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Kimpton Hotel Sacramento, King guest bathroom
OPUS Hotel Vancouver Guestroom Signature Suite Bath
Moen Align MB
OPUS Hotel Vancouver Guestroom Balcony Studio
SUSTAINABILITY Echoing those words is Dyson’s Bernard, who notes, “a drive towards sustainability continues to be a big trend. Guests, whether they are staying at a discount hotel through to luxury, are demanding greater environmental consideration from hotels. In hotel bathrooms we’ve seen a continued emphasis on in-room initiatives such as ‘hang up the towels you want to reuse.’” “We’re seeing excitement around Matte Black finishes for the bath,” noted Garry Scott, vice-president, marketing and e-commerce, Moen Canada. “Designers want a unique finish that makes a statement in a space, and Matte Black answers this need. Plus, its contemporary look complements a variety of decor choices, making it easy to create a cohesive look throughout a room.” He added that the growing availability of Matte Black finishes gives hotels added options when designing their bathrooms, allowing them to create spaces that suit their chosen aesthetic — especially if they prefer a contemporary style. Moreover, the growing availability of stylish, low-profile bathroom faucets makes it simpler for hotels to create spaces that are both beautiful and functional, even when square footage is limited, says Scott. “Many of these fixtures also offer features that improve guests’ experiences in the bathroom.” Hoteliers are certainly devoting great creativity and resources to enhancing the bathroom experience. Choice Hotels Canada’s Comfort Truly Yours design program has resulted in bathrooms offering upscale, spa-like features. “Designed using feedback from our guests, the upgraded bathrooms feature shower stalls in king-sized bedrooms, vanities with shelves below the sink to remove clunky towel racks, and the new RIAO amenity collection,” said Brendan Gibney, senior director of franchise services. Since implementing the upgrades, “our Comfort properties have seen a positive improvement in overall bathroom and guestroom scores through our guest satisfaction survey,” he said. Hotels, said Gibney, “must realize that mildew, cracked tiles,
Opus Hotel Vancouver Guestroom Standard King
stained shower curtains and dated furnishings in bathrooms can misrepresent the entire property. The appearance of a well maintained bathroom is a strong indicator of overall cleanliness, which builds consumer confidence in the total hotel experience.” FAIRMONT RENOVATION Fairmont Hotels will soon have completed nearly $1 billion to restore and renovate its hotels in Canada, the U.S. and Bermuda, and “in every case, the bathrooms have been completely renovated to enhance the guest experience,” according to vice-president Jane Mackie. Bathroom improvements include larger showers, better lighting and more counter space for guests’ personal items. At Delta, Marriott and Gaylord, “our ethos across all of these brands is to make the bathrooms feel as much like a relaxing spa experience as possible, to ensure that each and every one of our guests feel pampered and has a positive and energizing experience during their stays with us,” said Teri Urovsky, vice-president, design and project management, global design, Americas. “We do this by focusing on well-thought-out design with clean lines and a modern aesthetic; the inclusion of natural light, where possible; great lighting in the vanity and shower areas; high-quality showers; the use of upscale materials such as granite for the countertops, and offering our guests fantastic amenities.” Newly designed Marriott bathrooms offer a complete shower experience instead of a tub/shower combination, “as our research showed that very few guests, barring those with small children, were using the bathtubs to take an actual bath,” said Urovsky. “In the Marriott brand, we are converting our tubs to showers and it is the goal that by 2020, 75 per cent of the total room count of Marriott hotels globally will have showers.” “We’ve also been very focused on the shower experience itself. Having a great shower is how many of our guests want to start their day and we are mindful of that,” said Urovsky. “When designing a shower, we take into consideration the water pressure, the temperature, the pulsation offered in the showerhead
– every detail is thought through. With Marriott, we’ve added a handheld wand in addition to the showerhead to provide a more immersive shower experience. Some of our guests don’t want to wash their hair every day, and providing a wand allows them additional flexibility.” LUXURY ALL THE WAY At OPUS Hotel Vancouver, it’s luxury all the way, with heated floors, jetted soaker tubs, separate walk-in showers, Frette bathrobes and premium Malin and Goetz bathroom amenities displayed in wall-mounted dispensers, according to general manager Nicholas Gandossi. Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver, which opened Feb. 28, elevates the guest experience with design finishes such as Nublado Italian marble bathrooms, heated marble flooring and Toto granite sinks, said general manager Philipp Posch. Further pampering guests are Victoria + Albert freestanding soaker tubs, towel warming racks and Gessi Emporio bathroom accessories. Lighting around bathroom mirrors’ perimeter eliminates shadows, enabling women to apply makeup better and easier, he said. Even bathroom tissue has been strategically sourced. “Toilet paper might be a funny topic, but it’s a really big issue for many people. We use residential toilet paper rather than commercial toilet paper. This costs more, but ensures guests feel more at home.”
Fair CosmEthics amenities
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