Travel & Hospitality Awards | Travel Innovation, Design & Technology 2020 | www.thawards.com

Travel Innovation, Design & Technology
2020

TEAM
CEO
Robert Bruce
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Katherine Lozell
ART DIRECTOR
Marcs Bacera
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Stanley Lucas
AWARDS DIRECTOR
Brian Anson
EDITORIAL LIAISON MANAGER
David Hyde
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Azim Aftab
SENIOR WRITERS
Aisha Ahmed
Jacqui Irvine
Joseph Wilton
Tasmai Dave
SENIOR DESIGNERS
Antoine Jackson
Hafiz Arslan
AWARDS MANAGERS
Adam Cole
Alice Smith
Joyce Lee
Peter Clement
Zach Ford
RESEARCH MANAGERS
Jerald Jaime
Mukul
Contents
Criteria 4
Technology Trends 6
Travel with out travelling? 10
Travel & Blockchain: Is there use case? 14
Value of Guest Engagement Platforms 18
WeBee 22
Innovative Marketing 24
3Sixty Digital 28
Top 5 Hotel Architecture 30
Interior Design Bold Minimalist Vs Magnificent Maximalist 34
2 3

CUSTOMER SERVICE
STYLE & DESIGN
MENU & DISHES
MARKETING & BRANDING
DIVERSITY
LOCATION CUSTOMER REVIEWS VALUES & APPROACH
Excellence in Service is an important
category, as customer service can
often responsible for repeat diners.
We look for restaurants where
staff go out of their way to please
their guests, those that provide a
It is no question that style and
design is key factor in selecting
our award winners. A guest will
form an opinion about a restaurant
as soon as they arrive, so it is
important to us that all our winners
personal level of service and take make those first impressions
the time to get to know each visitor
so that they might anticipate their
every need. This can be something
as simple as a friendly conversation,
a manager who offers a personal
greeting or a chef who is happy to
adjust based on dietary needs –
but whatever it is, we are always
pleased when we encounter staff
that have been trained in the art of
customer satisfaction.
count. We’re certainly not partial
to a specific period of architecture
– but whether we’re judging a
gothic castle or an environmentally
friendly lodge, the criteria remains
the same. We consider factors
such as architectural features, use
of materials, creation of spaces,
décor and the overall feel. We love
it when we find a restaurant that
tells a story though its interior and
exterior features or offers a design
that is sympathetic to the natural
Criteria
surroundings of its location.
While the ambience and services
of a restaurant are important, what
really defines it is its menu and the
dishes in it. We pay special attention
to the courses that are available in
the menu and even look into how
it’s set up. Balance of the menu is
especially important. A restaurant
that serves multiple dishes that
balance each other out to give
the customers a perfect meal
experience is seen as an authority.
The cuisine options are taken into
consideration too; be it a local
cuisine or an international one. The
sourcing of the ingredients is an
important factor as well.
In today’s modern age, a restaurant
cannot rely on word of mouth to get
their message out into the world.
As social media has become a vital
part of everyday life, we like to see
companies that go the extra mile
to engage with their customers,
both past and future. Attractive and
informative websites and engaging
and honest content are what we
look for when judging a company’s
use of marketing; how well they
display their services, how up-todate
their content is, how well they
get their brand message across,
and, most importantly, how well
their marketing can tempt us to go
and see what they have to offer for
ourselves.
Diversity is one important aspect
that needs to be taken into
consideration when in the travel and
hospitality industry. It is essential to
have staff that has varying diversity
to ensure that the organization can
properly connect with their guests.
Diversity is taken into account in
terms of gender, nationality as well
as languages spoken among other
factors. Not only do we take the
diversity of the staff into account
but even that of the facilities and
services offered; a hotel or tour
operator providing a better range of
services is preferred over those that
do not.
Location is one of the most
important factors, but also one of
the most subjective, as the ‘ideal’ is
very much determined by the type
of visitor and the type of restaurant
itself. However, there are a few
factors we take into consideration
when determining the winners of
location-based awards. The first
is convenience; that is, restaurants
that are easy to travel to. Many of
our winners in this category are
in convenient locations, such as
adjacent to popular attractions,
close to beaches or found in the
heart of easy-to-navigate cities.
We’re always excited to come
across a restaurant that is, to use
a familiar phrase, off-the-beatentrack.
A restaurant that can offer
something a little different, in
terms of natural surroundings,
can make the difference between
a good dining experience and an
incredible one.
What better way is there to know
about an organization than
by getting first hand reviews?
Customers are the best judges of
any service as they are the ones
who experience them and can
assess whether they were up to the
mark or not. Considering reviews
from hundreds of customers over a
set period gives us a fair idea about
the general pros and cons of any
organization while also giving us
valuable inputs for the other criteria
as well.
The approach taken by the
restaurant whether it be Innovative,
traditional or anything else are
considered when deciding winners.
Values and approach illustrate
the dedication of the restaurant to
deliver a specific type of experience
for their diners. This is evident in the
food, source menu, presentation,
the staff and
4 5

