The world of hospitality design is evolving, and 2025 was no different.
New projects put intentional spaces that feel grounded and human at the forefront. Pushing beyond prioritizing visual impact alone, designers focused on creating environments that support comfort, connection, and a sense of place to shape experiences that feel both personal and enduring.
Here, five members of HD’s editorial advisory board reflect on the movements that impacted their work and the world around us.
“Luxury hospitality design continued to shift toward authentic, immersive environments shaped around personalization and service, with design focusing on how spaces function, feel, and support the guest experience over time. We saw this most clearly in luxury hotels where design is used to support tailored experiences and emotional comfort. Materiality, lighting, and spatial planning are carefully orchestrated to shape a highly personalized guest journey rather than a single visual moment. The recently opened Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve exemplifies this approach, offering environments that feel refined yet relaxed and luxurious without excess.
At the same time, 2025 underscored the continued expansion of luxury hotel brands into branded residential, further blurring the lines between home and hotel. Residential expectations like privacy, craftsmanship, and calm are increasingly influencing hotel design, while branded residences are seeking the soul, service, and artistry of hospitality. Projects like the Waldorf Astoria Pompano Beach (currently under construction) reflect this convergence, with residential environments shaped by the same design principles that define luxury hospitality. These shifts reinforce a core belief: Hospitality design is most successful when it is grounded in how people live, move, and feel within a space, resulting in environments that are personal, livable, and enduring.” —Anne Wilkinson, BAMO
“Connection to the outdoors really stood out, whether through biophilic elements brought inside, outdoor living spaces, or just a stronger use of green. There’s also been a shift toward more seamless indoor-outdoor flow, with blurred boundaries that let people move through spaces naturally. That connection tends to make spaces feel calmer and more intuitive, while still supporting social and emotional comfort, especially when spaces are open, but not exposed. When that balance works, people naturally want to linger, connect, and feel held by the space.” —Becca Roderick, Morris Adjmi Architects
“Hospitality design moved decisively away from visual excess toward emotionally resonant experiences. The year’s most compelling projects prioritized comfort, craft, and substance over spectacle, creating spaces that feel intuitive, human, and enduring rather than purely Instagram-optimized. We saw a meaningful return to material honesty and environments designed to invite guests to slow down and genuinely connect.” —Greg Keffer, Keffer Studio
“Hospitality design in 2025 was defined by a shift toward context-specific design. The industry moved beyond uniform global aesthetics, with the most compelling projects establishing design narratives around local culture, history, and place. At an aesthetic level, spaces characterized by immersive rich color were prevalent.” —Hilary Kroll, INC Architecture & Design
“2025 was defined by a quiet but meaningful recalibration from spectacle-driven design to experience-driven restraint. Hospitality began moving away from overly theatrical spaces toward environments that prioritize emotional regulation, comfort, and longevity. The most successful projects weren’t the loudest; they were the ones that understood how people want to feel when they arrive, stay, and return. Design became less about visual dominance and more about creating places that hold people well.” —Kia Weatherspoon, Determined by Design
