FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - Here today, gone tomorrow

FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - Here today, gone tomorrow


Mr. Brule gets Ditched for assuming that all hotel patrons fit his profile of road warrior. What of those patrons on vacation and looking for an escape from their ordinary surroundings? Is that sense of escape not aided by all of the trendy furnishings and finishes that can be seen in their hotel setting? Finally, is our society's sense of trend not time-dependent and constantly evolving based on a host of industries and factors? Why should hotels even think about ignoring that sense of trend for the sake of giving themselves a green check mark? It defines their existence for a significant segment of their market. 


One travelling strictly for business can very easily overlook the satisfaction derived from trendy offerings because their main goal for the stay is comfort and utility. They need a clean and quiet place to sleep with a helpful staff (only when beckoned). There is rarely an appreciation for the

hotel's ability to represent the latest in trend and design. However, just because Mr. Brule could look past the eyesore of scuffs and scrapes on bulky, outdated furniture, does not mean that it wouldn't significantly change the hotel experience for most others. His suggestion to hotels is like asking clothing stores to stock durable/expensive clothing and update their look every 10 years for the sake of saying they are "green". Its bound to create a lovely "green" talking point in a case study for a failed business. This points to a faulty understanding of the consumer's thought process when making decisions about products and experiences. Mr. Brule would have been more on target if he focused his recommendations on how hotels could recycle the wave of design features they purchase on a regular basis. Perhaps they could be donated or sold instead of discarded. Or, in the case of multi-brand companies, the high-end features could be re-used in the "value" brand locations. It would be much more realistic  to make these types of suggestions instead of spending time on those that would so drastically alter experiences and isolate markets.