Shaw Contract recently did a collaborative project for a Goa-based beachfront hotel for a renowned hotel chain. The client’s brief was to have a beachfront premium hotel from one of India’s most trusted and reputed hospitality chains. According to Shaw, the true hallmark of a beach hotel is its ability to thematically connect to the sea—experiencing it without even getting wet. The brief to the design team was to create an interior ecosystem that had the soul of Goa, while proudly cultivating international standards of luxury. Design insight: Floor and underfoot experience as the differentiator The biggest challenge for a designer while planning a beach hotel is in aligning the different utility spaces in the property. A beach resort sees an interesting overlap of roles. A guest who is a corporate executive in the conference room in the morning can turn into a vacationer at the beach by afternoon. So the design should provide a seamless experience through this shift of roles. Fundamental to this experience transition is the floor which is the consistent tactile platform for a guest who moves through various areas of the property. Hence, the floor needed to be tailored to the exact requirements of each space. To arrive at the design framework, the design team sought ideas from Goa’s bountiful vegetation, hills and rivers, warm weather, and attire preferences. It was an unlimited source of inspiring material. Shaw Contract’s Stratum Eiris floor tiles: Bringing the Goan vibe inside The floor design plan envisaged a material that could withstand the varied types of foot traffic across the different spaces. Flooring area was 2700 sq m and spread across guest rooms, restaurants, and lounge areas. Choosing the right flooring brand was the most important decision. Given the sand-intensive location, the floor had to be easily cleanable, long lasting, low maintenance, and sustainable. The search ended with Shaw Contract’s Stratum Eiris style from the Stratum collection. The choice was perfect, with the material, colour, shade, and texture matching the exact requirement. The innovative COREtec backing of the tiles ensured waterproof performance, and fast installation, thereby saving time and labor costs. The design team matched floor design with artistic touches that reflected Goa’s culture of joy. Result: The essence of Goa through underfoot comfort and visual beauty The beachfront hotel is a new and premium feather in the cap for Goa’s hospitality industry. While the eyes can enjoy the spectacular views of the Arabian sea from the hotel room, the feet can luxuriate in the calm tactile comfort of the floor. The project is an apt example of how a truly delightful guest experience starts with the feet.“As an MNC design firm specialising in hospitality spaces, we are very conscious of local character and symbolism in the course of infusing luxury in a property. We ensure that every property carries the soul of its location, wherever in the world it is.”- Gaurav Gupta, Director, leading global hospitality design company.