The End of the “Cool Hotel”: Has Hospitality Mistaken Taste for Culture?

The most memorable hospitality experiences do more than provide a place to stay. They create a sense of belonging, inspire discovery, and connect guests to the peole, culture, and stories that make a destination unique. Using One Night Only as a case study, leaders from IHG Hotels & Resorts and Crème explore the collaborative journey behind transforming three distinct lifestyle brands, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and Ruby, into a single immersive experience. From the evolution of the concept itself to the cultural inspiration, creative partnership, and strategic thinking behind it, this conversation examines how hospitality can create places that feel alive, meaningful, and deeply connected to the communities they serve. At a time when great design is increasingly expected, the discussion explores a bigger idea: that the greatest offering of lifestyle hospitality is access. Access to neighborhoods, culture, connection, discovery, and a sense of belonging.

As project budgets tighten across the hospitality industry, designers are being challenged to rethink how impactful spaces are created. This panel brings together creative leaders to discuss how thoughtful design strategy, material ingenuity, and focused investment can produce memorable guest experiences without excessive spending. From identifying high impact moments to balancing aesthetics with operational realities, the conversation will explore how limitations can sharpen creativity and lead to smarter, more meaningful design outcomes.

As the same aesthetics, references, and design language circulate across hotels, restaurants, fashion, retail, and social media, the idea of “cool” is becoming increasingly universal, and increasingly difficult to own. This session explores what happens when beautiful spaces start to look and feel the same. Where does cultural distinction come from now? And how can hospitality move beyond a curated aesthetic to create places with genuine identity, relevance, and a point of view?