In the swim of things: hoteliers look for outdoor furniture selections that fit a property's overall design aesthetic

Hotel & Motel Management, April 5, 2004 by Elaine Yetzer Simon

The outdoor area, especially around the swimming pool, often is overlooked when it comes to design. But the right selections can make guests feel at home and support the overall design aesthetic of the hotel.

Leaders of the Westin brand, which is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, are in the process of changing its pool furniture at eight properties in North America.

"The concept is modern luxury," said D.B. Kim, v.p. of Westin design. "We wanted to be consistent within the brand, within the rooms and the rest of the spaces, but there was a disconnect when you went outdoors. We needed to make that consistent."

Kim said the company's main objectives were that the furniture had to have a comfortable, residential feel, and had to be easy to maintain and cost effective.

Management of the Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa--A Wyndham Luxury Resort in Carefree, Ariz., also wanted a residential feel, but recently bought commercial furniture because the residential styles didn't hold up.

"What we had before was beautifully residential but wasn't holding up," said Lorraine Park, area spa director for the property. "It had a cotton cushion, and we couldn't keep up with the wear and tear. We wanted something we could take care of and wipe down but that still gave a luxury feel."

The Boulders selected wrought iron lounges.

Dinyar Mehta, owner of a 101-room Wingate Inn in Orlando that opened in December, wanted to give guests a home-away-from-home feeling.

"Since we used a traditional interior package, we wanted to continue that look," Mehta said. "We wanted a cast-iron look, but we didn't want cast iron because it would be very heavy and not rust proof."

Mehta selected aluminum furniture with a powder-coated finish that is mildew and rust resistant.

The Wingate's pool area offers lounge chairs with a wire mesh PVC sling for the seats. The area also has tables and chairs with mesh, mildew-resistant cushions.

"The cushions were one of the main things [I focused on]," Mehta said. "When I sat on the chair, it was very hard. I said if I had this at home, would I sit there and read a book? I decided no, that it needed the cushions. The same with the lounge chairs--the mesh is very comfortable to sit on."

Westin is offering its hotels five pool furniture options, including two teak options with interchangeable cushions, a piece that is a combination of teak and metal, and a metal piece with a bronze finish. The fifth selection is simulated plastic.

"It sounds really cheap, but they're very heavy-duty woven plastic and they are very durable," Kim said. "They are very comfortable, they are scaled appropriately to fit everyone, and cushions give it a plush feeling."

La Quinta Corp. buys new pool furniture about every five to seven years, according to Murry Cathlina, v.p. of design and construction services. The factors that play into the decision about what to buy are the appearance/design, comfort, durability and cost.

"Our decision-making process includes buying a design that will not have an expiration and will be usable in many different locations," Cathlina said.

He said La Quinta properties have two different types of pool furniture.

"One is designed for use with outdoor pools and the other is designed specifically for indoor pools," he said. "The reason is the highly corrosive nature of indoor pools does not allow for the use of metal pool furniture. Instead, we use a high-end plastic frame that will withstand the climate of indoor pools."

For more info ...

Company                                Circle No.

All Outdoors and More                         400
Arizona Casual Furniture                      401
Crestmark International                       402
Everwood Teak                                 403
GAR Products                                  404
Gloster                                       405
Lloyd Flanders Furniture Co.                  406
Pacific Sun Casual Furniture                  407
Sunburst Outdoor Furniture                    408
Sundrella Casual Furniture                    409

esimon@advanstar.com