Hospitality Design - August 2022 - 54

perspectives hd expo + conference recap
By Katie Kervin and Alissa Ponchione
OPEN DIALOGUE
Three panels during HD Expo + Conference in April explored
the ever-evolving hotel industry
Lifestyle and Beyond
On lifestyle's evolving defi nition
Markus Schreyer, chief development offi cer, Proper Hospitality: People who
want a specifi c lifestyle are looking to certain brands. This is not a small
movement anymore. It's where the consumer is going. Team members
also play a crucial role. You want them to be a part of the experience. We
recently opened the Downtown LA Proper Hotel, and it's already activating
Downtown Los Angeles. That's the beauty of [lifestyle hotels]. You can really
transform neighborhoods.
Diana Martinez, senior design director, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: Lifestyle
is undefi ned right now. We've had to create gray areas and blurred lines and
really think about what the guest wants.
Kat Kim, vice president of creative, Dream Hotel Group: We're focused
on what we are giving to this community of people who want to have
shared experiences. We're fi guring out how we can create that buzz and
engagement, whether it's with a specifi c program for a restaurant or specifi c
to the market.
Alvaro Montoya, regional vice president, design services, Hyatt Hotels: When
you stop thinking about the defi nition, you have a bett er chance of defi ning
something that is going to feel like a lifestyle hotel. How you translate that
into a physical space is diffi cult because you have to create an experience
that feels like it belongs to the neighborhood.
Molly O'Reilly Swyers, chief brand offi cer, 21c Museum Hotels: Creating
a connection to the community is a big piece of it. With each new
project, we have an opportunity to redefi ne what 21c means in that
community. We're working on a YMCA in St. Louis [slated to open in
spring 2023] with ownership company NuovoRE. We're well-aligned
in that we're both concerned with community engagement and social
impact. Lifestyle brands can have a huge impact by taking a chance
and giving others the courage to invest in those areas as well.
On crafting one-of-a-kind experiences
KK: For projects like the Dream Doha in Qatar, designed by Meyer
Davis, we did a deep dive into the market and submarket. We have
a sporting club with a false storefront. It's a sneaker store with
collectible sports paraphernalia. You open a secret back door and walk
into a beautiful, elegant space that will have owners boxes and F1
racing simulators.
AM: We just opened Hotel La Compañia in Panama City. The owner
came to us four years ago with the idea of restoring an old portion of
the city. We have four buildings from diff erent eras and everything has
a story. It's quite cool to do a hotel by pieces while also restoring the
city. Panama City hotels have always been kind of cookie cutt er, but
the owners are showing the path forward not only for international
developers but also for the community to be part of that development.
DM: We're fortunate at Kimpton because every property is its own
brand, and we can identify what the needs are based on the white
space in the market, what the demand is from a guest perspective, or
what the local culture is expecting. We've opened in Omaha, Sydney,
and Paris, and we have projects in New York; Roswell, New Mexico;
Raleigh, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina. No market is
off limits.
Moderator Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, HD, with panelists Alvaro
Montoya, Hyatt Hotels; Diana Martinez, Kimpton Hotels &
Restaurants; Kat Kim, Dream Hotel Group; Molly O'Reilly Swyers,
21c Museum Hotels; and Markus Schreyer, Proper Hospitality
Hospitality Design - August 2022

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