Design as a Key Element of the Guest Experience

An example of this vision is the overhaul of the ibis brand with its different concepts, but also its 'life hub,' where hotel guests and locals alike can sleep, eat, meet other people and even attend live music events. Our brand also offers flexible spaces that help to foster relationships between guests, travelers and locals, like at the ibis Plaza, Sao Paulo Barra Funda, where the open-plan lobby incorporates a living area, bar and restaurant, where seating can be used to work or play. Another example is MGallery with its boutique hotels steeped in the history of the buildings, such as its Hotel Perle d'Orient Cat Ba with a design imbued with the glamour of Vietnam's Indochine heyday.

Novotel has also transformed its design with the launch of 4 new concepts created by leading designers from around the world: RF Studio, Metro, Sundukovy Sisters and Hypothesis. By choosing 4 distinct concepts, Novotel will provide flexibility to its owners and franchisee partners, allowing them to choose and customize an ideal style that best suits the unique character of their destination.

Drawing on Emotion

Second, as well as reinventing the layout of our spaces, we are also focused on a sensory, generous design. The cornerstone of our transformative strategy, it's one where even a fluffy towel evokes a feeling and adds to the guest experience. It's forced us to rethink our properties so they meet these constantly-evolving expectations rooted in emotion. 'If we want people to remember their journeys in one of our hotels, we need to make sure that they're going to feel something,' explains Damien Perrot, Global Senior Vice President Design & Innovation at Accor. 'Aesthetics are only 20 percent of the job for a good designer. The rest is the ability to envision how people will live today and tomorrow.'

Fresh Talent

One way of ensuring our vision for the future is relevant and innovative is through our annual Accor Design Awards, which is an opportunity to spot new trends and work with fresh talents from design schools all over the globe. Through their submissions focused on social, economic, and environmental responsibility, the students challenge our perspective and plunge us into a world of exciting new experiential possibilities.