The Search for Design Intervention...

They say that a gentleman’s home is his castle. As is a lady’s, I would add, although the latter is possibly slightly better colour co-ordinated and, in the ideal world, surrounded with the aroma of freshly baked bread and home made apple pie.

For the jet set community (understandably I deflect from categorising a travelling community) that may sleep half of the week beyond the motte and bailey, however, home has a tendency to be more of a weekend retreat. Monday to Friday dwelling, therefore, demands an expectation to at least meet the same comfort and design as we are used to at home - room service and daily change of linens is, of course, a perk, but to be fair it is offset by the fact that any welcoming scent of roast dinner or morning toast is guaranteed to come with a 10% tray charge.

This very mecca for design intervention has been the inspiration for my blog this week, if not every week, but a long week that has been somewhat of a pilgrimage of personal down time and professional up time, moving from city to city. It may seem like a simple request that Home Sweet Home can be found away from home but, with a life as ubiquitous as a colony of ants, the reality is that it takes intricate research and forward planning to ensure each night’s remote sleep doesn’t result in an episode of 'Holidays from Hell' and, as I reflect on what lay behind many hotel doors this week I wonder ….does living a life on the road or in the skies have to come at design compromise?

The Holy Grail of chic sleep for me is easily met with cool décor, friendly service, working wi-fi and a good fish menu. Get this and designer bathroom cosmetics, well the sign of a real winning formula is one less plastic bag to trek through airport security…

Last minute hotel hopping is as dependable as camping at Glastonbury. I have gained some level of routine in that at least 75% of my time may frequent the same 6 cities in any given month, and with that am unashamedly particular on where I stay. The seasoned traveller will know that Holiday Inn and Best Western may not always truly represent the branding, and anything promising the sun, moon and less than 4 stars is a galaxy where no man, or woman, should honestly venture. Indeed, a simple rule of hotel thumb, if it comes with a wallet sized card to promote loyalty, chances are you are no more than an unknown six digit plus number in their database, not a preferred guest, and first come is usually still first served.

My personal penchant is the boutique hotel – an eagerly sourced menagerie of tried and tested intimate abodes that cater to the personal whims of any Mr or Mrs Smith (or Skies) and where repeat visits promise personal service with a smile and an upgrade, not a loyalty card. Monday to Friday décor is guaranteed to recreate a home away from home or, on occasion, ignites new concepts that have been known to spark a chez-moi remodel once the Friday evening key is turned in my own front door. 

So, as I flick through the pages of my coveted little black book for next weeks stays away, an A for Abode through to K for first Klass at K-West and D for divine at Du Vin, only one question really remains…Would you live in a place like this? (Oh, and when will my home phone dial 9 for room service!)

'Til next time, Pandora