With travel all but shuttered by stay-at-home orders in the spring of 2020, hotel architects and interior designers were alternately anxious and stimulated: Their livelihoods were under threat, but they also found themselves brainstorming about how the shape of hospitality might be permanently altered by the pandemic.

“I don’t know if we could have ever imagined what has happened in the last two years,” said Mary Alice Palmer, director of hospitality interiors at HKS. “At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty and confusion about what we’d be in for.”

A global firm with research staff and experts in several areas of design, HKS started investigating materials that would be easy to clean and developing systems for converting hotels into triage centers and other health facilities.

“During that first year, a lot of projects [launched before the pandemic] stopped. Among the projects that continued, the thinking was, basically, you want the guest to come in and not touch anything,” said Paul Taylor, president of Stonehill Taylor, a hospitality-focused architecture and interior design firm. “For example, the doors of an elevator might open, and the guest would just walk in and say what floor they’re going to.”

Then, as scientists learned that Covid-19 spreads more readily through the air than from surfaces, it became clear that the shifts would not be so monumental. But even though the more drastic changes under consideration did not come to fruition, the pandemic nonetheless has clearly altered hotel design.

In some cases, such as in the adoption of new technology, the pandemic accelerated existing trends. In other areas, such as room design and decor, Covid-19 sparked new directions. And now, as the world enters its third year of the pandemic, the impact on general hotel design philosophy regarding common areas and guestrooms is coming into focus. 

“A lot of these hotel projects have a horizon of a year or two out, or even longer,” Taylor said. “Eighteen months ago, the degree of concern was 10 out of 10, but now it’s more like a 2 or a 3 out of 10. Design is changing both because of technology and how the pandemic has changed our lives.”

Authentic and local by design

With a better understanding of how Covid-19 is transmitted and how traveler behavior and preferences have changed, hotels today are investing with a very different mindset about how properties function in both guest-facing areas and behind the scenes.

First, similar to airlines, air circulation and filtration systems have become a health and marketing point, and hotels, especially newbuilds, are investing in more sophisticated systems. 

“The key part is the mechanical systems,” Taylor said. “HEPA filtration systems, increasing the fresh air component — that’s something we’re doing in all of our projects. Typically, most of the indoor air is recycled, with a small percentage of fresh air added to it. So, the more fresh air that’s added and the more it goes through filtration, risk is lessened. That’s something that’s difficult to retrofit, so it’s best done during the initial construction.”

Additionally, design is being influenced by the boom in drive-range travel and an increased focus on marketing to local communities.

“We’ve always aspired to engage a local community when we design a project and make it relevant and unique to its location,” said Tom Ito, principal at Gensler Hospitality. “But that has become even more important.”

Ito said demand is coming from people who, even if they’re not staying at the hotel, are looking for a nearby place to meet friends and relax. 

“Or they may go to a hotel to work or have meetings. Hotels have found a new revenue stream while occupancy is down, and community involvement brings a lot of life into the hotel.”

Even as air travel and international tourism rebounds, Palmer said she believes the drive-range trend will stick.

“The desire for drivable destinations in close proximity to large, urban areas continues today,” she said. “I think that’s still on the rise because people are realizing the fun of getting out on the road and seeing America in a different way.”

As a result, inviting spaces, notable artworks and unique food and beverage offerings have become crucial and have pushed more properties toward lifestyle hotel features.

“One trend is in the choice of using more sustainable and local materials and product,” said Alessia Genova, managing partner at Tihany Design. “That’s been there before, but I think it has become more relevant. And I don’t think the supply chain will go back to the way it was quickly, so that’s another incentive to look local.”

Hotels have also embraced new technology during the pandemic, from check-in kiosks to QR codes, mobile apps, entertainment features and novel ways of communicating. 

“One of the biggest things we’re seeing is the convergence of technology, people and space to drive connected, immersive experiences,” Ito said. “For example, at the Atari Hotel, the facade of the building is an e-gaming screen, and at check-in, guests will have their own avatar that serves as a way of communicating with others at the hotel. It’s all being driven by differentiated and new experiences to engage guests.”

