Ms. Locke

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

The Five Most Important Areas of Your Hotel: Paying Attention to Focal Points Will Pay Big Dividends

By Amy Locke, Director, Interior Design, Hatchett Hospitality

Every hotel renovation or new build involves plenty of “to do” lists. Here’s one that’s short and should help the finished project succeed – spectacularly.

Lobby

Research shows that it takes as little as three seconds for us to form our impression of a new person or place. This first impression is nearly impossible to change and it sets the tone for the remainder of the relationship.

That’s why your lobby is important – because it’s where guests start their visit and where they learn what to expect in every space of your hotel. It’s also where guests end their visit, so the lobby may determine IF the guest intends to return at all.

The lobby is among an owners’ – and a designer’s – toughest challenges because it must present a look that carefully blends brand standards, geographic location, and client mix, without forgetting the budget. So how can your lobby create a “WOW” factor with visitors? Consider these ideas:

• Use architectural elements to interest the eye and create a dramatic look. Examples include arches that are trimmed with thick wood molding, columns covered in marble or exotic woods, and dome or barrel ceilings featuring a mural.
• Use design features to convey a comfortable feeling that welcomes and soothes. For example, create the appeal of an outdoor atrium by strategically combining a skylight with lots of greenery and open space. Or have a cozy courtyard by using greenery to surround a fountain or other water element. Other options are a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone wall, a dramatic over-sized fireplace, or a large waterfall.
• Use upscale trim materials such as woodwork, stone, and granite to create eye-popping appeal on wall panels, front desk, and buffet/beverage bar. Be creative with both the materials you use and where you use them. And for the budget-conscious, there are many great looking “faux” options.
• Use space and furniture to design a living room-like lobby which has some open space, but also plenty of alcoves for privacy. Today’s lobby serves as part business center, part meeting place, and part meal area. This type of multi-purpose lobby appeals to travelers who want to work with colleagues or socialize with friends without going to a guest room.

Technology

Today’s travelers are very comfortable with and savvy about technology. They have the latest technology gadgets at home and they typically take a variety of them on the road, including a computer, cell phone, Blackberry, and MP3 player.

And guests – whether on business or on vacation – expect their hotel to have the services which will make all this electronic equipment work easily and quickly. After all, nothing is more frustrating than traveling and not being able to access the internet or charge your cell phone.

So high speed internet access, including wireless, is essential throughout your hotel. And don’t forget plenty of data ports and electrical outlets.

In addition, consider such items in guest rooms as:

• an entertainment center with a pivoting flat screen, high definition TV
• a digital music and movie library available on demand
• a stereo system or MP3-compatible clock radio

Beds & Bedding

A good night’s sleep is why travelers check into a hotel, so it’s no surprise that beds and bedding deserve your special attention:

• Use higher quality mattresses that feature more and stronger coils. The cost may be slightly higher, but the improved materials and manufacturing process will give you less “wear and tear” and a longer product usage cycle.
• While the bed is primarily for sleeping, guests also use it for relaxing, reading, watching TV, or using a laptop computer. So create an environment that’s made “comfy” with an extra-thick pillow top mattress and with super soft pillows and duvets that feature down fill or faux-down.
• Use higher bed bases that give a residential feel and that make getting in and out of bed easier, especially for older or disabled guests.
• Linens make a big impression on guests, so use higher and plusher thread count products such as cotton sateen. These blends of cotton and micro fiber actually enhance the feeling of softness, giving the look and feel of even higher thread count cotton. And these sheets come out of the laundry ready to go on the bed looking great.
• A new trend, especially in upscale hotels and those with heavy business traffic, is the addition of “bed lap desks” for the convenience of people who want to work or read comfortably in bed.
• Bedspreads are more “home-like” in design and fabrics are becoming heavier plus more stain resistant. To move beyond the traditional “throw” style, consider using coverlets with bed skirts. Also, a decorative throw at the end of the bed on top of the coverlet is becoming more popular.

Case-goods

Furniture has both a functional and an aesthetic role, so when selecting casegoods, keep in mind how the pieces will look as well as what the pieces will do. Case goods are looking different – in both function and finish, for example:

• the traditional two-door armoire with drawers below a TV shelf is being replaced with stand-alone armoires and chests which feature more compact display shelves to accommodate appliances such as flat screen TV’s and microwaves
• higher, wider, and fancier headboards to enhance the sleep area – 36 inches to 42 inches high is more popular than 24 inches to 28 inches
• redesigned work desks and seating areas that transform a hotel room into a comfortable “office away from the office” -- for example by using L-shaped desks or desks with built-in shelves, which offer a guest additional storage space
• a much wider range of finishes is available – in colors and styles that are designed to be more stylish, durable, and “like home” – for example, a popular design trend is furniture that coordinates rather than matches, such as in a room with wood end tables, adding a cocktail table in granite or metal as a way of creating special impact or accent

Lighting

Lighting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to complement architecture, save energy, and bring any space to life. Hoteliers typically strive for three types of lighting:

• task lighting – bright, direct light in areas where work takes place, such as reading, computing, or serving of food
• ambient lighting – soft, comfortable general light such as for watching TV or having a conversation
• accent lighting – decorative, emphasis light that creates drama and mood, for example, by drawing the eye to a particular area, architectural effect, or piece of artwork – halogens are often used to achieve this effect

Select styles that are more residential and less institutional – and when appropriate, use lighting as a focal or impact item, while still maintaining required “foot candle” wattage, for example:

• in the lobby, use dramatic chandeliers while in hallways, feature unusual sconces
• in guest rooms, choose from groupings that offer matched wall, desk, floor, and night table lamps – and look for products that feature extra electrical outlets so guests have sufficient places to plug in their phones, computers, and PDA’s
• in bathrooms, use decorative wall sconces and ceiling mounts instead of “boxed” fluorescents and “cloud” lights – but don’t forget bright “next to mirror” vanity lights that are essential for men to shave and women to put on make-up

Summary

There they are – five areas that can help turn a hotel stay into a memorable travel experience. And that can keep your guests coming back.

So let the magic happen!

Amy Locke is director of interior design at Hatchett Hospitality. She works with franchisers and franchisees on a wide variety of hotel brands, styles, and themes – from economy to luxury, from resort to business conference, and from traditional to modern. Previous to joining Hatchett, she held a position in interior design with Ethan Allen Interiors. Ms. Locke earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta. She is completing a degree in feng shuiand is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Ms. Locke can be contacted at 770-227-5232 or Amy@HatchettHospitality.com Extended Bio...

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