How many times have you booked a hotel for the convenience and for the bed space, but been delighted by standout features in the bathroom – from available toiletries to access to a bathrobe, a heated towel rack, or a rainforest power shower?
The bathroom is one of the easiest areas to focus on if you want to elevate your hotel rooms and increase guests’ access to luxury – using a combination of technological integrations and design trends.
And in this blog post, we’re putting bathrooms firmly in the spotlight by considering the gold standard in what it means to deliver luxury, sustainable, and modern hotel bathrooms.
The New Standard for Luxury in Hotel Bathrooms
Luxury relies on a lot more than how a place looks.
Modern luxury in particular is typically defined by textures and the way that the space is lit, with neutral but textured surfaces, high quality materials, and personalised features all favoured by hotel guests who are looking for a special and unique experience.
Perhaps the easiest way to bring luxury into a hotel bathroom setting is by considering the bathroom as a kind of spa-like space, with access to the best amenities and facilities, and a cohesive design that links the bathroom to the rest of the hotel room and wider hotel beyond.
Sustainability: A Core Design Principle
Hotels and other businesses are increasingly focussed on wider issues that matter to their guests, with sustainability one of the core areas that’s affecting design as well as structural build and interior projects.
Some of the ways that hotel bathrooms can and should encompass sustainable trends include ways of conserving water, the use of eco-friendly materials and recycled materials, and the infusion of sustainable brands across the hotel room’s toiletries and other details.
Technological Innovations Enhancing the Bathroom Experience
Following neatly on from sustainability, technology is another part of the bathroom design market that’s experiencing huge developments and leaps.
Technology remains one of the best ways of optimising sustainability, by tracking guest preferences to minimise water waste, and exploring concepts such as smart toilets which use less water and optimise hygiene with a locking flush mechanism.
Some other tech-related advancements in the hotel bathroom market include:
- Digital showers which enable water temperatures to be controlled and engineered to specific settings based on the user preference through a digital screen.
- Automated and sensor-activated dispenser and driers to minimise wastage.
- Automated ambience settings to help control and personalise the environment.
Design Elements that Speak to Luxury and Comfort
Who said that luxury has to come at the expense of comfort and that underlying cosy feeling that we all want from a hotel?
Far from the angular edges of modern living, when it comes to hotel bathroom design, we often find that the more comfortable the surroundings the more luxurious it is. This includes open spaces, large footprints with minimal fittings, and natural elements which tap into the trend for natural influences and surfaces. Indoor plants and textured walls are popular in hotel bathrooms, as are soft towels and functional but luxurious fixtures like heated flooring and towel rails.
Balancing Luxury and Sustainability
So, is it possible to balance luxury and sustainability in a way that prioritises both?
Some of the most successful hotels that bridge these two concepts are those which use natural materials in ways which enhance the aesthetic of a hotel bathroom, and which embody luxurious technology in a way that reduces waste and optimises the green credentials of a hotel room.
Surfaces and materials in a bathroom need to be waterproof, durable, and hard-wearing – but also sustainable, natural, and recycled where possible. They also need to deliver on guest expectations, matching the value of the stay and the increase in little luxuries that push a hotel from good to great.
Blending Luxury with Sustainability and Technology
Hotel bathrooms are so much more than just a shower and a toilet. Guests want spaces which deliver a cohesive design – a continuation from the main hotel room which embodies a sustainable vision while pushing the boundaries of guest experience through technology and interactive features.
Luxury means something different to everyone, but in the creation of a hotel room and bathroom that appeals to the masses, the easiest thing to do is opt for neutral colours, natural materials, and simple integration which optimise the user experience.
Get in touch today to find out how Carroll Design can help with your next hotel interior design project.