Behind The Design

What can travelers expect from the next generation of hotel rooms?To find out, Hamish heads to the top secret innovation lab at Marriott Headquarters — where more adaptable, interactive, and locally connected hotel rooms are being crafted as the ideal home base for millions of travel journeys to come.He learns why the near future of hotel rooms isn’t a dogpile of technology for technology’s sake. Instead, it’s a future where we can adjust our room to be what we need right in the moment, by pressing a single button or pulling on a single handle.In this episode, Hamish gets a glimpse of that future by going behind the scenes at a massive workshop, where (with the help of a power saw, foamcore, and VR headsets) new ideas can become new hotel rooms in a single day. Then, just across the street he explores an entire floor of prototype rooms, where travelers are invited to stay the night and help shape their final form.And along the way, Hamish meets the passionate designers who strive to help travelers get immerse

Eleven stories above the arctic circle, a panoramic view — of Norwegian mountains, fjords, and the Northern Lights — sweeps travelers into the natural world.That’s the first thing you’ll see when you check in at Moxy Tromsø, because the hotel lobby is intentionally perched on the top floor. A welcome drink and an uninterrupted view make this a one-of-kind introduction to one of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth.Sculpted by Copenhagen-based designer and longtime mountain backpacker Mette Fredskild, the hotel is designed to help travelers embrace mother nature, whether that means taking in the vista or putting on their boots and trekking into the mountains.In addition to being a great home base for hiking, sledding, whale watching, and other outdoor adventures, Moxy Tromsø immerses travelers in a multilayered interior design that pays homage to the Northern Lights, the midnight sun, and the community huts that Mette visits during her trips through the mountains.In this episode, Mette shows Hamish why sh

What do an airport terminal, the set of a Broadway show, and one of the most revered parks in New York City have in common?They’ve all been shaped by renowned designer David Rockwell — and they all reveal the hidden choices that go into designing a public space.David’s work shows a deep understanding of gathering places, in-between spaces, and transitions. He can shape a lobby, an atrium, or even a staircase to connect people with their surroundings in unseen ways. And there’s no better place to explore this masterful sculpting of public spaces than New York City, where David first designed W New York - Union Square during the late 1990s.For nearly 25 years, this hotel towered over Union Square Park, within the historic Beaux-Arts Guardian Life building. Then, David was invited back to completely reinvent the hotel — the first in a series of transformations being made to W hotels across the world.In this episode, David shares how his love of theater and his knowledge of Union Square’s history helped him to br

Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, is a rising destination for travelers who want to visit a vibrant European city with a fantastic local food scene, access to breathtaking countryside excursions, and centuries of historic architecture.Tapping into that history is The Marmorosch Bucharest, an Autograph Collection Hotel. This hotel was crafted inside the Marmorosch-Blank Bank Palace, a stately building in the heart of old town Bucharest that was originally constructed in 1912. Previously critical to the modernization of the Romanian economy, the bank building is now a protected national monument — with intricate woodwork, stained glass, and marble tiling throughout.To keep the heritage of the Marmorosch intact, architect Indre Sangus had to untangle a labyrinth of design challenges. From encasing carved wood panels in glass so they could function as shower walls, to preserving marble by hiding above-ground plumbing inside furniture, she came up with solution after solution to preserve over a century of hi

On the southern tip of the Indonesian island of Bali, the Nusa Dua peninsula offers travelers some of the most stunning beaches in Southeast Asia. But the area surrounding Nusa Dua is also home to majestic cliffs, lush hills, and stone temples. These settings offer a chance to connect with Bali’s local landscape, architecture, and culture — an experience that goes beyond a beach-side getaway.The Renaissance Bali Nusa Dua Resort, secluded from the hustle and bustle of beach-side hotels, makes good on that offer by paying homage to Balinese architecture. The resort is nestled into the hills like a villa, with traditional pitched roofs perched around a courtyard of peaceful walking paths and walled gardens. And the interiors showcase designer Carl Almeida’s deep appreciation for Balinese theater and dance, which he’s cultivated by visiting the island over the course of 18 years.In this episode, Carl shares a formative travel experience of his — seeing the Whirling Dervishes perform at a historic site near New De

