Dissertation

GATEWAY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SONIPAT 131001

DISSERTATION REPORT November, 2017

ACHIEVING BUDGETARY LUXURY THROUGH SPATIAL ENHANCEMENT IN HOTELS

SUBMITTED BY: Ankita Chaudhary GCAD/13/103

GUIDED BY: Ar. Animesh Dev

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GATEWAY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

DECLARATION

I, Ankita Chaudhary , Roll Number, GCAD/13/103, hereby declare that the dissertation titled “Achieving Budgetary Luxury through Spatial Enhancement in Hotels” is submitted by me, in partial fulfilment of the requirement of the curriculum of Bachelor of Architecture as per the university norms, to Gateway College of Architecture and Design, is a record of my original work with credits given for information collected from any other source.

_________________________________ Ankita Chaudhary

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GATEWAY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation titled “Achieving Budgetary Luxury through Spatial Enhancement in Hotels�, submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of the curriculum of Bachelor of Architecture is the work of Ankita Chaudhary, Roll Number GCAD/13/103 , who carried out research work under our supervision in Gateway College of Architecture and Design, Sonipat, Haryana.

We recommend that the dissertation report be placed before the examiners for their consideration.

______________________________ Ar. Animesh Dev Signature of the Guide

______________________________ Ar. Manisha Singh Signature of the Coordinator

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Dedication I dedicate my dissertation work to my family and many friends. A special feeling of gratitude to my loving parents, Mr. Sanjay and Jyoti Chaudhary whose words of encouragement and push for tenacity ring in my ears. I also dedicate this dissertation to my many friends and Gateway family who have supported me throughout the process. I will always appreciate all they have done.

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Acknowledgement I am grateful to Gateway College of Architecture and Design, Sonepat for giving me the opportunity to research and write this dissertation. For the critical comments on the drafts I would like to thank my supervisor Ar. Animesh Dev and co-supervisor Ar. Bikramjit Chakraborty. Their excitement and willingness to provide feedback made the completion of this research an enjoyable experience.

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Preface This paper presents the role of luxury in hospitality sector. It shows how anyone can create a sense of luxury in less budget. This paper is primarily addressed to architects and designers, who who are involved in the designing of a hotel or will be deigning a hotel to give them a sense of luxury and how can they seek it in the spaces and materials involved. An understanding of different meanings of luxury and ways to achieve it will help them provide better comfort for the users and will also help them innovate different ways to make a space more interesting. Therefore, the dissertation would give them a different perspective in looking and achieving luxury.

Grateful acknowledgment is here made to those who helped in gathering data for this dissertation. This work would not have reached its present form without their invaluable help.

It has been written to fulfill the graduation requirements of the Architecture

Program at the

Gateway College of Architecture and Design (GCAD). I was engaged in researching and writing this dissertation from July to November 2017.

The dissertation was undertaken under the guidance of Ar. Animesh Dev and Ar. Bikramjit Chakraborty. The research questions was formulated with the supervisors. The research was difficult, but conducting extensive investigation has allowed me to answer the question that we identified. Fortunately, both Ar. Manisha Singh and the mentors from the GCAD, were always available and willing to answer all the queries.

I would like to thank my supervisors for their excellent guidance and support during this process. I also wish to thank all of the respondents, without whose cooperation I would not have been able to conduct this analysis.

To my Gateway family, I would like to thank you for your wonderful cooperation as well. It was always helpful to bat ideas about my research around you. I also benefitted from debating issues with my friends and family. If I ever lost interest, you kept me motivated. My parents deserve a particular note of thanks: your wise counsel and kind words have always served me well.

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Abstract It was in stone age, when people just needed shelter. Architecture Industry is transforming eversince and there is an increased demand for exquisite and advanced buildings. Talking in Indian context, people are demanding world class amenities with value added services. They want a luxurious experience but at a bargain. Builders are willing to comply to the demands of customers who are willing to spend handsomely for better facilities. The history of mankind has been replete with instances of magnificent architecture and ever evolving advancement in construction of wellequipped buildings. But, the question which arises is, that, if luxurious experience (in terms of architectural spaces) is only limited to rich i.e if it could be achieved only by involving a lot of money; and if not, then how can one give the same kind of experience in less budget.

By incorporating luxury in architecture and keeping the cost factor in mind, the aim is to deliver

a smart design and experience oriented architecture with an impact that leaves an

impression that lasts lifetime. Artistic ability, expression and a smart way of using resources play a major role in cresting luxurious architecture. For an instance, when considering the design of a room, the materials that are related with giving user a sensory feeling should be spent on, while the cost can be saved on the materials which have nothing to do with the users’ senses. For example, a large picture window would make a room appear bigger than what it actually is and could make a small room luxurious in a way, but the thickness of glass in the window has nothing to do with the user and could be compromised upon to be in a budget. This concept could be termed as pseudoluxury or targeted luxury.

Luxury is a bonus. Luxury acts as a power of enrichment in architectural venues. The idea is to add poise and coherence to every space and provide comfort and authenticity to the user and yet be cost-effective. It is through architecture that one can cause the first sharp intake of breath - that sense of wonder and awe which woos a user. Imaginative and tastefully executed architecture in less budget will always be appreciated. For architecture to be aesthetically luxurious it must incorporate thoughts, materials and ornament that indicate ‘great refinement in the gratification of senses� but one needs to think out the possible ways in which one could imitate the luxurious buildings and provide a similar experience in less budget. When such a structure is created which gives you a luxurious experience, it becomes a landmark and people from far off cities or countries travel to experience the opulence and lavishness of space, hence, generating money and enhancing economy. Luxury have always been attracting humans. Luxury represents the dynamism of human desire and this dynamism takes society beyond the confines of a mere need-satisfaction.

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Luxury is more than material offering. It is more related to providing a great and a comfortable experience. “It is beyond a category or material offering or ornamentation; luxury is a way of life.” Apparently, It can be indeed achieved by revolutionary technology, application of some innovative construction techniques and use of materials smartly. The scope of this dissertation is limited to Hotels and when going through it, one would get to know about the ways through which one could give an essence of luxury to the user through architecture. As, luxury is normally perceived to be as ‘‘a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense’’ , but, it is not necessary as involving a lot of cost is not the only way through which luxury could be achieved in architectural spaces.

Basically, the idea is to explain that luxury through architecture should be defined at both emotional and experimental level as luxury is not all about decor or amenities because the experience of luxury is active and conscious, which means customers opinions and feelings are also a part of it. Luxury is all about, how a user react to the space and, if a place can offer a luxurious experience to the user.

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Table of Contents Declaration ………………………………………………………………………….……... i Certificate ………………………………………………………………………….…….... ii Dedication ………………………………………………………………………….……... iv Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………….v Preface …………………………………………………………………………………….. vi Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………… vii Table of contents ……………………………………………………………………….. ix - x Figures and Tables …………………………………….………………………………. xi - xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………Pg. 01 1.1

The Premise ‘Concept of luxury’

1.2

The Definitions and Meaning of the important parameters ‘Associated terms with Luxury’

1.3

The Intent of the Dissertation ‘Luxury through Architecture’

1.4

The Central Claim ‘Luxury in Price Constraints’

1.5 1.6

The Research Questions ‘Queries regarding Budgetary Luxury’ The Aim and Objective of the Research ‘Benefits of Budget oriented Luxury’

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The Scope and Limitations of the Research ‘Relevance in Hotels’

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW …………………………………………………Pg. 10 2.1 Purpose of the Literature Review ‘Broader perspective about Luxury’ 2.2

Categorisation of Literature ‘Relation of luxury, budget and hotels’ 2.2.1 Pre “Research-Question” Stage

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2.2.2 Post “Research-Question” Stage Selection process of the Literature and method Consideration regarding ‘luxury in budget’

2.4

Brief review of each referred documents ‘Developing a better understanding of topic’

2.5

Collating the Literature Review learnings ‘Reinventing luxury’

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CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND METHODOLOGY ……………………………………Pg. 17 3.1

Methods opted of Data and case Selection and its Justification ‘Basis for Generating the ways to achieve luxury in budget’

3.2

Methods opted for Data Collection and its Justification ‘Surveys for developing ways to achieve luxury in budget for hotels’

