Hospitality & Recreation
Guest-focused environments designed for hotels, restaurants, and recreational facilities that balance experience with operational performance
a trusted partner to brands since 1995.
Heitler Houstoun Architects provides hospitality architecture for hotel developers, restaurant operators, and recreation facility owners who need design expertise and construction coordination.
What We Focus On
At Heitler Houstoun Architects, hospitality architecture centers on creating environments that serve guests while supporting operational workflows. We design spaces for developers and operators who need facilities that balance guest experience, brand identity, and back-of-house efficiency.
Whether you’re developing a boutique hotel, opening a restaurant, or creating a recreational facility, we provide full-service architecture from concept design through construction oversight. Our approach integrates guest experience planning, kitchen and service coordination, and regulatory compliance into a single, accountable process.
years of expertise.
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brands supported.
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states worked in.
Common problems we solve
Guest Experience & Operational Flow
Hospitality spaces must serve guests seamlessly while accommodating complex service operations. We design layouts that support both functions without compromise.
Kitchen & Service Area Planning
Restaurant and hotel kitchens require precise coordination of equipment, ventilation, storage, and staff circulation. We plan these areas for efficiency and code compliance.
Brand Identity in Physical Space
Hotels and restaurants need environments that communicate brand positioning through design. We translate brand concepts into architectural details, materials, and spatial experiences.
Regulatory Compliance & Permitting
Hospitality projects face strict health, accessibility, and safety requirements. We navigate those regulations while maintaining design intent.
Site-Specific Challenges
Hotels and restaurants often occupy difficult urban sites or adaptive reuse buildings. We design solutions that address site constraints while maximizing guest-facing areas.
How we work with you
01
Concept Development & Programming
We begin by understanding your target guest, service model, and operational requirements. For restaurants, this includes kitchen planning and service flow. For hotels, we address room mix, public spaces, and back-of-house support.
02
Schematic Design & Layout Planning
We develop floor plans, elevations, and guest experience sequences. Design addresses sight lines, circulation, acoustic separation, and the relationship between public and service areas.
03
Design Documentation & Permitting
Detailed architectural drawings, MEP coordination, and equipment specifications are prepared. We manage building permits and landlord approvals.
04
Construction Coordination
We remain involved during construction, coordinating trades, reviewing installations, and ensuring the finished facility supports both guest experience and operational needs.
Why clients choose Heitler Houstoun Architects
Most hospitality architecture firms either focus purely on design aesthetics or purely on operational requirements. At HHA, we balance both. Our approach addresses guest experience, brand expression, kitchen coordination, code compliance, and construction oversight.
For independent restaurant groups and boutique hotel developers, we provide the expertise of larger firms with more direct communication and accountability. Clients value our organized execution, regulatory knowledge, and ability to deliver projects that perform operationally from opening day.
Restaurants & Bars
Restaurant and bar architecture integrates dining areas, bar seating, kitchen operations, and service circulation into cohesive environments. We design facilities for independent restaurant groups and branded concepts who need spaces that support service flow while creating memorable guest experiences.
Design considerations include kitchen equipment coordination, dining room acoustics, bar layouts, host stations, and the relationship between front-of-house and back-of-house areas.
Hotels & Resorts
Hotel and resort architecture requires planning around guest rooms, public spaces, food and beverage facilities, and back-of-house operations. We design properties for boutique hotel developers and resort operators who need environments that support guest experience while maintaining operational efficiency.
Projects address room layouts, lobby design, meeting spaces, wellness facilities, and service coordination throughout the property.
Recreational Facilities
Recreational facility design addresses activity spaces, support amenities, spectator areas, and operational requirements specific to each use type. We design facilities for developers and operators who need environments that accommodate programs while meeting accessibility and safety requirements.
Projects include fitness centers, indoor sports facilities, and amenity spaces within larger developments.
Featured Hospitality & Recreation Projects
Questions we often get
Do you coordinate kitchen equipment with restaurant designers?
Yes. We work directly with your kitchen consultants and equipment vendors to ensure proper coordination of utilities, ventilation, and spatial requirements.
Can you design both the architecture and interiors for hotels?
Absolutely. We provide integrated architecture and interior design for hospitality projects when clients want a coordinated approach.
Do you work on hospitality projects outside New York?
Yes. While our headquarters is in NYC we design hospitality for projects in other markets across the country.
