How Hotels Will Change in 2022
According to the Designer Behind Some of the World's Most Luxurious Properties
Travel+Leisure sat down with legendary designer Jean-Michel Gathy, behind exceptional properties including the forthcoming Aman New York, to talk about how hotels will change this year. "A 500-seat restaurant where everybody has breakfast on a buffet? That's doomed," says Jean-Michel Gathy, architect and principal designer of Denniston. If anyone else had made this statement, it might be met with eye rolls, but coming from Gathy, the authority...
Travel+Leisure sat down with legendary designer Jean-Michel Gathy, behind exceptional properties including the forthcoming Aman New York, to talk about how hotels will change this year. "A 500-seat restaurant where everybody has breakfast on a buffet? That's doomed," says Jean-Michel Gathy, architect and principal designer of Denniston. If anyone else had made this statement, it might be met with eye rolls, but coming from Gathy, the authority in luxury hotel design and architecture, it almost sounds like a fait accompli.
During his 35 years of experience, Belgium-born Gathy has worked with the most prominent ultra-luxury hospitality brands: Cheval Blanc, Aman, Four Seasons, One&Only, Armani, Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis, and many more. If you've ever enjoyed the jaw-dropping pool atop the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, you have Gathy to thank for it. His incredible eye for luxury and exceptional talent, deep knowledge of the hotel industry, and sense of innovation have made him a legend and put him in a league of his own.
"Hospitality is becoming more and more niche. […]Instead of having one big all-day dining [place], you're going to end up with three smaller restaurants," he explains. "Basically, it's about reducing the size and increasing the number of venues." Massive resorts with thousands of rooms will be replaced by smaller, more private properties that offer more facilities and accommodate longer stays, he predicts.
Of course, it's primarily the pandemic and the need to reduce large gatherings and allow more space for social distancing that has created this trend. The plexiglass dividers many hotels have incorporated in their reception areas will also be a permanent design feature.
According to Gathy, technology will play a significant role in transforming the in-room and elevator experiences this year. He predicts that hotels will increase the number of elevators and their speed but reduce their maximum capacity.
"I'm sure you'll get in the lift, and you'll say, 'sixth floor,' and you won't have to push a button," he adds.