Global Update - Trends

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 11/1/2006

Fashion Forward

Fashion designers launching hotel concepts continues to be a hot trend across the globe. One of the newest and most fashion-forward to date is Sixty Hotel in Riccione, Italy. Created by the owner/founder of the Miss Sixty label, Wichy Hassan, together with Studio 63 Architecture + Design, this cutting-edge hotel seems straight out of a music video—complete with funky colors, graffiti art, oversized furniture and mood lighting. Twenty-five different artists/designers were invited to take part in the project, creating 40 different art pieces, guestrooms and public space designs. The colors and lighting change throughout the day to set the mood. And, a unique feature of the hotel—which targets the well-heeled, 20-something set—is that all guestrooms include a Web camera so guests can talk to each other, the goal of which the owner says, is to create “a community-friendly hotel.”

Sweet Suites

Kids’ programs—from babysitting to kids’ clubs—have become increasingly popular at resorts as a way to attract more families. The newest trend taking hold is themed kids’ suites. For example, the newly renovated Holiday Inn Resort Phuket in Thailand added 11 such suites, decorated with a pirate theme. “Being surrounded by water and coconut trees it seemed natural to choose a pirate theme,” explains General Manager Wolfgang Meusburger. Children get to sleep in nautical-themed rooms complete with boat-shaped beds and a wall mural depicting a pirate ship on the ocean. The suites also come with an abundance of toys (water-themed and otherwise), their own television and Sony Playstation video games. “The idea is to give families and kids a holiday experience to remember. It definitely drives repeat business,” Meusburger adds.