Not a panel or session went by the inaugural Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development Conference last week without referencing great design. It’s the one thing everyone agrees helps define the boutique concept. 

“It’s the evolution of design as a consumable commodity. The last thing you want is to go to a resort or hotel and stay at a place less creative than your own home,” said Bruce Wright, a principal at SB Architects and one of five panelists discussing boutique design at the Miami Beach show. “You want a well thought-out experience, a place that creates a great platform for great service.”

Design really is the platform for the rest of the boutique hotel. The words “hip” or “cool” were used throughout the conference to define the segment. “Vibe” was another. So how do you design hip and cool?

Tim Dixon, developer and owner of the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee, said boutique design is all about creating an experience. Brooke Pearsall, the managing director of design at HVScompass, and Karrie Drinkhahn, a vice president and principal at Gettys, agreed, saying there’s also got to be a sense of place. Dixon used the example of opening up his hotel to the local art community as a gallery. He rotates artwork provided by Wisconsin-based artists, which helps creates a connection to the community and offers guests a glimpse into local culture.

Another key component to the boutique experience is sustainable design, the panelists said. Pearsall believed it was becoming a standard practice, like ADA, and not a trend anymore. “It should be unknown to guests,” said New York-based architect Anthony DiGuisseppe. “By that I mean it shouldn’t affect their experience at all.”

Questions from the audience focused on the functionality of the pretty design images being displayed during a video presentation. “I am my own guest,” Dixon, the lone owner on the panel, explained was his guiding design philosophy. He said he worked with the designers on his project and made sure he knew where the outlets were, whether there was enough light to read and how a spilled drink might affect the furniture in his lobby.

Drinkhahn agreed, saying as much as it was the owner’s responsibility to do that, it is also the designer’s to understand the developer’s vision and work to fulfill that.

Lodging Hospitality produced the conference in association with HVS Hotel Management.