I've spent almost three decades designing hotels across North America, the Middle East, the Asia and Africa. I've worn just about every hat imaginable—designer, developer, ownership, brands, operator, contractor, project manager, strategist, and sometimes, therapist (hotel projects can get very emotional!). This 360-degree view isn't common, but it's given me clarity with one goal: unforgettable hospitality isn't about materials, aesthetics, or tech alone.

It's about storytelling. Pure and simple.

Let's be honest, nobody checks out and says, “Wow, did you see the grout lines in that bathroom?” People remember how they felt. An emotional narrative is what sticks, making guests return (and rave).

Why do I keep hammering this home? Because narrative isn't just poetry; it's strategy—and yes, for accountants, it's measurable ROI. It's hospitality's secret sauce, genuinely elevating lives, enriching communities, and building businesses that last.

Story First. Always.

We often think hospitality design starts with visuals—floorplans, finishes, lighting. But the hotels people truly love don't start there. They start with a deceptively simple question: “How do we want guests to feel?”

This fuels everything:

• Sense of Place: Local culture layered authentically—not another Eiffel Tower print with Map of Paris (or wherever hotel is located, and say you've integrated the locality), please.
• Authentic Brand DNA: Each detail effortlessly reinforcing your brand's values.
• Purpose-driven ESG: No “greenwashing”—just real impact that resonates deeply with conscious guests.

ESG Isn't a Buzzword; It's Meaningful Hospitality (With Heart)

Sustainability and ESG aren't checklists; they're ways to create authentic emotional connections. Today's guests don't just appreciate purposeful design—they insist on it.

Picture this:

• Rooms filled with reclaimed materials, each with a “did-you-know” story for guests to share over cocktails.
• Transparent operations proudly displaying real-time sustainability wins (“Look Mom, no energy waste!”).
• Community partnerships empowering local artisans and people living in it—turning every souvenir into a meaningful memento and provide jobs and education to locals.

Designing hotels this way isn't just good karma—it's smart business and truly following the meaning of sustainability. Purpose-driven hotels command higher rates, loyalty, and longer stays while you create your brand culture and unique message to differentiate you from others.

Because hearts trump wallets every time.

Turning Stories Into Strategy (Yes, With ROI!)

Here's my go-to recipe for narrative-driven, ESG-savvy design that pays off:

• Clarify the Emotional Narrative: Start with the feeling, not the fabric swatches.
• Map the Guest's Journey: Like Spielberg directing a movie, plot out emotional peaks. (I always wanted to direct movies...so this is the way I approach it, and it works every time!)
• Multisensory Magic: Curate scent, sound, and textures carefully—your guests' senses will thank you.
• Integrate ESG Like You Mean It: Sustainability should be obvious and engaging—not buried in fine print.
• Measure, Refine, Repeat: Emotion drives memory, memory drives loyalty, and loyalty drives revenue. It's a simple math!

Real-World Proof: Iconic Narratives in Action

The Bellagio fountains weren't just Vegas entertainment—they became global storytelling legends. Dubai's spectacular fountains at Burj Khalifa and Singapore's Wings of Time—these are stories-turned-landmarks, magnetizing millions with sheer narrative power (and probably causing some serious water-envy).

Your hotel can—and should—do the same.

Why This Matters Right Now

On June 17th at HOTEC Design, I joined industry thought leaders to dive deeper into “Designing with Purpose: ESG's Role in Shaping Strategy, Operations & the Guest Experience.” It's not just another conference—it's a strategic call-to-action for the next decade.

But let's keep this interactive: tell me about a space you can't forget. What made it unforgettable? Your experiences fuel our creativity—and hospitality thrives when we design from the heart, with humor, purpose, and lasting impact.

Let's shape the future of hospitality together.

By Shannon Kim — Hospitality Development Strategist & Designer

Let's be honest — most hotel restaurants are forgettable. Designed to check a box, not make a statement. Beautiful in renders. Underwhelming in real life. They chase trends, ignore operations, and miss the moment entirely. Sometimes, they're less about the guest… and more about the designer's ego.

But what if we stopped designing restaurants as amenities...and started crafting them as emotional, strategic, award-worthy destinations?

Because here's the truth: in today's “experience-driven” economy, your restaurant is no longer just a place to eat. It's a brand amplifier. A local magnet. A reason to return — or never book again.

Guests don't crave just good food anymore. They want immersion. Emotion. A story they can taste. And when done right, a restaurant becomes the soul of a hotel — and one of its smartest revenue engines.

Why Extraordinary F&B Design Matters More Than Ever

Through my work designing, developing, and advising on hospitality projects across North America, the Middle East, and beyond, I've seen one consistent truth: F&B isn't a side act — it's the headliner.

The restaurant defines the mood, the memory, and the mouthfeel of the hotel experience. Locals will visit it weekly without ever checking in. Guests will decide to return based on that one perfect dinner or unforgettable brunch. In a market this competitive, F&B is no longer optional. It's foundational.

The Craft Behind the Magic

Award-worthy restaurants don't happen by accident. They're the result of hundreds of invisible decisions:

• How the light lands on the table at 6:00pm
• How guests transition from day to night without realizing the space has changed
• How the pass (final staging point before food reaches the guest) is sized to maintain plating speed without compromising visual drama
• How every square foot generates revenue across time blocks and service types

Design isn't just decoration. It's choreography. It's strategy. It's business intelligence disguised as beauty.

