerings keep being added to the national park.

High-end hotel openings and new attractions are drawing more Asian travellers to Khao Yai, as well as helping put the destination on the radar of those with big budgets. However, travel consultants say most longhaul tourists continue to be drawn to the area by the abundant nature and treks that can be experienced in and around the national park.

Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, in which the park is located, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which spans 230km east of the Thai-Cambodia border and is home to some 800 species of birds, mammals and reptiles, including a number of endangered animals. This, and its proximity to the capital – about a two-hour drive on a good day – makes Khao Yai a popular extension to a Bangkok trip or longer tour of the country.

Andre van der Marck, vice president of Khiri Group, said recent hotel openings have helped the destination move upscale.
“The recent development of five-star properties has helped us sell the destination to upper-market clients who were not interested in the destination before due to the lack of five-star accommodation,” he said, adding that most of Khiri’s clients who opt for Khao Yai are nature enthusiasts, active tourists and repeat visitors focused on the environment and are not overly bothered about staying at high-end resorts.

“(A key reason) why we like to include Khao Yai in packages, apart from its ideal location, is the variety of hikes and treks and levels of difficulty. There are dozens of varied jungle trails that can be offered to hikers from first-timers to experienced trekkers. (Our) treks are always conducted by a local ranger from the national park.”

Khiri offers a number of one- to four-day packages in Khao Yai, and van der Marck said the destination can also be incorporated with a trip to Ayudhaya or to the company’s tented camp in Banteay Chhmar in nearby Cambodia.

Beyond the national park and surrounding area, Khao Yai’s longstanding attractions include Farm Chockchai, which runs educational tours, as well as a number of wineries and golf courses dotting the hills. A diverse range of smaller-scale products have also entered the market, such as Secret Art Garden and Khao Yai Art Museum. More recently, educational farm and equestrian centre, Farm Mor Por, as well as integrated amusement park, water park and mall, Scenical World, have come online.

The destination has also become increasingly popular with the domestic market, in particular Millennials from Bangkok. This has fuelled the groundswell of design-focused hotels and contemporary restaurants which have opened along Thanarat Road in Pak Chong district.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has also been more actively promoting Khao Yai over the past two years, both to support the local industry currently suffering from low occupancy during the week and to relieve the pressure on Bangkok from the influx of arrivals from China and Russia.

TAT said its efforts have netted significant results. “Over the last two years, Khao Yai has attracted an increasing number of foreign visitors, including golfers from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia,” said a spokesman from TAT’s Nakhon Ratchasima office, which is responsible for the area.

“The tourism promotion of Khao Yai focuses on positioning the area as a single destination, but with an option of onward travel to Phimai Historical Park or vice versa. The length of stay is about two days/one night or three days/two nights.”

He too, said the addition of new hotels has also provided a boon for business.
However, the upswing in domestic tourism and groups from China and Russia is not without challenges, opined van der Marck. “Loads of local tourists can be quite disturbing for our clients, who usually travel as couples or in very small groups. They are not prepared to see so many people at the park entrance. But once inside under the lead of the ranger, expectations are always exceeded.”

Khao Yai also has to compete with more established Thai destinations such as Chiang Mai in the north and Khao Sok in the south. Tobias Fischer, business development director of Go Vacation Thailand, said while the park has long been part of its tour programme, most of his European clients still prefer Kanchanaburi “because of the border to Myanmar, the history, the Mon hilltribes and the river”.

He added: “But Khao Yai National Park is closer to Bangkok. It’s also the perfect gateway to Isaan. With a growing offer of activities, hotels and golf courses, we see growing demand mainly from our repeat clients.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, June 19, 2015 issue, on page 24. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.