Last month, I spent the day at The Independent Hotel Show in Amsterdam. Partly to discover new suppliers and products, partly to explore where hospitality is heading in the coming years. But mostly because this industry keeps fascinating me.
Hospitality evolves incredibly fast. Not only technologically, but emotionally too.

Walking through the exhibition halls, one thing became very clear: the future of hospitality is balancing two seemingly opposite worlds:  High-tech efficiency on one side, and deeply human experiences on the other side.

AI was everywhere. From CRM systems gathering guest data to personalise experiences, to smart systems helping hotels reduce food waste and optimise their F&B purchasing based on real consumption patterns and P&L performance. Impressive.

At the same time, there was also a surprisingly strong awareness around ecology, sustainability and even regeneration.
I drank filtered North Sea water purified inside a solar-powered container located in the harbour, discovered brands planting trees whenever guests skip housekeeping and I came across soaps and perfumes made from only four entirely natural ingredients.

Here are some of the key insights I’m taking with me into future designs. 

Sustainability Should Feel Engaging, Not Preachy

One lecture that particularly interested me focused on wellbeing by design, a topic that already plays an important role within our own design approach. It’s something we’ve been consciously exploring for quite some time, so it was fascinating to hear how strongly this mindset is evolving within hospitality as well.

The lecture explained how wellbeing design goes far beyond aesthetics. Spaces influence us through all senses, not just visually. Smell is linked to memory, noise impacts stress levels, lighting affects our biological rhythm, and tactile materials influence comfort and grounding.

What I found particularly interesting is how wellbeing design benefits not only guests, but staff as well. Better lighting, acoustics and thoughtful environments can reduce burnout, improve interactions and create calmer experiences for everyone using the space.

Another strong insight was that good wellbeing design can naturally encourage healthier behaviour. Instead of forcing digital detox, immersive and sensory-rich spaces can simply make people feel more present and connected to their environment.

And importantly, wellbeing design is not tied to one specific aesthetic style. It’s not about creating “zen interiors”, but about intentionally designing spaces that genuinely improve how people feel.


The more I dive into hospitality, the more I realise this world is no longer only about hotels.
It’s about human behaviour, emotion, wellbeing and connection.
And honestly, I believe residential design has a lot to learn from it too.

- Sophie Andries

Wellbeing by design

Hotels need to rethink the way they communicate sustainability. Greenwashing no longer works. Guests see through it when it feels like a purely commercial message. Sustainability has to be genuinely embedded in the story, operations and vision of the hotel.

Most guests already understand that travelling has an environmental impact, and many are already aware of the contradiction. Instead of lecturing, hotels, should focus on involving guests in their sustainability story. Through backstage tours, local collaborations, community initiatives or playful rituals, guests can actively experience the efforts being made behind the scenes to reduce waste, save water or support local ecosystems.

The real shift is moving from guilt to contribution. Rather than reminding guests of their negative impact, hotels can create moments where people feel participated in something meaningful and positive during their stay.

Those are the experiences guests remember. And interestingly enough, many are even willing to pay more for that kind of authentic engagement.

The Shift From Sustainable To Regenerative

Another important topic that kept returning throughout the talks was regenerative hospitality.
Being simply sustainable won't be enough no more. Instead of only reducing their own negative impact, hotels are increasingly looking for ways to actively contribute positively to their surroundings, local communities and economies.

In the B&B HOME hotel project we are currently developing, we’ve also been thinking carefully about how the hotel can give something back to its environment. How can it strengthen the neighbourhood? How can it support local makers, businesses and initiatives? How can it become more than just a place for overnight stays?

It was interesting to see that same mindset returning throughout the entire fair. Hotels no longer want to operate as isolated “castles” disconnected from their environment. More and more, they aim to become part of the neighbourhood itself — attracting locals to their bars, coworking spaces or restaurants, and creating stronger connections with the people and places around them.

That, to me, is what regenerative hospitality is really about.

Human Attention Is Becoming Luxury

Ironically, while AI is rapidly entering hospitality, authenticity is becoming even more valuable.
Several speakers mentioned how younger generations increasingly reject overly artificial or fully AI-generated experiences. Genuine human interaction, care and personal attention are becoming a form of luxury.

The future of hospitality seems to split into two directions:
solution hotels → high-tech, frictionless, low-touch
experience hotels → emotional, story-driven and human-centred

What I found interesting is that experience-driven hotels are not rejecting AI at all. They are simply using it differently.
Rather than replacing human interaction, AI is increasingly being used to support and relieve staff from repetitive operational tasks, allowing them to spend more time focusing on guests and creating meaningful experiences.