Marriott continues to be a go-to choice for Saudi Arabia when it comes to operators for hotels within the giga-project portfolio. The U.S. hotel giant will be involved in every government-backed tourism project – the latest is an AlUla hotel.
25.08.2023 - 14:27 / skift.com / Art Deco / Bill Bensley / Carley Thornell
Bill Bensley strives to press all the right buttons when designing hotels and resorts. The New York-based architect, landscape architect, and interior designer is well known for being a “maximalist” — or “more is more” — aesthetic. The “Bensley look” for hotels sits in the sweet spot of what many guests say they crave today.
Social media giant TikTok recently worked with Airbnb to create a design trends report highlighting the emergence of a “maximalist” aesthetic. The report noted that interior design trends have notably shifted in emphasis from minimalism, which had been hip for more than a decade, to maximalist styles, which have drawn 693 million views on TikTok to date.
Many independent hotels and brands have been experimenting with maximalism. Designer Natalia Miyar has imbued The Twenty-Two hotel in London with a theatrical profusion of materials, from bronze to papier mache to wood. Accor’s 25hours brand of hotels features lobbies crammed wall-to-wall with bric-a-brac.
Bensley isn’t following the maximalist trend, however. Society is instead catching up to him. Bensley’s use of color, plant life, and pattern has always been part of his design DNA. Park Hyatt Siem Reap combines Khmer architecture with Art Deco influences. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula took its inspiration from the resplendent colors and shapes of Vietnamese temples.
Bensley’s vibrant Belle Mont Farm, a sustainability-themed hotel on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, features arguably the world’s first and most abundant “resort garden,” along with a golf course seeded with edible plants sustainably tended by goats.
One of Benlsey’s latest projects is a case in point of maximalism in action. In Thailand, Bensley recently wrapped up an upcycling project at the new InterContinental Khao Yai Resort. The property — an escape from the heat and hustle of Bangkok — has 45 rooms, in addition to 19 suites and villas housed within repurposed heritage train cars.
The original plan for traditional lodgings evoking the era of King Rama V throughout the resort was scrapped when Bensley saw an abandoned train carriage en route from the grounds to the airport. Channeling a “Willy Wonka” vibe into the hotel design, the designer invented a narrative of train conductor Somsak as a guiding theme for the property, set among forested mountains and waterfalls.
The main hotel complements the train cars, with gleaming touches from the golden age of travel woven throughout. In the guestrooms, this includes station signboards, antique luggage racks, and (in some guestrooms) bunk beds.
The bar is named the Caboose, the spa is called Back on Track, and Somying’s Kitchen restaurant interiors are half provincial railway station and half American
Marriott continues to be a go-to choice for Saudi Arabia when it comes to operators for hotels within the giga-project portfolio. The U.S. hotel giant will be involved in every government-backed tourism project – the latest is an AlUla hotel.
Shanghai is known for its forest of skyscrapers with the world’s third-largest megatower leading the charge. Travelers wary of heights will find a medley of things to do at ground level including the historic waterfront, trendy Xintiandi, and the ancient Yu Garden. In terms of where to stay in Shanghai, the city is a playground of high-rise luxury hotels with infinity pools, rooftop bars, and awesome skyline views. The best hotels in Shanghai, China, are near or within eyesight of The Bund.
There's good news for passengers flying through Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
In the heart of the Riviera Maya, between the lush nature and turquoise waters of the Mexican Caribbean, hides a treasure you are about to discover. The Fives Oceanfront Hotel & Residences, a luxurious boutique hotel complex located in the picturesque fishing village of Puerto Morelos, invites you to immerse yourself in a world of sensations and emotions that will take your breath away.
The city of Oxford revolves around its university, England’s most prestigious alongside Cambridge. Because teaching started in the city in the 11th century, Oxford is filled with historic colleges, many hundreds of years old, and all incredibly beautiful in their architecture. Visitors to the city can walk the cobblestone streets that weave around the colleges, libraries, churches, and museums, and even take tours of the colleges’ lecture halls, chapels, and dining halls. But a day trip isn’t enough to get a good feel for Oxford. Even if the city is only 50 minutes away by train from London, you need to stay in a hotel in Oxford, England, for and take the time to fully explore this one-of-a-kind city.
Hotel Indigo Guadalajara Expo draws on its rich cultural background to create an authentic neighborhood stay experience for guests.
Anyone who has stayed in an exuberantly designed hotel in Asia has most likely experienced the designs of Bill Bensley: the Bangkok-based designer is the creative force behind The Siam Hotel Bangkok; Rosewood Luang Prabang, Shinta Mani Angkor and Capella Hanoi among others. Apart from his hotel designs, though, Bensley is also an artist and philanthropist and those three interests combine in the first Bensley Art Trail, a 12 day tour for those interested in art, design, luxury and conservation from November 28th-December 10th. Bensley will lead it, taking 12 guests behind the scenes of several of those hotels as well as his home, with itinerary details constructed by the Bangkok based luxury, bespoke travel company Smiling Albino. Proceeds will go to the Shinta Mani Foundation which is based in Cambodia to fund 32 scholarships for students of the Shinta Mani Foundation Hospitality School, Class of 2024.
Travelers United’s choice to sue Hyatt over its “junk fee” practices fits into a broader storyline about travel junk fees being in the limelight ever since President Joe Biden referred to travel fees in his 2023 State of the Union address.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, December 20, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
As well as working on a futuristic Atari Hotel, leading hotel architect Tom Ito is starting to see new design trends that are directly related to the pandemic.
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Ace Group International, the operator of a buzzy brand of 11 open Ace lifestyle hotels, will be acquired by Sortis Holdings, a Portland, Oregon-based hospitality firm, the companies said on Tuesday.