Technology Trends
The remarkable rise of the internet
over the last two decades has had
a profound effect on the development
of new and exciting technology that
has positively enhanced the industries
of hospitality and tourism. In the last
decade especially, the use of Information
Technology in the travel industry has
been pivotal in the reduction of overall
costs and improvement of customer
satisfaction. With the travel sector being
one of the most profitable in the world
and one that is continuously expanding,
it is critical that businesses keep upto-date
with the latest technological
advancements. We have outlined below
three of the most popular tech trends
currently gaining a lot of traction.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Although the term might bring to mind
futuristic dystopian landscapes ruled
by robots that have enslaved humanity,
AI is in fact regularly embedded within
the travel and hospitality industry.
Simply put, it refers to computerised
programs that can learn to carry out
tasks that would normally require
human intelligence to perform. This
has the enormous potential to save
businesses money and effort by
making it possible for tasks to be
performed around the clock in very
little time.
AI-enabled platforms without the
use of dedicated human staff have
become the norm and are currently
part of most online booking systems
in the form of chatbots or virtual
assistants. And given that AI systems
naturally improve their knowledge
base by learning from customers’
behaviour, they can be used to provide
a more personalised travel experience.
And the application of AI in the
travel sector is not confined to the
field of customer services. More
and more companies are using
intelligent systems to automate
most of their onerous data analysis
and management projects and
draw conclusions about business
performance.
6 7

Recognition Technology
Recognition technology is currently
taking the travel industry by storm.
Facial and fingerprint recognition is
widely available worldwide and helps
streamline passengers’ journeys and
reduce unnecessary waiting times.
Biometric identifiers are now also used
in some hotels to allow a smoother,
more personalised check-in process as
well as provide access to rooms without
the need for key cards by simply using
fingerprints.
Facial recognition can also help
improve overall security protocols by
identifying guests’ identity and allowing
or forbidding access to certain places.
But surely one of the most exciting
functions of recognition technology
is the ability to complete payments
without the need for cash or even credit
card.
Immersive Visual Experiences
Virtual Reality (VR) and
Augmented Reality (AR) are
two trends that have exploded
in the tech industry and are
now also being applied in the
travel sector. They are currently
being used for virtual simulation
of travel destinations and
accommodations- a type of
very realistic ‘try before you
buy’ experience. Recent studies
have shown that enhancing the
pre-booking experience with
VR or AR has shown a 40%
return on investment, making
this a very promising option for
the future of travel. Even more
interestingly, VR can help users
immerse themselves in a digital
environment when, for whatever
reason, they are unable or
unwilling to travel.
8 9

Travel with out
travelling?
Immersive visual experiences such as
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual
Reality (VR) are the latest creative
additions to the ever-expanding industry
of travel and hospitality. These trends
have come a long way in a relatively
short time in the tech industry and are
usually associated with video games
where users can immerse themselves
in a virtual world and even manipulate
objects and engage in certain actions.
VR hardware has seen a dramatic drop
in price in the last 5 years and this has
started to increase accessibility and
use.
But how exactly are immersive visual
experiences apply to travel and tourism?
Does it work and is it a trend that is likely
to be profitable?
In a recently published Adventure Trends Report,
VR was amongst the most popular trends in the
travel industry, although its development is still
at its infancy. With the need of consumers to buy
‘experiences’ rather than products on the rise,
VR offers a potentially attractive way of allowing
customers a ‘test-drive’ before they pay. Imagine
being able to climb the top of a snowy mountain
or scuba dive alongside manta rays deep in the
Red Sea- without ever having to leave your living
room.
10 11

