Defining the Next Wellness Trends
April 2023 Reflections ❊ Subscribe
Defining the Next Wellness Trends
Creating experiences that stimulate wellbeing is high on the agenda for hotels. This month, I was invited to discuss the latest hospitality wellness trends with six designers in the Dornbract Design Studio at C.P. Hart Waterloo.
Key wellness themes that are emerging:
Greater ability for personalisation
Immersive experiences
Two key approaches for delivering wellness were identified:
The use of AI and Technology
Reconnecting to Nature
SIRO: AI & Technology to simulate wellbeing
SIRO hotels state that “technology is in our DNA.” They have a purpose-built digital ecosystem that connects their guests to each other. They use the app to book classes, have virtual training, nutritional planning, gamification of their goals, vitality tracking, control elements of their bedroom design, and beyond. Data is captured every step along the way, and from this, SIRO makes recommendations for lifestyle choices.
Whilst aspects of this may be positive and it may help some individuals become aware of certain nutritional deficiencies or sleep tendencies, overall, I believe we are handing over our sensory intelligence to technology. If we become overly reliant on technology to tell us what we need, we may become less sensitive to tuning into our own body to provide feedback on our health, such as women tuning into their menstrual cycles for feedback on stress or the ability to feel and notice changes to sleep quality and digestion.
I recently took at course at University College London on predictive analytics and AI. As I learn more about how these models are created, and the ‘assumptions’ they make, it makes me more and more critical of their recommendations (and more aware of the cost of this technology on the Earth). I believe the intelligence of the body is far more sophisticated than AI, and to learn how to tune into this is an incredibly powerful tool.
1 Hotel Toronto: Reconnecting to Nature
1 Hotel Toronto’s tagline is “Your sustainable sanctuary in downtown Toronto, inspired by the city’s diverse natural environment and the tranquil expanse of Lake Ontario.”
Rather than focusing on a data-driven experiences to stimulate wellbeing, this hotel focuses on bringing its guests closer to nature. They suggest a direct relationship between our wellbeing and that of the planet.
1 Hotel have used interior design and their service offerings as tools to actualise their sustainability and wellness goals. For example:
They partnered with local furniture suppliers, like Just be Woods, who found fallen trees and used them to make furniture and artwork.
Rather than focusing on capturing data when asleep, they promote their use of sustainable bed linen and non-toxic mattresses so “you and the earth can sleep soundly.”
They take waste reduction seriously, through their compost efforts, recycling, not using single-use plastic, and their unique ‘1 Less Thing’ initiative (which helps guests donate unneeded clothing items to local charities).
In addition to having a gym, they also offer ‘bike and hikes’ which take guests out of the hotel and into the local environment.
In Summary
1 Hotel and SIRO both focus on delivering wellbeing to their guests, however, their approaches to this are entirely different.
Hotel operators and investors need to think strategically about how they will deliver ‘wellness’ to their guests and the impact it will have on their staff, the guest experience, and the environment.
Community: Be-kin Marketplace
Are you looking for a new bed & headboard?
One of our clients has a beautiful woven headboard and wooden base, that is looking for a new home. If you are interested in this piece (pictured above), please send me an email and I can put you in touch: [email protected]. The bed is a double bed size.
At Be-kin, we are exploring the idea of a creating a virtual marketplace that supports circularity in our design process and the wider community. This could be a space for you to trade or sell furniture, accessories, or design materials. If you have items that you’re interested in selling or giving away, please let me know.
Until next time,
Wren.