Robert Macaruso Senior Designer DiLeonardo International

The successful design of a hotel guestroom bath requires knowing the market and meeting guest expectations. I work primarily on international five-star hotels and resorts where guest expectations, be they at a business or leisure property, are quite high.

When considering the guestroom bath, remember that people travel more today. They have seen and experienced more. They have more knowledge of what is available and realize they have options. Travelers have become more savvy about design. Bathrooms are very personal spaces. Hotel guests want to feel their routines of preparing for—or unwinding after—a busy day are met with ease and simplicity. Answering the requirements of the hotel guest within the design of the bath and creating for them a real experience assists operators with returns on their sizable investments.

Business hotels: bath as a refuge

A rendering of the spacious, well-lit bath to open at The Palm Trump International Hotel & Tower, slated to open in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2009.

As our world becomes smaller, today's business traveler's expectations of the hotel bath have increased. The days of addressing luxury by adding a rain shower to the standard tub configuration no longer exist. It's size that matters—not the overall size of the bathroom itself, but the size of the shower unit, vanity top and sink.

Business travelers want to return to their room and step into a sizable shower that is sleek in design and simple to operate. A stone bench allows for a spa-like deluge of water from opposing full-body sprays. This additional space can be gained by having only a standard-size tub, which is a requirement for most brands, but very rarely used by the business traveler.

Increasing vanity length from 4 feet to 5 feet increases its value dramatically. This extra space not only allows guests to lay out their sundries and make themselves at home, but it also allows for a larger sink. A larger, streamlined under-mount or contemporary porcelain vessel sink provides weary business guests something that is clean, modern and personal, with a "just for me" feel.

There are some other places most designers would prefer to allocate valuable fit-out budget, but if budget allows, specifying a clean-lined water closet continues to support the modern, custom feeling the business traveler appreciates.

SHOWER THE PEOPLE Business travelers appreciate a sizable shower that is sleek in design and simple to operate, like the one pictured here at the Surrey New York.

Expanding the bath space and creating a dressing area with full-length mirror, wardrobe and built-in dresser drawers gives travelers options for storage, helps keep them organized and allows them to prepare and hang their suits for the following day. A built-in luggage bench with a leather cushion organizes and provides a convenient "tailor shop" seat for dressing.