The industry often refers to the
functions known as the ‘3 Es’:
Enabling, Escaping and Enriching. At its
current state of developing, Enabling
is by far the most obvious function
of VR and it usually applies to the
very early stages of the customer’s
journey. Travellers spend a lot of time
researching, googling images and
videos of particular places but VR does
away with that. Planning ahead using
VR might help reduce disappointment.
Many companies already offer AR
versions of their products, be them
hotel rooms or travel experiences,
that can simply be accessed by the
customer’s smartphone. Escaping
can help customers literally escape
from mundane long journeys and
unpleasant experiences by immersing
themselves in whatever VR has to offer.
And Enriching refers to enhancing the
traveller’s experience once they are
already at their destination.
One of the most exciting possible uses for VR is
to cater for those who are unable to travel. Some
companies are currently experimenting with
attending to the sense of wanderlust of those
who cannot visit destinations far away maybe
due to health or mobility reasons. From a more
ethical perspective, it can even help with overtourism
as customers can visit places without
actually being physically there.
But there are potential downsides as well. VR programs and platforms
can be very costly to develop and implementation and investment
can be a considerable risk given that there is no real hard data about
their overall usefulness or customer popularity yet. And there may a
paradoxical side effect too: if virtual reality can someday provide an
inimitable travel experience without the need to actually travel, how
much of a threat is this to the travel industry? Might it stop customers
from spending thousands of dollars on booking planes, hotels and
experiences?
It’s early days yet for VR in the travel industry but it’s certainly a trend
to keep an eye on.
12 13

Travel & Blockchain:
Is there use case?
Blockchain technology has
revolutionised the way transactions
are being carried out across the world. To
simplify this rather convoluted concept we
could say that ‘block’ refers to blocks of
digital information and ‘chain’ is the public
database where this information is stored.
The digital information stored consists of a
variety of data including transaction details
(such as date, time, amount paid etc),
and encrypted identity details with unique
identifying codes for each block.
One block can hold thousands of transactions.
Once complete, a block is stored on a
database that is publicly available. Because
of the way it is designed, a blockchain is
very hard to crack and therefore less prone
to hacking. It is decentralised, which means
that no single person has more control over
this information than anyone else. So in
order for a transaction to be accepted, it has
to be verified by every single member that
has access to that particular chain. This is
currently changing the way we think about
information storage and offers a promising
solution to serious security breaches.
Applications to the travel industry
Planning and paying for a trip require the uploading of very sensitive, personal
information on different online platforms such as booking agents, airline
companies or accommodation providers. Information such as bank and
passport details are regularly sent to different online companies and whether
they like it or not, customers place a lot of trust in this process. Only last year,
5 million passport numbers were stolen from a top international hotel chain,
further calling into question our current security paradigm. Blockchain could
potentially make this process a lot safer and more transparent given that this
information is stored in a way that makes it almost impossible to alter or hack
into, so both financial transactions and the storage of information become
simplified and more secure.
Security aside, the aspect of having
a decentralised service means that
there is no need for intermediaries.
Although online booking agents
offer customers to browse through
thousands of hotels or flights,
companies often pay at least
15% commission to be able to be
advertised on such platforms. By
taking out the middle man, service
providers can minimise associated
fees and connect directly with
customers.
14 15

Identification and Tracking
Ever had the displeasure of arriving at
your destination only to find out that
your luggage didn’t? Cue endless hours
of frustration, waiting to discover where
your suitcase ended up in. Luggage
often changes many hands especially
during longer trips and Blockchain can
make it easy and transparent to trace it
at all times
Blockchain could also enhance
customers’ identification process during
travel, which is often a time-consuming
and onerous process. This technology
has the potential to drastically reduce
waiting and standing times at airport
queues.
It is yet to be seen whether Blockchain
will take over and disrupt the travel
industry as we currently know it.
Judging by how other tech trends have
already started making an impact, it
may not be that long before we see it
change the way we think about travel
altogether.
16 17

