Stijn Oyen, Managing Director, Design Hotels

Posted in Business, People on 18 November, 2024

Celebrating 30 years of innovation, Design Hotels continues to lead the way where travel meets design. Talking to SPACE, Stijn Oyen shares the brand’s vision of success, discussing community, culture, and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Staying at the forefront of the hospitality industry is no small challenge, and as it enters its fourth decade, Design Hotels has certainly been busy. First came its inaugural Further Forecast (an extensive trend report defining six key themes that will transform the industry in 2024 and beyond), and then came the appointment of Stijn Oyen as Managing Director earlier this year. Bringing over 20 years of experience with luxury hospitality brands such as W Hotels, Relais & Châteaux, and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Stijn leads on Design Hotels’ future strategy and growth of the portfolio. Known for his award-winning leadership, including his time at the iconic W Barcelona, Stijn will now oversee a global portfolio of nearly 300 independent hotels – from boutique landmarks in New York and London to hidden gems in Hong Kong and Mexico City. Working from Design Hotels’ Berlin headquarters, Stijn’s mission is to continue pushing the boundaries of travel and design, while fostering a growing global community that thrives at the intersection of creativity, culture, and connection.

Nobis Hotel Palma occupies a historic gem, situated in one of Palma’s oldest buildings, with a rich history dating back to the 12th century. Images courtesy of Design Hotels.

In a highly competitive market, what sets the Design Hotels collection apart from others, and how do you maintain that differentiation?
What truly sets us apart is that each and every member of Design Hotels is not just our one-of-a-kind hotels, but the community behind them. Our portfolio is totally diverse, and each of our hotels is led by a passionate, independent owner with a unique vision. They’re true luminaries in the industry and proudly stand at the forefront of hospitality. We work closely with these visionary owners – connecting them with other members of Design Hotels, or with like-minded creatives to develop a new idea or project. We’re incredibly proud to foster such a unique community, who lead such distinctive hotels.

The Home Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland.

With nearly 300 hotels in the collection, how do you keep the independent owners (Originals) at the heart of the brand?
Community is the lifeblood of Design Hotels, which is fuelled by our Originals, which are at the centre of everything we do. We maintain close, personal relationships with each of our member hotels. We are not just a marketing affiliation to them, but partners who provide daily support across sales, PR, marketing, brand and beyond. We host regular events and gatherings where our Originals can meet and learn from each other, as well as from other thought leaders in vertical fields like design, art, and architecture. This ongoing dialogue ensures that each hotel remains true to its vision while benefiting from the collective knowledge of the community.

ROOMS Batumi, Georgia.

As Managing Director, what would you say is your top priority right now?
Right now, my priority is ensuring that Design Hotels continues to lead the industry in innovation through working with owners who are challenging the status quo of hospitality. We are also eager to grow our portfolio across the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and expand our community of like-minded hoteliers.

Our aim is to define the next generation of travel, assemble creative minds to exchange ideas, and foster collaboration to fuel the next movements in travel. For us, it’s crucial we make space for these exchanges, and continue to support and challenge our member hotels to evolve with the ever-changing consumer landscape.

With so many unique properties, what does Design Hotels define as a ‘design-driven’ hotel?
A design-driven hotel is one that goes beyond aesthetics. It’s about creating an environment where every detail – whether it’s architecture, interior design, or even the way a guest moves through the space – evokes emotion and tells a story.

For us, design is a tool that enables transformation, allowing guests to feel something beyond the ordinary, and we’re always exploring new areas and concepts of design with our hotels to facilitate these experiences. Neuroaesthetics, for example, is one concept we’ve recently explored, where design elements like colour, lighting, and spatial layouts are used to influence the way a guest feels, blending science with aesthetics to evoke more intentional emotional responses—for example, safety and belonging.

Elizabeth Country House in Minerbio, Italy.

Are there specific hotels within the collection that you consider iconic in terms of design, and what makes them stand out?
Absolutely, we have so many incredible examples of iconic design in our collection, it’s difficult to know where to start! Mallorca immediately springs to mind. It’s an island I know well, having lived there for many years, and we recently hosted ARENA 2024 – our annual owner’s conference – there last month.

