06/27/2025
As the hospitality industry and guest expectations evolve—from blending work and leisure to culturally immersive experiences—design has become a key lever to drive guest satisfaction and loyalty, as well as business performance. Accor has placed design at the heart of its strategy across 45+ brands to transform hotels into living emotion-infused hubs that connect guests and local communities, while driving growth for hotel owners with the support of our Design & Technical Services experts.
By embracing the power of design, Accor is contributing to new standards for the hospitality industry in terms of both customer experience and business outcomes, deploying bold design strategies and strengthening the Group’s leading position.
Within the Premium, Midscale & Economy Division, Jean-Jacques Morin, CEO and Group Deputy CEO; Karelle Lamouche, Chief Operations Officer Europe & North Africa; Damien Perrot, Chief Design, Technical Services and Innovation Officer; and Camil Yazbeck, Chief Development Officer; share their vision of design as a powerful lever for guest experience and owner performance.
For guests, a hotel is much more than just a place to stay.
How would you define a hotel today?
Camil: Hotels should be gems at the heart of the community, fostering connection and curated experiences. Defined by unique design, it creates immersive environments, offers personalized service with attention to detail, and drives culinary innovation through creative and locally inspired food and beverage.
Damien: For our owners and for us, a hotel offers the best brands and experiences for local and international guests. We want to maximize performance for owners by placing the hotel at the center of its neighborhood. They should be modern, vibrant and open to the city through innovative spaces, atmospheres and Food & Beverage concepts to meet evolving needs, while guaranteeing high standards.
Design is where creativity meets purpose, shaping spaces that look amazing, but also feel intuitive and inspiring.
What does design mean for you? Why is it important?
Karelle: As its core, design is about storytelling and can communicate brand identity, values, and purpose in ways words cannot. For guests, it creates moments of wonder, discovery, and connection. For Heartists®, it provides the tools and environment to deliver exceptional service. And for our owners and partners, great design drives performance, setting the foundation for operational excellence.
Camil: Design is a powerful expression of individuality and purpose. It reflects the owner's personality, especially through our adaptable star conversion brands such as Mövenpick, Handwritten Collection, Mercure and ibis styles. Design balances creativity with functionality to elevate the guest experience. It shapes the future of hospitality with fresh, sustainable, and innovative ideas. It is also a strategic tool for investors as it drives added value for daily rates and generates additional revenue through features like wellness offerings.
Design is a powerful lever for brand equity and guest experience.
How does design impact brand identity?
Jean-Jacques: Design is a lever to create brand equity and deliver the kind of experience guests seek. The results are impressive. Following a complete redesign, Pullman Montparnasse has significantly revised its average selling price. Everything the D&TS teams do is about creating that identity. For example, our ESG efforts contribute to an experience aligned with guests’ values—whether biophilia, reducing electricity consumption or saving water.
Karelle: Design is so important to brand identity that you can’t afford to get it wrong. It's not just about the color scheme and furniture, but also the skills and knowledge to harmonize the environment to deliver a better guest experience and better operational efficiency for our partners. It creates physical and emotional spaces where guests connect with a brand on a deeper level.
Our teams work with owners on ESG value to ensure that we have the best performing services, while also reducing environmental impact.
What role do the Design & Technical Services (D&TS) teams play in elevating guest experience—and strengthening relationships with owners?
Damien: Our D&TS teams work with owners on ESG value through architecture, engineering, material choice and biophilia to ensure that we have the best performing services, while also reducing environmental impact. Good technical and energy performance adds value to their assets. Accor’s technical standards make it easier to open and obtain certifications, such as LEED and BREEAM. We constantly strive to support owners while meeting expectations in terms of sustainability and wellbeing.
Jean-Jacques: The D&TS teams are an integral part of the relationship we build with asset owners. They are there from the very beginning when we first discuss the hotel design. They also support the hotel when it opens to ensure everything fits together. During the life of the hotel, the teams update design elements whenever necessary. As contracts can last upwards of 10 to 50 years; it’s a long-term partnership.
A Multi-Faceted Tool to Shape Tomorrow’s Hospitality
As the needs and expectations of guests and owners continue to evolve, design clearly has a central role to play in creating memorable experiences, strong brand identity and higher revenues. With the environment increasingly taking center stage, it can also contribute to a more sustainable future where hospitality and ecology go hand in hand.
