Major hotel brands such as Hyatt and Hilton have long been the preferred choice of international travellers. They offer the same design and standard of room whether you are staying in London or Los Angeles. Customers were, therefore, happy to sacrifice eclectic design for consistency of comfort.
However, hotel guests have become more discerning about their interior design aspirations in the past 10 years. According to the online magazine Hotel Designs, “Hotels are now styling their rooms in a more natural, hospitable way, combining eclectic elements, contrasting colours and vivid combinations around the rooms. In fact, hotels are enjoying a renaissance of colour.”
Hotel News Now says hotel designers are trying to be bolder and more colourful. They are using local handmade decor, unexpected texture combinations and even vintage fabrics, something frequent travellers will appreciate.
In the UK, independent hotel groups such as Firmdale, Soho House and The Hoxton have set the pace in design terms. Now, they are expanding to include more openings around the world.
Kit Kemp, co-owner and design director at Firmdale, is passionate about creating exciting and vibrant interiors. The group has eight hotels in London and three in New York. If you are looking for an unforgettable design experience, book a room at the Ham Yard Hotel just off Piccadilly Circus.
Soho House is best known as a members' club, but it also has nine hotels in the UK as well as three in New York. The company aims to create aesthetics appropriate to the setting. There is no signature Soho House design as each location integrates architecture and interiors to create schemes which guests aspire to in their own homes.
The Hoxton currently has four hotels in London and another 14 in other prestigious cities. The Hoxton Shoreditch was the company’s first hotel. All the bedrooms have wooden parquet floors, large mirrors, simple fabrics and industrial features. These attributes reflect the history of the area and how far it has come.
The Highfield Town House in Birmingham has 12 suites in a beautifully restored Victorian House. The hotel is managed by a company called Peach, which has a number of hotels and pubs in market towns in the heart of England.
Their modern approach sees retro, luxury and contemporary design collide. Antiques and Farrow & Ball paint are just as prevalent as wall murals and self-check-in. There's certainly no lack of character here.
The Witchery by the Castle offers a range of opulent suites in Edinburgh, each one unique with its own special features. Lavishly furnished suites display gothic touches. There are large oak and four-poster beds, velvet-lined walls, flamboyant red and gold décor indicative of the style, as well as separate seating areas and large bathrooms with free-standing silver baths. It's imbued with romance and splendour, ideal for sharing.
Celebrated for her captivating living spaces that invite guests on a joyful journey of discovery. Join us on our voyage into the whimsical world of Kit Kemp design to learn how to achieve her look in your own home.
After a stay at London's Ham Yard Hotel, Americans Jeffrey and Pam were so taken with the hotel's iconic modern-British interior, they decided to recreate their own bedroom in the same style as a lasting reminder of their visit.
All imagery has been sourced from the hotels websites