Merging global outlook with regional nuances, Bobby Mukherji underlines how India’s hospitality design is at its peak, influencing the global design landscape.
In recent years, the hotel design has undergone a remarkable transformation globally. The hospitality sector, once dominated by formulaic blueprints and copy-paste aesthetics, is now embracing new paradigms of wellness, sustainability, personalisation, and high design. At the heart of this change is not just a shift in global thinking but a quiet revolution being led by Indian designers and hoteliers.
Top global trends
Let’s begin with the emerging trends shaping hotel design across the globe. Several powerful movements are happening simultaneously, each influencing how the modern traveller experiences hospitality.
Wellness and biophilic design: Across the globe, even business hotels are being reimagined with a deep focus on wellness and nature. From air purification systems to organic materials, herbal amenities to soundproofing for restful sleep — hotels are no longer just a place to stay but a space to heal, recharge, and connect with oneself. Central to this is biophilia — the design philosophy of integrating nature indoors. From lush green walls to internal courtyards and indoor gardens, biophilic elements are fast becoming a non-negotiable. Travellers today actively seek hotels that embrace sustainability, reduce synthetic use, and showcase a natural ethos. Most importantly, they are willing to pay a premium for it.
Rise of boutique luxury: Another significant trend is the rise of boutique experiences, especially in the upper-upscale and luxury segments. High net worth individuals today want privacy, calm, and exclusivity. Mega hotels with hundreds of rooms are slowly giving way to niche properties with fewer than 50 keys, offering elevated services, customised experiences, and peace away from the crowd. This small-scale luxury is not only intimate but often more immersive and design-driven, which leads us to the next trend.
Remote, experiential locations: While prime tourist spots will always have their charm, the real innovation lies in luxury resorts in offbeat, remote, and exotic locations. These resorts are purposefully designed in lesser-known, secluded landscapes, providing travellers with both isolation and immersive nature.
Design individualism: The era of templated hotels is finally on its way out. Global travellers are increasingly seeking authentic, locally inspired design. This has led to a resurgence of high-concept design, cultural storytelling, and curated atmospheres that reflect the essence of the place. Hotel brands now want each property to stand on its own as a design statement — unique, immersive, and memorable.
Stealing the global limelight
For decades, global hotel brands hesitated to entrust large-scale projects to Indian designers, often defaulting to foreign names. There was, at one time, a genuine concern — a generational gap had left India with too few globally competitive hospitality architects. However, the last 8 to 10 years have changed the design landscape.
A new breed of Indian designers and design firms has emerged, bringing with it a fresh global sensibility rooted in regional nuance and expertise. These firms are no longer limited to the Indian subcontinent. Today, Indian architects are leading prestigious projects across the USA, Caribbean Islands, UAE, China, Indonesia, Italy, the UK, Bhutan and more.
This evolution is more than anecdotal. Recently, Indian-designed projects competed for international hotel design awards and outshone local American entries, particularly outside the few design hubs like New York. With detailing, atmosphere, and luxury embedded into the DNA of their work, Indian design firms are now setting global benchmarks.
Much of this success can be attributed to two factors — the precision and affordability of Asian design ecosystems and the immense support of the Indian diaspora. In the US alone, nearly 50 per cent of all hotels are owned by Indian-origin entrepreneurs. This powerful community, rooted in hospitality, has championed Indian designers — not out of sentimentality, but because of quality, delivery, and vision.
The result? For the first time in history, Indian firms are leading the concept design globally, with American architecture firms now working as local consultants under their direction. This role reversal marks a historic shift and is a testament to the exceptional growth of Indian design talent.
Investing in design
Simultaneously, within India, a powerful realisation is underway — design is not a cost, it is an investment. Traditionally, many hotel developers in India hesitated to pay premium fees to designers, seeing it as an avoidable overhead. But as the market matures and competition intensifies, developers are seeing clear evidence that a well-designed hotel drives higher room rates, better brand partnerships, and ROI.
Seasoned hoteliers who have operated successful properties now prioritise working with specialist hospitality designers. They understand that great design takes time, money, and talent. From conceptualisation to detailed documentation, it involves thousands of man-hours, prototyping, and constant refinement. When executed correctly, the results speak for themselves — visually stunning properties, seamless operations, and customer experiences that create long-term brand loyalty.
Even new entrants are following suit, learning from industry veterans and opting to engage reputed Indian firms that have proved their mettle through globally successful projects. Importantly, they are also willing to pay fair fees — knowing that excellence cannot be achieved on a shoestring budget.
As one leading architect aptly put it, “You cannot expect a BMW 7 Series at the price of a budget car. Both will take you from point A to B, but the quality of the journey is what makes the difference.”
Golden era
As global trends tilt toward wellness, uniqueness, and sustainability, India is not just following — it is leading. Indian designers are no longer looking West for inspiration or validation; they are commanding global respect on their own terms.
With homegrown hotel developers embracing the power of design and global players recognising Indian creativity and capability, the future of hospitality design is not just bright — it’s proudly ‘Made in India’.
(The views expressed are solely of the author. The publication may or may not subscribe to the same.)
Global brands hesitated to assign large-scale projects to Indian designers, but today they are leading big projects
This role reversal marks a historic shift that speaks volumes about the exceptional growth of Indian design talent