The Riviera Maya, a coastal paradise on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, is home to peaceful mangroves, stunning beaches, and breathtaking freshwater pools known as cenotes. And nestled amongst the mangrove trees is the St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya — a 620-acre reserve that immerses travelers in a heavenly natural setting and pays homage to over 4,000 years of Maya heritage within greater Mexico.In this episode of Travel by Design, host Hamish Kilburn chats with designer Tatiana Sheveleva, who spent seven years painstakingly sculpting a seamless indoor-outdoor experience at the St. Regis Kanai. Fascinated by Maya culture and especially the Mayas’ mastery of astronomy and architecture, Tatiana worked with architect Michael Edmonds to build out a cluster of white circular buildings. These elegant structures not only offer magnificent views of the beach, they also reflect the stars of the “Seven Sisters,” honor the Mayan lunar calendar, and recognize that in the Yucatan this place is called Kanai — which

George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg have been partners in design (and in life) for decades, creating award-winning hospitality spaces that span the globe and never deliver the same experience twice.When they were asked to design the interiors for two distinct hotels built inside the same 37-story building in Downtown Los Angeles, George and Glenn decided to craft the spaces for two contemporary “protagonists” — rooted in the lifestyles of Southern California artists. For The Moxy Downtown LA, they imagined a desert nomad, who would imbue the hotel with a vivacious, mismatched aesthetic and restless energy. For The AC Hotel Downtown LA, they built an elegant Southern California atelier for an artist in residence, constructing a precise, focused space for creatives to host business and social calls alike.In this episode, host Hamish Kilburn — a longtime fan of Yabu Pushelberg — gains deep insights into how George and Glenn create the personalities who drive their hotel designs. He learns how they approached the ne

The Maldives, an archipelago of more than a thousand islands off the southern tip of India, is renowned for pristine beaches and unparalleled ocean views. The natural setting of these islands, which sit atop shimmering waters and reflect colors of emerald and royal blue, is the perfect place for an island resort getaway.But while any number of resorts in the Maldives offer snorkeling among the coral reefs and overwater villas that let travelers dive into the lagoon from their hotel rooms, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa stands out — with its careful curation of the island spaces and bold interior designs, inspired by Bauhaus style and the glamorous histories of 20th century fashion and air travel.In this episode, host Hamish Kilburn meets with Singapore-based designer Dan Kridsada to trade Maldives travel stories and reveal all the careful decisions that go into constructing an overwater villa. Dan explains how he turned every room inside-out to establish a seamless connection between travelers and the

Discover how design, blended with nature, puts you right inside a mangrove, so you can immerse yourself in the jungles of Costa Rica at the El Mangroove Hotel and Residences. Host and hotel design reviewer Hamish Kilburn speaks with owner Andres Pacheco and architect Ronald Zürcher to find out how they worked with the mangrove to build their hotel. Read more about El Mangroove's design on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler.Featured Hotels: El Mangroove, Autograph CollectionFeatured Designer: Ronald Zürcher, Zürcher ArquitectosExplore more stories about hotel design at Travel by DesignFollow host Hamish Kilburn's hotel design reviews @HotelDesigns

For the longest time, Airport hotels have been treated as nonchalant, transitional places — simply somewhere to rest your head during a layover, en route to your true destination. With their focus on business clientele, airline staff, and people seeking refuge from a canceled flight or missed connection, airport hotels haven’t always provided an experience that guests could relish as destination-worthy.However, major design overhauls at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center and the Sheraton Toronto Gateway Hotel showcase a big leap forward for what airport hotels can offer. By completely reconstructing their interiors to enable a seamless blend of business and leisure, by orienting public spaces around multiple ways to meet and gather, and by infusing the guest experience with genuine ties to local culture, these next-generation airport hotels are charting a new path for travelers who want make the most of every step of their journey.In this episode, host Hamish Kilburn dives into the re-

Picture the grand entrance to an Austro-Hungarian palace from the late 19th century, complete with iron-wrought gates and a vaulted ceiling. A beautiful blend of art styles that includes Art Nouveau, Baroque, and Romanesque. Ornate finishings on everything, from handle rails to columns and ceilings. A color palette that reflects the city’s rooftops in teal, green, gold and copper.These sights are just a hint of the bridge to Budapest’s history that is Matild Palace — a Luxury Collection Hotel, housed in the painstakingly restored palace that originally brought into being by Her Imperial and Royal Highness Maria Klotild, of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Perched at one end of the Elisabeth Bridge in the heart of Hungary’s capital city, Matild Palace is a master class in how to honor a UNESCO-protected site while elevating all of its interiors to feel timeless. Guest beds feature full-height, leather embossed headboards with an art deco pattern inspired by the Hungarian classic, The Adventures of Sinbad. The bathrooms

