10 Need To Know Hotel Lighting Tips

Hotel lighting plays a key role in the look and feel of your hotel. It can also impact the guest experience and make your property a memorable one they will want to revisit.

Achieving luxury hotel lighting is something any hotel owner can do, and we’re here to offer you some tips to accomplish your goals.

 

1. Make The Most of Natural Light
   

Natural light is an effortless way to improve the atmosphere of the hotel, as well as the guest experience. Natural light has been shown to have a positive impact on people and their moods, especially when indoors. Not only that, but it makes the hotel seem open, more spacious, and airier, which is perfect for modern hotel lighting.

You can achieve higher levels of natural lighting in a few ways, including:

 

• MAXIMIZING WINDOW SPACE. With larger windows installed in the lobbies and guest rooms, guests can enjoy ample natural lighting throughout the entire hotel. Floor to ceiling windows and skylights are great ways to achieve this effect.

 

• IMPROVE EXISTING WINDOWS. By trading out thick drapes for sheer curtains, you can allow more light to pass through and into the hotel. Having adjustable blinds will allow you control over precisely how much light is allowed at given times of day.

 

• OPEN FLOOR PLANS. When building or remodeling your property, prioritise open floor plans. This will give the light more room to move into and throughout the hotel. An easy way to move light through a room without tearing everything down and starting anew is by incorporating glass walls and partitions.

 

• REFLECTIVE SURFACES. Bounce natural light around the hotel using reflective surfaces. Mirrors, light paint colors and metallic finishes on hotel lighting fixtures will reflect natural light around the space and make it seem brighter in an instant.

 

• PLAN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AROUND LIGHT. When building the hotel, be sure to install windows facing the south if you’re in the northern hemisphere. This will allow the most sunlight to enter the room as possible during the day.

 

2. Lobby Lighting Needs to be Impressive and Practical
   

Most property owners primarily think of hotel room lighting as the main thing to focus on when planning hotel lighting. The truth is, one of the most important factors of hotel interior lighting is actually the illumination of the lobby.

Since the lobby is the first place the guest will step into, the lobby is responsible for making a good first impression. Hotel reception lighting can set the tone for the rest of the hotel and give guests a sense of the vibe of the property.

Since a lobby needs to be both eye-catching and functional, it should have all three layers of light that a room requires. This includes ambient, task and accent lighting.

Ambient hotel lighting in a lobby provides the base layer of light. It usually comes in the form of recessed lights, chandeliers and other ceiling lights depending on the style of your lobby. From there, you can add in task lighting. Task lighting in hotels is especially important over the front desk. Here, guests will check into and out of their rooms, so both the front desk worker and the guest need to be able to see.

Finally, add in some accent lighting. Give your hotel lobby a wow factor by accenting feature walls, artwork or architectural details of interest. Accent lighting is especially useful in lobbies with high ceilings.

 

3. Use the Services of a Lighting Designer

Lighting designers are professionals who know the ins and outs of illumination. Hotel lighting designers can ensure that the vision you have for your hospitality lighting design comes to life.

They can put their unique knowledge toward creating a stunning hotel that you will be proud to host your guests in. Their knowledge of current hotel lighting trends will ensure your hotel is trendy and contemporary as well.

Lighting designers have plenty of training and have acquired the necessary skills to apply a broad range of hotel lighting solutions to your property. They are aware of all of the hotel room lighting tips and tricks that can make your establishment stand out above the competition.

A lighting designer will also have a keen understanding of the various types of hotel lighting available. Using their skillset and expertise, they’ll be able to plan and place fixtures appropriately in ways you may not have considered. They’ll be able to transform the property, from hotel lounge lighting all the way to the exterior space.

 

4. Use Quality Light Fittings
   

You will set yourself up for failure if you do not start your hotel lighting design with quality fixtures. Having high quality light fixtures will bring many benefits, from long lifespans to energy efficiency.

