Cutting-edge hotel room may soon appear Down Under

A US hotel room has been judged so ground-breaking it has been granted its own patent.

InterContinental Hotels Group’s WorkLife Room, to be rolled out in a $200 million overhaul of Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, was last week considered sufficiently new for the US Patent and Trademark Office to approve its registration.

The room is born of the bleisure generation – blurring the lines between business and leisure through a ‘third space’ concept which allows easy transition from work to after-hours activities.

And while the WorkLife room roll-out is currently limited to US properties, it is believed elements of the design could soon appear in Australia as Crowne enters discussions with several owners Down Under.

It offers ultimate connectivity, both through 14 charging stations for digital devices and through the relationship between furniture pieces within the space.

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Beds and sofas angled away from walls with an emphasis on ultimate comfort and optimal TV viewing are one of the signatures of the new design.

Patents for hotel rooms are rare. Intercontinental is the only major hotel chain to have apply for one in recent years, although Disney successfully patented its Star Wars-themed suites in 2016.

According to the Crowne group, the rooms feature:

• An angled bed, which opens up more space for the room’s distinct zones. Also, a cocooning headboard, Beautyrest mattress, plush linens and Sleep Advantage aromatherapy kit.
• A sofa nook, a multi-purpose space for reading, watching TV, working, meeting with colleagues or kicking back with room service.
• A desk area with an uncluttered work space where you can focus on work.
• A welcome station, which gets you settled with a space for keys, bags and coats.
• A bathroom, with modern and bright design to help you feel re-energised.

“The WorkLife Room was carefully conceptualised, tested around the world in prototype format and in fully built hotels,” said regional vice-president Meredith Latham.

“We fine-tuned until we had a product that was the best version of a hotel guest room for the modern business traveller.

“Our guests have voted, and this room delivers improved satisfaction, our teams love it and now the US Patent office sees the uniqueness.”