Ceramic tiles for hospitality venues

“This wallpaper is dreadful, one of us will have to go!” was the threat reportedly uttered by Oscar Wilde in the squalid Paris hotel room where he died in the late autumn of 1900.
This characteristically scathing remark reminds us that alongside an impeccable service, the quality of the interiors and finishings has always been a vital ingredient of truly memorable hospitality venues.
It is no coincidence that the latest trends in elite hotels are reflecting a radical change in the industry. The stereotype of large hotel chains that offer the same style rooms, the same finishes and even the same menu all over the world simply for the sake of brand recognisability is decidedly on the way out. Rather than anonymous comfort and luxury spaces, the current trend is towards locations capable of conveying emotional complicity, uniqueness and depth, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and identity. With this in mind, the creative input of architects and designers plays a crucial role in achieving goals that go well beyond the albeit complex aspects of form and functionality.
This was the context to the work carried out by interior designer Didier Gomez on the Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel, an elegant 5-star hotel owned by the US-based Marriott International group. Owner of more than thirty well-known hotel brands including JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari Hotels, Sheraton, Le Méridien and many more, the group operates more than 6,000 hotels with 1.2 million rooms in 122 countries worldwide.
Located in Rue René Boulanger, between Porte Saint-Martin and Place de la République in the heart of Paris, the Renaissance is the only modern-fronted building in this typically nineteenth-century Haussmannian boulevard. The interior is made up of a sequence of rooms and spaces based on a layout that exploits the relationship between form, light and matter. To achieve this result, Didier Gomez chose Prestige series ceramic panels produced by Marca Corona as the floor covering in both the brightly-lit restaurant and the more intimate and secluded relaxation areas and spa. This wood-effect porcelain tile collection combines a very natural atmosphere with outstanding technical characteristics in terms of strength, durability and ease of cleaning and maintenance. In the specific case of the Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel, the Prestige series tiles were chosen in the colour Brown and a 22.5×90 cm plank size. To complete the work, Didier Gomez used the same Prestige collection for the paving of the terrace but in the HiThick extra-thick version and 60×60 cm size. This solution enhances the material continuity between the indoor and outdoor spaces, which merge seamlessly to further heighten the sense of space and usability of the hotel.