In South Florida, the hotel industry is booming. Through the first quarter of 2013, Miami saw a positive growth trend with revenue per available room (RevPAR) increasing 16.7 percent, driven by 12.2 percent growth in available daily rooms and a 4 percent growth in occupancy during the first quarter. With higher occupancies come higher foot traffic and the need to stay competitive.
In the past few years the hotel design sector has seen a greater emphasis on adding greener products, texture replacing pattern, unique luxury, craftsmanship, designer-driven branding and a more customized experience. Hotel flooring installation options play an integral part of the hotel’s interior design scheme, as it is required to be aesthetically pleasing, highly durable and increasingly environmentally friendly.
Hoteliers are realizing the value of hard surfaces in aesthetics, health and ease of maintenance. Though carpet still dominates in the ballrooms, hallways and meeting rooms, many hotels are incorporating other flooring materials in the common areas, meeting spaces and the guest rooms.
For example, many hotels are installing hardwood flooring to give the space a residential feeling. The Andaz 5th Avenue Hotel in New York attempts to make its guests feel as if they are stepping into a luxury New York apartment through the use of smoked timber oak floors, which can be found in the hotel’s meeting and event spaces, bar and den.
Interior designers are realizing that tile can serve as a high-performance partner, offering benefits in the suites and in common areas. Tile that’s indistinguishable from wallpaper or wainscoting can work well on a restaurant’s dining room walls, for example. As a natural germ-repellent, it doesn’t stain and helps to avoid foodborne germs.
The sleeping area has another interesting use for ceramic tile. Digital printing can transform the look of tile into tufted fabric, allowing for a unique headboard. Plus, it won’t hoard a vast array of microbes left behind by a steady stream of hotel guests. NH Hotels in Europe is experimenting with tile on its headboards and platform beds.
Ceramic tile is a high-performance option for the pool and spa areas. Not only is it slip-resistant, it inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, fungus and other organisms that usually accompany the presence of water. It is highly resistant to chemical agents, such as chlorine, and offers color permanence.
Vinyl and linoleum are the new darlings of the hotel flooring world for their durability and ease of maintenance. Vinyl and linoleum have definitely evolved, and the reproduction of natural flooring materials enables executives to create environments where guests will want to spend time and money. Available as planks or tile, the flooring can last up to 15 years and has proven to hold up in tough high-foot environments. Today hoteliers can choose various sizes, patterns and colors. Plus, these hotel flooring installation options are easy to clean, are stain resistant and also serve both the purposes of practicality and aesthetics.
Eco-friendly materials like bamboo and cork are also finding their way into the hotel flooring sector. Bamboo flooring – available as engineered planks and solid bamboo planks – is attractive, affordable, durable and available in dozens of colors. Bamboo looks like wood, smells like wood, feels like wood and cuts like wood, but it’s grass. Cork flooring adds a unique texture and look to a room. Its shock-absorbent structure means comfort underfoot. It also means that dropped glassware or dishware has less chance of shattering. Plus, its non-slip, even when wet, and has amazing acoustic-insulating qualities. And thanks to new factory finishes, cork is much more durable and available in a variety of colors.
Yet with the trend in using new materials, carpet remains the leading hotel flooring installation option with emphasis on less pattern, more texture and pops of color. Carpet absorbs sound and airborne pollutants, allowing for better air quality indoors. Plus, it is easy to clean and generally lasts five to seven years.