Winning design strategies on display in the U.S. Green Building Council Sustainable Suite include an "all-off" switch to ensure lights are automatically turned-off based on passive infrared sensors and room conditioning equipped by a four-pipe horizontal fan-coil system.

In my experience, when you get down to it, guests are looking for a room that is comfortable, looks like a guestroom rather than a command station and provides a suitable environment for working and entertainment.

Fact: People like fire. We just do. Maybe the primal need for fire never left our subconscious after using it to survive for millions of years. Or maybe we all just really like s'mores. Whatever the reason, hotels are finding ways to capitalize on this instinct.

Now that holiday relaxation is over, conference and tradeshow season has begun again.

I'm going to stay positive in 2010 and say that our industry is on the upswing. But I think it's also instructive to look back a little and see how the financial difficulties have been transformative for the design industry.

The luxury hotel by MTM Lodging was awarded LEED Platinum certification, an achievement reached by only two other hotels in the world, on the first anniversary of its opening.

Time poverty and a desire to remain near, while far away, has transformed us into beings that need mobile devices and the Internet to do most of the things we love, even in the hotel bath.

In his State of the Union address this week, President Obama hit the expected high points: healthcare reform, Wall Street bailouts and unemployment. But designers, take note: The unspoken message of bipartisanship came through in the clothes. The purple dresses and ties, to be exact. 2010 is the year of centrist purple.

Guestroom beds continue to have a clean, white, spa-like feel, but designers are getting creative with layering embellishments and pillows to add punch.

We're excited to announce the launch of our 3rd annual HotelWorld Network Hospitality & Design Award program. These distinctive awards celebrate and reward the best and most creative ideas in hospitality design. We've also added a new category for 2010: Best luxury cruise ship design.