Hotel lighting is among the most important factors of hotel interior design. Lighting can significantly impact the overall mood and atmosphere of a place, which is especially important in hotels.
In a hospitality setting that is meant to be relaxing, lighting design is not something that can be overlooked. In this article, we explore hotel room lighting ideas and give you general tips on how to light a hotel room to make your property a memorable one.
Why Lighting Matters So Much for Guest Experience
Lighting plays a massive role in shaping how the guest actually feels on your property. It can influence the overall mood, as well as the comfort and feeling of usability of the space. It is one of the first things guests encounter on your property, and it can set the emotional tone right away.
It can also elevate the overall perception of the quality of the hotel and the suite. The right lighting can show off textures, materials, artwork and more. Subtle accents here and there can impart a feeling of luxury upon the space. This could affect the reviews guests leave on your property.
Because hotels are meant to be a space of rest and relaxation, lighting that is too bright and glaring can feel like the opposite. Warm, dimmable lighting, on the other hand, promotes a more inviting and comforting environment.
Another important factor is the safety and accessibility that quality lighting provides. Low-level lighting helps prevent trips and falls, while illuminated pathways help keep you from getting lost in the hallways as well.
Understanding How to Layer Light in a Hotel Room
In modern hotel lighting design, layered lighting is crucial. It provides a warm and functional space with visual balance. Layered lighting consists of three separate elements: ambient, task and accent lighting.
Ambient Light
Ambient lighting lays the foundation for the rest of the light to supplement. It sets the tone of the entire space and should therefore feel soft and inviting when installed in hotel rooms. Common sources of ambient light include:
● recessed ceiling lights
● LED strip lighting behind headboards
● wall-washing lights in smaller hotel rooms
The main goal is to create a nice base-level of illumination with a warm colour temperature between 2700K and 3000K. Then, you can add on other light layers.
Task Light
Task lighting for hotel rooms provides more focused illumination for practical purposes. Task lighting can come in many forms, including:
● bedside reading lights
● hanging ceiling lights over desks and work spaces
● bathroom lighting over mirrors
● LED lighting in the wardrobe area
Task lighting needs to be easy to operate and should focus on providing direct illumination in task-heavy spaces.
Accent Lighting
Finally, accent lighting puts the last touches on your overall lighting scheme. It takes the lighting out of purely functional territory and into something visually pleasing. Usually, it is used to highlight architectural features, artwork, unique textures and other such visual elements.
Popular accent lighting choices include:
● picture wall lighting
● spotlights pointed at decorative elements
● low-level lighting along skirting boards to provide ambiance at night
Why Bedside Lighting Should Be Included as Part of the Scheme
Since sleep is arguably the main purpose of a hotel room, having the right lights around the bed is crucial. Bedside lighting directly affects comfort and convenience and will impact the guest experience because it is one of the last things they encounter before sleep.
Bedside lighting helps give guests an opportunity to unwind whether they are reading, watching TV or just relaxing in bed. The lighting being beside the bed allows guests to just reach over and turn the light off instead of having to get up out of bed to turn it off.
It is especially useful for hotel rooms being shared by more than one person. With lights on either side of the bed, each person can choose when to have lights on or off. This means one person can get to sleep before the other without having a bright overhead light disturbing them.
Since it is softer and dimmer, a bedside light may also improve the guests’ sleep as well. Without having a glaring overhead light on late at night, falling asleep may be easier, because melatonin production won’t be inhibited. The result is better sleep, which guests are sure to remember about your property.
Why Lighting Controls Are a Vital Element
Of course, the best lighting for hotel bedrooms will always be the kind that guests actually use. The lighting should be easy to operate and access by the guests. It won't matter how beautifully lit the bedroom is if guests cannot turn on the lights without frustration.
Guests should be able to operate the lighting and adjust it with ease. You can avoid confusion and frustration by eliminating any super complex smart systems and rely on more traditional, manual methods alongside any smart functionality.
You could also implement motion sensor lighting placed in strategic locations. For example, having low level bathroom light fittings that automatically switch on when guests walk into the room in the middle of the night.
It is an especially good idea if you have lighting controls that allow guests to dim or brighten the lights according to their preferences. This will help guests personalise their comfort during their stay and make the overall experience more memorable.
How to Use the Correct LED Colour Temperature
LED colour temperature is as important a consideration as the rest of the features of a lighting scheme. It can affect how the room feels overall and how guests sleep, as well as how the decor looks. When you use colour temperature correctly, you can create a warm and welcoming environment that will elevate the guest experience.
Colour temperature, or the perceived colour of a light, is measured in Kelvin units. Lower Kelvin ratings between 2700K and 3000K are considered warm white lighting. Neutral white light sits around 3500K to 4000K, while cool white light is anything over 5000K.
Different colour temperatures have their place. In hospitality environments where you want to create a relaxing, non-aggressive atmosphere, warm lighting is ideal.
Warm white lighting creates a similar mood as natural evening light does, which helps guests to wind down and relax. Alongside promoting better relaxation, it can also enhance details such as fabric and wood. Warm lighting gives off a more luxurious feel that is sure to make the space stand out in your guests' minds.
In bathrooms and offices, you may prefer to instead use cooler or neutral white light. These colour temperatures provide better visibility for completing tasks and providing focus. It provides clarity without feeling sterile and clinical.
Just be sure you are not mixing more than one colour temperature in the same space; this could cause uncomfortable clashing and eye fatigue.
How to Get Hotel Bathroom Lighting Right
Lighting in the bathroom is just as important as the bedroom itself. Guests spend time in the bathroom grooming and relaxing alike, and the light should reflect both. Some of the best hotel bathroom lighting ideas are ones that take both of these functionalities into account.
Modern indoor wall lighting is one of the best kinds of fixtures you can install to that effect. For example, placing vertical wall lights on either side of the mirror can create shadow-free visibility while also providing a soft ambient glow for the rest of the bathroom.
Colour temperature in a bathroom will be a bit different from the temperatures of the bedroom. Bathrooms are task-heavy spaces and therefore need focused visibility and clarity. Therefore, choosing neutral colour temperatures around 4000K will provide light that is bright and visible without being too harsh or washing out skin tones like cooler lights do.
It is also a good idea to choose lights with a high colour rendering index. High CRI ratings that are rated 90 or more provide the most accurate colour rendering whatever the light is shining on. This is especially important around bathroom mirrors, as many people use them for grooming, applying makeup and otherwise getting ready for the day.
Keep in mind that the bathroom is a wetter zone than other locations in the hotel. For this reason, you should be using waterproof lights. IP65 rated lights or higher are recommended in shower areas, while IP44 is suitable for general zones in the bathroom.
Conclusion
Getting your hotel lighting right can play a massive role in the overall guest approval at your property. If you want happy guests who recommend your hotel and return when passing through, lights cannot be overlooked. Above, we've discussed different elements of hotel lighting, as well as how best to incorporate them onto your property.