3.3

Methods opted for Data Analysis and its Justification ‘Parameters for classification of hotels’

3.4

Advantages and Limitations of the methods adopted ‘Subjectivity of the topic’

CHAPTER 4: DATA DEMONSTRATION ………………………………………………Pg. 18 4.1

Data collection format ‘Comprehensive view of project’

4.2 4.3

Data Set : Presentation of unprocessed Data ‘Related Examples and facts’ Challenges in data collection Procedure ‘Limitations involving factors’

4.4

The Nature of the Data Set : Qualitative and Quantitative ‘Profit by Design’

CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION……………………………………………Pg. 25 5.1 Strength and limitations of the collected Data 5.2

Visual Representation of the Data ‘Comparative Analysis among selected cases’

5.3

Cause and Effect relationship ‘Requirement of Architectural innovations’

5.4

The Final Comments ‘Directions to achieve the result’

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS ……………………………………………………………Pg. 35 6.1

Recapitulation of Research Question & its Significance

6.2

‘Categories and functions of hotels’ Research Inference and its Significance ‘Ways to achieve the desired outcome’

6.3

Revisiting the Central Claim ‘Implications of luxury in budget’

6.4

The future Research possibilities ‘Considerations for a broader scope’

6.5

Project Projections ‘Applications in s realtime project’

APPENDIX :…………………………………………………………………..……………Pg. 45 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………………………Pg. 47

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LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Fig no.

Title

Source

Page no.

1

Typology of building defined

Hotel Ace’s website , 3-star hotel

4

2

Research question

Harbour grand hotel’s website

8

3

The Hotel Ontology

Author

26

4

Layout of a room

Hotel ambassador,

27

Budget hotel 5

Efficient Layout of a room

Hotel ambassador,

27

Budget hotel 6

Influence of warm colours

Honolulu homestay

28

7

Influence of cool colours

Navatara hotel

28

8

Effect of fenestrations

by Kate Simmons

29

9

Inefficient use of space

Hotel Kingston Cheuden,

29

Budget hotel chain 10

Space saving methods

By Rox Comunicación

30

11

Flexibility in using space

by Art, Architecture,

30

design firm 12

Expensive flooring

by Kalyan marble granite

31

ltd.

13

Expensive flooring imitated

by Mohawk Group in

31

Discover, On Trend 14

Layout of lobby

Unknown

32

15

Layout of a guest room

Unknown

33

16

Aim to gratify

Velvet Apple Hotel

34

17

Location for the site of Hotel

Google maps

43

18

Location for the site of Business centre

Google maps

44

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Table no.

1

Title

Difference between categories of

Source

Page no.

survey by ACSI

22

hotels 2

Basis of categorisation of hotels

author

24

3

Basis of categorisation of hotels

author

24

4

Basis of categorisation of hotels

author

24

5

Analysis and Inference

author

39

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION


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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1

The Premise Quality is luxury. Though, luxury is a subjective term but generally, it means what looks or

feels good and gives pleasure to the user. Mainly, it is all about delivering comfort, wealth, sophistication and satisfaction. The main idea is to develop an experience of luxury through architecture which is even cost-effective.

As construction and operational costs rise and land becomes more expensive, hoteliers need to do more with less, yet still fulfilling guest expectations and ensure a great return for owners. “Luxury is not just about the wealth – as there’s a middle-class affluence that make luxury lifestyle components more attainable, and leaves a room for optimisation.” Luxury in hotels is to be defined as specific guest amenities, room sizes, room layouts, service levels, furnishings and product quality; overall,it can be determined by the guest experience and rankings. A “five star” hotel is no longer even mentioned as the part of a description when guests talk about luxury or lifestyle hotel experience. Now, Hotel service culture is being questioned – if the hotel delivered a luxurious experience? Or if the hotel’s experience was able to kept the guests curious or not. So, a luxury hotel doesn’t mean anymore if it’s got marble floors and gold taps; it could still be very happening and very trendy. Just because one is in a budget, doesn’t mean it has to become boring all of a sudden. So, what experience a hotel provide, have a huge impact across the hotel sector – both from an investment and guest perception.”

According to Henle, the Dorchester Collection’s Head of Global Development, the lifestyle movement is here to stay. “There are different concepts and I always say there’s a lid for every pot”, which means there are a number of ways which could be strategised for giving a fulfilling experience or providing a lifestyle to the guests yet not compromising on one’s budget.

“Luxury and lifestyle are now combined. They all play into the experience economy but at the end of the day, the new consumer is looking more to the expectation – and that expectation is increasing very rapidly.” Ultimately, every customer wants value for their money.

Ultimately, it’s not that much about the rooms anymore; it’s much more about the lifestyle that fits one’s personal taste and also the facilities that one’s get. And there’s so much choice around these days that one has multiple choices and be very particular in where one wants stay.

The choice of the customer could be dependent on multiple factors and what one finds appealing.

When one look at luxury, there’s an unprecedented level of investment going into the space and

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the main motto is to make it worth. Modern luxury is all about experience, curiosity and time, which is becoming ever more precious. Its just not about expensive products, as luxury is more to that. People look at all the aspects when choosing a service for themselves and assess its worth when spending money.

This is the reason, affordable luxury hotels are becoming increasingly common as the concept of luxury democratises. According to a report by Euromonitor, affordable luxury has emerged as a growing sector as a result of the up-scaling of mass market accommodation options and the anti- premiumization of the traditional luxury market. “The concept of luxury is changing, it’s no longer just razzle-dazzle extravagances for high net worth travellers such as room service from crisply dressed waiters or expensive spa treatments. The idea of luxury is more about welldesigned rooms and unique experiences which allow users, time to relax yet also enable them to remain easily connected to the outside world.”

While perceptions of opulence and high price tags once defined what luxury was, the more important aspects of luxury today touch upon time is to relax and disconnect, open and welldesigned spaces, the facilitation of a community setting and ability to connect, and the spaces designed to improve health. These societal shifts in what consumers want, touch all the aspects of the hospitality sector, but are particularly important in the affordable luxury market where consumers are willing to pay more if it promises to provide the time, connection and mindfulness they miss in their everyday lives. The thing of major importance is the experience of the place which one looks forward to enjoy .

Keywords :

Affordable-hotel, Budget-hotel, Cost-effective, Luxury, Pseudo-luxury, Targeted-

luxury.

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The Definitions and Meaning of the important parameters “Luxury is a state of mind,” It is how it makes one feel. It is a really modern thing

to be able to have a less expensive product that’s not dumped down or not deprived down but is moulded to still be focused on the things that people like and look forward to, and gets rid of those notions of luxury. To create a high-end hospitality experience on a budget, nearly every element of the hotel–from check-in and in-room furniture to room service and staffing–to make the difference and should be efficiently made up as these balance sheet add up. The concept of luxury encompasses a variety of definitions. Definitions of “luxury” vary enormously and depend on with whom you discuss the topic and in what context. The term “Luxury” has never been something easy to define. It is relative, mysterious and elusive. In essence, it revolves around subjective criteria in the mind, which creates a mood and what is generally referred to today as lifestyle. In the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘luxury’ is generally defined as the ‘habitual use of, or indulgence Page 3 of 48

in what is choice or costly, whether food, dress, furniture, or appliances of any kind’. Historically, luxury was not confined to behaviour, cuisine, objects or particular surroundings. It was also expressed architecturally. Within the context of this dissertation, ‘luxury’ architecture is oriented to experience.

• Richard Hill defines luxury as a special kind of excess, which derives from pleasure or more space (in a building). He categorises Hyper-luxury as the highest form of luxury and argues, it ‘’takes to access all those aesthetic features of architecture which are most difficult to conceptualise…lie on the border between sensuous and intellectual understanding.’’

• According to David Hume, Luxury is great refinement in the gratification of the senses and it can be of any degree.

• Christopher Berry states that “Luxury represents the dynamism of human desire.’’ This dynamism takes society beyond the confines of a mere need-satisfaction.

• Luxury is anything that is desirable and more than necessary and ordinary. Defining luxury has always been very subjective.

