Interior designers like Sam Sorgiovanni who know their business are never slack in embracing the latest trends in designing the interiors of hotels. Unless they keep up with what is seen as trendy and even necessary to give guests a great experience so they’ll want to come back, they won’t end up at the pinnacle of their career. Rather, their work will soon be seen as passé and no one will want to employ them.

A hotel is no longer just a place to sleep while on holiday. Instead, it should become the highlight of the holiday because it gives the guests such a wow! experience.

So what are some of the latest trends of hotel design?

• Making each room distinctive in design. For instance, one whole wall from floor to ceiling could be an enormous fish tank set up to mimic an authentic reef.

• The lobby is now designed as a multi-function room, which not only saves wasting space, but allows for social encounters, formal talks and casual meetings. The decor has to be innovative as well as functional with plenty of plug-in points, multimedia stations, comfortable seating and creative space segmentation.
• Guestroom configurations have been redefined with additional sofas next to the bed, TV panels that look more interesting, a creative office area and more modern or trendy furniture design. Colours are no longer bland and boring.
• There was a stage where bathrooms were minimised in order to expand living areas. Now the trend is to offer a more luxurious bathroom size with options of an opulent bath or waterfall shower with giant towels, beauty items and his and hers sinks, making the bathroom experience a time to be remembered.
• The hotel restaurant has traditionally been somewhat neglected, but the latest trend is for it to be a destination in itself. Themed restaurants are especially trendy.
• Blurring the boundaries between the indoor space and outdoors is very trendy. This is done by incorporating natural building materials such as timber and stone, but also in other innovative ways, such as using huge picture windows to bring the natural light and scenery inside and by making items such as potted plants, waterfalls and indoor gardens part of the interior decoration. Also by the use of decks and outdoor bars by the swimming pool.
• Adding local art to the design scheme is a great way to define the location of the hotel making it very much about the destination. Whether it is an amazing sculpture than takes pride of place in the lobby, or murals on the guest room walls, local art is the in thing. It’s good for local business too.
• Comfort with personalised spaces, less pattern, more colour and texture and providing a home away from home are all important parts of the whole.