This is Not a Hotel
The future of travel, plus the Linear guide to NYCxDESIGN 2025
Welcome to The Journal, a new section for Linear that’s focused on noteworthy design news, long-form editorials, interviews, events, and musings
This is Not a Hotel
The future of travel, shaped by design and driven by culture
The first time I discovered NOT A HOTEL was when I stumbled upon their project NOT A HOTEL ANYWHERE, an experimental hospitality concept that converted Airstream trailers into a mobile “resort.” I love hospitality, and hospitality design (obviously), so it sent me down a rabbit hole of what NOT A HOTEL actually was (besides not being a hotel).
Turns out, it’s a lot more interesting, and a glimpse at what I think the future of travel might look like.
Mainstream hotels are stuck. Airbnb is a gamble. And owning a second home is a spreadsheet full of sunk costs and a Pinterest board of half-finished dreams. The way we travel has evolved, but the places we stay haven’t kept up.
If you look at the rise of platforms like Wander (and Airbnb, despite their shortcomings), it’s clear the future of travel is in boutique, short-term stays. People want privacy, flexibility, and experiences that feel unique to them, not just another Four Seasons or Marriott.
But there’s another factor in play here too which is design. Design is becoming homogenized — coffee shops look the same in Paris and New York, hotel lobbies are becoming indistinguishable. Cookie-cutter suburban developments have sparked a quiet rebellion against sameness and the old American dream, instead creating a yearning for individuality and expression in spaces.
Stays are becoming experiences. Design is becoming culture. Younger generations are spending more time in design-forward spaces as a reflection of who they are, and who they want to become.
I’m not saying Milan Design Week is the new Coachella, but there’s certainly more people paying attention now. (Most people who subscribe to Linear aren’t in the Industry.) We’re in the age of enthusiasts, a new era where people give a damn about creating unique spaces, even if it’s just a shoebox apartment in New York City.
Enter NOT A HOTEL, a Japanese brand quietly redefining what it means to stay somewhere. Founded in 2020, they’re building one-of-a-kind homes around the world that double as architectural icons.
Snøhetta shaped a cliffside retreat in Hokkaido with panoramic views of Mt. Yotei. BIG is designing another in Ishigaki, pulling from Ryukyuan traditions and Scandinavian restraint.
Just last year, NOT A HOTEL appointed NIGO and Pharrell Williams to their board, inviting them to join not just as investors, but as cultural stewards helping shape the brand’s identity.
Bringing on Pharrell and NIGO wasn’t just a PR flex, it was a signal, a sign that the line between architecture, fashion, and lifestyle has officially blurred. When your collaborators speak Bauhaus and BAPE, you’re not building lodging, you’re building culture.
And yet, beneath the glossy renderings and brand-name collaborators, there’s a smart operational idea, too.
NOT A HOTEL uses a fractional ownership model, giving buyers access to a share of these high-design homes without the overhead of full ownership. It’s not cheap — we’re still talking a six-figure buy in for 30 nights — but compared to buying a second home outright, or worse, designing one yourself, it’s a cleaner, more curated way in. You’re not stressing over the linens or the layout, you’re buying into a finished idea.
More importantly, you’re buying into a lifestyle where the stay is the experience.
It’s not just “good design” for Instagram either. These homes are immersive, spatial experiences built to be lived in and remembered. There’s no lobby, no pillow menu, no neutral palettes designed for mass appeal. It’s all deliberate, from the materials to the siting to the view you wake up to.
Beyond better pillows and lower cleaning fees, I think the future of travel favors individuality over standardization, story over sameness. Architecture shapes how we move through the world — great design has the power to change how we live. And where we stay, and how those spaces make us feel, can shape the lives we lead.
NOT A HOTEL is showing us what travel could look like in five years, where design-led living isn’t reserved for architects or aesthetes. It’s for everyone.
I’ll be taking notes. And if I’m lucky, booking a few nights, too.
Linear—Guide: NYCxDESIGN 2025
New York’s annual design week is here, with no shortage of events to choose from. Check out our curated list of talks, tours, and gallery openings we think are worth your time.
The shortlist:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 — 12PM: Design Hotels, Mason Studio, Aman, and Othership host a panel on how wellness and longevity are shaping contemporary hospitality, held inside the Othership sauna
MONDAY, MAY 19 — 1PM: Meet the designer behind JAPAN MADE, a sensory exhibition exploring Japanese craftsmanship through contemporary stillness
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21 — 3PM: Explore the hidden gems and architectural texture of DUMBO with a guided walk through the neighborhood’s design shops and studios
→ Check out the full Linear Guide
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