When it comes to the Asian Hotel Design Awards, you might expect the nominees to made up entirely of hotels from Tokyo to Hong Kong, all with excellent hotel plans and designs created to impress guests from around the world. True to this expectation, many of the 2015 finalists are hotels in Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, China and other Asian nations. However, two different hotels in Sydney have been nominated for three different categories in this year’s awards, raising the bar for modern hospitality design in Australia.
The Asian Hotel Design Awards honor the best new hotel designs, with categories for everything from bathroom interior design ideas to event spaces, such as bar and restaurant design. As a result, there are a number of industry heavyweights participating this year, including a Holiday Inn in Bangkok, Thailand and the Ritz-Carlton in Kyoto, Japan. However, the 1888 Hotel in Sydney has qualified for the “Architecture-Historical Building” Award for it’s exposed, modern hotel design, pitting it up against projects in Thailand, Taiwan, and Singapore. Meanwhile, the Sydney Four Seasons has been nominated for both the “Interior Design-Bar” and the “Interior Design-Cafe Bar or All Day Dining” categories for their bar, called Grain, as well as their cafe, the Woods. Their competitors are located in Korea, China, and Thailand.
While it may seem strange that Australian hotels have been included in an Asian competition, Australian hospitality designs have evolved significantly in recent years, putting them in competition with hotels and restaurants around the world. Many of these high quality establishments have even incorporated this international feel into their designs: for example, the restaurant Black by Ezard features a number of cool interior design ideas inspired by modern Las Vegas, creating a luxurious steak grill that pairs well with their menu.
However, in order to create an effective design, it isn’t enough to research cool interior design ideas and attempt to recreate them: hotels and restaurants are huge spaces that require careful planning to create effective layouts and looks. Additionally, having a design that meshes with the establishment’s overall tone and style, like Black by Ezard’s sophisticated look and delicious culinary offerings, can be vital to a hotel or restaurant’s atmosphere and success. For this reason, if Australian hotels and restaurants are to continue being nominated for international design awards and taking part in the country’s flourishing tourism trade, businesses will likely have to turn to hospitality desginers. Ger more information on this topic here: paulkellydesign.com.au