Embracing the slow travel movement through hotel design

In the year of self-care travel, hotels are embracing the need for respite from travellers' busy lives and a challenging 18 months.

Help guests relax with a wellness-focused design scheme

In the year of self-care travel, hotels are embracing the need for respite from travellers’ busy lives and a challenging 18 months.

As travel resumes and the world opens back up, attitudes towards travel have changed and the requirements of hotel visitors are no longer the same as they were before the pandemic. With these changes in mind, the hospitality industry must adapt, creating spaces that reflect the current climate and desires of guests.

The slow luxury travel movement

The role of travel has evolved, with many viewing trips away as a form of self-care. The stress that we have all experienced throughout the past year has resulted in the need for retreats and relaxation, and hotels now have the opportunity to provide a place of sanctuary for respite-seeking travellers.

The increasingly popular slow travel movement emphasises connection to local people, cultures, food and music. Following a year spent in a single location, guests are looking for local experiences as they begin to rediscover the world. Incorporating character into interior design, through locally sourced artwork and materials or by retaining aspects of a building’s heritage, provides an individual sense of place that allows guests to take in their new location.

With travellers calling for beautiful surroundings, in which to slow down and switch off, the hospitality industry has answered, creating calming spaces that encourage a more leisurely pace. Subtle, yet omnipresent, high-level service is important, allowing hotels to meet guests’ needs efficiently whilst not being over-imposing.

As many patrons look to step back from technology in the form of a digital detox, quiet zones for self reflection and design schemes that promote good acoustics, air quality and clean spaces are imperative. The use of rich textures and materials provides a tranquil atmosphere and the move towards locally sourced food and all-day breakfasts offers gentle encouragement for users to relax.

Layering on materials

With guests desiring a more toned-down hotel aesthetic, with a connection to nature further supplementing the trend for self-care travel, hotel designs are embracing more nuanced, honest materials such as marble and wood. Fusing the old with the new and layering multiple materials provides a down-to-earth aesthetic that promotes relaxation, whilst retaining the luxury feel associated with hotel design.

Rich, luxurious carpets provide a soft underfoot feeling that instantly encourages guests to relax. To accommodate this look and feel, Tarkett’s DESSO Carpet ranges offer an extensive selection of designs, with varying pile heights. For added character, on-trend oak parquet planks offer a design-led aesthetic and a neutral backdrop. Take a look at Tarkett’s Wood ranges or Tarkett’s LVT ranges, offering authentic replications of natural materials that help to create a calming sanctuary for visitors.

To learn more about Tarkett flooring solutions, visit the website.

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