Back from Vegas! I had the pleasure of exhibiting at HD Expo and attending multiple hospitality inspired events in Las Vegas and NYC, including #ToastyTuesday. Tracking the trends on hospitality design, there is a noticeable paradigm shift. The guest experience is influencing the way branded and boutique hotels deliver on the wants and needs of the modern day traveler.

ASI had another successful HD Expo show, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center, launching 5 innovative materials that speak to designing for the original brand experience. We had a positive response to Crossfuse™ Wood Panels, FORM Concrete Porcelain, and Structura™ Eco-Panels, complementing our full offering of interior finishes.

#Toasty Tuesday

Another memorable Toasty Tuesday! This monthly NEWH networking event showcases hospitality design and is a great way to see the latest NYC Hotels!  Heather Maloney, VP of Design Chelsea Hotels led a group tour of the Martha Washington Hotel. The boutique hotel, built in 1903 exclusively for women, has been restored to be spacious, comfortable and exclusively for everyone. Another trend I noticed is guest bathrooms are getting a lot of special attention to detail, as seen in the stone porcelain tile installed in Chevron patterns in the image below.

Held at the Haworth Showroom, a captivating panel, moderated by Nancy Jackson, ASI President, discussed Customizing the Guest Experience in Hospitality and how the landscape is changing. They also touched upon trends to note when crafting a customer experience and how a brand now competes with Airbnb's authentic and local offerings. The guest journey now begins through social media and designing the perfect backdrop setting for a "selfie", which is all part of the mix when creating a sense of place.

The traditional hotel lobby is being refreshed in a more dynamic and functional way. Hospitality giants like the Marriott are melding the business center into these public spaces for a comfortable and communal experience. One example highlighting this concept was debuted at HiConnect 2015, in the Club M award-winning vignette incorporating ASI materials (ASI was a proud sponsor). Another trend I am seeing is the size of guest rooms are smaller and pared down, keeping only the essentials for a traveler while encouraging guests to be more social and migrate to open areas in the hotel.

Marta, a new restaurant at the Martha Washington Hotel designed by Selldorf Architects, is a great example of this trend (and one of my favorite dining spots!). It is located right next to the façade, enticing hotel guests to dine before checking in and people passing by to stop in for a taste of Chef Nick Anderer’s amazing cuisine and celebrate an occasion!

Attending NeoCon? Please stop by ASI at Booth 8-2130 at The Interiors and Sources Materials Pavilion, June 15-17, to view WHAT'S NEXT® in materials for Corporate Environments.