If there were an animated movie entitled ”The Secret Life of OMAAT Contributors,” it might just be 90 minutes of a Pixar-rendered Tiffany instant messaging with similarly animated versions of Travis, Andrew B., Mike, Matt, Ford and myself.
Continue reading: An OMAAT Chat: Tiffany & Nick Discuss Hotel Design
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
My takeaway is that I am impressed that I can care so little about something you are so passionate about
I hate to admit it, but I'm more a function over form guy when it comes to hotels.
A weak shower, lack of power outlets, weak/noisy AC, lack of workspace, curtains which don't block out light, and many other things will be noticed & remembered by me long after the initial impression of decor.
I don't mind tasteful theming. Some of Disney's properties, especially their lower end, are rather dreadful, to the point that there aren't many brands which would allow them to be brought into their chains. Outdoor hallways & window ACs? That's so 1960s, and not in a good, fun retro way.
Actually, I do want SOME theming relating to the area in a room. I hate when I get to a hotel in a foreign destination and the room could have easily been out of a hotel in Kansas. Worse is when you wake up and have to look at your phone or the hotel phone to figure out which country you're in. Even a few photos / paintings of the area go a long way to personalizing the room to the locale.
I like my hotel rooms to have 'commitment' as you put it, to a design aesthetic. But even more, I like it when they get the basics right - like a desk and chair you can work at, or a sofa/loung you can comfortably recline on. So many don't.
One recent renovation I was impressed with was the Melbourne Grand Hyatt (not so recent now). They developed this round table office chair and lounge suite combination that allowed both dining and work. I think it's a triumph.
I like hotels with sincere and good service, a nice breakfast and clean refreshing rooms with ample natural light. I spend on average 7 hours a day in the hotel room so couldn't really care so much about the amenities or decor as long as it looks polished and maintained.
Now, having said that, my favorite hotel chains tend to be the Taj Hotels, the Oberoi Hotels, the Ritz's and the Four Seasons. They are a mixed bunch but overall they have unique character to each of their properties.
I enjoyed the repartee, thanks guys! Sorry Tiffany, I think I have to side w/ Nick on the Milan hotel!
Loved this. Would really like to see more hotel reviews and discussions on this blog. Great job!
Fun conversation, thanks for sharing! Interesting thoughts too, especially given the variety of personal taste and impressions.
As to best LAX hotel - the Westin by far. Have to say, I've been several times and will go out of my way to stay there. They take such great care of me, and the GM pays attention to things like FT, so he is well-connected with the typical travelers. The service is incredible, and can't say there are any issues/imperfections there, so solid choice.
Wow a lot of thought obviously went into this post. Props for bringing something completely different to the blog.