Miami Hospitality Design Awards

When the dinner invitation arrived, I was immediately interested. Architecture, design and hotels. A trifecta of sorts for a hotel aficionado with a longtime interest in design.

Showcasing the partnership between the Greater Miami & Beaches Hotel Association and the Miami chapter of the American Institute of Architects, this week’s design-awards dinner was staged at no less than the dazzling Faena Forum cultural center.

In attendance were 150 architecture, design, hotel and restaurant professionals representing some 100 design submission across 18 categories.

The Betsy South Beach, for whom J.A. Uniforms proudly supplies bellmen uniforms, was one of only two hotels receiving a special commendation for transforming the fabric of the city.  Given the Betsy’s history of literary and cultural endeavors, this came as no surprise.

The stylish Betsy South Beach was also honored with awards of excellence in the Overall Hotel and Hotel Outdoor Devine Detail categories, a nod to the work of Miami-based architectural powerhouse Shulman + Associates.

To be sure, the winners list read like a who’s who of Miami’s most admired hotels and designers. The event highlighted Miami’s visionary and evolving hospitality sector.

It also provided fodder for J.A. Uniform’s evolving line of hotel uniforms.

After all, as hotel designs evolve, so too do hotel uniforms. While not linear, the relationship between hotel design and hotel uniforms shouldn’t be underestimated.  Today, perhaps more than ever, hoteliers are intent on integrating a hotel’s vibe across all guest touchpoints.

Some reinforce their hotel’s design theme by gently pumping a signature scent throughout the property. A hotel featuring dark woods and black leather might opt for an earthy, leathery scent with woody notes evocative of the interior design.

At some hotels, it’s genre-specific lobby music that pays homage to the property’s design motif.

Uniforms, not surprisingly, are also purpose made to bring to life a property’s broader style esthetic.  A classically designed, venerable Park Avenue hotel might opt for an elegant concierge jacket crafted from a dark, velvety material with golden buttons resting in golden-stitched buttonholes.  At an airy tropical resort featuring neutral colors, soft hues and beds with mosquito netting, it’s another story. Here you are likely to be greeted by a concierge donning linen apparel evocative of the property’s more relaxed design cues.

For your perusal, here’s a link to a site announcing the winners of the inaugural Miami Hospitality Design Awards: http://miamidesignawards.com/

As a guy who spent much of his life with a hotel key in his pocket, the design awards really pique my interest. I hope it piques yours as well.

Now if I could only get them to add a category for uniform design next year…

-Xavier Dominicis