A hotel is an establishment that provides lodging and, often times, meals and other services for travellers and other paying guests. A particular hotel or motel can be distinguished on a number of characteristics, including whether it provides full or limited service (and what are the level of services) , whether or not it is located in a metropolitan area, the state or region, its price or rate level, the number of rooms, and whether it is independent or part of a chain operation. Hotels and motels can also be categorised by price of rooms which ultimately is an effect of the quality of hotel. The establishments with room rates in the highest 30 percentile that are located in local or metropolitan markets are classified as upscale or luxury. The middle 30 percentile is classified as

Fig. 1 ; Typology of building defined

mid-priced, and the lowest 40 percentile as either economy or budget.Overall, sales from hotels account for 87.4% of industry revenue and 82.0% of industry employment, though they account Page 4 of 48

for only 44.0% of industry establishments. Hotels that consist of 25 or more rooms provide 83.6% of industry revenue (with 62.7% of industry revenue coming from guest room rentals, 12.5% coming from food and alcohol sales, 4.2% coming from conference and meeting rooms and 4.2% coming from other charges), while hotels that offer fewer than 25 rooms only constitute 3.8% of industry revenue.

Budget Hotels Budget hotels provide the service at low cost which is affordable by everyone. The infrastructures of budget hotels is not very large spread and is in small area as comparison to economy hotel. The rooms of budget hotels are small and have less facilities as compare to Economy hotels.

Economy Hotels Economy hotels cater the more services and facilities as comparison to Budget hotels. It is spread in a large area as well as have a big infrastructure.

Cost effective Low-cost architecture is all about construction that optimises the various aspects of construction without changing the quality of the final product. Cost-effective does not mean substandard or poor quality structures. Quite the opposite, it involves strategies intended to optimise resources, technologies, material utilisation, and maximise efficiency of the structure. "Cutting costs can be achieved in various ways without losing sight of utility or aesthetics”. Design is one of the easiest ways to cut down on costs. For example, one should look for enduring concepts and aesthetics so that the ideas represented in a space looks extravagant. Also, using built-in furniture like stones for shelves or sofa can be unique and cuts costs.

Affordable luxury, it is a gratifying self-indulgence that you can pay for but is not necessary. The obligation in affordable luxury projects is to provide a distinct luxury flavour and experience without the project being priced high.

Pseudo luxury a false or pretentious kind of luxury; which is generally “closely or deceptively resembling”.

What seems true is not certain to be true. In this case it’s not necessary that what seems to be luxurious is actually of very refined quality and very expensive (to which the term luxury, is generally associated with).

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The Intent of the Dissertation The intent is to link this dissertation to thesis for making a hospitable space in a creative

and an innovative way which would be cost effective. The purpose would be to apprehend the parameters of a hospitable space and design (at the thesis stage) in such a way that it would be luxurious or more pleasurable to the user and put this research to use. This dissertation is not intended to be comprehensive study of luxury and architecture individually. Instead, it surveys a number of themes and certain case studies of affordable luxurious architectural settings.

“When you come to a hotel room, you want it to be grand, functional and beautiful.

But you don't want things that are not useful. “ - Diane von Furstenberg When one tries to design a hotel or a plan for a hotel, one could easily use the ways listed in this dissertation to make it look luxurious and pleasurable for the end user. Cost-optimisation is very necessary as wherever one could save money, one would want to and even when the quality is not at stake. Plus, even when one tries to design a commercial complex or an office, a public space or even a private space, one could use the cost-optimisation ways to reduce costs and still give a quality experience to the user.

The other major intent is to deal with the concept ‘Profit by Design’ by understanding the futuristic design trends that would provide cost-effective strategies for hotels and also deliberating on establishing innovative design approaches to maximise features, aesthetics and comfort levels for the user.

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The Central Claim The central claim is to develop the understanding that, every project has some price

constraints, but even a tight budget does not necessarily mean you must sacrifice the elements that will turn an ordinary space into a luxurious one.

In this new world of luxury, being iconic and limited is not enough to make a hotel be choice of maximum number of customers, and only a fewer consumers are willing to genially accept high prices for the tag of luxury. They need better reasons to opt for that particular service and consider the value factor. Luxury means different things to different people, but for most consumers the term connotes exclusivity, quality, and experience. One of the quintessential traits of luxury has always been its superiority to the ordinary, it may be in terms of providing an extra-ordinary experience to the user. The character may extend beyond craftsmanship, service, and image to include elements of hotel performance. These changes correspond with a growing appreciation for experience-based luxury. Consumers want something genuine, even meaningful, from their luxury Page 6 of 48

choice and have become willing to pay for services or experiences that make them happy. It’s not at all important to spend a lot of money to give an experience based luxury. For example, providing double height spaces would make it look bigger and luxurious as well as with help of lighting one could generate a luxurious feeling etc.

Planning better and efficiently at the starting of the project could help save big amounts. while planing the modules and architectural materials, a lot of cost can be saved. Plus, designing for low maintenance would help to cut cost after construction and in the long run.

So, there are a number of factors which could be considered when designing for a hotel or doing the interiors of hotel, which could help in cost reduction while not compromising on the quality.

As luxury could also be achieved through spatial enhancement, and there are multiple ways through which one could achieve such kind of enhancement. Such spatial enhancement could be achieved by certain elements such as , by providing large picture windows or by some kind of fenestrations or by the efficient use of lighting. Colours, hues, furniture etc also play a major role in creating the experience of a hotel room. Arrangement of furniture efficiently is also important as it could help out trim the negative spaces or in a less area, space saving furniture can do wonders.

So, The essence of luxury is important to us but this essence is not money intensive.

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The Research Questions

• What is luxury? What does luxury mean in a hotel?

• What are the parameters on which a hotel is categorised as luxurious ?

• What are the techniques to be used to make a hotel space (either a lobby or a room etc) •

luxurious in less budget ?

How can cost optimisation be done/achieved while not compromising on the ‘’luxury’’ factor of the hotel ? (Either before the starting of construction, at the planning stage or during construction or even after the construction process has been created).

• How can experience be luxury oriented or luxury be experience oriented in a hotel, and yet cost effective?

1.6

The Aim and Objective of the Research

The first aim of the dissertation is to broaden the reader’s understanding of the ideas and attitudes relating to the depiction, practice and function of luxury within architecture. Secondly, it is to detail about the ways through which one could deliver comfort and enrich the architectural venue; and to generate a great feel of wealth and satisfaction to the end user. It is also for Page 7 of 48

providing ways which would help to cut the cost in hotel without compromising on cost as well as pleasure.

The objective of this dissertation is to detail about the ways through which one could know about how to make a hospitable space luxurious and generally cover all the tangible aspects of the

Fig 2 ; Research question

luxury in hotels. One could know about the ways to provide affordable premium luxury in hotels and how they can be implemented. Through this dissertation, one would be able to get the knowledge of enhancing a space and strategise those approaches. Secondly, it is to develop distinctive amenities and visuals, which embody the essence of the destination, coupled with luxury customisations and cost reduction.

1.7

The Scope and Limitations of the Research The dissertation takes only hotels into account. It describe about the ways by which a

hospitable space can be made luxurious in less budget. It discusses mainly on all the parameters of the hotels which have to be considered while categorising a hotel as luxurious.

The research would be meaningful as one could know about the ways of making a space luxurious in a cost effective way and can directly apply them in habitable buildings. Generally, the aspect which is covered of attaining luxury in hotels is through spatial enhancement which covers all the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the hotel. The research covers all the aspects of a hotel and talks about the figures and display visually how the ways make a difference when implemented so as to justify what has been said. Majorly, all the architectural aspects of the hotel is tried to be covered in this research and ways have been specified that how can they be altered for the better.

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The major limitation to the research is that it covers the aspects of only hotels and not of other typologies of buildings like residential or offices etc but still some aspects could be use in other buildings. Hence, the typology of the buildings has been set; i.e hotels.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW


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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW There have been certain research papers and documents that have been studied and referred (which were in relation to the context) to have a clear idea of the topic.

The main purpose of literature review was to help pose questions and have a better understanding of the topic and ultimately to inferences that lead to the final conclusion. Multiple papers and documents have been studied to remove the probability of bias-ness and the result to be dynamic and have a broader perspective.

2.1

Purpose of the Literature Review

• The first literature reviewed is “Luxury and Architecture” by Anette Condello (dissertation,UWA) which briefly explains about the history of luxury and how the luxury actually originated. It specifies about the significance of luxury and on what terms it was considered to be important and on what terms it is not. Basically, one gets to know about the difference between permissible and impermissible luxury. It describes about the showcase of luxury through architecture in different periods of time.

