As with any physical retail store or shopping mall, first impressions in hotel lobbies are extremely important. The hotel guests’ first impression of your hotel often dictates whether or not they enjoy their stay, while affecting the chances of them returning to your hotel again. This can mean a lot for your corporate bottom line because chances are that these guests will spread to their friends about the experience that they had at your hotel. Hence, hotel lobby design must cater for this aspect because there is only one chance to make a good first impression. When designing your hotel lobby, always ensure that the furnishing and interior design decisions showcase the personality, mission and values of your hotel. Guests these days do not want to always stay in a place that looks the same as all its other competitors. What appeals to your guests is usually what differentiates you in this industry. Below are some hotel lobby design tips for you to spruce up the aesthetic of your hotel.
Understand Your Guests
Although it might seem like this tip is a given, it is extremely important that you truly understand your target demographic and who frequents your hotel the most. Some important things to find out include their age range, their visiting habits, and the number of people that these guests bring along with them. For example, if your target consumer includes families who bring along their children, then appealing to the children would be the wise thing to do. You can always do this by providing some games or character décor for them. If your consumers are mostly elderly people, then it would definitely make sense to integrate more wheelchair friendly fixtures in your lobby as well.
A Sense of Comfort
Hotels cater to many guests who might be on vacation from somewhere far away. Hence, new hotel guests are often tired from all the travelling or work they had to do before they reach your hotel. This is why it is so important to help them relax the moment they enter their rooms. This can be done fairly simply as well. You should invest in good, classy and comfortable armchairs and sofas in the lobby so that guests and their families can rest while waiting to check in. Offering your guests a refreshing drink, coupled with cozy lighting and flooring, and you can create the perfect experience for them. The objective is to let your guests absorb the atmosphere while making sure that they form a good first impression of your brand.
Be Creative
Despite the fact that a hotel lobby should serve certain standard functions, such as serving your guests and helping them check in, and the provision of a comfortable waiting area, you should always think outside the box. It is often the creative tweaks and going the extra mile that makes the customer experience in a hotel a memorable one. For example, if you have already decided on a nature theme for your hotel lobby, you can even install a beautiful moss wall that is bound to catch the attention of any guest.