Lighting can completely transform a space, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. You have to intelligently design lighting to suit each individual space, and that’s especially true in a hotel setting. Pulling from our own experience in hotel design, here’s our top tips that will both invite and excite your guests.

Scene setting is key

For each area within a hotel you should consider how the space should function at different times throughout the day. The modern hotel guest is complex; they might be visiting for leisure, but there’s a good chance they might do a bit of work while they're there too. Make sure your guestrooms have well-lit areas for work or study, as well as warm, ambient lighting for winding down. Similarly in your public spaces, have a mix of well-lit and ambient areas to cater for guests looking to work, as well as those looking to socialise. Well considered lighting controls are well worth the investment and can help successfully transition your space from day to night.

Consistency of concept

Designing at scale can provide the option to design bespoke light fittings that support the design narrative of the hotel.  Designing bespoke offers endless opportunities of finish and form but ultimately with lighting, function is key.

Functionality

There are lighting solutions available now that do all sorts of cool things, from working with guest’s natural circadian rhythms, to providing flexible solutions for event spaces which is all great but lighting controls must be easy for the guest to use and considered as part of the interior rather than a gimmic. Consider how guests can access the different lighting options. Locate switches in convenient and obvious places, and don't choose anything that’s too complex, from an operational perspective. For corridors, stairs, and parking areas – safety should be your main consideration. In event spaces, consider performance lighting to give you ample options to cater different styles of event. In guestrooms, you might want to focus on warmth and flexibility whilst the lobby area… well we'll cover that, in its own right, below!

The complexity of the lobby

Lobbies come in all different shapes and sizes, but one thing’s for sure – it’s the place that will welcome your guests and set the standard for the rest of their stay. The lighting of your lobby sets the scene and can be a surprisingly effective tool for communicating the guest experience associated with your brand. From ambient lighting in historic hotels that transports guests to the past, to modern, stylish solutions that welcome people in and encourage them to linger – so long as it’s functional, you can do a lot with light. Think about what the space needs to do, look at how your guests use it, and take it from there. Use light to highlight key architectural aspects of the space, be it a piece of well-placed art, or a feature that’s part of the fabric of the building. Also pay consideration to blending between different areas – you don't want differently lit spaces to be obvious to the guest, instead aim for seamless transitions, from one space to the next. Lighting can be a designer’s secret weapon; something subtle that can dramatically enhance the overall guest experience. Take a look at our projects page for examples of our lighting design in practice.