Value of Guest
Engagement Platforms
Customer satisfaction is the
number one predictor of
successful sales revenue. With the
staggering rise of social media over the
last 2 decades, more and more salesrelated
interactions take place on online
social platforms. Traditional telephone
and even email communications are
being slowly phased out and replaced
with more technologically savvy, often
automated intelligent interaction
systems. In this fast-changing online
universe, customers’ complex multidimensional
needs remain the highest
priority.
Customer Engagement Platforms
are the newest tech trend arrival set
to revolutionise the way different
types of businesses interact with their
customers.
What is a Customer
Engagement Platform?
Also known as Guest Engagement Platforms,
these are comprehensive systems that help
centralise the entire journey of a customer’s
experience, even past the sales point. The aim
of such a platform is two-fold. First, it serves as
a way of optimising customers experience and
offering them a superior service, tailormade
to their specific requirements. Second, it
enhances businesses’ operational efficiency
and reduces associated costs, therefore
maximising revenue.
You can expect a Guest Engagement Platform
to contain a range of tools including email,
chat, social media, calendars and notes. It
is a way of efficiently organising customer
data and can be designed to offer real-time
response to customers’ needs. They have
integrated intelligent tools including behaviour
analysis and virtual assistants that are able to
contextualise behaviour and offer appropriate
solutions.
Optimising Customer Experience
A business is nothing without satisfied, loyal customers. Engagement
platforms strengthen the bond between business and customer in a
variety of ways.
– they can learn the customers’ pain points and address them effectively
in very little time.
– they can minimise effort on behalf of the customer and make whatever
process smooth and
– they offer a portal of instant response where customers can give
feedback via the platform in real-time.
18 19

Helping businesses perform
better by:
– providing automated data management
saving time and cost
– offering high-quality service across all
domains of a customer’s experience.
Practical Applications
Webee Guest Engagement platform offers
an all-inclusive tool that makes it possible
to interact with guests in real-time during
all stages of their journey. At the click of
a button, guests can do anything from
checking in to their toom without the need
for key cards to arranging for laundry to be
picked up on demand. The App is extremely
intuitive making it easy and stress-free to
use for both staff and guests who want a
smooth experience. Mid-stay surveys is
another function of the app (and one that
is being adopted by many other online
travelling platforms), giving customers
the option to flag up any issues during the
stay and allowing staff to iron out potential
problems so that customer satisfaction
is guaranteed and the relationship is
strengthened further.
Guest Engagement Platforms are
becoming increasingly popular
with many well-known companies
already integrating them into their
existing systems. With the current
pace of technological innovation,
such systems will likely replace
older, outdated forms of customer
interactions.
20 21

Turkey Tel + www.getwebee.com
WeBee
Europe | Guest Engagement Platform
WeBee is a brand new Hotel solution that aims to strengthen Guest
engagement. Specifically designed to take into account the busy rhythm of
modern day life, WeBee does away with the middleman. It is no longer necessary
for Guests to queue endlessly simply to check in their rooms. Remote check-in
and keyless entry are just two of the many technological innovations available.
WeBee makes it possible to interact with guests in real-time during all stages of
their journey.
From laundry requests, to room service and wake up calls, all is done via the App at
the click of a button. Perfect for hardworking business people or tired visitors who
want the smoothest experience possible. The App is extremely intuitive making it
easy and stress-free to use for both staff and guests.
WeBee gives Hotel Managers the
ability to tailor-make interventions
based specifically on their guests’
wishes and behaviours. Guests
can receive targeted offers and
suggestions at any time during their
stay and can modify those using the
versatile platform from their phone,
tablet or desktop.
Satisfied customers leave satisfied
reviews. WeBee mid-stay surveys
ensure that your guest is completely
pleased with the service they are
receiving before it is time to check
out. If anything is flagged-up as
substandard, staff have the chance
to rectify the situation immediately.
This shows excellent customer
service skills and improves the
bond with the guest. Post checkout
guests have the option to stay
in touch via the app, increasing the
likelihood of future engagement.
22 23

Innovative Marketing
Techniques
Powerful marketing strategies
are crucial to the success of any
business no matter how big or small. They
help identify and target specific audiences
and develop profitable products. The
unprecedented rise of digital marketing has
made it possible for companies to create a
strong online presence by harnessing the
benefits of a multitude of platforms, to both
obtain new customers and deliver services
to existing ones.
The travel sector has a large audience
with the global market generating over
$1.3 trillion annually. Whereas less than 2
decades ago people depended on travel
agents or Teletext and took chances
based on pictures they saw on brochures,
today’s online platforms make it possible
for customers to research extensively
in a relatively short amount of time
before buying. It is a well-known fact that
people have hundreds of interactions
with companies while investigating travel
destinations.
From all the digital marketing platforms,
social media is by far the biggest influencer
and has changed the way people travel, with
Facebook and Instagram being the Top 2
most used platforms. Both offer a great deal
of user engagement through different types
of adverts, content promotion, live chats and
visual stimulation. Facebook is fantastic for
building brand awareness and ads are highly
customisable to suit the different stages of the
customer’s journey.
Instagram is an equally powerful tool for building a following and many
brands use it to regularly reach out to their audience. In fact, in a recent
study, ‘Instagrammability’ was the most crucial factor for Millennials
on choosing a holiday destination.
Both platforms offer integrated video marketing options and according
to studies, approximately 50% of users will actually act after watching
a video ad.
But irrespective of the platform used, perhaps the most important part
of a company’s marketing strategy ought to be an awareness of the
different phases of the customer’s journey.
24 25