Food is Emotion. Food Needs a Story.

One of the most transformational dining experiences I've had was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in Las Vegas — a concept that blurred the line between cuisine, performance, and sensory storytelling.

It reminded me of something I've come to believe through years of extensive traveling, cooking, tasting, and studying the way food lives in culture: the most unforgettable meals aren't just eaten — they're felt.

And the most memorable dining environments are the ones where every element — from scent and light to texture and pacing — tells a story. Just like the most meaningful spaces, the most impactful food experiences are layered, symbolic, and immersive.

It's a perspective that shaped me — not just through years in hospitality design and development, but through a lifelong intimacy with the kitchen: a rhythm built from cooking, sharing, hosting, and exploring cuisines from Asia to Africa.

It's in that overlap — between space and story, service and soul — that restaurants stop being “venues”… and start becoming destinations.

Precision + Passion = Performance

Here's the part many miss: passion alone doesn't make restaurants profitable. You need precision:

• Back-of-house layouts that reduce labor without compromising service
• Sightlines that drive spend-per-seat
• Lighting that shifts mood (and table turns)
• Acoustics that shape energy and intimacy simultaneously

Every decision in restaurant design has financial consequences. And when done right, every detail becomes part of your revenue strategy.

Designing for Dynamic Revenue

Award-worthy restaurant spaces today are:

• Flexible: from breakfast café to coworking hub to nighttime lounge
• Locally relevant: rooted in community and culinary identity
• Effortlessly operational: allowing staff to flow as seamlessly as guests
• Visually iconic: born to be photographed — and remembered

Design should perform. Not just impress.

Ultimately, a restaurant shouldn't feel like it could be anywhere. It should feel like it could only exist there — in that city, in that hotel, in that exact moment.

Because the restaurants that win hearts — also win revenue.

Innovation Without Soul Is Just a Gimmick

These days, I get asked a lot about AI's impact on hospitality design and the future of hotels.

AI is everywhere—transforming how we work, live, communicate, and consume. The pace of change is staggering. Yet when I walk into most hotels, they still are stuck in somewhere in time and never seemed to evolve. While some hotel does it very well, but most of the hotels, it is rather even simplified and lesser (especially design) of it than hotels in the past.

Technology is evolving at lightning speed, but the hotel guest journey? It hasn't shifted much. The way we build, design, and operate still follows decades-old models. Yes, we could also argue that what's wrong with the decade old models?

The hospitality of things are all about human connection and not all has to change to elevate our experience in hospitality space. The charm of century old pure hospitality is something coming from the heart. But many aspects of the guest experience could be dramatically elevated with the tools we now have.

And the integration of AI? Mostly absent or surface-level. The reality is, our industry hasn't evolved at the same pace as innovation. And that's not just a missed opportunity—it's a strategic gap.

Because the future of hospitality isn't just about new technology. It's about creating experiences that are more empathetic, sustainable, intuitive, and emotionally intelligent.

Here's what I believe the hotel of the future needs now — they are more about strengthening fundamentals while adapting sustainability in design all the way to the operations:

1. Empathetic Design, Not Just Efficient Design

Today's guests don't want gimmicks. They crave spaces that anticipate their needs—environments that restore energy, reduce stress, and connect with human rhythms. Think:

• Lighting that adjusts with the sun
• Acoustics that offer moments of quiet retreat
• Layouts that flow with natural behavior

Design must evolve from “looks good” to feels right.

2. Net-Zero as the Baseline, Not a Bonus

Sustainability isn't a checkbox—it's a foundation. Tomorrow's hotels will be judged not just by their aesthetics or amenities, but by their impact. That means:

• Carbon-neutral construction
• Passive energy systems
• Local and regenerative materials
• Wellness-focused, resource-conscious operations

Net-zero isn't a buzzword. It's our new baseline.

3. Tech that Serves, Not Showcases

In the best hotels of the future, you won't see AI—but you'll feel it. It will be working behind the scenes to:

• Anticipate preferences
• Adjust environments in real time
• Eliminate check-in friction
• Empower staff with smarter systems

The most meaningful technology doesn't try to impress—it quietly enhances.

4. Narrative-Driven Experiences

Design is now a storytelling tool. The most compelling hotels are no longer themed—they're thematic. They build layers of meaning through space, material, culture, and memory.

Guests want to feel connected to a place. They want to be surprised, inspired, and immersed. From curated art and local craftsmanship to symbolic materials and immersive lighting—the design language of tomorrow is poetic and purposeful.

5. Design That Performs: Soul + Strategy + Revenue

Great design must do more than just look good. It should earn its place—operationally, emotionally, and financially.

• A guestroom that supports deep rest creates loyalty.
• An adaptable lounge drives all-day revenue.
• A bar that becomes a city icon becomes a brand anchor.

Beauty without ROI is a missed opportunity. The best-designed hotels perform on every level.

In my work across North America, the Middle East, and beyond, I'm seeing a shift: from decorative design to intentional experience design. From tech obsession to human-centered technology. From short-term thinking to sustainable legacies.

This isn't the future of hospitality—it's what we must create right now.