What Influences Hotel Design: History, Architecture, or Marketing?

Does a hotel’s architecture and interior design influence its marketing strategies, or does a hotel’s target market dictate the decor? Well, that depends…

If the hotel is a historic property, respecting its architectural heritage is often not only desirable but required by law. Capitalizing on its individual story, as well as the guests and events which have occurred there, contributes to the brand’s prestige. (See a good example of how the Algonquin in New York did this.) Maintaining authentic period-styles within the design will help support the hotel’s USP.

On the other hand, a property that has been built (or renovated) with specific clientele in mind often develops the design brief based around a customer profile.

Take a look at The Five Hotel in Paris’ Latin Quarter for an example of design dictated by guest preferences.  Long known as being the district for avant-garde artists and student-life, each room features a different decor designed to integrate all five senses. While certainly a far stretch from the Haussmannian style of its classic exterior, its interior design reflects the French revolutionary spirit that is well-alive in the quarter today.

In this case, it is the market’s expectations that have shaped the design and reinterpreted the essence of a property’s history – not the actual architectural details.