4 hotel trends from New York

What developments in the Big Apple can inspire you as a hotelier? Entrance names four. (this article previously appeared in SCOOPS, the Horecava magazine)

Many hotel trends start in New York and spread via London to other major European cities. What developments in the Big Apple can inspire you as a hotelier? From micro hotels to spin-off hotels!

Text: Iris Kranenburg

1. Lobby als living room
The bustling Ace Hotel opened a location in New York’s NoMad neighborhood in 2009, setting the tone for a new generation of boutique hotels worldwide. With the lobby as a living room and co-working space, and innovative collaborations for the f&b outlets, including with Stumptown Coffee Roasters, this was one of the first hotels that was attractive to hotel guests and New Yorkers. The Guardian in 2013 aptly headlined: ‘How Ace Hotel redefined hospitality’. The Dutchman Jan Rozenveld, who now works at the large international hotel player Highgate, was director of Ace’s New York branch for ten years and was partly responsible for this interesting development. Ace has locations in the United States, Panama and England and will open a hotel in Kyoto in 2020.

2. Micro hotels
In New York we find many fine examples of attractive and often well-priced micro hotels, inspired by Japanese capsule hotels. The stylish and compact rooms are all about a mix of functionality and design and more and more often even bunk beds adorn the room. The inspiring public spaces are a magnet for hotel guests and locals. Be sure to stop by Arlo Hotels (SoHo and NoMad), Pod Hotels (Times Square, 39th, 51th and Brooklyn) and Moxy (Times Square, Chelsea and recently the East Village).

3. Spin off hotels
What do you do if you, as a hotel chain, want to reach a completely different target group? Marriott came up with the Moxy hotel formula, which focuses on millennials with, among other things, striking signing, a playful interior and catchy f&b outlets. In New York, Moxy can be found in Times Square and Chelsea, but the chain has locations worldwide (in Amsterdam since 2018). Ace Hotel also recently opened their first spin-off hotel under the name Sister City in the Lower East Side, where the principle ‘less is better’ is central.

4. Hotel as showroom
“Hotels are the new showrooms for retail,” said an American brand expert recently. He is referring to brands that try to get closer to their target group through a hotel: next level lifestyle branding. The luxury fitness brand Equinox is a good example. It recently opened a luxury hotel in New York’s brand-new Hudson Yards neighborhood. About that, founder Harvey Spevak said: “We don’t follow trends, we launch them.” Design brand RH will also open a hotel in the Meatpacking District this autumn.

In the photo gallery below you will find several examples.

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