Boutique Design Reveals 2025 Gold Key Awards Winners

This post summarizes the highlights and design takeaways from the 45th annual Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design. The event was held on November 10, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York during BDNY.

I break down the standout winners and the design trends celebrated by the jury. The results offer insights for architects, interior designers, and hospitality developers moving into 2026.

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Gold Key Awards 2025: A snapshot of global hospitality design excellence

The Gold Key Awards are a benchmark for hotel and resort design. In 2025, the program received over 430 entries from design firms worldwide.

Winners were selected across 26 categories, including the Judges’ So Cool Award.

Standout winners and projects

Several projects showed how luxury, sustainability, and cultural context are being integrated. This was seen in both boutique hotels and destination resorts.

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Studio Paolo Ferrari — Multiple honors for Shebara Resort and Desert Rock Resort in Saudi Arabia, developed by Red Sea Global. These projects highlight immersive resort narratives and regional materiality.

Ward + Gray and LUCID — Recognized for The Bellevue in Philadelphia, which refreshes urban hospitality typologies with contemporary guest experience strategies.

Islyn Studio — Awards for Now Now Hotel (New York) and Uchiko (Miami Beach), showing strong programming and local sensibility in different urban contexts.

Curioso and Looney & Associates — Celebrated for Fidelity Hotel in Cleveland, an adaptive reuse project connecting heritage and modern luxury.

BLUR Workshop — Honored for W Austin, showcasing experiential design for lifestyle travelers.

International winners: El Equipo Creativo for Kimpton Los Monteros Hotel (Marbella) and Avalon Collective for Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou Centre. Both demonstrate the global reach of hospitality design.

Design trends the Gold Key jury rewarded

The 2025 winners reflect key trends shaping hospitality architecture and interior design. Sustainability, place-based storytelling, and advanced guest experience design were highlighted by jurors.

Key takeaways for practice

Sustainability as strategy: Projects now embed climate-responsive design into the guest experience. Materials, energy strategies, and landscape integration were frequently celebrated.

Local authenticity: Jury favorites used local materials and cultural motifs to create unique guest journeys.

Experience-first planning: Designers prioritized flexible public spaces, wellness offerings, and integrated technology to elevate hospitality operations.

Emerging talent and industry recognition

The event also spotlighted individual talent and the next generation of hospitality leaders. This is important for firms seeking collaborators and for young designers planning their careers.

Boutique Design accolades and the Boutique 18 class

Studio Paolo Ferrari was named Designer of the Year by Boutique Design. This award recognizes creative leadership across global projects.

Boutique Design also named Ben Weinberg and Mike Weiss of Trailborn as Up-and-Coming Hoteliers of the Year. The Boutique 18 class was introduced to celebrate emerging voices in hospitality design.

For architects and engineers, the Gold Key Awards highlight design priorities and market expectations. Sustainability, narrative-driven design, and operationally efficient spaces are becoming more important in new projects.

Here is the source article for this story: Boutique Design Announces 2025 Gold Key Awards Winners