How Millennials Are Impacting Hotel Design

ATLANTA—Millennials are a key focus for multifamily developers, but their influence on commercial real estate design is trickling over to the hospitality world. I've been sharing observations from Kevin Cantley, president and CEO of Cooper Carry, to get his take on various design trends.

In this final installment, we discuss the Millennial generation's impact on hotel design. You can still read part one: Design Firms Set for Big Growth in '15 and part two, How Workplace Design is Evolving, and part three: Hot Trends in Multifamily and Retail Design.

GlobeSt.com:  There's been a lot of talk recently about how Millennials will impact various sectors of commercial real estate, including hospitality. How has hospitality design changed to cater to this new generation of guests?

Cantley: We are designing hotels that are ever more accessible to the Internet. Hotels are allowing guests to use personal devices to check in, access their room, and request room services.  

Connectivity is extremely important to both business and leisure travelers. Many of the newer hotels that we have designed have the  fastest available Internet access in order to accommodate this need.

GlobeSt.com: What about the social aspects of design?

Cantley: Milliennials are also interested in collaboration and social interaction. They want to get out of their rooms and be with other people or at least have the option to be with other people. Today's hotels are being designed with larger and more enhanced lobbies and flexible, multi-function public spaces that encourage and promote socializing and collaboration.

Today's travelers appear to demand fewer traditional amenities. It is no longer so important for a hotel to have a three-course restaurant or high-end meeting space. The hotels that we are designing are much more streamlined.

We are seeing an increase in unique bar environments. Rooftop bars and other hip bars are becoming standard in hotels. Many, if not most, of the hotels that we are currently designing have a roof top bar.

Finally, hotel patrons want to be in more urban, active, mixed-use environments. They want to have the opportunity to leave the hotel and walk to amenities and attractions. Many of the hotels that we are designing are in urban areas, mixed-use developments, or lifestyle centers.