The triumph of design over function

Functionality seems to have taken a backseat to design in the recent movement towards all things trendy and cool. Here’s a list of hip hotel trends –

– Ultra cool rooms without alarm clocks OR alarm clocks that are hidden OR invisible OR impossible to figure by a rushed traveler! Time is money and it’s important to keep it simple!

– Trendy furniture placed awkwardly around the room – a hotel I stayed at recently, had a couch in an alcove surrounded by walls while a window overlooking the airport had a vacant area. Unconventional but not exactly functional?

– Bathrooms with transparent glass walls – what about the business traveler and their need to conduct meetings in the room?

– Expensive marble shower stalls without soap racks – Unusual but inconvenient.

A design that enhances the guest experience will not only outlast fads but also redefine expectations, thus serving its true purpose.

Published by

Vijay Dandapani

Co-founder and president of a New York based hotel company for 24 years. Grew the firm to five hotels in Manhattan and also developed a greenfield project at MacArthur airport, New York. Speaker at numerous prestigious forums including Economy Hotels World Asia, Lodging Conference, NYU, Columbia University Real Estate Roundtable, Baruch College's Zicklin School and ALIS. President and ceo of New York City Hotel Association since January 2017.