Design Hotels

The growing wave of individual and social awareness is driving a desire for transformative experiences, leading to a rise in demand for remedial pursuits and psychedelic retreats.   With advancements in science and technology, immersive experiences like virtual reality are also becoming more sophisticated, offering safe ways to alter brain activity related to self-awareness and achieve transcendent states.   Uncover more about how science and design converge in our recent report on the field of neuroaesthetics: https://lnkd.in/eK93dHk8

In a recent webinar, we encouraged our hotels to join our Conscious Commitment: to start measuring impact data or get green-certified by 2025. In the presentation, hosted by Elin Kann, Madeleine Dias de Rezende, and Allison Reiber DiLiegro, we discussed how hotels can start tracking their impact data, how to choose a green certification and start the process, and the many benefits that come from doing so—from marketing and storytelling to staying up to date on new legislation. Thank you to all who attended and to those who signed up for the Conscious Commitment. We are excited to have you on board! And a special thank you to Matteo Murzilli, Christiane Wassmann, and Alexander Otto Wassermann for sharing your experiences with us. #DesignHotels #ConsciousJourney

In the summer issue of IDEAT Magazine, our VP, Global Brand Leader, Sarah Doyle, shares her travel essentials, what makes a good hotel great, and what's on the horizon for Design Hotels. "Each of our hotels is led by an independent owner with their own vision. Our portfolio is highly divers, ranging from eclectic, colorful Firmdale Hotels PLC in New York and London to the Scandinavian aesthetics of the Nobis Hospitality Group in Europe, and the distinct minimalist GRUPO HABITA properties in Mexico."

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to our Americas portfolio, Drift Hotels. With properties in San Jose del Cabo, Nashville, Santa Barbara, and Palm Springs, Drift Hotels is committed to creating a modern hospitality experience that mindfully connects with the local culture. The aesthetic is clean, minimal, raw, and organic—with roots in Baja Californian architecture—and the vibe is friendly and relaxed. Discover the four unique Drift locations at our website. https://lnkd.in/e-m_CuRr #DesignHotels

“I have a deep respect for craftsmanship,” Tomoki Matsuyama, the founder of Onko Chishin—a collection of special destination hotels throughout Japan—tells us. “For producers, creators, chefs, storytellers, and shokunin (master artisans) who dye a place with their own unique color and tell a site-specific story.” We had a chat with Tomoki about the magic of ryokan, his experience working with Tadao Ando, and why he believes small hotels are essential. Read Tomoki's story and learn what we can expect from him next. https://lnkd.in/exXKMrJh

From synchronized activities such as dance, to collective listening experiences such as concerts—when we gather in a shared experience, our brains align, and hearts beat in sync, boosting our emotional intelligence and promoting empathy.  Science shows we thrive in environments that facilitate social connection. So how can we create experiences and spaces more intentionally to foster a greater sense of community? Uncover more in our cultural study on how and why to design for community here: https://lnkd.in/eK93dHk8

We are proud to share that our Asia Pacific portfolio has been honored in Travel Leisure Co. Asia's prestigious T L Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2024. • Trunk House: City Hotels in Japan • Patina Maldives, Fari Islands by Patina Hotels & Resorts: Resort for Families in the Maldives • Antonio Saponara, GM of Patina Maldives, Fari Islands: Resort General Managers for the Maldives • The Mira Hong Kong: Hotel Pools in Hong Kong and Hotel Spas in Hong Kong • The Slate Hotel: Beach Island Resorts in Thailand Congratulations to these incredible teams for their dedication, and thank you to Travel Leisure Asia for recognizing their hard work

Last week, the Design Hotels team listened in on a conversation between Éva Goicochea—the Founder, CEO, and Director of maude —and our own Kurt Slanaker. Since it launched in April 2018, maude has been featured in over 1,700 publications, including Vogue, The New York Times, and Fast Company. Éva is one of only 10 Latinas to have raised more than $10M in consumer goods and was selected as one of Forbes Next 1000 in 2021. We heard about the “why” behind starting maude, the challenges she’s faced, and the historical circumstances she has overcome to make maude into the global brand it is today. Thank you, Éva, for joining us!

Last week, we set off for the Austrian Alps to meet some of our Originals at Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel. With this soulful hotel as our base, we got a taste of the culture, art, and—of course—cuisine of the Zug Valley. We had lunch and a walking tour through the valley, visited Anthony Gormley’s Horizon Field installation, and were awed by James Turrell’s latest Skyspace project. To cap it off, we were treated to a spectacular 15-course meal at Rote Wand's Chef's Table. Thank you to joschi walch and the Walch family for having us! !

To celebrate Pride Month, our very own lucy deverall has put together an exhibition of her photography to show at our Berlin HQ. Milk Teeth is a lyrical documentary in which the artist's internal world becomes manifest through a merger of staged and documentary photography. Deeply collaborative and concerned with the lack of female, lesbian, and bisexual representation within photography, this series celebrates the medium's capacity to make desire (for beauty, meaning, closeness, fluidity, fracture, love, and loss) manifest. Thank you lucy deverall for sharing your work with us! Discover the rest of her work here: https://lnkd.in/e2yqNUNz