# Cultural Hotel Engineers Alex Calderwood Reinvents the Urban Hotel With ACE By Tao | Published 2009-02-12 | Luxury Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reinventing-the-urban-hotel References: [acehotel](http://www.acehotel.com/) Hotelier Alex Calderwood, titles himself “Cultural Engineer” on his business card. Alex took a non-traditional approach to [re-invent the hotel concept](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-longfellow-hotel) by choosing not so fashionable areas for his ACE Hotel locations. He feels that creative people and companies are forced to expand outwards and this is why he chooses these locations. The hotels are very hip, designed in good fashionable taste with a [vintage flare often utilizing used furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kimpton-los-monteros-hotel) to decorate the lobby areas and rooms. The [Ace](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ace-headphone) hotel is probably the only hotel in the world where you could book a room with bunk beds. Ace can be found in cities such as New York, Portland, Seattle and Palm Springs. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.4/10 - Popularity: 85% | Activity: 98% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/luxury) > [Ultra Luxury](https://www.trendhunter.com/ultraluxury) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Non-traditional Hotel Locations:** Hotel businesses can explore less fashionable areas to create unique experiences for customers and expand their reach. - **Hip and Vintage Design Elements:** Businesses can incorporate used furniture and other vintage design elements in their hotels to create a distinct and trendy atmosphere for customers. - **Alternative Room Configurations:** Hotels can explore flexible room designs such as bunk beds to appeal to a wider demographic of customers. ### Where This Applies - **Hospitality:** Companies in the hospitality industry can take notes from ACE Hotel and incorporate non-traditional locations, hip and vintage design elements, and alternative room configurations to differentiate themselves from competitors. - **Design:** Design companies can target hotels as potential clients and offer unique design solutions such as upcycled furniture to help create distinct and trendy atmospheres. - **Real Estate:** Real Estate developers can explore less fashionable areas and partner with hotels to create unique and attractive destination locations that cater to creative types. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Californian-Inspired LA Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moxy-ac.md) - [Brutalist Artful Hotel Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hoxton-charlottenburg.md) - [Cozy Contemporary Hotel Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woodlark-hotel.md) - [Bohemian Heritage Beach Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casa-loma-beach-hotel.md) - [Retro-Inspired Boutique Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-hoxton.md) - [Earthy Tonal Rooftop Lounges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evangeline.md) - [Eccentric Soho Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/martin-brudnizki.md) - [Surrealist Story-Backed Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maison-heler.md) - [Retro Nightlife-Inspired Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/htel-chteau-deau.md)