The hotel bedroom may be one of the most familiar spaces in hospitality, yet it remains relatively underexplored as a site of innovation.
A new book scheduled for publication by Channel View Publications in 2028 aims to change that. 2075: The Future of the Hotel Bedroom will examine how technology, changing guest expectations and new working practices could transform both the design of hotel rooms and the people who operate them.
The research explores concepts such as room attendants wearing exoskeleton suits which represent fascinating blend of hospitality work and advanced technology, transforming a physically demanding job into a more sustainable and efficient role. These lightweight wearable devices could support movement and reduce strain on the back, shoulders and knees when lifting mattresses, pushing trolleys or cleaning large areas.
For hospitality organisations, this raises wider questions about how technology could make physically demanding roles more sustainable, improve employee wellbeing and support people in remaining healthy throughout their careers.
The book will also look beyond hotel bedrooms on Earth.
Research by Frederik Jan van der Meulen MSc BSc explores the future of space hotels, drawing inspiration from ISS crew quarters and concepts for lunar habitats.
Hotel bedrooms in space will need to respond to very different conditions, including limited space, zero gravity and disrupted sleep cycles. Future orbital hotels could therefore include adaptive rooms with programmable surfaces, biometric personalisation and biophilic elements designed to support wellbeing in confined environments.
Professor of Disruption Dr Ian Yeoman explains:
“The future of the hotel bedroom is not merely a place to sleep, but a living, adaptive sanctuary — one that intuitively responds to our needs, nurtures our wellbeing, and seamlessly blends technology with the deeply human desire for comfort, privacy and belonging.”
For hospitality leaders, the project invites a broader conversation. How can hotel rooms better support sleep and wellbeing? How will technology influence privacy and personalisation? And how can innovation improve the experience of both guests and employees?
The contracts have now been signed, and the writing is under way.
Dr. Ian Yeoman LPSNZ (Hotel Management School Leeuwarden at NHL Stenden)
Professor Una McMahon-Beattie (Ulster University Business School)
Frederik Jan van der Meulen MSc BSc (Hotel Management School Leeuwarden at NHL Stenden
Professor Justin Taillon (Highline College)
Professor Vanessa Borkmann (SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences)
Professor Tara Duncan (Thompson Rivers University)