• The second literature reviewed is a blog, “More style than cash” which explains about the term “Inexpensive luxury” and how one should simplify luxury and incorporate it in the spaces around us on a budget. It explains about how attention should be given to details and the role of designers to provide a luxurious experience through spaces.

• The third literature reviewed is “How to Live A Luxurious Life on a Not-So-Luxury Budget” by Tonya Aleigh which explains about how luxury can be obtainable through spaces and depicts that luxury is not about quality but about quality experience.

• The fourth literature review is of an article “Radically Reinventing The Luxury Hotel To Compete With Airbnb” by Diana Budds which takes into account every element of hotel into account and explains how it could be differently done in less cost. It explains how luxury is a state of mind and is associated to feel. It explains, how to get rid of those notions of stereotypic luxury.

• The fifth literature reviewed is an article “Defining the New Luxury” by Chekitan S. Dev which explains how the concept of luxury in hotels is transforming and what are the new demands of the customers all about. It stated that the consumer landscape has become more democratised and the economic influence of new markets have become more pervasive, and that’s the reason, a revolution is required.

• The sixth literature reviewed is an article “Hospitality Reinvented’’ by Bill Bennett which explains about how a hotel today should be designed to provide comfort to the travellers as it initially state about the demands of todays travellers.

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• The seventh literature reviewed is a research paper on “How Luxury Travel Is Being Reinvented” by Karen Gardiner which explains about how luxury has become affordable now.

It states that luxury is nowadays less about white glove-style service and more about a memorable, authentic experience. To that point, contemporary hotels are offering guest experiences that go deeper than the usual hotel stay and to connect to a disparate yet

•

creative and open-minded crowd.

The eighth literature review is an article on “Entrepreneur Designs Upscale Hotels for Budget Travellers” by Liz Welch. It explains about how different spaces of hotels can be redesigned to make it compact and how different spaces in the hotel can be utilised in a much efficient way.

• The ninth literature review is of an article on “Six reasons why hotels are failing to meet the needs of travellers” by Budget traveller which explains the problems a traveller face by hotels.

It explains that travel is becoming more personalised and more niche and this is where hotels have to become more flexible, more social and create a personalised experience for each of their

•

guests to stay relevant.

The tenth literature review is on an article, “Creative partners: how citizenM is reinventing the affordable hotel experience” By Thomas O’Neill which explains about the philosophy of a particular hotel in providing affordable luxury to its customer. The purpose to review is to know about the present day technologies that are being used in the hospitality sector and what should be done to set an example.

2.2

Categorisation of Literature 2.2.1 Pre “Research-Question” Stage The literature referred at pre “Research-Question” stage is all about the definition

of luxury, what does it mean to various people and how it can be measurable. It was to know about the parameters on which luxury is categorised and how luxury is tried to be achieved in a hotel.

The next subject matter considered was about budget and generally what makes a hotel, a budget hotel and what are the cost reduction methods, a budget hotel prefer?

2.2.2 Post “Research-Question” Stage The literature referred at post “Research-Question” stage is all about the relation of luxury with budget to hotels. The research is done on the methods on which one could make a hotel in budget yet luxurious. Secondly what’s the major difference between different categories of hotels. The other important aspect to be considered was about the services a customer look forward to. The other major question was as to how does design and technology influence relationships with the luxury seeking customer? A lot of importance is given to naturally lit spaces, and state of the art communication technology; also to mention a balance of elegant design, while keeping comfort in mind when offering amenities for guests.

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2.3

Selection process of the Literature and method The selection of the referred literature is done on the basis of, what theme of luxury the

document follows and what kind of examples have been talked about. Certainly, the above referred literatures talk about hospitable luxury and how the luxury has been related to architecture and what are the linkage parameters of luxury and architecture. The mentioned literatures describe some ways to incorporate some elements of luxury in the habitable space which are not costintensive.

When selecting certain documents, the first idea was to know about what actually luxury is and how it must be defined. It’s important to know about the parameters on which it is categorised and how can luxury be incorporated through architecture. The interconnectedness of luxury and architecture has to be known. Thereafter, one has to know about hotel categories and elements of hotels and finally, on what parameters a hotel is categorised. After having a clear knowledge about luxury as well as hotel industry, literatures were referred which described about the ways of inculcating luxury into the hotels. The tips to provide comfort and satisfaction to the customers were acknowledged. Atlast, the documents which suggest the ways of providing luxury in less budget were considered, which explains how one can cut cost while generating a luxurious experience in the hotel spaces; as to which factors are involved on generating the luxurious fell to the customers. Thenceforth, articles on reinventing hospitable luxury were referred.

2.4

Brief review of each referred documents Luxury and Architecture; Luxury, as both a concept and attribute of some buildings, is

persistent, from a mixture of fact and myth to a reality. It denotes a realm of discernment. Luxury within architecture today is understood as having a material existence; it can also denote a space, a device for dining rooms and a context for hotels. This thesis contributes what luxury means in an architectural sense. Globally, luxury within architecture is sometimes a condition of sophistication: it has changed people’s lifestyle and perspective and has become more acceptable in architecture −where private and public buildings have turned into mega-structures, especially for the middle class. This dissertation hypothesised the role and nature of luxury, and architecture from ancient Sybaris and the early twentieth century. It briefly explains the history of luxury, as to how luxury was originated; and explains about importance of luxury. One can emulate luxury or recreate its presence in the form of an extravagant building according to building codes: it just changes from one context to another and from one era to the next.

Hospitality Reinvented; The first important aspect of hotel is location and its proximity to other attractions of city. If it looks shady, one won’t prefer it, thereby, one needs to give Page 13 of 48

importance to the facade and accommodate right amount of lighting to make the people feel safe and secure. No matter how much money you invest into a property, if it’s not able to make a customer feel safe, one would never prefer it. The hotel business is still about the art of hospitality, and in order to be hospitable, the design of the hotel should be very welcoming. The emergence of creative “lifestyle” hotels have transformed the industry — there is a

rising demand

in experiences that are unique and culturally connected. These days, rather than high prices, luxury is about authenticity, storytelling, and innovation. One should focus on what’s relevant to the customer. The ‘affordable’ element of the budget hotels can be offered by prefabricated modular design which keeps construction costs low. One should believe that a hotel should not be about how many stars it has, it should be about offering affordable luxury for the people by investing in what really matters for modern travellers.

Radically reinventing the luxury hotel; When on budget, primary materials such as raw concrete and plywood, which are robust yet affordable. The architects can mould the concrete using wood to create an organic textured effect or use black-stained wood, which takes on the look of more labor-intensive charred cedar. The finishes are more modest in the Public, but not so much because of cost but because of mindset. One needs to have modest finishes. The hotel’s social spaces–the lobby bar, rooftop bar, and restaurant with a food program can be outfitted with modern pieces that one would expect. The idea is to make them lively, bustling must-visit attractions and should be dealt with a fairly standard approach boutique hotels. One could re-use some kind of materials such as plastic bottles, pre-used metals or glass for bars or restaurants to make them look chic, yet make them affordable.

Visually the place should be sophisticated as any very, very expensive hotel. So one’s not sacrificing anything to stay here. One has to generate great visuals so you’re not walking into a stripped-down box. One could standardise every guest room–which could be a compact but not claustrophobic room –to take advantage of economies of scale and could have some space-saving furniture. One could design a wood bed platform–which might have built-in reading lights, a nook for a television, and hidden outlets–and a space-saving built-in sink-and closet unit. Hiding everything away reduces visual clutter to help the room feel more spacious. There could also be a floor-to-ceiling window that would make the room feel larger. It should be taken care that the room must give a feeling of intimacy and should seems to be luxurious.

2.5

Collating the Literature Review learnings Budget control throughout the entire design and planning and construction process is

critical and analytical. Market segment - even if it's luxury, economy, or budget - largely determines on what customers want most in a hotel stay. Though customers in all segments value price, room quality, and location when choosing a hotel, these provisions merely cover the cost in Page 14 of 48

today's competitive hospitality industry, and still there are no guarantees for winning the repeat business. There are a number of ways by which one could provide hospitable luxury on a budget but one has to keep several tips in mind and has to be over-analytical about the things when making some decisions for the hotel.

