Winning the hearts and minds of North America’s true luxury hotel project leaders
Getting specified for North America’s biggest and best luxury hotel projects is down to one thing: the people calling the shots have you in mind come specification time. It’s human nature. If they don’t know who you are and why they should choose your products over anybody else’s, you're already losing the race for that contract. Standing out from the competition is more than just an advantage—it's essential.
So, how do you get yourself and your products into the hearts and minds of North America’s true luxury hotel project leaders? Well, you should probably start by talking to them. By saying hello and asking some questions: What’s happening on their side? What do they need? How can you make their lives easier? How can you help them to delight their clients? Because when they get the feeling that you understand what they need and that you’re the type of person who can deliver it, you are in business.
Who are the real decision makers? How on earth can you get their undivided attention?
But those conversations don’t just happen every day. Some work needs to be done first. Hard work: Who are the real decision makers? How on earth can you get their undivided attention, just for long enough to get a feel for each other? To sense if there’s something to explore. And, at the end of the day, finding yourselves at the same table or at the bar together and the conversation is about to get a whole new level of interesting…
On May 9-12, 2024 a group of building and interior product manufacturers headed out to Arizona, looking for some such conversations. First thing to get your head around is who was actually there: 60+ Principal-level architects and interior designers, each with a portfolio of luxury hotel projects throughout North America and the clout to influence who gets specified and who doesn’t. Here is a little taster of the confirmed ‘buyer’ list:
- 1508 London, FL, Design Director
- Anderson/Miller, Ltd. IL, Principal
- AO, CA, Partner
- Appleton Partners LLP, CA, Principal & Partner
- Arcadis, CA, Associate Principal
- Auberge Resorts, CA, Director of Design
- Avenue Interior Design, CA, Director of Architecture and Design
- AvroKO, FL, Managing Director - Florida
- Baha Mar, Nassau, VP of Procurement
- BAMO, CA, Project Designer
That’s the first 10, in alphabetical order – I haven’t just selected ‘the best’. They are all the best – get the full list and see for yourself.
A month before everyone flew out to Arizona, all confirmed attendees made their meetings requests. Two weeks later, everybody got their provisional schedules, allowing time for any necessary changes before the event. First-time attendees more familiar with a traditional trade show setup were blown away by the realisation that they knew exactly who would be there and that they had a guaranteed number of 1-on-1 meetings with their best prospects. This was an extremely pleasing start. And then there’s all that networking…
The following stats and comments were taken from the onsite survey which all attendees were asked to complete:
Attending manufacturers rated their overall experience at a 4.9/5 average
"Sublimely prepared event with wonderful people, fantastic contacts, and the undivided attention to every detail."
Lee Fuhrman, Hanover Architectural Products, National Sales Director
BOND doesn’t simply sell spaces, set the thing up and leave you to it. From initial contact through preparation, your arrival at the venue, all stages of the event, through to heading home, someone is always on hand to help, talk to (about anything!) and even make any introductions you want.
Manufacturers rated the service they received from BOND onsite and prior to the event an average of 4.9/5
"The entire BOND Team was accessible and proactively available. Everyone made a point to be checking in, assuring I had everything I needed to assure a successful event."
Deirdre Schuth, Hospitality Brands - Business Development Lead
Like you, BOND has competition. But, over 20 years, BOND has fine-tuned their architect and designer events to consistently deliver a unique event experience that others would need to work very hard indeed to come close to matching. And, in doing so, has won the support of the most sought-after hospitality design firms and luxury hotel brands who appreciate that 3 days at BOND Five Star USA are 3 of the most productive and inspirational days they can have as hospitality design professionals. And it really is down to who comes and the quality of time you can enjoy together: BOND meticulously prepares everything so that once a year, North America’s true luxury hotel project community can put things down for a few days, get in a huddle, catch up with each other and discover new design solutions and get to know the people behind them.