Stages of the Customer’s Journey
Google analysed user behaviour and
identified 4 key ‘micro-moments’, all of
which are important entry-points for
influencing a potential customer and
eventually leading to a purchase
Dreaming: this is the preliminary phase
where there are no fixed plans and
customers are browsing for ideas.
This is quite an influential stage of the
journey and first impressions of travel
brands will really make an impact at this
point.
Organising: with a destination pinned
down, customers are now in the
process of choosing dates, flights and
accommodation. This is largely done
through the use of search engines and
travel brands ensure their website and
products have a carefully optimised
presence in the search results.
Booking: with choices narrowed down, customers are now
ready to book. This is a crucial moment and brands often
make this as smooth a process as possible, with inviting
call-to-action buttons and fast-loading pages.
Experiencing: with the holiday now a reality, this is a more
relaxed but still exciting part of the journey. Travel brands
can offer a variety of options for ‘things-to-do’ while the
customer is on their holiday.
26 27

127 Hampton Rd, Bristol BS6 6JE, UK Tel + 44 117 911 3734 www.3sixty.co.uk
3Sixty Digital
United Kingdom | Travel Digital Agency
We’ve inspired 1000’s of users to book
holidays and travel experiences that they
will never forget. We love the sector and
want to help as many people as possible
find their dream trip. We are here to make
a difference, to drive results, and to inspire.
www.instagram.com/3sixtystudio/
www.twitter.com/3SixtyAgency
www.facebook.com/3SixtyAgency/
We create websites and digital solutions for travel brands and launch various
travel products of our own. Our focus is on providing exceptional user
experiences, which, in turn, ultimately drive commercial performance.
Over the past few years, this has led to a number of leading travel brands experiencing
record-breaking years with 3Sixty at the fore. We are dedicated to helping brands
boost website conversion, utilising digital platforms to improve team efficiencies,
boosting travel brand profitability, and for all our clients, helping them produce the
highest revenue-generating performance in their history.
28 29

Architecturally
Inspiring Hotels
Though architectural design might
not seem to be one of the top criteria
for choosing a hotel or resort for most
travellers, for the design-conscious
customer it is a key priority, especially in
the field of luxury travel. More and more
people opt for upscale boutique hotels
and elegantly refurbished properties
instead of regular chain hotel stays.
We’ve scoured the globe to bring you
the Top 5 hottest designs.
boasts floor-to-ceiling
windows, combining
old Chiloé tradition with
modern architecture.
Portions of the hotel are
raised on stilts to cause
as little damage to the
ground as possible
and this gives the hotel
an unusual, almost
futuristic feel.
Tierra Chiloé, Chile
Perched in a prime location on the edge
of a cliff on the island of Chiloé, this
stunning hotel offers unprecedented
views of the Chiloé archipelago lying
just off the coast of Chile. The hotel’s
distinctive architecture is in line with the
stunning surroundings, with a wooden
exterior that is reminiscent of the
traditional churches in the vicinity. The
hotel is situated on green, unspoiled
pastoral hills with spectacular vistas of
the nearby channel. The ground floor
Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo, Monaco
A well-known retreat frequented by the rich and famous, Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo reopened
its doors in 2019, after an extensive 4-year renovation project. The property has retained its
signature Belle Epoch façade, with lavish decorations reminiscent of by-gone eras of the late
19th century. The Hotel now features upgraded lavish accommodation including the new
Princess Grace Suite, an extravagant 2-bedroom property arranged over two floors and featuring
some of the Princess’ favourite items on display. Add to this a sea-facing glamorous SPA and
a range of dazzling restaurants, it is easy to see why this place is a favourite of the crème de la
crème.
30 31