Nobis Palma, one of our member hotels there, is located in the heart of the old town of Palma. The design is beautiful, unique and iconic – set in a 12th-century medieval Muslim palace, which thoughtfully merges the history of the building with modern Scandinavian and Spanish design.

Moving further east, Stamba in Tbilisi, Georgia, is another incredible property. Based in a Soviet-era publishing house, with a five-story high atrium in the hotel’s ‘jungle-lobby’, the hotel acts as a cultural-hub in the city, housing a multimedia and photography museum, a flexible working space that supports local start-ups, and Georgia’s first indoor vertical ‘Space Farm’.

Across London and NYC, the Firmdale properties are another example of truly iconic design, with the maximalist, colourful and vibrant style of Kit Kemp. On the other end of the scale, there’s Terrestre – one of our member hotels on the Oaxacan coast, with brutalist-inspired structures, and open spaces that inspire guests to admire the elements. I also must mention Palazzo Daniele, in Puglia, with its minimalist design to exaggerate the grandeur of the original ceiling frescoes, and standalone art pieces.

There really are too many to mention. All are unique, diverse, and iconic in their own right.

What criteria do you use when evaluating potential new members for the collection, particularly concerning design and architecture?
When evaluating new members, we look for hotels that are not only design-led, but are also purpose-driven and culturally sensitive. Authenticity is key. We don’t focus on star ratings but rather on the story behind the hotel. We look for unique, one-of-a-kind properties where the hotelier’s vision shines through in every aspect – from the architecture to the guest experience. Each property must align with our ethos of fostering meaningful, transformative experiences.

The Original behind the property is also important, as when you join Design Hotels you’re not just plugging into our marketing platform, you join an international network of like-minded owners, and we expect the owners of our member hotels to contribute to and elevate this community.

What initiatives are you implementing to build and retain customer loyalty within the Design Hotels collection?
Customer loyalty, for us, is driven by our ability to offer guests authentic, transformative experiences they can’t find elsewhere. We continuously innovate in this area, whether through our partnership with Marriott Bonvoy, or by offering unique, awe-inspiring stays, with hospitality concepts that are ahead of the curve.

We’re always exploring new ways to engage our community of travellers and exploring new initiatives and partnerships with like-minded brands in art, fashion, and music, to give guests access to exclusive experiences, creating a deeper sense of belonging and loyalty.

Our hotels speak for themselves, and our community stay loyal to the unique, transformative experiences that our hotels offer. It’s a bit of a member’s club—where those that get it, get it!

Going into its fourth decade, how do you see Design Hotels evolving?
As we move into our fourth decade, our focus remains on fostering innovation, but we are also deeply committed to pushing the boundaries of design and hospitality. This has always been our main mission.

Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we’re excited to host more creative events, cultivate meaningful brand partnerships, and continue to engage our community with cultural activations across the globe. We want to continue to foster connections in verticals alongside travel, including art, design, fashion, wellness. We have some exciting things lined up over the next year that we can’t wait to bring to fruition.

Beyond all this, we’re incredibly excited to keep evolving and exploring new destinations, with a keen eye on creating spaces that inspire awe and offer meaningful cultural exchanges.

Finally, what trends or movements in travel do you see shaping the future of hospitality, and how is Design Hotels preparing for this future?
The future of hospitality will be shaped by a desire for more purpose-led, transformational travel experiences. Guests are increasingly seeking deeper, more meaningful interactions with local cultures, and are willing to invest more in experiences that offer personal growth and wellness. We are already seeing these changes, and expect that desire for this experiential, purposeful travel will continue to grow. To prepare for this, we’re constantly researching and evaluating our industry, studying new trends and ensuring we’re at the forefront of innovation in travel.

Earlier this year, we released a cultural study on Neuroaesthetics, delving into how colour, lighting, spatial layouts, textures, and materials can transform how a guest feels when they enter a space, and how these can be adapted by designers to achieve the desired effect. We’ve seen this idea coming more into play for designers, and we anticipate the principles becoming more commonplace.

We’ll also be launching the next edition of the Further Forecast, our annual trend report, next month, which will be looking into new principles we’re seeing around travel, art, and design, and the impact we anticipate these emerging trends will have on our industry.
We’re always working hard to stay at the forefront of travel, and work with our own community to stay ahead of the curve, pushing the boundaries of innovation. We’re well prepared, and incredibly excited for the future of hospitality.