Firstly, one has to be very specific while choosing the location for the hotel as market forces will obviously influence location, as will proximity to complementary amenities, availability of utilities and general infrastructure in specific locations is a consideration. The thing that matters to customer is if the place and infrastructure of the hotel itself feels safe. One could make it feel safe to the customer with proper landscaping and appropriate lighting. Secondly, on construction stage; it’s important that project timelines are realistic. It's worth comparing different procurement routes, ensuring that each method is properly analysed, together with their costs and risk profiles so that rules of attainment are clearly understood and the budget could be realistically prepared. One should adopt prefabricated methods of construction as it usually brings greater operational efficiency and lower maintenance costs as a direct result of the quality of build in a controlled environment. Third, space planning and utilisation should be done efficiently; a well designed plan can matter a lot when it comes to providing comfort to customers. One should consider the orientation of the building, looking at sun path analysis, as this may reduce heating and cooling requirements which would help in saving running cost of hotel and also help in eliminating the negative spaces in hotel.

For maximum efficiency, explore the best layout of the floor plate or prepare modules that can be replicated, and the impact of stair core location, how many rooms per floor and the width of corridors. The floor plates deigned should be very efficient and flexible. Plan efficient back of house areas, to provide as much revenue generating space as possible. It’s important to provide appropriate volume per guest in the hotel as ultimately the guests’ comfort is what matters. One could incorporate energy-efficient systems as a frequently encountered issue is the less-thanefficient hotel mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) system. These should be designed to function in certain ways, to achieve the intended levels of efficiency which help in long run.

Another feature that could be incorporated to reduce running costs is sustainability; Understanding an owner's intentions for the asset from the outset can impact on the approach to the design and construction. A hotelier with a long term mind-set and one that is interested in the operational costs efficiencies of the building in performance will be open to the options to spend more capital in the expectation of significant operational cost savings. Bringing sustainability initiatives such as the use of LED lights rather than traditional light bulbs requires more capital but brings long term cost benefits whilst being sustainable. Even usage of locally available materials is sustainable and cost effective. By incorporating more sustainable features into a hotel’s design, architects and hotel owners can successfully build hotels that are more cost-effective and energy-efficient. Therefore, Page 15 of 48

hotels must incorporate smart design to make the most of the natural resources around them and it depends a lot on the architect and his approach. On the whole when designing for midscale and economy hotels, one should strive to keep up with industry trends, but also consider the longevity, durability and simplicity of items when creating design schemes.

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CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND METHODOLOGY


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CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND METHODOLOGY 3.1

Methods opted of Data and case Selection and its Justification The mentioned methods for selection of data involves certain cases which are important to

understand the term luxury and it’s importance in the hotel industry. There are certain mentioned steps for involving the data : Listing the factors and criteria on the basis of which a hotel is considered to be luxurious.

Studying the parameters on which a hotel is given rating.

Difference between a luxurious hotel and a budget hotel.

Comparative analysis of a luxury and budget hotel.

How the cost has been reduced in a budget hotel and what are the measures that has been taken.

What are the compromises that has been done in a budget hotel to cut down the cost.

3.2

Methods opted for Data Collection and its Justification The mentioned methods for data collection have been opted as it would help to get a clear

picture of what is required and what is existent in the hospitality sector. Thereby, one could analyse about the problems and the room for improvements. The methods involved are : Internet Case Studies (for comparative analysis of what facilities have been provided in certain hotels and the way it has been designed to give an essence of luxury to it’s space.

Physical case studies of some luxurious and some budget hotels to have a better understanding of the hotels and how the areas are treated and used.

Studying the Usage and Activity pattern of guests in a hotel.

Questionnaire : (a) One for the people (general public) : to know what people are actually looking for when choosing a particular hotel for themselves and what are the factors they look for? (b) One for the hotel staff to know about the facilities that are rarely used so that the scope of providing such facilities could be limited to save the cost. (c) The other thing to know from the hotel staff is to know about the facilities which are of great importance to guests so that the experience of those facilities could be enhanced.

3.3

Methods opted for Data Analysis and its Justification Comparison analysis (between budget and luxury hotels) is done on certain parameters like

room sizes, Upholstery, lobby designs, flooring, finishes, volume per guest, architectural services, air conditioning, components of a restaurant, etc. This kind of analysis is done to know the

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differences between these categories of hotels, thereby, inferring to what could be possibly done to imitate the level of spaces in luxury hotels to the budget ones.

3.4

Advantages and Limitations of the methods adopted The Advantage in these methods was that one gets to analyse various situations and

incidents which makes a research more diverse and accepted. One gets to be involved in various number of different cases and get to know about various problems and hence unique solutions to those specific issues could be generated.

Basically, the data which has been analysed and the way it has been presented is primary and self-prepared. So, it generally depends on one persons’ perspective and universal.

When talking about the definitions of some terms like ‘luxury’, it is quite subjective and is different for different people and hence, its definition cannot be universal. For some, luxury could be innocent and for some it could be blameable. There are various degrees of luxury which cannot be described and it varies from person to person which is a serious limitation when pursuing the above methods.

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CHAPTER 4: DATA DEMONSTRATION


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CHAPTER 4: DATA DEMONSTRATION 4.1

Data collection format In this dissertation, the reader will find seven discrete chapters, each making reference to

the others. Each chapter traces the meaning of affordable luxury found in references to architecture and construction, and the ways one could strategise it. These references contribute to an ethical view of the subject and primarily concern examples and case studies. From the definitions of the individual term to a large number of cases to the ways of repercussion, the data has been structured and formatted. The other method that is selected; is building competition entries, because these reflect important design trends, which have affected architecture in other contexts and nations. The data is presented in certain charts, images, tables and a matrix showing the progress and comparison analysis of required fields.

4.2

Data Set : Presentation of unprocessed Data When luxury or even middle class guests select a hotel; the right type of environment is

vital to winning them over. These customers value the look and feel of the property, and they look forward to the kind of experience they will be getting and sharing with their families in the property. Hotels can be prone to "gold plating," or adding services and products that increase cost but don't necessarily boost market share. To avoid this trap, hoteliers must understand which products and services are meaningful to the customers they want to attract so that they can offer facilities that will tempt customers without increasing price to a limit that will make guests stay.

Overall, customers strongly agree with eliminating certain services which are not highly used and doesn’t make a different - such as the hotel retail shop, the hotel bar, some concierge services, inroom dining, the fitness facility, and luggage services - to pay less for their stay. For example, customers of every segment strongly agree with eliminating hotel retail shop (removing such nonrequired spaces) .

Guests overall strongly agree that they would be willing to pay for significantly improved services such as comfortable beds, improved safety measures, improved room ambience and large rooms. When asked which hotel products customers would give up to lower costs, more than half of guests strongly agree that they could do without the in-room bar, or the hotel bars and valet parking and even a number of restaurants provided. Customers across all segments strongly agree with eliminating the in-room bar, fitness facilities, large lobby areas and valet parking. About half of guests overall strongly agree that they would be willing to pay more for significantly improved room quality, better services and room size and furniture.

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The idea is to make a hotel lively, bustling must-visit attractions–a vision modelled that draw people. “Visually making the hotel sophisticated as any very, very expensive hotel’’. So that people do not feel that they are sacrificing anything to stay here.

Most of the cost cutting exercises take place during the design and planning phase of the project. A thoroughly well considered design that’s weighed up all cost ramifications could save a big fortune! It’s well worth taking the time to find a good architect to get this right. The fee is a small percentage of the build cost, but the right design can end up saving you more money overall.

Difference between Budget Hotels , Premium Hotels and Luxury Hotels Budget Hotels

Premium Hotels

Luxury Hotels

Investment required (excluding land)

Rs 30 lakh per room

Rs 55-60 lakh per room

Over Rs 80 lakh per room

Tariffs (twin bed per night)

Under Rs 3500

Rs 3500 to Rs 8000

Rs 8000 and above

Room size

18-20 sq m

28-32 sq m

Varies widely

Fine-dining and Bars

One restaurant, bar optional

Restaurant and a bar Two - three dining options and bar

Banquet Halls

Not available

Small, with few amenities

Five or six event areas

Business centres

Not available

Conference rooms

Elaborate centres with working desks and meeting rooms

Table 1 ; Difference between categories of hotels

4.3

Challenges in data collection Procedure There were certain number of challenges faced while collecting both primary and

secondary data. During the collection of primary data through case studies in certain hotels, there were certain areas which were not allowed to be accessed like the kitchen, services area, back of the house etc. Secondly, while conducting the questionnaire, some examples have to be given to the staff due to which some probability of bias-ness can arise. Next, the quantitate data varies from one hotel to other and was taken to be average and the data cannot be considered to be universal.

