Delta’s meltdown draws ire—and government scrutiny, Suchi Reddy unveils an AI-powered experiential sculpture, and the Gold Key submission deadline is extended. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
The motel makeover movement continues
The forthcoming Interstate Inn in Stephenville, Texas; rendering courtesy of Mod Motels
Roadside motels are getting stylish makeovers, transforming from dated stops into trendy, nostalgic havens. As travelers continue seek unique and memorable stays, moteliers are investing in design-led renovations to capture this growing market, writes Jim Zarroli for The New York Times. “Some people shy away from the word ‘motel,’ because it has a connotation of Super 8 and Motel 6,” explains Rob Blood, founder of Lark Hotels, which currently operates nine motel properties under its Bluebird by Lark brand. “But the Brooklyn crew is not afraid of a good motel,” he says, referring to what he calls ‘young hipsters.’” These revamped properties, including the soon-to-launch Interstate Inn in Stephenville, Texas from newly minted hotelier Lisa Lennox (in partnership with her siblings Cathy Bonner and Kirk Bonner), “are very Americana,” she says. “They’ve got a really unique design. But they’re all in disrepair, and a lot of them are being torn down.”
Ritz-Carlton reveals its newest superyacht
A view of Luminara from Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection; rendering courtesy of Marriott
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is making waves with its first Asia-Pacific season aboard Luminara, the third superyacht in its luxury fleet (following Evirma in 2022 and Ilma, which launches in September). Setting sail in December 2025, Luminara promises elevated yachting combining Ritz-Carlton’s service with custom-designed, intimate voyages. According to a release from Ritz-Carlton parent company Marriott, guests can anticipate bespoke itineraries, lavish accommodations, and culturally relevant experiences. This expansion into the Asia-Pacific includes ports in destinations like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Thailand.
Suchi Reddy’s AI-powered sculpture visualizes the future
Suchi Reddy’s “me+you” installation at Detroit’s Michigan Central; photo courtesy of Reddymade
Architect Suchi Reddy has unveiled a new iteration of “me + you”—an AI-driven sculpture first shown at the Smithsonian in 2021—in Detroit’s Michigan Central historic train station, whose southern concourse was recently restored into office space. Blending technology and creativity in a vibrant display of color and form, the piece is made up of a circle of modules with microphones surrounded by LED screens. Visitors can walk into the center of the installation and speak into the microphone, prompted to give a word for the future. “The word is then processed through an AI language model trained on associations between words, colors, and emotions,” according to Dezeen, “and outputs an array of color and flashing patterns, depending on the chosen word and tone.”
Delta navigates continued chaos from tech meltdown
Photo courtesy of Robin/Adobe Stock
Delta Air Lines has faced mounting pressure as its operational meltdown continued this week following last Friday’s CrowdStrike tech outage—sparking frustration among travelers and scrutiny from Washington, writes Skift. Thousands experienced delays and cancellations, highlighting vulnerabilities in the airline’s infrastructure. The crisis has also drawn the attention of federal regulators and lawmakers, who are demanding accountability and solutions to prevent future disruptions as other carriers navigated the crisis far better. In other airline news, ABC reports that Southwest (under pressure for a 46 percent dip in profits) has announced it will do away with its signature open-boarding system in favor of assigned seats, to the delight of some and dismay of others.
The Gold Key deadline has been extended!
Photo by PWP Studio
There’s still time to submit your latest standout projects—the 44th Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design will be accepting entries through next Friday, August 2nd. Featuring new categories Design at Sea, Fast-Casual Restaurant, and Next-Gen Housing, the winners and finalists of this year’s awards will be celebrated at the Gold Key Awards ceremony in November during BDNY (register today!).
