[New] Turning Point

2022 marked a turning point for the hospitality industry. It was the year of recovery for many: increased leisure demand saw more heads in beds and restaurants and bars were bustling once again, resulting in performance returning to 2019 levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.

Though there are undoubtedly challenges ahead, the uptick in performance is bringing renewed confidence to the sector. Deals are being inked, architects and designers are sharpening their pencils, and manufacturers are making new collections as fast as their production lines can manage.

2022 was a big year for Sleeper Media too, with a return to business for all activities across the portfolio as well as new ventures. The print magazine has gone from strength to strength, and following a full cleanse and continual update of our database, we can more confident than ever that it is being delivered to a targeted readership of leaders and decision-makers actively working on new hotel developments worldwide. Our online community has also grown, with the digital issue and website attracting record numbers, peaking at 36,000 page views in March. On social platforms, the number of Instagram followers is fast approaching the 20,000-mark and our LinkedIn audience has doubled over the past 12 months, with posts collectively averaging 75,000 monthly impressions and an engagement rate well above the benchmark.

Across the wider Sleeper Media portfolio, Starboard – the magazine for style in travel – has gathered pace once again thanks to the new concepts coming to the seas and skies, and Supper continues to serve up the most compelling F&B openings from across the hotel sector.

On the events side, 2022 was the first time since the pandemic that all four AHEAD award ceremonies took place in person, with gatherings in Singapore, New York, Dubai and London, celebrating the best in hospitality experience and design. The year also marked the launch of Sleeper Sessions – a new style of meetings-driven events connecting specifiers and suppliers – which debuted to a rapturous response.

And finally, in the closing weeks of 2022, we announced the acquisition of Top Hotel Projects, the online database of in-progress hotel projects. Behind the scenes, we’ve been working closely with the core team in Germany to reposition the platform under a new brand identity of THP, and the coming months will see the roll-out of various enhancements.

The acquisition not only cements our position as the market-leading media company for hospitality design and development, it means that we can now track a project from planning, through design, build and fit-out to completion; from the initial signing and input into the THP database, to featuring in the pages of Sleeper and being entered into AHEAD. The combination of digital, print and events will provide our entire community with a full-spectrum media offer to support and enhance activities; at a time of increased competiton for all businesses, finding the right partner is key. If you would like to find out more about working with Sleeper Media, please don’t hesitate to contact the team. As always, we appreciate your support and wish you a prosperous 2023.

Martin • Managing Editor

070 Clint Nagata

“Through the notion of storytelling, the owners wanted to create something fresh both for Dubai and the W brand,” says Clint Nagata, founder and Creative Partner at Blink Design Group, on the inspiration for W Dubai –Mina Seyahi. Working alongside Stickman Tribe to bring tales of Arabia to Dubai’s ancient port district, Nagata and his team paid homage to traditional dhow boats in the guestrooms, and drew from the mythical landscapes and creatures in One Thousand and One Nights for the spa.

064 Benjamin Habbel and Jeff Coe

When entrepreneurs Benjamin Habbel and Jeff Coe decided to create a high-end hotel in the Portuguese town of Ericeira, they weren’t after the typical surfing crowd, but rather those that appreciated – and could afford – a more refined experience after their session on the open water. So, they turned to native architect Luis Pedra Silva and interior designer Ala Zreigat to create Aethos, a laid-back yet elevated resort that captures the textures, diversity and spirit of its coastal surroundings.

095 Marie Soliman

As co-founder of Bergman Design House, Marie Soliman is accustomed to working with to limitless budgets on luxury residential and superyacht projects. But she’s adept at spending effectively too, as proven by the interiors of The Other House, a new residents’ club developed by Naomi Heaton. “I think what Naomi liked about our proposal was that we understood the budget – where to spend the money and how to make an impact through colour, texture and pattern,” she explains.

048 Ruud Belmans

“We felt it would be nice if the bar could literally be grown for the event,” says Ruud Belmans, co-founder of Antwerp-based design firm WeWantMore, which collaborated with organic material artist Côme Di Meglio and creative agency La Succulente to construct a mycelium bar at HIX. Taking cues from the shapes and textures of shells, the bar highlighted the potential of the root-like fungus while showcasing the future of sustainable design, illustrating how nature can be inspirational both aesthetically and structurally.