4.4

The Nature of the Data Set : Qualitative and Quantitative The data is both qualitative and quantitate in nature, as given data is based on the

comparative analysis of certain hotels and also have some tangible and intangible aspects of

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categorising hotels. Based on the room sizes, hotel can be categorised as Budget hotel which has room sizes ranging between 200-275 sq. ft; Standard hotel having room sizes ranging between 275-325 sq. ft; then comes the First Class hotel: 325-375 sq. ft; and then Luxury hotel which have room sizes which varies between 375-450 sq. ft. The task is to give a feel or experience of luxury hotel room in a budget hotel room. There are a number of public facilities that has to be provided in a hotel such as restaurants, Spa, Lobby, Washrooms, Banquets, Conference Halls, Lounge etc and the amount of space allocated to the various public facilities will fluctuate. It varies between 10 to 20% of the total floor area of the entire hotel. For instance, lobby area is around 8% of floor area in a luxury hotel (for the circulation and movement of guest, the space required is 7 to 10sq. ft. /guest room). When providing luxury on a budget, the challenge is to provide the feel of luxury in a lobby in less area; and which could be done by providing double heights or large picture windows, using some neutral tones or using some large mirrors which make the space look bigger and luxurious. A luxurious hotel provides a retail shop which can be omitted in a budget hotel as when held questionnaire with hotel staff, the retail shop is not much used .

But still, the scope is dependent on market requirement. For dining Room varies between 4 to 6% of the total floor area of the hotel. Formal dining area varies from 20 to 22 sq. ft./ seat which can also be designed to give a luxurious feel by the wise use of furnishings and lighting. The provision of recreational facility within a hotel can range from none to extensive depending on market requirement plus the category of hotel. The designing of the recreational space can be very strategically done by creating a mix use type of a space which could be used for a number of activities. The circulation Area varies from 15 to 20 % of the total public area.

There are a number of support services and facilities which are required to run the public facilities.

(For example, for swimming Pool- filtration Plant and pump house is the support facility and for the restaurant- Kitchen is the support). The amount of space allocated here varies between 10 to 15 % of the total floor area of the hotel which depends upon the public facilities provided by the hotel. These spaces have to be efficiently designed and cannot be compromised upon.

Classification of facilities and services (Architectural perspective) a. General b. Guest room c. Bathroom d. Public area e. Food and Beverage spaces f.

Kitchen and food production area g. Staff welfare facilities h. Guest services i.

Safety and security

j.

Communication facilities   Page 23 of 48

Categorisation on the basis of room sizes : Category

Room sizes (sq. ft)

Budget hotel

200-275

Standard hotel

275-325

First class hotel

325-375

Luxury hotel

375-450

Table 2 ; Basis of categorisation of hotels

Categorisation on the basis of number of rooms : Category

No. of rooms

Budget hotel

< 25

Standard hotel

26-99

First class hotel

100-299

Luxury hotels

>300

Table 3 ; Basis of categorisation of hotels

Categorisation on the basis of size of washrooms : Category

Size of washrooms

Budget hotel

30

Standard hotel

36

First class hotel

45

Luxury hotels

>45

Table 4 ; Basis of categorisation of hotels

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CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONâ&#x20AC;©

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CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 5.1

Strength and limitations of the collected Data

Basically, the data which has been analysed and the way it has been presented is primary and self-prepared. So, it generally depends on one persons’ perspective and universal.

When talking about the definitions of some terms like ‘’luxury’’, it is quite subjective and is different for different people and hence, its definition cannot be universal. There are various degrees of luxury which cannot be described and it varies from person to person which is a serious limitation when pursuing the above methods.

5.2

Visual Representation of the Data Fig. 5.1 shows the outlook of the hospitality sector and how it functions and parameters

which are looked upon at the initial stage.

(dependent on facilities)

Cost involved

(Budget, Premium, High-end) (specifies stages of luxury)

Quantative Value

Qualitative Value

Tangible and Intangible aspects

Fig. 3 ; The Hotel Ontology

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Fig 4 ; Layout of a room

Fig 6 and Fig 7 shows the comparative analysis of layout in different rooms and how it matters. The efficient layout and planning matters a lot when providing experience to the user.

Fig 5 ; Efficient Layout of a room

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Fig 6 ; Influence of warm colours

Fig 7 ; Influence of cool colours

Fig. 8 and Fig 9 shows how a colour scheme maters in a private areas. Colour theme like this make a room look dingy and tacky. One should select a colour scheme very thoughtfully and should use soft hues to make the room feel fresh.

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Fig 8 ; Effect of fenestrations

ig. 5.6 shows how a large picture could make the room look bigger than it actually is. Even when one uses warm hues and tones, the room feels more luxurious and provide comfort to the eyes of the user.

Fig 9 ; Inefficient use of space

Another example by these figures; one could easily distinguish, how the room layout and colour schemes matter in a hotel room.

Though the room in the image above have more area but seems to be less luxurious. This is how, one could generate a luxury feel for the guest. There hence, the size of the property does not matter; what matters is the efficient utilisation of the space.â&#x20AC;Š

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Fig 10 ; Space saving methods

Space saving furniture could be provided as it will allow the flexibility in using the space.

One could place them in lobby as well and use them when required and according to need.

Efficient use can be done in the restaurant spaces as well as in the bar spaces.â&#x20AC;Š

Fig 11 ; Flexibility in using space Page 30 of 48

Fig 12 ; Expensive flooring

Above is shown the usage of Italian marble in flooring while below LVT (vinyl tile) flooring is used. Both can be used to generate a luxury feel in the property but LVT is much cheaper than the marble and is also cheaper than the ceramic tiles

Fig 13 ; Expensive flooring imitated

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Fig 15 shows, how the layout of lobby should be done to generate a luxurious experience.

The scale of the space generates a grand feel of the place. one could create a central seating in the lobby as shown above. Natural lighting in the lobby is really important for generating a comfortable environment as well as making the most use of artificial lighting is also vital. Lights over seats are dropped creating a more intimate space. Overall, the place should be lit and should produce a feel of grand-ness.

Fig 14 ; Layout of lobby

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Fig 15 ; Layout of guest room

5.3

Cause and Effect relationship When inculcating the provided ways in a hotel at the time of construction or even

during the renovation of a hotel, the effect would be highly pleasurable for both the owner and the user. The ways suggested for the hotel are focused in creating rooms that are comfortable and cover all basic needs, with the same cost as a 2* hotel but with the appearance of a 4*. Offering quality facilities in comfortable and wide common areas such as: kitchen, living room, games room, etc. With essential services for a segment of travellers that wants to pay lower prices and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a gym, swimming pools, restaurants or big common areas that they will not use, that they pay for indirectly in a conventional hotel.

In general terms, hostels and low cost hotels have a much simpler operation, as they usually sell beds individually with shared bathrooms and few rooms with a double bed. They offer small rooms of approximately 16 square metres that allow a higher income, results and return on investment per square metre than a room in a conventional hotel. They bet for architectural Page 33 of 48

innovation using un-costly materials (Brick Hotel) and technology that helps to make these units profitable.

5.4

The Final Comments

Hospitality sector - whether it's luxury or economy - largely determines what customers want most in a hotel stay. Customers want value price, look towards the hotel reputation, room quality, room size and location when choosing a hotel. Majorly, a guest wants comfort in a hotel he choose.

“The amenities that matter most should be taken care of the most”.

One should practice “cheat high-end design” to achieve luxury in a budget. It means one should look for ways to replicate in a more operator-friendly way. One could easily replicate a trend like hardwood floors by using ceramic tile that looks like wood or luxury vinyl tile (LVT) because it’s more durable and guests are never disappointed by the result of using alternative

Fig 16 ; Aim to gratify

materials because the most important to us is to create the experience and to give the user comfort with a feeling of luxury.

