WHAT ’ S HOT : DESIGN
WHAT ’ S HOT : DESIGN
Amanoi in Vietnam blends into the natural environment via design details such as pitched roofs , exposed beams and earthy , woodgrain-hue furnishings .
NATURE ’ S
BEST
Sometimes a hotel ’ s natural surroundings provide the most powerful
design inspiration . Set within Vietnam ’ s Nui Chua National Park , Amanoi was designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston
Architects to blend seamlessly into the environment . The 31 individual pavilions and five villas boast pitched roofs , slatted doors , exposed beams , timber decking and earthy , wood-grain-hue furnishings .
“ I ’ m always inspired by the location of my projects ,” Gathy says . “ I like to honor both the landscape and local tradition .” Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa , redesigned last spring by HBA , also takes advantage of its spectacular natural surroundings . Located on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll among natural vegetation and just steps from the Indian Ocean , the resort features 50 villas including 14 perched directly above the water . HBA used multiple strategies to bring the outside in and create both a sense of place and luxury , such as adding artwork based on coral formations and installing book and display cases made with wood sourced and handcrafted in Bali .
Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa features 50 villas including 14 perched directly above the water .
“ Timeless design should be sensitive to location ,” says HBA Co-CEO Ian Carr . “ Creating a space that can never be replicated anywhere else and that can only exist in that unique environment is the formula to making everlasting landmark properties .”
The Celestial DreamSuite at Loews Atlanta Hotel includes a high-tech recliner that scans individual anatomical points to deliver a custom massage .
DOING
WELL
The obsession with wellness increasingly is moving beyond F & B menus and the spa to impact guestroom design .
Earlier this year MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas expanded its Stay Well room collection and debuted the
A vitamin-C infused shower is just one feature of the Stay Well guestrooms at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas .
Stay Well Lounge . Encompassing the hotel ’ s entire 14th floor , the Stay Well collection now includes 171 rooms and suites boasting more than 20 health and wellness features such as a vitamin C-infused shower , warm white lighting believed to improve the body ’ s internal clock , black-out shades , cedar baseboards and a photo-catalytic coating on high-touch areas to break down bacteria , viruses and VOCs .
Loews Atlanta Hotel recently unveiled a new multi-sensory Celestial DreamSuite . Created in partnership with Atlanta-based Sanctorum , the suite includes a recliner that scans individual anatomical points to deliver a custom massage , a king-size bed with lowfrequency sound vibrations to create a sensation of being rocked to sleep and a star-scape above the bed .
“ Stress inhibits creativity and wellbeing , and all of the technology and concepts in the Celestial DreamSuite counteract the impacts of stress ,” says Jurgen Ahlers , creator and owner of Sanctorum . “ This is a completely new and unique concept for a hotel guest to be able to experience comprehensive relaxation without having to go to a spa or step outside of the room .”
36 HOTELS June 2014 www . hotelsmag . com