Hospitality Design - March/April 2013 - 117

group think
The most-anticipated event at
HD Expo is back—the HD/ISHP Owners’
Roundtable, Thursday, May 16th at 9:30 a.m. It’s
our version of speed dating, where attendees
get face time with more than 30 owners,
developers, and brand executives for free-flowing
conversations as they rotate tables every 10
minutes. We caught up with three of our table
hosts, who talk trends and recent projects.
Michele Sweeting
Senior Vice President, Capital
Planning & Procurement
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

What project have you
recently opened that you
are particularly fond of?

In 2012 we opened seven new hotels, so it is truly
difficult to pick just one favorite. But since you
asked, I am going to select the Four Seasons Hotel
Toronto. Toronto is my hometown and where
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts was born over
fifty years ago. It is wonderful to have a hotel in
our city that reflects the service and quality Four
Seasons is known for the world over.

What has been the most signiﬁcant
development in the industry in the
last year?

From our brand’s perspective the most significant
aspect of the luxury hospitality business is the
growth we are experiencing worldwide not only
in our brand, but also throughout the segment.
We have married growth geographically with the
overall travel experience the luxury guest expects,
and we are supporting this need more and more
through our web positioning and social media.

What trends/inﬂuencers are you
predicting for ‘14?

We continue to see that guests want more
authentic and local experiences, whether their
travel is for leisure or business.

Inna Levitan
CEO and Managing Partner
Talon Luxury Collection

What project have you
recently opened that you
are particularly fond of?

We recently opened the Trump

International Hotel & Tower Toronto. In 2012,
it was named the tallest new building in North
America. It stands nine hundred and eight feet
tall and is the fifteenth tallest in the world. I am
proud that our iconic property stands alongside
the world’s best.

Mexico, and a converted castle in Schluesselfeld,
Germany—it is a wonderful conversion that is a
historic castle with a ‘modern’ addition.

What segment seems to be the most
robust these days and why?

Over the past year many brands’ strategies
have been around providing consistency, and
Best Western is no different. We are working
on a design initiative to ensure that the guest
experience is consistent from property to
property while still capitalizing on what makes
Best Western unique—our one-of-a-kind
properties that have great regional appeal. Brands
are rethinking the way they approach design and
their businesses in general, and just because it’s
the way it’s ‘always been done’ doesn’t mean it’s
the way it will continue to be done as we improve
our products and experience for guests.

The high-rise luxury downtown real estate
developments have taken Toronto by storm.
The segment seems to be robust and highly in
demand. Toronto is a financial hub in North
America; there was a definite void in the
luxury segment.

A number of signiﬁcant megahotels have shown signs of ﬁnancial
distress. Have we seen an end to that
segment of the industry for a while?

The high-paying guest expects only the best.
Hotels need to realize that the sophisticated guest
will not compromise on the product and will
demand unprecedented customer service. That is
what we have done.

What trends/inﬂuencers are you
predicting for ‘14?

The global luxury real estate market continues to
show strong momentum. In terms of design, with
the aging population and higher life expectancy,
the relationships between that generation and
their grandchildren will influence the modern
being fused more and more with traditional flare
and nostalgia. I think we will see a great deal of
white backgrounds as the canvas, with colorful
and artistic patterns reflecting expression
and personality.

Amy Hulbert
Managing Director, Design
Best Western International

What project have you
recently opened that you
are particularly fond of or
what’s one you
are looking forward to?

We have so much to be proud of. We are one of
the first major brands to open a property in Haiti
since the earthquake in 2010, which left the area
in desperate need of quality hotels. We also have
a new build Atrea prototype hotel in Monterrey,

What has been the most signiﬁcant
development in the industry in the last
year? For design?

What segment seems to be the most
robust these days and why?

The broad mid-scale market continues to be
successful, as Best Western had its best year
ever in 2012. The brands in this category know
where they fit in the marketplace and capitalize
on the opportunities. Best Western further
enhanced that ability by implementing property
descriptors: Best Western, Best Western Plus,
and Best Western Premier. This strategy allows
customers to choose the type of accommodations
they would like based upon their travel needs.
In addition, we are currently working on an
extended stay prototype.

What trends/inﬂuencers are you
predicting for ‘14?

Trends relative to high guest impact items are big
in 2013 and will likely continue to be important in
2014. Design continues to be a critical driver for
just about every brand. Fitness centers, lobbies,
and breakfast initiatives will likely continue to
be front and center with most brands. Lobbies,
in particular, are an area of focus as brands look
to make best use of this prime real estate in the
hotel. Having an activated, multi-purpose space,
and possibly having the option to make additional
revenue on customer demanded items in this
space, is an area of focus for owners and
brands alike. hd

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