By Nicole Di Tomasso
When a guest enters a hotel suite, they’re stepping into more than just a room — they’re entering a space that should feel like a luxurious retreat, a home away from home or an escape. With evolving guest expectations, designing a hotel suite is a multifaceted challenge that requires a balance of style, comfort and functionality.
“Travellers might think a suite is just a larger guestroom, but it’s much more than that,” says Shannon Kim, BAAID, IIDA, VP at Toronto-based Figure3. Toronto-based Figure3. “From a design point of view, a suite provides a layered experience. Unlike a standard guestroom, which focuses mainly on rest and relaxation, a suite typically includes a living space, dining area and kitchenette to offer that at-home feeling.”
There are many different suite styles for travellers to choose from, such as junior suites, executive suites, presidential suites and penthouse suites to name a few. These options cater to diverse traveller types, from business travellers to families seeking a more refined stay.
“It all depends on the type of hotel and its location,” says Tatiana Sheveleva, partner, Toronto-based Chapi Chapo Design and owner, Chapi Design Inc. “At resort hotels, suites are more family focused, while urban hotel suites cater to both families and business travellers.”
“There’s also executives travelling with their families on a re-location assignment, leisure guests looking for a more private and elevated stay, VIP/celebrity guests and honeymooners,” adds Kim.
The Art of the Layout
A well-designed suite feels spacious and organized, requiring a layout that maximizes the flow of the movement and enhances the suite’s functionality.
“The layout of a suite can make or break the guest experience,” says Kim. “Positioning the bed away from the living space, for example, gives guests a sense of separation between work and rest areas.”
In August 2020, Chapi Chapo Design Inc. completed the re-design of all the St. Regis Toronto’s luxury guestrooms and suites. The hotel’s suite design allows business travellers to conduct meetings in a separate living room without compromising their privacy in the sleeping area.
“In the living room, there’s shelving for display and a TV in it with a concealed door, so the suite can be booked for private meetings,” says Sheveleva. “The dining table can also double as a meeting table, featuring hidden outlets, and can be extended to accommodate up to 12 people. Some travellers might prefer to have a more important business meeting in a quiet place as opposed to the hotel’s lobby, restaurant or business centre.”
Designers focus on avoiding clutter, strategically placing furniture and decor to emphasize a suite’s openness. Additional multi-purpose furniture, such as fold-out desks, built-in closets, sofa beds and storage ottomans, can help optimize limited space while maintaining a luxurious appearance.
One essential feature in high-end suites is privacy, especially in shared spaces or family-friendly accommodations. Designers often incorporate partition walls, curtains, or sliding doors that separate the bedroom from the living area, allowing for privacy and flexibility without sacrificing space.
“Subtle zoning, which is achieved with rugs and small partitions, ensures the room feels more purposeful without being cluttered,” says Kim. “A good layout needs to flow seamlessly, balancing openness and privacy.”
The Finer Details
Lighting is crucial in shaping the mood of a suite. Designers use layered lighting to achieve a cozy yet practical effect.
A combination of overhead lights, task lighting by the bed and desk and ambient lamps create a versatile environment that adjusts to the guest’s needs, whether they’re working or unwinding.
“I’m very conscious about lighting. Women love to have proper lighting, especially when doing their makeup,” says Kim. “Dimmable LED with layered lighting schemes are effective rather than just one type of light in one space. I like to use ambient lighting and PESCA decorative lighting combined to create a dynamic space that can shift from day to night.”
In addition to energy-efficient lighting, many suites now incorporate water-saving fixtures, recycled and reclaimed materials and biophilic design elements (characteristics of the natural world found in a built environment) to add character to the suite while promoting sustainability.
“Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints are ideal for large hotel structures where oftentimes the windows aren’t operable,” says Isabelle Boba, founder and CEO of Toronto-based LUX Interior Design. “If a toxic paint was used instead, it could take years before those volatile organic compounds are actually out of that environment.”
Boba continues, “We use a lot of wood, even for wall features. When you purchase wood from Canada, that wood is acclimatized to our climate, so not only are you saving on transportation costs and limiting fuel emissions, you’re maintaining the quality of the material in its own landscape,” adding that importing an exotic acacia wood, for example, needs to be handled and cured correctly for a long period of time in Canada so it can understand the climate before installation or else it can start to crack during the colder months.
Smart Technology
As guests have become more accustomed to smart technology in their homes, they expect the same level of convenience in hotel suites. High-end suites often feature smart home integrations, allowing guests to control lighting, temperature and entertainment systems through a single device or even their smartphones. For business travellers, charging stations and high-speed Wi-Fi are must-haves. Some suites go a step further with voice-activated assistants, keyless entry and customizable in-room experiences.
The best designs incorporate these high-tech features seamlessly, allowing guests to interact with them effortlessly without interrupting the overall aesthetic.
“The days of pressing a lot of buttons are gone,” says Kim. “The simpler, the better. This adds to the convenience of making a space more personalized and future forward.”
Future of Customization
As the world of travel continues to evolve, hotel suite design is likely to follow suit, blending comfort, luxury and technology with a strong sense of sustainability and cultural authenticity. In the coming years, we can expect even more emphasis on creating customizable spaces where guests can adjust the ambiance, decor and amenities to match their preferences.
“I’m focused on creating something that’s more timeless than trendy,” says Sheveleva. “When you pay attention to the small details, the design can become quite beautiful and unique. Every design is unique to a brand, a property and a location. Every project starts with a story and we try to implement that story into various design details.”
“In order to be progressive as an interior-design firm, you always need to pivot and push boundaries,” says Boba.
