The Gallery Suite at Conrad Indianapolis contains works by artists such as Salvador Dali and Robert Indiana .
Soft Violence , an installation by local artist Gao Xiaowu featuring larger-thanlife newborn baby sculptures , was on display at Beijing ’ s The Opposite House this past winter .
ART OUTREACH
As hotel art continues its move away from unremarkable cookie-cutter prints , some properties are purposefully pushing the envelope with art to leave a lasting impression with guests .
Swire Hotels ’ The Opposite House in Beijing is known for its commitment to the city ’ s artists , and this past winter the property featured Soft Violence , an installation by local artist Gao Xiaowu that included realistic , larger-than-life newborn baby sculptures among other pieces . “ Our goal from the start has been to create different and surprising experiences that challenge the norm and complement the lives of our guests and passersby , while meeting our social responsibility to emphasize Chinese culture ,” explains Anthony Ross , area general manager Beijing for Swire .
Conrad Indianapolis showcases art in a number of ways . The hotel opened the Long-Sharp Gallery on its ground floor last November to host museum-quality works from the likes of Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol , and its 18th-floor Gallery Suite contains works by Salvador Dali , Robert Indiana and more .
Sometimes art intersects with technology , as at The Dolder Grand in Zurich , which recently began offering guests an iPad to guide them through the more than 100 pieces of art on display at the hotel . A specially designed app allows users to sort the artwork by location , access a map of all the hotel ’ s pieces or discover backstories about the artists .
“ Art that is more progressive and controversial is finding its way into some of the more popular hotels ,” confirms Erin Parker , senior designer at HVS Design . “ These pieces not only make statements , but they are becoming hotel social media marketing tools . Photos of these unique pieces end up being posted to Facebook or Instagram , providing the hotel with additional viral outreach and recognition .”
NEW SHADES OF GREEN
Eco-friendly design is nothing new , but hotels are always finding new ways to reduce their environmental impact via design .
Conrad New York recently received LEED Gold New Construction Certification from the U . S . Green Building Council . The 463-room hotel includes a roof garden growing vegetables for its F & B program , low-flow plumbing fixtures that help reduce water consumption by more than 30 %, LED lights for more than 60 % of the property ’ s lighting , low VOC materials to promote indoor air quality and Energy Star kitchen equipment .
Turtle Island Resort in Fiji is pushing sustainability to the limit with its new solar installation . Thanks to its 968 solar panels , the resort runs on an average of 85 % solar power , saving an estimated 220 tons of carbon emissions annually .
Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort in Costa Rica was founded in 2007 on the principle that hospitality luxury can follow top environmental standards . The property ’ s eco-friendly design features include two wastewater-treatment plants that enable treated water to be used for irrigation of the rainforests surrounding the resort , and Arenas Del Mar even offers guests back-of-house sustainability tours . “ By no means are guest experience and sustainability mutually exclusive ,” says Hans Pfister , CEO and principle of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality , which manages the resort . “ Our guests appreciate the opportunity to observe , and often participate in , our programs .”
Conrad New York features a roof garden growing vegetables for its F & B program . The 463-room hotel recently received LEED Gold New Construction Certification from the U . S . Green Building Council .
Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort in Costa Rica was founded on the principle that even the highest hospitality luxury can follow superior environmental standards .
www . hotelsmag . com June 2013 HOTELS 33