Common spaces

The pandemic-driven evolution in design means more emphasis is placed on common areas that serve multiple functions and offer outdoor space. “Lobbies, restaurants and other public spaces are being designed to be a lot more flexible,” said Lisa Rapp, hospitality principal at the Hawaiian architecture firm AHL. “A lot of hotels are moving away from those really large, heavy, monumental pieces of furniture, because once those are set in place, they’re very hard to move around. What we’re really looking for now is flexibility.”

The new way of thinking about hospitality is reflected in how quickly the hotel lobby is being transformed. “The big counters where people lined up and had five or six employees waiting to check them in are going away,” Rapp said. “You’ll see kiosks or pods but also other ways that people can check in. They can do it on their phone on an app, or a roaming hotel staff member might check them in on an iPad.”

And as traditional reception desks are being replaced by digital check-in options, lounge spaces are increasing. 

Another trend: All common areas, including ballrooms, fitness centers, restaurants and lounges, are more likely to come with access to the outdoors, even in cold-weather climates.

HKS explored heated umbrellas and heaters under tables, among other ways to make outdoor venues more enticing. 

“You make it an event rather than an inconvenience or something unpleasant,” Palmer said. “We have seen that in New York, this was something that people picked up on and enjoyed. It’s cool how it expanded the way we think about F&B offerings and including indoor-outdoor experiences. It’s really one of the biggest drivers in design now.”

With remaining uncertainty regarding the return of conventions, meetings and business travel overall, hotels are also developing more flexible event spaces. Several designers said they expected to see more hybrid events in which people can attend in person or virtually, leading to spaces that will be smaller but need more technology. 

“You go back a few years and you always put in a business center when you designed a hotel, but I don’t think that’s the case any longer,” Genova said. “The pandemic made operators think: ‘Do we need this?’ And the same goes for meetings spaces, which might remain, but on a smaller scale. You will always have your ballrooms because this is a very good, sellable space, not just for meetings but for weddings and other events. It will be more multifunctional and adaptable to leisure as well as business.”

Guestrooms

The desire for more flexibility has extended to guestrooms, as people are increasingly dining, working and exercising in their rooms, sometimes all on the same day. That has led to consideration of furniture that is easily moved or convertible and to adjustable lighting to satisfy guests, regardless of whether they’re in work or relaxation mode.

“For quite some time, the guestroom desk or work surface has been evolving. And that sort of very specific desk with a task chair will go away, and eventually rooms will morph into a more flexible space that serves many purposes,” Palmer said. “So maybe you have an area that can be the lounge and workspace, with multifunctional furniture, and it opens to an outdoor terrace.”

The rising demand for outdoor access has also driven surging interest in alternative lodging styles. 

“Glamping has boomed as a result of people wanting to be outdoors but also wanting a lot of the comforts of a hotel,” Ito said. “So we’re doing a lot of high-end, luxury tents, yurts, that type of thing. That’s something I did not expect to take off quite as big as it has.”

One clear trend born of the pandemic is a shift toward new materials and less clutter in guestrooms. Instead of carpets, hotels are installing tile, laminate or hardwood flooring. 

“It’s not just the materials being cleanable. It’s also the perception of cleanliness that guests have when they’re looking at the materials,” Rapp said. “As designers, we are being mindful of choosing items that are durable and easy to sanitize. Design is leaning toward clean lines and less clutter. Things like room service menus and brochures are being removed. People will perceive the room as cleaner if there are fewer surfaces that can gather dust and germs.”

New considerations

These concurrent developments in the industry have given architects and designers a lot to consider as they plot functionality and feel across every area of a hotel. While Covid-19’s full effects on hotel design are still unfolding, the early trepidation that the hospitality landscape had undergone a sea change has faded.

“It’s still all about engaging with people and human connection. That’s here to stay.” Ito said. “That’s the bottom line — providing opportunities for people to engage and interact, to be safe and to enjoy themselves. I do see the integration of live, work and play getting even stronger. Whether it’s Cabo or the Middle East or any project around the world, we’ll be seeing more developments that engage a lot of different uses. It’s exciting and provides a much stronger guest experience.”

BY TOVIN LAPAN