A Box for Experimentation

Hotel? Not only. Among the contemporary trends in hospitality, hybrid hospitality represents a true revolution: it frees the concept of the hotel from the idea of a place exclusively reserved for guests, instead transforming it into a hub for the community and shared experiences.

This was the focus of Lorenzo Antonelli, partner at Rizoma Architetture, a design studio that has explored the hybrid hospitality model on several occasions, working with hotel groups such as CX and The Social Hub.

“We have worked on the idea of a hotel that goes beyond simply accommodating tourists and guiding them in discovering a destination, becoming instead a container for activities open both to guests and the local community.”

Hybrid hotels are brought to life by coworking areas, diverse F&B offerings, wellness zones and event spaces, as well as by the coexistence of different hospitality formats, from hotels and hostels to student residences.

Exclusivity in a Villa

The services of luxury hotels combined with the privacy of a private residence are the defining elements of villas and branded residences — a hospitality model that is enriching the offering of many hotels and providing the ideal solution for travellers seeking a blend of domestic comfort and high-end hospitality.

“The hotel remains the functional reference point, while the villa becomes the ultimate expression of exclusivity and intimacy,” explained Igor Rebosio, co-founder & design director at De.Tales.

A New Life for the Resort

It is not only new hospitality models that are shaping today’s hotel landscape. Historic models are also evolving, preserving their identity while adapting to contemporary needs.

The challenge is to update the model without compromising its history and memory — a delicate design process that requires a deep respect for the identity of the place.

Vegan Through and Through

The days when a vegan lifestyle concerned only food choices are long gone. Il Mansio, the contemporary inn in Desenzano sul Garda designed by Pelizzari Studio, is a testament to this evolution.

The project was conceived as a fully vegan, cruelty-free hospitality experience, extending the concept beyond gastronomy to every aspect of the hotel.

Designed Around Families

Families remain an evergreen target for the hospitality industry, but they too are changing: becoming more complex, expanding and contracting, and moving away from predefined models.

In family hotels, shared spaces play a fundamental role in encouraging social interaction and encounters. Rather than following predetermined rules, the key is for hoteliers to clearly define the type of hospitality they want to offer and express their own vision.

Gli spazi dell’f&b

Anche le proposte relative alla ristorazione sono diverse nelle varie situazioni di ospitalità. Nei family hotel, per esempio, ha illustrato Cerutti: «ci sono situazioni di potenziale caos che si possono verificare nel momento dei pasti, perché le famiglie difficilmente escono per la cena quindi la ristorazione di un family hotel è fortemente stressata e bisogna tenerne conto nel progettare la cucina o gli spazi per la consumazione dei pasti. Nell’NH Collection Alagna Mirtillo Rosso abbiamo tre sale per la ristorazione; più in generale è importante riconoscere le esigenze delle persone e saper di fatto poi costruire dei prodotti attorno a loro».

Nel mondo dei resort, i cui ospiti tendono a trascorrere molto tempo all’interno del complesso, l’offerta deve essere varia e – come la definisce Chiara Caberlon – multisensoriale. «La proposta deve cambiare – spiega la progettista – per permettere all’ospite di fare anche nella stessa settimana esperienze gastronomiche diverse, dalla pizzeria alla cena in spiaggia al ristorante 5 stelle, con concept studiati ad hoc».

F&B Spaces

Food and beverage offerings vary significantly across different hospitality models.

In hybrid hotels, the dining experience is hybrid too. As Lorenzo Antonelli explains:

“Food-related moments are generally about sharing and exchanging ideas, as open as possible to external guests and highly permeable.”

This concept translates into open kitchens, flexible spaces and environments that can adapt fluidly to the needs of the moment.

In hybrid hospitality, therefore, the kitchen is no longer simply a functional space: it becomes a social and experiential hub, where food, interaction and community come together.