Application of Cultural Elements in Hotel Space Design: A Case Study of Cantonese Cultural Theme Hotels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53797/ujssh.v5i2.4.2026Keywords:
Cantonese culture, hotel space design, cultural theme hotel, Lingnan architecture, place attachment, authenticity, cultural intelligenceAbstract
This study examines how Cantonese cultural elements can be translated into contemporary hotel space design without reducing regional culture to superficial decoration. Using Cantonese cultural theme hotels as the empirical context, the paper integrates critical regionalism, authenticity theory, place attachment, neuroaesthetic interpretation and cross-cultural cognition into a design evaluation framework. A mixed-method design is proposed and demonstrated through three cases: White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang and Shangri-La Nanshan in Shenzhen. The qualitative analysis identifies two groups of design resources: tangible elements, including wok-ear walls, Manchurian windows, cold alleys, patios and Lingnan garden devices; and intangible elements, including tea ritual, Cantonese opera, local cuisine and service scripts. A quantitative C-A-B model is then used to explain how objective and existential authenticity influence spatial aesthetics, place identity, place dependence and customer loyalty. The findings suggest that successful cultural hotel design depends on the transformation of cultural logic rather than literal replication. The study contributes a design framework for culturally grounded, environmentally responsive and commercially sustainable hotel interiors.References
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