Choosing LED bulbs is of course instrumental. They are energy efficient, cost saving and long lasting, making them a vital aspect of your lighting design. But the fixtures themselves that house the bulbs are every bit as important.

You want to be sure you are choosing lights that are durably designed. Choose fixtures fashioned out of high quality, hard-wearing materials such as aluminium and steel.

This is is especially important for hotel garden lighting and other types of hotel exterior lighting. Due to their exposure to the elements, you’ll need lights that are properly IP rated and can withstand rain and sun exposure.

 

5. Use LED light fittings
   

Modern hotel room lighting is simply not the same without the use of LED bulbs. LED bulbs are a modern style of light bulb that pays for itself after only a handful of hours of use. Benefits of LED lights include:

 

• ENERGY EFFICIENCY. LED lights transform 80 percent of their energy to illumination. They do not first generate heat to create light the way LED bulbs do. This makes them remarkably energy efficient. It is a quality that is especially important in hospitality settings, where lights will be on 24/7.

 

• ECO-FRIENDLY. Since bulbs use less energy, they are better for the environment. Using them can help you on your way to claiming you are a green business, which can attract more environmentally conscious guests.

 

• LONG LIFESPAN. LED bulbs are rated to outlast tens of thousands of hours. Compare this to the 1,000 hours or so that halogen and incandescent bulbs are known to burn. This means you’ll replace the lights far less often than you would using traditional bulbs.

 

• COST EFFECTIVE. A combination of reduced energy consumption and a longer life means a reduction in the cost of using LEDs. Not only will you notice a decrease in your light bill, you will also spend less on replacement bulbs over time.

 

6. Don’t Forget to Light The Exterior of the Hotel
   

Chic hotel lighting design doesn’t have to start and stop indoors. You should also extend your attention to lighting to your exterior space.

Exterior lighting plays nearly as important a role as lobby lighting. It serves a number of purposes.

 

Safety Lighting

When road-weary guests see your property from the road, you want to make sure you are creating an inviting scene. A well-lit property will make them feel safer pulling off in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar place.

The car park being well-lit will also make them feel safer leaving their vehicles unattended overnight. This, paired with a feeling of security as they approach your property, will make the space more attractive.

Achieve this by installing pathway lights leading from the parking area to the front door. If you have sidewalks, line them with ground lights to naturally guide the way forward while providing ample illumination to see by.

 

Aesthetic Appeal

You can use your exterior hotel lighting to give a preview of what can be expected indoors. Using ground lights, soffit lights and entryway lights, you can communicate the personality of your hotel before guests even step through the door.

If you have any features like unique architecture, a fountain or anything else that deserves to stand out, you can draw attention to them with accent lighting. This extends to any trees or shrubs you want to attract the eye too.

 

7. Make Sure Corridors and Communal Areas Have Adequate Light
   

For similar reasons that outdoor lighting addresses, hallways and communal areas need to be well-lit. Higher visibility allows guests to easily navigate the space.

This is especially important in corridors that lead to their rooms. Guests need to easily be able to find their hotel suites in dim lighting while they are tired. Besides ambient lighting, one way to achieve this is to use lighted room number signs.

Safety is another key reason to perfect corridor lighting. Guests need to feel secure navigating the halls of the hotels, including the staircases. Well-lit areas can deter criminal activity and ward off any potential  intruders.

8. Make Sure Rooms and Bathrooms Have Functional Yet Relaxing Lighting
   

Hotel bedroom lighting and the bathroom lighting that accompanies it need to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The suite will be where your guest spends most of their time, so it needs to be a perfect blend of practicality and style.

To achieve this, you will first need bulbs with the right lighting temperature. Opt for 3000K warm white light for both the bathroom and the bedroom. This provides clear visibility while also being gentle on the eyes.

In the bathroom, you will need some task lighting to make it practical for use. Vanity lights and shower lights are necessary in this room to make grooming tasks simple. You can add in some accent lighting for hotels here, too. This will allow for mood lighting when taking relaxing baths, or a nightlight after dark.

