1. Embracing new surroundings
Gone—somewhat—are the days when a holiday meant hiding away at a resort, removed from the culture and everyday life happening outside of its gates. “People no longer want to be passive, they want to be a part of something,” says Poignant, adding that hotels are increasingly bringing elements of their location into their design to create their own unique ecosystems.
A perfect example is 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in New York, which used reclaimed wood from trees felled during Hurricane Sandy from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens to create tables for the hotel's restaurant, café, and lobby.
"There should be a feeling of history, of meaning and of soul," she says. "A sense of being rather than having."