Playing Up The Outdoors

Hoteliers believe in augmenting every inch of the space to maximise revenues. We look at how outdoor spaces are being enhanced to support the P&Ls.

- Niti Singh

More and more interior designers and luxury hotels are seeking inspiration from the shades and the moods of the season, creating breath-taking outdoor settings that are as soigné, luxurious and intimate as their indoor ones. The lines between the inside and the outside are increasingly blurred, as hoteliers and designers join hands to banish the banal and to elevate the luxury and the novelty experiences.

Some hotels are lucky enough to be blessed with stunning outdoorsy views such as the JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa or Conrad Bengaluru’s Mediterranean restaurant, Tiamo, that overlooks the pretty Ulsoor Lake. The Imperial, in the heart of Delhi, balances its museum-like opulence with an inviting alfresco dining and sky-lit ceiling, like in The Atrium Tea Lounge. Master flourishes in outdoor areas include show kitchens, poolside decks with pretty cabanas that double up as bars and can be used for fashion and art pop-ups, and even movie nights. Many hotels, such as the Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel are using rooftops that offer 360-degree views of the city lights for networking cocktail evenings. With the creative designers ensuring that outdoor spaces do not have to sacrifice comfort, the hotel industry is capitalizing on them to offer more facilities to guests, increase footfalls and boost business—a win-all amalgamation of aesthetics and purpose.

Waterfalls and sculptural fountains, multi-level terraces, rustic wood furnishings, walled gardens, glam fire spaces, collapsible cabanas, decorative canopies, umbrellas to block the harsh sunlight, gorgeous foliage and panoramic views enable guests to connect with nature. Weather-proof furniture, moth-repellent scented candles, heating, and cooling devisers along with bioclimatic interventions such as vegetation and water bodies ensure that the outdoor statement areas are as comfortable as the indoors.