One should look for ways to cue higher-end materials that the budget can afford or that quite frankly may not be good operational choices, as wood scratches easily, it needs frequent refinishing, it’s just not as durable as an LVT that’s easy to wash, or any other material of such kind.

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“Choosing where to make an impact is also essential”.

Touch-points, such as keycards, are required for the operations of any hotel give a sensory feel to user and hence, should be of good quality. Experimentation can be fun, and yet can be costeffective. It is also important to keep construction in mind when it comes to implementing new design trends. One should look for the things that can be easy to change that make the biggest impact to the guest walking into the hotel. Get a bigger impact without (a lot of construction) as that would help to achieve the motto of “cheat high-end deign’’.

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CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONSâ&#x20AC;©

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CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS 6.1

Recapitulation of Research Question & its Significance

Five-star: Luxury Five star hotels are characterised by the best in luxury, service, location, fine dining and exceptional convenience and comfort. They achieve excellence in every facet of hospitality and are known for their superb craftsmanship in architecture, landscaping, interior design, and exquisite taste. This elegant ambience carries throughout the rooms, lobbies, facilities, and outer grounds. The highest quality flooring, and amenities are used. Expect original wall art, flowers, and elegant room decor. Landscaping and grounds are elegantly designed and meticulously groomed.

Four Star: Superior Four-star hotels are upscale accommodations, offering excellent restaurants, fine dining, bars, lounges, and complete room service. High-quality construction, very personalised service, contemporary furnishings, and many other major hotel services are available. Concierge services, fitness centres and spas, and high quality flooring, and amenities are used. There are usually several spacious and well-maintained pools. Landscaping and grounds are given major importance and beautifully groomed in these properties.

Three Star: First Class Three-star hotels generally have spacious guest rooms with quality amenities, good dining service, usually a pool and fitness centre, well-laid and lit lobbies, and variable room service. The care is taken for the ventilation and appropriate lighting requirements for the users. Usually the grounds are spacious and aesthetically pleasing.

Two Star: Value Two-star hotels also are identified as basic and clean accommodations. Small to medium size properties are the incorporated, with convenient proximity to medium-priced attractions.

Rooms have comfortable accommodations with a nominal set of facilities available. Basic landscaping and grounds are present.

One Star: Economy One-star hotels are characterised by basic, clean, and simple accommodations, usually a budget-traveler's basic needs. Rooms are generally small and amenities are more according to the mere need of the travellers.

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There are a number of things that has to be taken care of when planning a hotel and when one wants to cut down on running costs of a hotel such as : For efficient infrastructure, increased comfort To do so, most hotel owners, operators and managers will already be aware of the many advantages that building management solutions (BMS) can offer to any building that makes use of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electronic systems. There are comprehensive solutions for the control of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and blinds as well as the integration of power distribution to selected building services.

The network of such systems, along with fire safety provisions,

security, energy efficiency and evacuation facilities, one can ensure the smooth and uninterrupted operation of hotels.

However, the very latest developments in building automation can help maximise any hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance and increase revenue. Building automation technologies even help in cutting, running cost of the hotel. When integrating the various areas of the hotel infrastructure, customised hotel solutions can also enable hotel owners and operators to achieve significant savings on installation, operating and maintenance costs throughout the whole life cycle of the hotel building.

For creating an appealing site Naturally, location, architecture and interior decor will all play decisive roles while choosing a hotel, but one aspect often overlooked is the part that lighting plays in a hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal.

Building management systems can implement dynamic lighting for both the external architecture and the interior to give a hotel a range of lighting moods that look effective and generate an experience for the user. In the lobby, restaurant and bars, the ambience is vital in tempting the users to dine and drink there - rather than using the hotel as simply a place to stay. The recent advent of LED lighting technology has opened a world of opportunity for hotel operators. They offer the benefits of great efficiency and long life, even they require less energy and maintenance than the traditional lighting, making them much more cost-effective.

Through the use of

innovative and flexible controls, LED systems offer far more customisation options, facilitating unique and dynamic lighting designs suitable for any hotel. Custom-designed systems can also be integrated into the BMS in order to give the operators control of the different mood lighting and simultaneously reducing the consumption of energy and thereby, saving costs.

For delivering a good guest experience Out of the many areas of a hotel, the lobby probably creates the most lasting impression for guests and visitors, and therefore needs to be both pleasant and appealing for the guests while being practical and efficient for employees. The right lighting and building automation technologies will ensure that guests experience a welcoming and comfortable environment as soon Page 38 of 48

as they step into the hotel. The climate in bars and restaurants, of course, is also vital. By providing an experience that is always comfortable with good humidity and fresh air, and ultimately ensures the enjoyment of the guests.

6.2

Research Inference and its Significance Boosting comfort and efficiency is the main agenda of hospitable luxury. Although

every hotel operation is unique, one aspect shared by all hotels is to provide a great guest experience and to operate ever more efficiently. While maintaining the luxury for user, the luxury of the owner has to be taken care of, which is to minimise the construction costs as well as the running costs. Barbara Talbott (2004), former Chief Marketing Officer of Four Seasons Hotels, suggested that there are four key factors that contribute to a luxury hotel experience; style, comfort, service, and pampering. One has to give the feel of these aspects through the deign and in case of budget hotels, it should be cost effective. According to above data collection, providing such experiences is possible through a number of ways and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a room for innovation and experimentation; only one needs to plan efficiently. There can be many opportunities to generate a buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience on the inside, from preserved original details, to interior design choices, art, and other visual elements that make the visitors curious. Interiors are important to hotel guests, because generally that is what can be aesthetically pleasing to the eye of the user.

S.no Considerations Things To do

Things Not to do

Reason

1 Window

large picture window (floor to ceiling)

spending on extra thickness of glass used

as when looking at the glass, one would not be able to determine the thickness of glass, and thickness of glass has nothing to do with the guest

2 Scale

Skylight or some extra height of ceiling

double height lobby to not waste space

as skylight will enhance the feel of the scale of space

3 Colour

bright and pastels

dark colours

as dark colours make the room feel small and congested

4 Room layout

well planned, organised, compact

scattered or claustrophobic

as well planned room saves a lot of space

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S.no Considerations Things To do

Things Not to do

Reason

5 Furniture

space saving , flexible

rigid and much space occupying

as one could move around the furniture and also stack the furniture which is not being used

6 Flooring

LVT or different varieties of tiles; or even if using marble of a cheaper quality, opt for the diamond finish

Italian marble or any handmade marble

as using tiles saves a lot of time and it does not require any finishes.

7 Amenities

Only required (value adding)

unnecessary like inroom bar, etc

as a lot of space would be saved

8 Feeling generated with & within spaces

generate curiousity with interesting forms and passages, a feeling of safety is also must which could be inculcated with right amount of lighting

not boring or dull with large and vacant spaces; dingy and shady spaces are never appreciated

as a user always prefer a safe and secure environment

9 Products

recycled; moulded to look as new

over-doing with products

old products could be moulded to look as new and useful to cut expense

10 Planning

futuristic design trends, innovate to maximise comfort and aesthetic levels

negative and extra splurge of spaces

as space is very valuable and should be used with careful planning

11 Lighting

naturally lit spaces and minimise the use of other lighting sources

artificial lighting and bulbs which use a lot of electricity

so that the cost of lighting is saved during daytime and even naturally lit spaces give a feel of healthy environment

12 Fenestrations

arrangement to be done in a very interesting way, so that maximum use of natural light could be made

passive source of energy required and some dull pattern is generated

so that the pattern excites the guest and even maximum use of natural resources could be made

13 Technology

card-key feature , building automation facilities and switch controls

traditional and old building management solutions which consume a lot of electricity and are outdated now for valid reasons

so that the electricity consuming appliances should automatically turn off when not in use; this will save up in operational costs of the building

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S.no Considerations Things To do