Modern hotel bedroom lighting would not be complete without a reading light by the bedside. Mounted either on the headboard or the wall, a dedicated reading light makes it easier for guests to relax and wind down before bed. Layer this with ambient lighting so guests can choose how much light they want at a given time.

 

9. Make Sure Lighting Controls are Simple to Use
   

Your lighting controls should be intuitive and easy for your guests to use. While it may be tempting to go for the most modern options available, anything too complicated could be intimidating for your guests and bring about some accessibility issues.

Choosing lighting controls that are accessible to all will make for a more comfortable guest experience all around. Opt for light controls that are easy to understand and operate. Manual switches work well here, especially if you add in dimmer lights.

Using simple switches can also benefit the hotel staff. With easy controls, you won’t have to do any additional training on how to operate them. This provides independence for guests and greater time efficiency for your employees.

 

10. Highlight Architectural and Artistic Features of The Hotel
    

If your hotel has any unique features you want to show off, accent lighting is the way to do it. Using spotlights and track lights, you can draw attention to columns, textured walls and arches.

Place lights close to the wall right at the base of it to graze it with light and show off its textures. If you prefer wall washing, you can instead install sconces against the wall in the center of it. This will spread directional light behind it on the wall, casting a nice, indirect glow.

Furthermore, you can implement uplighting and downlighting fixtures to cast light in an attention grabbing way. This is a common technique near alcoves or tall features. These techniques will also lengthen the appearance of vertical space in the area, making it particularly effective on statues, columns and taller plants.

Finally, you could hotel statement lighting to larger areas that need a little extra sparkle and shine. Oversized, artistic features work particularly well in grand entryways and lobbies.

 

Conclusion

Hotel lighting plays a key role in the overall satisfaction of your guests. From lobby lighting to hotel suite lighting, our guide provides tips to help you get the job done.

 

Hotel Lighting Ideas

 

1. 4 Watt Illuminated LED Hotel Room Numbers

 

Make it easier for guests to find their rooms with the 4 Watt Illuminated LED Hotel Room Numbers. These room signs are fashioned out of high quality aluminium that has a cutout in the front, reading the room numbers. The numbers will be laser cut into the aluminium based on your request. 400 lumens of 3200K warm white light shines behind the plate, illuminating the numbers. Opal acrylic shades project the light backwards as well to create a soft glow across the wall. It measures 162 millimeters in diameter.

 

2. 24 Watt 1000mm Long IP65 Linear LED Wall Washer

Perfect for accent lighting, the 24 Watt 1000mm Long IP65 Linear LED Wall Washer shines a long beam of light along the wall. This light outputs an ultra bright 2800 lumens of light, shining across a wide area at once. Choose from either 3000K warm white light, 6000K cool white light, or a RGB color. The fixture is fashioned out of high quality aluminium given a silver finish and is rated IP65 for waterproof applications. Overall, it measures 1000 millimeters in length and can be linked in a chain or used on its own.

 

3. LWA544 3 Watt Recessed Bedside LED Reading Light

Make your bedroom suites comfortable and functional with the LWA544 3 Watt Recessed Bedside LED Reading Light. These reading lights recess into the wall beside the bed and feature a movable head that you can tilt and twist to the required position. They generate 120 lumens of light that make it comfortable to read by, without causing eye strain. Easily turn it on and off using the simple rocker switch on the rectangular backplate. It measures 160 millimeters by 58 millimeters and fits comfortably by any headboard.

 

4. LWA304 6 Watt Round Decorative LED Wall Light

Enhance your hallways and communal spaces with the LWA304 6 Watt Round Decorative LED Wall Light. This wall light is circular in shape and features an acrylic diffuser ring around its border. 600 lumens of 3000K warm white light shine out of this diffuser, softening and spreading it. Thanks to the diffuser, the light is projected back onto the wall, creating a serene glow. This fixture is durably manufactured from premium aluminium and comes in your choice of either white or black finishes. It measures a total diameter of 120 millimeters.