Domestic Hotel Sector is Thriving

IRVINE, CA—Room rates are going up, and hotels and resorts are continuing to be reinvented, TCA Architects' Bill Nord tells GlobeSt.com exclusively. We spoke with Nord, a renowned architect who was just hired to the firm as principal and hospitality practice leader, about his new role at the firm, what he expects to see in the hotel-development market this year and the most innovative trends in hospitality design.

GlobeSt.com: What made TCA stand out for you?

Nord: From a personal standpoint, they're just down the street from me. I had known a bit about them, and it was pretty apparent they have a great group here. They're very talented and on the forefront of urban-housing development. They're growing quickly and have a great client base. The fact that they are growing was exciting to me, and I felt I could contribute in a way that could bring some hospitality expertise to the firm, which is a real plus.

GlobeSt.com: What are your goals in your role there?

Nord: I want to try to leverage my expertise and background, to take my knowledge and leadership and work with them on developing trends in the hospitality market. There's a crossover between the housing market and hotels—hotels are homes away from homes, so it's not a big leap to meld the two together. Hotel guests are looking for amenities and comforts like at home, so creating those environments is our primary focus.

GlobeSt.com: What do you expect to see happen in the hotel market this year with regard to development?

Nord: Things are going pretty well in the US market. Domestically, the economy has rebounded. This is the third or fourth year that hotel room rates are going up and resorts are continuing to be reinvented. Developers need to focus on the guest experience. You want to make sure you have a distinct sense of place where the hotel becomes seamless with the surrounding area. The days of big-box hotels with cookie-cutter designs are passé now. The hotel is becoming part of the community with offerings that enhance the guest stay and create an experience for guests to share long after they're gone. When hotels involve restaurants, art exhibits and local craftspeople, it starts to blur the lines between the hotel and the surrounding environment. That's what travelers are looking for when they visit—they want a unique experience.

GlobeSt.com: What are the most innovative trends happening today in the hospitality-design field?

Nord: The community experience comes from providing flexible spaces. The biggest trend is lobby spaces mixing leisure and business, becoming more fluid. People are using their laptop in these spaces and connecting with others. Another trend is rehabbing urban hotels since American cities are experiencing a renaissance.

The more we can provide indoor/outdoor experiences in hotels, the better. This gives the hotelier and operator more revenue. Larger meeting spaces and indoor/outdoor spaces and technology-friendly features such as free Wi-Fi are becoming popular. The ability to have more color and natural light in a hotel is also important, as is sustainability. People don't want to pay a premium for that, but they do want hotels to be sustainable, so it's important to do what we can to satisfy that need.