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Today, there is a large reshuffling of hotel ownership and operations, affecting all segments and concepts. At this point, when faced with selecting a designer, find a firm that understands the hospitality business -- not only from an operating or standards viewpoint -- but above all, from a marketing viewpoint. A popular marketing expression is to think outside the box. It is a given that hospitality designers acquire appropriate knowledge and design disciplines to create a smoothly functioning hotel. It is all about designing for the hotel guest and his or her lifestyle. At MACCI Design Studio, they create an entire Lifestyle Statement for each projected guest profile. They then pair the lifestyle habits with the appropriate property and its location. Then they create a story and chart that describe Jack, the hypothetical guest. This statement is their control in designing the appropriate hotel for their clients.

Copyright Penton Media, Inc. Sep 15, 2004

Too often, designers design what they want and not what is best for a lodging property. This is especially true of boutique hotels, where there isn't a large management company looking over their shoulders. Designers may achieve a striking personality for the project, but is it the right personality? And, does it satisfy hospitality guests and meet their expectations? This delicate balance requires a professional approach.

Today, there is a large reshuffling of hotel ownership and operations, affecting all segments and concepts. These will undergo market repositioning. In all scenarios, it is critical that, when renovating a property, the design be a function of marketing.

At this point, when faced with selecting a designer, find a firm that understands the hospitality business-not only from an operating or standards viewpoint-but above all, from a marketing viewpoint.

A popular marketing expression is to "think outside the box." In our business, the box is the hotel-the physical structure and the daily operations. It is a given that hospitality designers acquire appropriate knowledge and design disciplines to create a smoothly functioning hotel. Most large management companies publish their own standards manuals that will dictate minimum solutions and requirements for these functions. Mastering this functionality is essential for a design firm to enter the arena of hospitality design. This awards a firm the opportunity to participate in the selection process for the hotel-the box.

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The illustration shows this box. At this point, it's important that designers not take the box and fill it with what they want-the latest trends or fashion-without regard to the hotel's marketing objectives.

IT'S ALL ABOUT JACK

The illustration shows the hotel guest, "Jack," jumping "out of the box. " It's all about designing for the hotel guest and his or her lifestyle.

Take the marketing and feasibility studies and filter out the demographics. Define the guest mix and create lifestyle scenarios for each guest type: resort, business, local food and beverage guest, etc. There most likely will be more than one Jack, or hotel guest profile. Each will have a different lifestyle statement.

At MACCI Design Studio, we create an entire Lifestyle Statement for each projected guest profile. The story line we create will answer questions like what car does he drive? Where does he shop? What does he buy? What magazines and books does he read? Where does he dine and what does he do for sports and entertainment? What are his attitudes toward service? Does he dine alone or with a group? What will he wear when he is dining?

We then pair the lifestyle habits with the appropriate property and its location. Island resort? Cosmopolitan business hotel? Then we create a story and chart that describe Jack. This statement is our control in designing the appropriate hotel for our clients.

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Our firm prepared the above chart for a new boutique hotel collection, Rani. A "Jack" was selected for each of three different locations. The chart displays projections of Jack's lifestyle habits, which guided our design process.

Part two of Mary MacDonald's series will discuss how to include market research results in the design process.

Baltimore's Brookshire Suites have a new look

Gray cement and black windows have been transformed into a work of modern art, with dancing shapes and electric moves. Designed by artist Michael Brown, the hotel now matches the energy of the city's Inner Harbor.

Meyer Jabara hotels tapped Brown to spruce up the exterior. For inspiration, Brown walked through the Inner Harbor. His choice to change the dull gray cement to white and to use the windows to form abstract shapes was triggered after seeing the U.S.S. Constellation's white and black design, the National Aquarium's many shapes and the energy of the area's crowds.

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