As we start this journey of design discovery it is important that we pay attention to five key design goals and how they interplay with each other. We want to discover the story that we tell to guest, we want to craft the story into a journey that the guess senses upon arrival, a journey that will set the tone for the destination. As designers we want to engage the imagination of the guest or become emotionally engaged. Wha is the destination’s wow opportunity. The one thing that makes everybody in the region talk about this destination that it becomes a must see location.
Discover the story
Every destination has a story to tell. The goal as the architect leading the design is to collaborate closely with the client to discover the story. This could be a focus on local natural beauty, culture, vision, art or tradition. It is important to have the client buy-in as this story will be at the core of the guest experience. It will inform many aspects of the destination from operations to the guest experience.
Craft the guest Journey
The first step of the guest experience is to craft a guest journey. It is often said “we have one opportunity to make a good first impression.” For a destination resort this often starts at the entrance to the property. What will the guest experience at that critical junction between the real world and the destination world. Is it setting the right tone for the destination. It is an to set the tone of the Destination to even help the guest decompress and get into the mindset of the destination.
Engage the imagination:
It’s important to remember that every new destination resort has a finite window, that it will generally be at the top of the local hospitality market for the first 5-7 years after opening.. As a destination architect it was our goal to find the magic to engage the imagination and find the wow for the property, a connection that will bring guest back to the definition over and over again I have to tell my clients that they want to have something that guests at other resorts will say we have to go there and see this, that’s a restaurant view, the guest will make an emotional connection with the property and that’s the key.
Emotional connection:
Our founder talked about the notion of creating a sense of place that makes an “emotional connection,” that’s really what we’re talking about. He know that when an emotional connection is made and we have created that sense of place that it is something that the guest will come back to over and over and over again. We create a destination that speaks to the guest. A destination that they want to experience and also to share and they will tell their friends. Place making is key, it sets the tone for the guest of what to expect. Really look for those opportunities where the guest becomes emotionally engaged. Walking the dunes to see the sunset, early morning breakfast on the veranda, listening to the waves crash on the beach at night to help you sleep, or live music by firelight off the lobby veranda, or an immersive experience.
Celebrate, the Instagram moments. It’s important as the designer to craft those Instagram moments those opportunities where the guest want to take a picture, they want to keep the memory as a photograph, something to cherish something unique so special. As proof they were there. This is the goal it could be as simple as a dinner for two on the beach at night shift table at the restaurant, swimming tour of the aquarium a sunset cruise off the coast all these things to find that moment that they can cherish, this drives home that emotional connection that sense of place that the guest is looking for.
Destination Architect 