Debuting at last year’s conference with great success, Sleep Essentials round tables are hosted by experts from a range of specialisms within the industry.
LONDON – Sleep, Europe’s hotel design and development event, has announced its free-to-attend conference programme with a line-up of luminaries and celebrated design names gathered to dissect the topics that matter. The destination for big ideas, fresh perspectives, and, this year, a special focus on the science behind understanding today’s diverse hotel guests, visitors can expect lively debates from engaging personalities over the two days
Development Round Tables and Sleep Essentials
The two exceptionally popular round table sessions will once more be hosted by top names in the business, on hand to offer their professional insight and advice to delegates. The sessions fill up on a ‘first come first served’ basis so delegates are recommended to arrive early and secure a much sought-after place.
Hosting Benjamin West’s Development Round Tables on day one will be: Felicity Black-Roberts from Hyatt; Erin Hoover from Starwood Hotels; development and asset management consultant Alex Slors; Harry Harris of creative real estate consultancy SUSD London; Patricia Holler of Marriott, Richard Fewings from Highgate Hotels; Fred Hines of Queensgate Investments; Rory Harte from Generator Hostels and Paul Rands of Bridge Street.
Debuting at last year’s conference with great success, Sleep Essentials round tables are hosted by experts from a range of specialisms within the industry. This year delegates can seek advice from the likes of: the CEO of wayfinding solutions company Modulex, Eric Kirwin; Head of Hospitality at Perkins+Will, Tom Hupe; lighting designer Paul Nulty; and Paul Greenwood from Tricon, the company internationally renowned for creating thriving F&B operations in hotels.
Convergence of design and development
The conference programme focuses on the big ideas and most talked-about topics affecting the industry, with contributions from a wide range of pundits including designers, developers, operators, social scientists and writers. Shining a light on the future of wellbeing and identifying opportunities in this growing market, Ed Garrod of Elementa is to moderate a panel discussion with Sue Harmsworth, CEO of ESPA, acclaimed designer Clodagh who recently completed Six Senses Douro Valley, author Aiden Walker and Kevin Underwood, Principal at HKS Hospitality. James Chappell from Horwath HTL will lead a development panel entitled ‘The Science of Attraction’ with David Keen of Asia-based hospitality branding consultancy QUO, Marloes Knippenberg of Kerten Capital and Robert Nadler from Nadler Hotels. The intriguing realm of cruise ship design will also be discussed by celebrated designer Adam Tihany, President of Seabourn and Cunard, Rick Meadows, and Christian Schönrock from Costa Group.
The Science of Tribes
The science behind understanding today’s hotel guest will be under the spotlight on day two, when Matthias Arnold, senior market research manager at the SINUS-Institut will introduce The Science of Tribes, the theme for this year’s Sleep Set competition. This fascinating topic explores the social and cultural changes that affect behaviours, uniting different groups of people across the globe. Following this, each of the five design teams which has created a Sleep Set guestroom for a different socio-demographic ‘tribe’ will present their concept to a panel of judges before the conference audience. The participating teams are: WOW Architects, Mitsui Designtec, Studio PROOF, Gensler and Aukett Swanke – the winner is to be announced at the room installations during lunchtime on day two.
Fresh perspectives on hotel design
Thoughtful insight is promised from a keynote with Joanna Walsh, author of ‘Hotel’, a meditation on hotels as sites of gathering and alienation. And interesting revelations can be expected from GMs at the top of their game including Kieran Quinn from the newly refurbished Sheraton Grand London Park Lane and Michael Voigt from the eagerly anticipated L’Oscar hotel who will discuss their experiences of “living with design”. Other topics to be debated include art in hotels and virtual / augmented reality technology in design – with views expressed by tech-providers and designer end-users. The penultimate session will see a panel with Nick van Marken of Deloitte Hospitality and Vince Stroop of New York-based Stonehill & Taylor, amongst others, considering the big issues behind ‘Fear & Love’ in the hotel landscape today.
In addition to the Conference, Sleep 2016 comprises an exhibition of innovative products destined for award-winning hotel projects, the Sleep Set built guestroom concept installations, and the “Sleep Experience” Bar designed by Superfutures. Sleep takes place on 22nd and 23rd November at London’s Business Design Centre.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
