Four Ways Hotels Are Changing

We assume hotel sheets are being changed. But what else? Try demographics in travelers (including more females, Millennials, and inter-generational groups), which means new designs. We dug up four ways hotels are vastly different from a decade ago.

1) Reinvented lobbies

Say goodbye to the front desk, says Gensler principal Nancy Nodler, who's based in Houston. Today's travelers are content checking in and out on their smartphones. But while the front desk is shrinking, the lobby itself is growing. That's because we're moving away from walled-off areas and into open multi-functional space. The lobby is also moving (not literally, we don't have that kind of balance), thanks to the trend toward mixed-use development; Nancy tells us those properties often want hotel offerings but want to keep retail on the ground floor, pushing the lobby to the second story.

2) Feminine amenities

Nancy says women business travelers (like this one in Houston's Hotel Sorella) are the fastest-growing segment, and hotels are noticing. Many women traveling alone don't want to let in room service, but neither do they want to sit conspicuously alone in the restaurant. That's pushing hotels like Houston's upcoming Hyatt on Sage to include a market concept with made-to-order, grab-and-go fresh and healthy food. The formal restaurant is shrinking, and Nancy tells us those are often including communal seating options. Also geared to women: Increased daylight, reading materials in the rooms, and amenities like brand-name moisturizers. (Though let's be honest, we could all use it... dry skin doesn't consider gender.)

3) Targeting a social conscious

Millennials (who now make up 13% of business travel bookings) want to stay somewhere that aligns with their values, and they're willing to pay extra for it. That often means hotels that are greener and healthier. (They need a million electrical outlets as well.) Nancy says that can lead to some fun amenity offerings, like yoga instructors on site or hotels hosting jogging tours of their cities.

4) Localization

Hotel brands used to build cookie-cutter properties that looked the same everywhere. But Nancy says now they want to be more boutique and reflect their city. She tells us hotels want to be able to tell a story behind their designs. That's especially true of the Sonesta (pictured) Gensler is designing in Austin. It's got a Texas Hill Country design, incorporates local materials, and serves local foods.