Hotel

In the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, the lobby is designed to be warm and comfortable, a retreat for the traveler or a respite from shopping or a foggy day in the Bay area. Fireplaces, contemporary furniture and wood shelving display books.

Detail of an oak floating headboard and wood nightstand at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, in Incline, Nevada.

The rough stone wall that continues into the ceiling contrasts with the smooth wooden floor, both of which melt into the crystal waters of a hotel swimming pool.

The patterned red curtains and banquet create a warm, intimate dining space in the Oceana Hotel in Santa Monica, Ca.

Custom walnut shelving hold objects of art and local literature and travel books about California and the Bay area, in the San Franciso Grand Hyatt hotel.

Interesting leather bound books give the Oceana hotel, in Santa Monica, Ca. reception desk a homey feel, while the pink accents lend a touch of fun.

The Presidential suite bathrooms at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, in Incline, Nevada, feature deep soaking tubs, and use slate and modern materials to complement the warm palette of the guest rooms.

The vintage framed bathing suits are in keeping with the lively color scheme developed by the pink and yellow patterned chairs in a LA hotel restaurant.

The polished marble floor and biomorphic, asymmetrical bar create a space age feel, this is the reception desk of a new hotel in Italy.

At the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, in Incline, Nevada, in the Sierras, all 422-new guest rooms have a warm and inviting ambiance with oak floating headboards, nightstands with touches of brushed steel and dark leather, complementing the palette of slate gray and mocha. Many have lake and mountain views.

A purple ceiling and patterned black walls create a sense of nighttime glamour.

The presidential suite is 1225- square-feet and has an Alpine lodge design. There is a custom design kind sized bed, full window seat with warm materials and fur throws, with unrivaled views of Lake Tahoe's mountain landscape.

The lounge and fireplace in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, in Incline, Nevada, is designed for comfort, with classic wood and leather lounge chairs.

The pool table, topped with red felt, is repeated in the illuminated rectangular shelves harboring an eclectic assortment of objects in a new hotel in Italy.

Another view of the lobby and lounge of the Grand Hyatt San Francisco. It's warmth and homey atmosphere is still special enough to allow travelers to feel a sense of place in California.

In Rimini, Italy, this hotel embodies the culture of sustainability. The entrance welcomes guests into a new dimension. The space is enclosed by thick vegetation and spectacular walls that, and a modern white sofa that also feels organic in shape.<br />
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In the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, natural materials, warm colors and authentic California textures lends an air of authenticity of place to the lobby. The grand stair which leads to the restaurant and bar is clad entirely in eucalpytus woods from floor to ceiling.

The Presidential Suite bathrooms includes modern amenities and materials like slate, and contemporary lighting, at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino, in Incline, Nevada.

The lobby at the Baronette, Renaissance Hotel in Novi, Michigan pays homage to the rich history of American 20th Century design that emerged from this region.

Local artists were commissioned to create sculptural pieces through the property of the Baronette, Renaissance Hotel. Here an installation created out of recycled paper dances above an upholstered lounge.

Library shelves hold local artifacts and books in the Baronette, Renaissance Hotel. A table made from American Walnut provides a quite spot for guests to work or gather.

A bit of whimsy, hanging basket chairs invite guests to rock themselves in the foyer or the Baronette, Renaissance Hotel.

Art, color and graphics are layered in an artful way to make small guest rooms feel elegant and also very iconic, in the New York hotel, The Lexington.

The sculptural headboard in the EWOW suite of the W Union Square, not only brings to life the topography of Union Square but further articulates the contrasts between uptown and downtown through a contrast of colors.

At the W Hotel in New York's Union Square, classic and modern collide on this huge sectional sofa in a suite. Mirror meets leather on the coffee table. A line is literally stitched in the carpet to distinguish the clash of styles between uptown and downtown Manhattan.

A floating partition was created to separate the sleeping area from the lounge area in the larger studio rooms. The TV rotates to accommodate viewing from either location at The W Union Square, in New York.

A bit of whimsy is employed in the design of the bookcase in a hotel suite, utilizing a classic form and flattening it out. Metallic leather covers a rocking chair. W Union Square, New York.

The JW Marriott has custom designed carpets in the room create a bold but elegant statement. A custom wall covering has subtle tonal variations creating a “weathered” affect.

Hotel design for the cultured traveler

Hotels the world over are now a vibrant part of the Zeitgeist. Architects and designers are creating new environments that are much more than the sum of their parts; more than just a place to stay. Hotel lobbies today often resemble European “piazzas” — grand public spaces meant for gathering, and these are the spaces where design can entertain and enchant, shock, and delight and influence cultural trends — all while being a venue to restore travelers. Huge art installations might hang from soaring spaces, guest rooms feature modern technology and bathrooms are so sleek and elegant that we want similar versions in our homes. The group of architects and designers at the Designer Previews set the bar for this important architectural and cultural genre.