The hotel restaurant can be a major driver of revenue and presents significant marketing potential for the hotel. Dependant on the type of hotel and brand the restaurant may have to function across multiple sittings for residents while also attracting footfall increasing sales and providing the experience and ambience to keep guests returning.

Dawn Campbell, Bell & Swift’s Co-founder & Managing Director talks about the priorities when it comes to designing the hotel restaurant space. 

Layout – function first

Before starting on the design of a restaurant space you must fully understand how the space is to operate and the proposed F&B concept. If the hotel is branded, the brand may also have a very specific F&B offering that will impact on the design of the space.

Space planning is a key element to the operation and success of the space. First and foremost, the layout needs to function as optimally as possible for the business.

For example, a budget brand hotel or city centre location may not want to focus on evening meals. Breakfast is often the main offer, via a buffet, and potentially in the evening, drinks and a socialising space may be the main function of the F&B space. A hotel located out with the city may want to focus on ensuring they provide a space that will cater for breakfast, lunch and dinner to ensure they maximise the opportunity with little surrounding competition.

It must be clearly understood what’s driving the business, and the turnover required, so the layout needs to be designed to support that. Understand flow-through – the routes staff will take, where staff stations should be set up, easy access routes to the public toilets, the amount of seating covers and the overall function of the space. A buffet requires different considerations for the space. Guests don’t want to feel hemmed in. At the same time, they want intimate, pleasant seating areas, shielded from staff areas and noise, upholstered and softer fabrics can help to break this up.  Additionally, as mentioned previously the location of the hotel needs to be considered as part of the brief, if your hotel is right in the heart of a city, you may feel that you don’t want to compete with that and so aim to do breakfast well plus create a cosy, intimate space for a nice drink in the evening.

We’re currently working with an F&B consultant on a French brasserie style restaurant which will offer an informal dining experience. This space needs to work all day, and be casually styled, from breakfast, pastries and coffee in the day, to drinks and dining in the evening. There must be a combination of seating areas and consideration of the many functions throughout the day. With table service provided in the evening, clear and safe waiter routes need to be considered, and appropriately cosy, stylish spaces for evening dining and socialising.

Breaking up space

If a restaurant turns over 600 breakfast covers, that’s a lot of tables and chairs! But it shouldn’t look like a canteen. Break up the space with different configurations of seating styles, for example, booths, intimate two-seating configurations and family and group seating areas. Flexibility is also key. Ensure the style of seating used can be combined to create larger groups and broken down as required. Lightweight screens and clever lighting can also be used to divide up the space and break down the volume. It can assist in making the space feel more intimate and less like a large empty dining room out with sittings.

There must be a balance between what’s practical and provides as much comfort and delight as possible for guests.

Lighting and scene setting

Interesting use of lighting can be a great tool.

Lighting schemes that take a space from day to night are essential for the multi-functional restaurant.

Can the menu inspire design?

Consider the offering of the restaurant. What inspiration can be taken from the menu? Boutique fine dining, casual tapas, fast-paced American dining, will all have a different emphasis and should lead the design process when it comes to furnishing schemes, lighting and focal points for the space.

Bar as a focal point

The bar tends to be the main focal point. Again, it must be understood how the restaurant functions and how the bar needs to work; it could be a cocktail bar in the evening, and a coffee and lunch station in the daytime.

Lighting, for day and night, must work to provide the all-important bar focal point for the guest so they naturally gravitate towards it and feel welcomed.

The entrance

The entranceway plays an important part in creating activation for the customer, sparking the curiosity to encourage them to come in from the street and make their way inside. Lighting is of high consideration, to emphasise brand narrative and feel and create a memorable experience.

Entranceways to outside spaces within the hotel must be designed in keeping with the brand, to create a cohesive experience, whether that’s to a patio, garden or conservatory area.

Return on investment (ROI)

In all aspects of the design, the needs of the business must be met. ROI is a driver of any refurbishment, and the design should take this into account, always balancing function and aesthetics.

Are you looking to refurbish your hotel dining experience? Get in touch!