Top Tips For Designing A Welcoming Hotel Reception Area

The reception area is the first hotel space that guests experience. It’s where residents will meet staff for the first time and can be the difference in making sure that a stay at your hotel gets off to a great start. Therefore, it’s vital that your reception not only creates a fantastic first impression about your hotel’s values and personality, but that it’s practically organised and able to handle the needs of all visitors.

There are lots of factors to consider when planning your hotel lobby, from a well organised hotel reception desk to comfortable seating and beautiful interiors featuring colours, lighting, and decorations. In this post, we’ll help you to navigate your journey through these design decisions to make sure your hotel can give every single guest a warm welcome.

Assessing Space and Layout

The first step in creating a beautiful reception area is to assess the available space. You’ll need to consider how the area is going to be laid out, and how it can offer the optimum efficiency for all guests and staff.

Choose the Right Reception Desk

A hotel reception desk is the first point at which guests and staff will interact, so it’s important that it matches your hotel’s character. The hotel lobby reception desk you pick should also include space for staff to be able to complete their duties, and ample room to allow customers to sign any check-in documents.

• Our range of bespoke hotel reception desks are the perfect way to make sure you can get something that exactly matches your needs. Bespoke desks can also come in a range of colours to match your hotel design and branding.
• A high standing desk can provide extra privacy, but you might consider having a reception desk with a lower portion to make sure that your check in process is inclusive for all clients, including those with accessibility needs.

Comfortable and Inviting Seating Options

A reception area should be a welcoming space, and full of comfortable seating for those waiting to check in, or meeting others, or simply relaxing!

• Think about fabric choices carefully. Leather is a sophisticated, and versatile, choice as it is easy to clean and very durable, but soft wool is superb if you’re looking to make a warm, cosy space.
• Fill your space with a range of seating options. Chairs with arms offer comfort and practicality, while sofas make a relaxed space. Back to back sofas are especially good to maximise available seating while saving space.

Lighting and Ambience

Lighting is another fundamental design element to make a space feel inviting. Try to maximise natural light in your reception area and balance this with task lighting (for example a lamp to read by), overhead ambient lighting, and accent lighting to highlight certain areas, for example the hotel reception desk or stairs.

1. Avoid glaring overhead lights and opt for pendant lights to soften interiors.
2. Go for fixtures which match the overall style of your hotel.
3. Lamps are an excellent alternative to add soft light, and have the advantage of being portable so you can change up your lighting options.

Design Elements and Aesthetics

Making a memorable first impression comes down to more than practical elements. It’s also important to show off your hotel’s individual character with cohesive design details including a carefully selected colour scheme, and finishing touches like artwork and plants.

Colour Schemes and Wall Finishes

Colour is one of the first things that people will notice about a space. Light colours make rooms feel more spacious while darker colours make interiors feel more intimate and elegant.

Blue and green are some of the most popular colours to choose when decorating a space as they both invoke feelings of calm and tranquillity, ideal to create a relaxing hotel atmosphere. Pastel shades of cream, pink, brown, and grey also provide a subtle palette and can be accentuated with a splash of bright colour.

1. Think about pairing complementary colours, such as blue and orange, and green and red, for a visually striking look.
2. Add metallic elements to enhance a soft colour palette.

Artwork and Decorative Elements

Adding artwork to your hotel reception space not only adds extra interest, but helps your hotel to show off its unique personality. There’s also evidence that artwork can support positive mental wellbeing, and choosing pieces by local artists, or that have a local connection, can help to introduce guests to the local spirit and culture of your location.

• Vintage prints are a fantastic addition to classically decorated hotels.
• Use a mixture of mediums, from paintings and photographs to sculpture and textiles, to produce areas of visual interest for your customers to enjoy.

Reception Desks >

Plants and Greenery

Including plants in your hotel reception not only creates a relaxing atmosphere but can also help to purify the air, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Succulents, such as cacti, have a striking appearance but you could also consider ferns, palms, or trailing vines for a really appealing display. They’re both also easy to look after too, if you’re not green-fingered!

Incorporating Technology

New technologies are emerging all of the time and the hotel industry is no exception. Many hotels are now turning to technological solutions to provide a seamless guest experience.

Digital Check-in and Information Kiosks

Digital check-in systems offer a speedy and simple welcome to your hotel. They can also free up staff, allowing them to deal with any other issues quickly. Information kiosks are another brilliant option to offer guests a first class experience.

• Choose a digital check in system with a variety of language and accessibility options.
• There are now a huge variety of digital check in options available so it’s easy to pick one that complements your hotel reception design aesthetic.

Charging Stations and Connectivity

With so much of our modern lives revolving around technology, providing guests with charging stations and connectivity options is a fantastic way to make sure guests can do what they need to do with no stress. Have a look at our Spaceist Low reception chairs for a designer style armchair that also comes with optional USB charging capabilities.

Whether your hotel is a country house manor, or an all inclusive resort, the tips outlined in this post will help you to make a welcoming hotel reception that leaves your guests with an outstanding lasting impression.

You can contact Spaceist to find out more about our range of reception furniture, from small hotel reception desks to stylish reception chairs.