As the capital of Nova Scotia, Halifax is known for its charm, its culinary scene, and its coastal climate. Built on one of the largest natural harbors in the world, this Canadian city is often filled with a gentle fog and sea mist — creating a sense of place that’s simultaneously rooted in the ocean and the earth.Muir Halifax, Autograph Collection has been painstakingly designed to honor and integrate the local maritime history of Halifax. The hotel is nestled seamlessly into the Queen’s Marque waterfront district, where locals and visitors alike gather on the public boardwalk that envelops the hotel and meets the waters of the harbor.The architecture of Muir is full of texture and natural materials inspired by the local topography; sandstone, granite, and muntz metal play a prominent role in the hotel’s construction. And inside Muir, the artisanship of Halifax and Nova Scotia is on full display — via original, commissioned art pieces, as well as custom furniture and interiors that are locally sourced and ca

Host Hamish Kilburn, Editor of Hotel Designs, leads us on a globetrotting journey through immersive, insightful conversations with the designers behind the world’s most extraordinary hotels.Travel by Design reimagines the hotel design podcast previously known as Behind the Design. From a secluded overwater villa in the Maldives, to a rejuvenated royal palace in Budapest, to a trendy hotspot in downtown Los Angeles, join us for new episodes — and find your next great travel destination.To learn more, check out more stories from across the globe at Travel by Design.

Travel by boat across the Venetian lagoon and escape onto a private island, where every step — and every plate of locally sourced food — has been thoughtfully integrated to bring you back into touch with the healing power of earth, sea, and sun.In this episode, we travel to the J.W. Marriott Venice resort and Spa, which gives guests access to the secluded retreat of Isola delle Rose. To understand the impact of designer Matteo Thun on the resort, Host Robin Bennefield chats with General Manager Cristiano Cabutti, who was one of the property's very first team members. While reflecting on what it was like to restore the historic buildings of the island and realize Thun's vision, Robin and Cristiano connect over the universal need for self-care and healing.Then, recalling fond memories of the local meals and cooking classes she took the last time she was a guest at the J.W. Venice, Robin pays a visit to Executive Chef Giorgio Shifferegger. In conversation with Giorgio about the irreplaceable value of a freshly g

What is it about sitting by the waves that makes so many people happy? And what does it take to recreate that feeling at a hotel that's nowhere near the ocean?We've spent hours talking about the design of hotels and the world of hospitality. But in this episode, we go on a deep dive into the design of SoundWaves, a one-of-a-kind water attraction that's built into the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee.To see SoundWaves for yourself and book a resort package at the Gaylord Opryland, check out soundwavesgo.com.Read more about SoundWaves and the hidden world of hotel design at traveler.marriot.com/behind-the-design.

W Hotels recently launched its very own record label, W Records. At the W Music International Summit in Austin, Texas, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler sat down with some of the top innovators in the music industry who led the launch of W Records. Learn how they ensured brand consistency, navigated the changing music industry landscape, and got some of the top emerging artists to come on board. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Marriott TRAVELER as we explore the world of Destiny 2, a video game in which players assume the role of a Guardian and are tasked with reviving a character called (appropriately) The Traveler while journeying to different planets along the way. Learn how the designers grounded the sci-fi settings in reality and how travel inspired the final look of the game. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Video game designers are creating landscapes so realistic, it's almost like traveling there yourself. Marriott TRAVELER sat down with the designers of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, which is set in ancient Greece, to find out what it took to create these landscapes and why recreating Greece was so important to them for this amazing game. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marriott TRAVELER visited the opening of Toy Story Land in Orlando and spoke with creative designers from PIXAR and Walt Disney. They discuss the process behind translating the beloved Toy Story films into a real-life interactive outdoor park, giving guests the opportunity to step into the stories and immerse themselves in a world of fun. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode of Behind the Design features a very special conversation with Hannah Beachler, who designed the fictional nation of Wakanda for Marvel Studios' blockbuster "Black Panther". Learn how Hannah's travels to South Africa influenced the way she envisioned Wakanda and how she brought those designs to life on the big screen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.