Things Not to do

Reason

14 Material offering

Primary materials such as concrete and plywood and then they could be worked with

processed materials which are way too expensive

so to cut cost and be eco friendly by reducing the carbon footprint generated

15 Finishes

pre used metals glasses for bars to make them look chic

using timber; gold plating which is rarely available

so as to reuse the old materials and even save the cost

16 Room quality

good indoor air quality with proper ventilation system

foul smell generating elements

for users to feel comfortable and fresh

17 Location

safe with lights on facade, extremely lit (even if its not on the centralised or safe location, it could be created as such)

dingy and shady place or the environment created around the building

so that users do not feel unsafe and like to visit again

18 Construction

pre fabricated materials to save the time

materials with high maintenance

to save the cost, time, energy and labour charges

19 Design

Orientation, modules, efficient floor plates, Smart design

negative spaces and non repetitive patterns

so that time could be saved and mass production could be done of a single module

20 Sustainability

use of LED lights, solar panels

traditional bulbs and using non-renewable energy sources

so that it saves the operational cost of the hotel

21 Infrastructure

BMS (building management solutions), automation

traditional method

even it would save the operational cost of the building

22 Waste management

biogas plant on site (or any other method of treating the waste)

dumping away or creating a mess

so that energy could be produced on site itself and turns out to be a profit in near future

23 Fixtures

low pressure fixtures

high pressure fixtures which consume a lot of water or electricity

so that it adds up to the sustainability feature and natural resources could be saved up

24 Terrace

utilisation of space with some pergolas and seating spaces

unused space with storage areas

so that revenue can be generated from terrace as well and could be a space for some parties

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S.no Considerations Things To do

Things Not to do

Reason

25 Facade

should be made to look plain and basic bigger and wider (which painted facade with could be done with help normal colours of louvres or cantilevered balconies, etc)

to generate a lavish look of a hotel from outside

26 Landscaping

well maintained gardens in front and a lot of planters

as proper landscaping and planters give a soothing appeal to the user and generate space for some small parties

simple grass with stones

Table 5 ; Analysis and inference

6.3

Revisiting the Central Claim Luxury has spatial implications for the quality and comfort in architecture and luxury is

desirable for the quality of built-up environment. There are means by which luxury can be embroidered in the hotel spaces while not costing much (which have been mentioned) which justifies the central claim.

6.4

The future Research possibilities In future, one could research on non-architectural aspects of providing luxury in hotels or

when could deep down the research on architectural services while considering cost-cutting.

Secondly, One could even explore the research on other typologies of buildings rather than sticking to just hotels (hospitality sector). Third, One could just research on various methods to inculcate luxury while designing spaces.

Other future research could be done if the limitation is removed; i.e if the budget is not involved and then one could research on what are the ways one could establish luxury in spaces through architecture. Another research could be if the questions are changed and be linked to small units, maybe residences, offices or seen with a perspective of an interior designer, etc Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a possibility of further research on dangers or disadvantages of luxury in architecture with help of some case studies and live examples.

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LUXURY ON A BUDGET

A WINDOW MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN A ROOM. -­ MAKES A ROOM APPERAR BIGGER AND LUXURIOUS -­ MAKES A ROOM BRIGHTER AND HELP IN SAVING THE ELECTRICITY IN DAYTIME.

RATHER THAN PROVIDING ITALIAN FLOORING, ONE COULD CHOOSE CHEAP MARBLE WITH DIAMOND FINISH OR EVEN TILES FOR A LUXURIOUS SPACE.

LUXURY ON A BUDGET

COLOUR SCHEME PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN CREATING A FEEL OF A ROOM. -­ COOL COLOURS MAKE A ROOM VIBRANT AND COULD GENER-­ ATE AN EXPENSIVE FEEL WHILE WARM COLOURS MAKE THE ROOM FEEL DULL. -­ ON THE OTHER HAND, COOL COLOURS ARE ALSO COMFORT-­ ABLE FOR THE EYES

LUXURY ON A BUDGET

SKYLIGHT HELPS TO PLAY IN SCALE AND MAKE THE HEIGHT OF ANY HAB-­ ITABLE SPACE LOOKS BIGGER AND LARGER. ONE COULD EASILY COMPARE BETWEEN THE ABOVE TWO FIGURES.

EFFICIENT USE OF SPACES SUCH AS TERRACES SHOULD BE MADE TO GENERATE MORE ECONOMY.

6.5

Project projections The dissertation will be applied in the thesis when designing a hotel; certainly when it will

come to designing the spaces in a hotel that a user will cherish, and would give a luxury feel the hotel. Once the elements and the techniques are known, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to inculcate a sense of luxury in the hotel and how the optimisation can be done so that maximum profit could be delivered to the client. Quality and comfort is what the user desires for when choosing the hotel, the success on the part of an architect is to deliver it through his design. The basic approach is to impress the user so that the design is way too functional so that it is satisfactory to the user, on the other hand it should be in the owners budget. One knows about the spaces which are of majorly used by the customers and should be designed very efficiently, keeping the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comfort in mind; while the spaces which are least used could be compromised upon. The guest room, which is the most important part of a hotel has to be the best and efficiently designed; through this dissertation, one knows about how much area has to be specified for the room and how the space can be put to the best use. The dissertation states the ways and tips to achieve all of the above and henceforth, would help in thesis projecting the same.

Being specific about thesis, the project will be both functionally and aesthetically oriented.

It would be helpful in designing a five star hotel or a business centre, which would include a

Fig. 17 ; Location for the site of Hotel

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budget hotel, a mall and a office building and all the principles discussed above would be applicable in it. The location of the project will be in NCR (national capital region). Noida has a number of five star hotels proposed such as Renision Courtyard, Sheraton and Four Seasons which would be coming up in Sector 15, Noida along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. The intended area is around 15 to 20 acres.

For business centre, a number of centres are proposed in Gurgaon and Ghaziabad such as ROF Galleria , Gaurs city centre , Elan Miracle and the intended area around 10-15 acres.

Henceforth, this is how a portion of this research will be possibly applied in the thesis project.

Fig. 18 ; Location for the site of Business centre

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Appendix Questionnaire : For Architects :

• What do you understand by luxury ?

• What do you understand by luxury on a budget ?

• How can a space be made luxurious ?

• What are the elements that help in making a space luxurious ?

• Ways to generate a luxurious experience for the user in a space ?

• What are the factors important in determining the luxury in a hotel ?

• How can they be made in low budget ?

• What ways should one adopt while making a hotel in a budget and yet the comfort and quality is not being compromised ?

• What are the ways in which a five star hotel could be imitated and used in a three star hotel ?

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For Hotel Staff :

• What are the spaces which are most used by guests?

• What are the spaces which are least used by guests ?

• What are the kind of rooms which are almost occupied (basic, deluxe, superior) ?

• What are the facilities which a guest demands for ?

• What are the things which a guest generally complains about ?

• What are the improvements one could make in the provision of facilities ?

• What are the things or spaces that could be added to provide comfort to the guests ?

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Bibliography : 1. Richard Hill, ‘Architecture, Luxury and Ethics’, Architectural and its Ethical Dilemmas, 2005, p. 131.

2. Christopher Berry, The Idea of Luxury: A Conceptual and Historical Investigation, 1994, p.

583.

3. Werner Sombart, Luxury and Capitalism, 1967, pp. 25-6 4. Molly W. Berger, Hotel Dreams: Luxury, Technology and Urban Ambition in America, 1829-1929, 2011, p. 97 5. B. Twitchell, Living it Up: Our Love Affair with Luxury, 2002.

6. ‘Conspicuous Consumption’ refer to Thorstein Veblen’s The Theory of the Leisure Class: An economic study of institutions , 1925, p.68.

7. Diana Budds, ‘Radically reinventing The Luxury Hotel to Compete with Airbnb’ , 2017 8. Michele Ciavarella, ‘Necessary, Not Superfluous: Reflections on Inevitable Luxury,’ 2002, p.

444.

9. Thomas O’Neill,’Creative partners: how citizenM is reinventing the affordable hotel experience’,2013.

10. Liz Welch,’Entrepreneur Designs Upscale Hotels for Budget Travelers’,2014.

11. Annette Condello, ‘Amazon.luxury/remote,’ The Architect, Perth, Western Australia, No.1, Winter, 2006.

12. Michele Ciavarella, ‘Necessary, Not Superfluous: Reflections on Inevitable Luxury,’ 2002.

13. David Thomson, Renaissance Architecture: Critics, Patrons, Luxury, 1993.

14. Siegfried Giedion, ‘The Dangers and Advantages of Luxury,’ 1939.

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