"I have already booked follow up presentations, lunches, and had a video conference about a new large 5-star project as a result."
Deborah Pena, Lefroy Brooks - Business Development
Luxury Hospitality Projects throughout America and Beyond
Did you know that every single architect and designer who wants to attend BOND Five Star USA must evidence a portfolio of live, confirmed luxury hospitality projects throughout North America or they can’t come?
Here’s a little taster of the luxury hospitality projects that were on the table at BOND Five Star USA this year:
- 17th & Blake Hotel - Denver, CO, USA - 130,000 - 2025 - Boutique Hotel
- AEG - JW Marriott & Convention Center Expansion - Los Angeles, CA, USA - 850 - TBD - Hotel/Resort
- Alanik Hotel - Clearwater, FL, USA - 300,000 - 2025 - Hotel/Resort
- AMAN BH - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - 2026 - Hotel, Residences and Club
- AMAN CABO - Beverly Hills, CA, USA - 2027 - Hotel and Residences
- AMAN MB - Miami Beach, FL, USA - 2027 - Hotel and Residences
- Andaz Hotel - Toronto, ON, Canada - 346 - 2025/2026 - Hotel/Resort
- Atara, Marriott Autograph Collection - St. George, UT, USA - 350 - 2026 - Hotel/Resort
- BCH - Main Tower Suites Remodel - Las Vegas, NV, USA - 654,577 - 2024 - Hotel/Resort
- Belize Beach Hotel, Belize - 2025 - Hotel/Resort Biltmore Hotel - Montecito, CA, USA - 150 - 2026 - Hotel/Resort
- Block C - Miami World Center - Miami, FL, USA - 700,486 - 2027 - Hotel/Resort
- Body Holiday Algarve - Manta Rota, Algarve, Portugal - 220 - 2026 - Hotel/Resort
- Brick Town - Oklahoma City, OK, USA - 2,500,000 - 2028 - Hotel/Resort
- Bungalow Hotel - Long Branch, NJ, USA - 25 - 2025 - Boutique Hotel
- Cabot Citrus Farms - Brooksville, FL, USA - 36 - 2030 - Villa/Residences
Again, this is just the first 15 on the list, in alphabetical order. To get a true gauge of the type and scale of the luxury hotel projects on offer at FSUSA, just ask Jenny for the full project list.
Regional Insight and Product Development
BOND Five Star USA is so much more than an opportunity to come and sell. The architects and designers you’ll meet here are all of a suitable seniority within their firms that, if you ask the right questions, you can get some extremely valuable, pertinent insight as to what the luxury hotel project leaders are thinking on a strategic level: Where they and the industry are heading; The type of products they will need; Exactly what they are looking for from potential project partners. To building and interior product manufacturers, this insight is pure gold for your own product development and your whole regional strategy and has extremely positive implications for aligning with their goals and potentially taking your long term ROI to a whole new level.
Focused, uninterrupted time with North America’s true luxury hotel project influencers
So, why should you attend BOND Five Star USA? That depends, really. Do you have faith in your products and your team? Do you want to know what North America’s most prolific luxury hotel project leaders want? Do you have something to show them that they might not have seen before? Have you experienced the frustration of setting up meetings with potential ‘buyers’ of this calibre only to have them curtailed or cut short by any number of distractions that can happen in their offices? Do you crave some focused, uninterrupted time with North America’s true luxury hotel project influencers? If so, you just might have found your platform.
BOND Five Star USA fills up quicker every year. The next edition is happening June 19-22, 2025, venue tbc. You have time to do your research. If you really want to know what North America’s most prolific luxury hotel project leaders want, BOND will deliver the people you need to talk to with time and opportunity to have the discussions you’ve been waiting for. What happens from there is your story.
For more info. on who comes, how it works and packages available, please get in touch right now.
And if luxury hotel projects in EMEA are on your company's radar, please check out BOND Five Star EMEA.