Park Hyatt, Bangkok
Bangkok is a metropolitan city rife with
spectacular high-risers offering one
of the best skylines in the world. Park
Hyatt offers a safe Haven high up in
the sky, a protective sanctuary from
the intensity of the urban jungle that
is modern Bangkok. The architecture
of the building is wonderfully irregular,
with the steel exterior forming a threedimensional
figure of 8 with curved
corners while the interior is filled with
free-form elements that exude an
intimate and calming vibe.
Al Bait, Sharjah
Recently named UAE’s
most luxurious resort, Al
Bait combines traditional
heritage elements with
features of contemporary
architecture. This is a luxury
escape that retains important
archaeological findings of the
area as part of its architectural
structure and parts of the
development are over half
a century old. It combines
the traditional Arab feel with
finer touches of luxury, paying
homage to traditional Sharjah
architecture, making this a
very charming destination
in an underrated part of the
country.
32 33

Interior Design
Bold Minimalist Vs
Magnificent Maximalist
Minimalism
The minimalist movement in the field of
architecture started in the 20 th century.
It is a design that is characterised
by austerity and parsimonious use
of resources. ‘Less Is More’ is the
overarching guiding principle. It aims
to retain only essential elements and
do away with anything unnecessary.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is the German
architect first credited with outlining the
basic principles of the movement. He
advocated the use of modern materials
such as steel and glass and promoted
the idea of large, open spaces designed
in strict geometric shapes. This concept
draws attention to the few elements
used and makes them stand out more.
Minimally designed interiors are often defined by simple, often black and white
or at most binary colour palette. Furniture is usually designed in very simple
geometric shapes and monochromatic tones. Spaces tend to be open plan
and without partitions and often feature clever storage solutions. For example,
cabinets and shelves can easily be built in or attached to walls, thus saving space.
Because of its simplicity, minimalist design has gained a lot of popularity in recent
years. There are obvious benefits to this trend. Minimalism is all about ‘trimming
unnecessary fat’ and is therefore beneficial for anyone without much space
to spare. In that way, smaller scale hotels can make the most use of space by
reducing clutter and creating a more spacious interior. A well-designed minimalist
hotel can also bring guests more peace of mind by creating a sense of calmness
and serenity, further enhancing their stay (it’s not surprising that a lot of SPA
interiors are designed with minimalist principles in mind!)
34 35

Treehouse in Sweden is a fantastic
example of minimalist design done
well. Imagine living in a cube-shaped
room made up of mirror that reflects its
surroundings, suspended up in a tree in
the northern region of Lapland. Though
each room has a different theme and
tells its own story, they are all designed
in classic Scandinavian Minimalist
style. With very simple interior design,
this is the closest you get to living with
just the bare necessities.
Maximalism
In exact opposition to the minimalist movement,
the Maximalists are governed by an equally bold
principle: ‘The Bigger, The Better’. Maximalism
has been evident in music, literature and the
visual arts at the end of the 20th century and was
the rather obnoxious answer to the stingy use of
materials and space in the field of interior design.
The movement encourages making the most of a space and utilising
a wide variety of elements and resources. Maximalism uses a bold
colour palette and embraces the idea of excess. Think busy, bright
and textured interiors filled with repetitive patterns and graphic
representations. However, far from it being a movement that promotes
hoarding and cluttering, there is a method to the seeming ‘madness’ of
maximalist interior design. Colours and patterns are carefully weaved
together to avoid messy and intimidating results. Although this style
can be daunting at first glance, once the eye gets used to the busyness,
intricate themes begin to emerge.
36 37

Interiors will often feature some
very unique statement pieces with
a backdrop of a combination of
styles such as Art Deco and Eclectic.
Maximalism is a very emotional style,
often bringing up strong and passionate
feelings, as opposed to Minimalism’s
somewhat sterile vibe. ’Connecting the
dots’ is an expression often used by
Maximalist aficionados and it refers
to ensuring there is a sense of careful
continuity in the seemingly endless sea
of visual stimulation. A stay at a hotel
with a maximal design is in and of itself
an adventure, a potentially unforgettable
experience that stimulates every sense.
Hullett House in Hong Kong is one interesting
example of maximalist style with an eastern
twist. Being the oldest building in the city, the
hotel retains its heritage by integrating historic
photographs, hand-painted murals depicting life
under the Tang Dynasty with an overall Kitsch
aesthetic. Each suite showcases a different
theme designed in a gloriously maximal style.
Still undecided? Fear not. London’s Curtain hotel has designed the first
half and half hotel suite. The room is literally split right down the middle
of the bed and features both styles in equal proportions. Which one will
you gravitate towards?
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