Ms. Gould

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

Latest Trends - A Comfortable Stay Isn't Just About the Guest Room Anymore

By Nicole Gould, Senior Interior Designer, Hatchett Hospitality

The word "hotel" comes from a generic French term which refers to either a large public building or a nobleman's residence. How appropriate because a hotel still combines public rooms and private quarters.

To better understand the role of a hotel's public space, it's worth a brief look back into history - specifically at one of America's first hotels, the Union Pacific. It was built in 1793 on the Potomac River in what is now Washington, D.C. and was described by a journalist of the day as "the most magnificent building in America."

The Union Pacific - at a cost of $50,000 - was four times as expensive as the finest inns of the time and 10 times as expensive as the typical public houses, or taverns. There were a variety of public meeting rooms on lower floors, while guest rooms were located on the upper floors. With its resplendent architecture, the hotel symbolically glorified every transaction that was conducted within its walls.

Yes, the Union Pacific provided accommodations, but as importantly, it was a geographic reference point in the city and in the young country's emerging transportation network. People met for meals, drinks, business, and politics in the hotel's dining room, public sitting rooms, coffee house, and bar.

In the process, the Union Pacific considerably increased the value of nearby real estate.

Now fast forward to modern day, but first re-read what we've just said about the Union Pacific. Doesn't every hotelier want his or her hotel described today with the same qualities as those attributed to the Union Pacific back in the late 1700's?

Indeed, hotels still have a special place in our society, both in their architecture and their function. They're meant to be a haven for travelers and a hangout for locals. They're places where business can be conducted and where memorable community or family events can be held.

And just as the Union Pacific was a trend-setter for its time, today's hotels strive to be on the cutting edge of modern design and technology. Let's look at what this means for your hotel's public space.

Human beings do things in packs - we like to get together whether it's to talk, to do work, to relax, or to celebrate. While we may travel alone, we like to congregate in two's and three's and four's.

Research shows that people don't want to feel isolated, especially after 9/11, while younger Generation X and Y travelers like to mix leisure with business. It's why most travelers actively seek out a third destination within a hotel that isn't their room or a bar or a restaurant.

The lobby caters to these needs.

However, the intimidating "grand lobby" of yesteryear has turned into the inviting "great room" of today. Travelers want the look, feel, and function of home but still expect to be pampered with some luxury and to be surprised with a little fantasy. After all, they're not really at home - they're on a trip and they're paying for a special time!

So today's lobby has lots of wide open, inviting space similar to an upscale house. But it's also a place for social interaction and people-watching - to see and to be seen. This is especially true at urban boutique hotels that are geared as much to people who live in the area as to people who stay at the hotel.

Lobbies play a crucial role in branding, in creating a desired atmosphere, and in making an all-important first impact. As the saying goes, there is no second chance to make a good first impression.

Most lobbies have three functional areas, or zones, which must work together in a smooth, seamless manner:

The check-in area is changing to be more user-friendly, with either automated kiosks or informal desks where guests and staff sit casually across from each other.

The social/business zone is an area that encourages guests to spend more time outside of their rooms, while also welcoming non-guests for business and social activities. Features might include:

Some hotels are creating a variation of this social/business zone with either an "internet bar" or a "business club" which gives people a place to both conduct business and meet socially. These gathering areas are more open and less restrictive than the cubicle space often seen in traditional business centers.

Finally, many of today's lobbies include individual zones. This is space where people can be part of the crowd in a private way - be where the action is but without being part if it. These areas are proving to be especially popular among female travelers, who value the security of being in a public place.

Hotels have a rich history of shaping American society - and a hotel's public space is a crucial part of its service to travelers and to the local community. So now's a good time to re-think, re-shape, and re-new your lobby.

Whether your hotel is economy or extravagant, your interior design professional can help make more effective use of your available public space - through architecture, through selection and placement of furniture, and through use of artwork and accessories.

In the process, you'll make some living history of your own!

Nicole Gould is a Senior Interior Designer based at Hatchett Hospitality's regional sales and design center in Raleigh. Her responsibilities include coordinating with the company’s customers, sales people, and sales support staff to translate "design" into "reality." She works with manufacturers on developing new products. Ms. Gould has over seven years of hospitality design experience and is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designer (ASID). She earholds a degree in interior design from East Carolina University. Ms. Gould can be contacted at 919-570-2050 or nicole@hatchetthospitality.com Extended Bio...

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