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What Is Next for Hotels and Hospitality Spaces??
What if hotel guests stopped chasing luxury and started demanding adaptability? In this episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider sits down with Aliya Khan, VP of Global Design Strategy & Product Development at Marriott International, and Jason Robertson, VP of Product Management and head of Marriott Labs. With a portfolio of 9,300+ properties and a new hotel opening roughly every 20 hours, Marriott is rethinking hospitality for a world where home, work, and travel fully blur. From reconfigurable rooms (hello, robotic furniture) and mobile-first service to outdoors-driven experiences and radical energy reductions, Aliya and Jason share how smart systems, flexible space, and immersive design are reshaping the guest journey—while also making room for something rare: true pause.
After listening, you will be able to:
- Recognize why flexible, multi-mode rooms beat one-size-fits-all layouts
- Understand how robotic furniture (e.g., ORI) unlocks work/sleep/social “modes”
- Apply low-tech fixes (zoning, lighting, privacy) that matter as much as high-tech
- Use mobile key, chat, and data to evolve lobbies and service models
- Design for togetherness: studio commons, apartments, and outdoor stays
- Track the experience economy’s rise—and what it means for brand and space
- See where sustainability is headed (HVAC/water innovations slashing energy use)
- Balance fast digital change with slower physical upgrades—and create spaces for pause
Links Mentioned:
- Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends.
- Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights.
Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Rob Schulte, and Rachel Senatore.
Special thanks to our podcast season sponsors, Kimball International and Mannington Commercial– companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.
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Design Nerds Anonymous is the only podcast of its kind – holding an engaged audience of architects, designers, CRE leaders, and end users – and delivering the most insights per minute on the forces shaping the built environment. With over 100K+ downloads, the show features industry powerhouses from brands like Chik-fil-A, Hilton, and StoryBrand, having bold conversations on what’s next in business and design—market shifts, process innovation, and the hidden dynamics driving change.
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