Ideas For Great Hotel Lobby Lighting

A hotel is a sanctuary for weary travelers who have been in a car or train for a long period of time. When they arrive, they want to feel welcomed, and one of the best ways to ensure that they are is to have quality hotel lighting, especially where lobby lighting is concerned. Below, we will explore modern lobby lighting and general questions about lobby lights and hotel lobby lighting design for you to consider.

 

Why Hotel Lobby Lighting Is Important for a Brand 

Branding through hotel lighting is one of the easiest ways to leave an impression on your guests. Hotels all have different moods, from a cosy inn to a modern boutique, and lighting can communicate that well.

Your hotel lobby lighting design will go a long way towards showing the personality of your brand. This means it will also make the property stand out against the competitors.

Lighting can also be used to highlight any unique elements of the hotel lobby, which can make them stand out in guests’ minds. Lobby lighting can be incorporated in such a way as to elevate water features, textured walls or interesting architectural details.

Taking care to show off the best parts of the space can further the personality of the hotel. Guests may be so impressed by the design that they may even post photos on social media, which translates to free marketing for you.

No matter what vibe you want to communicate, you want your hotel to come off as warm, welcoming and inviting all the same. Hotel reception lighting will help you do just that. It’s the first area your guests will walk into, so if the lighting is right, they will instantly feel more relaxed and comfortable while they check in.

 

Why is Lighting Vital To Create a Good First Impression For Hotel Guests?

Lighting a hotel lobby is about more than creating visibility. Lighting and guest satisfaction go hand in hand, and you can be sure you’re off to a good start with quality hotel lobby lighting.

Since the lobby is the first area the hotel guests will encounter, it bears a lot of responsibility towards making a powerful first impression. Well-designed hotel lobby lighting can create a memorable and overall positive first impression for guests, which can dictate the quality of their entire stay.

With ample lighting eliminating any dark spots and shadows, you can also make your guests feel safer. Plenty of lighting in the lobby also makes check-in easier since the desk will be clearly visible. When they think back to your property, they will think about how pleasant and easy check-in was.

Lighting has the potential to affect the mood of people nearby as well. By choosing warm lighting arranged in a stylish way, you can help your guests instantly feel more relaxed when they step into your hotel. Since the purpose of the building is rest, that’s exactly what you want to aim for.

 

Tips for Creating Great Hotel Lobby Lighting

There are many directions you can take when choosing modern hotel lighting. The hotel lobby lights you ultimately end up choosing will depend on different factors of the hotel itself. Even so, there are some general tips you can follow to make the most of your hotel lobby lighting.

 

• CHOOSE A GOOD FOCAL POINT. Give your hotel a sense of luxury by adding dramatic pendant lights, chandeliers or other foyer lighting. Entrance lobby lighting that makes a statement will also make an impression on entering guests.

• HIGHLIGHT THE RECEPTION AREA. Hotel reception lighting is one of the most important areas to consider when choosing hotel lobby lighting fixtures. Reception lighting should set the front desk apart from the rest of the lobby while offering enough task lighting for guests to easily see while checking in.

• OPT FOR SOFT, WARM LIGHTING. Hotel lobby lights should be welcoming and easy on the eyes. Choosing lobby ceiling lights that are a warm colour temperature like 3000k warm white light will make the lobby more attractive to your guests while creating a more welcoming environment.

• ELIMINATE THE SHADOWS. Lobby lighting design that prioritizes every inch of space is best. You don’t want any dark corners looming in the lobby and making the hotel guests feel unsafe.

• STICK WITH THE BRAND. LED foyer lighting should be reflective of the overall style of the hotel itself. Modern hotels can benefit from the inclusion of contemporary LED hotel reception lights to let guests know right away what kind of personality the hotel will have.

• LAYER THE LIGHTING. LED hotel lighting is the same as any other kind of lighting plan in that in order to be well-lit, it should be layered. You can use lobby pendant lighting as ambient light. Alongside Hanging lights for lobby spaces, you could also use recessed lighting toward this end.

Choosing accent lighting to highlight attractive architecture or artwork in the space can also go a long way toward creating a mood. Finally, be sure there is ample task lighting above the desk and over any tables or reading areas in the lobby.

Hotel Lobby Design Tips and Ideas

There are many ceiling lights for entrance lobby that you can choose to light up the interior of your hotel. Beyond lighting, there are other ways you can make your lobby stand out to your guests:

 

• CHOOSE AN AESTHETIC. You can pick a colour scheme or style that works with your brand’s personality to give guests a taste of what to expect throughout the rest of the establishment.

• ADD TREES AND PLANTS. Bringing greenery into the space will make it feel more refreshing and natural.

• USE MODERN FURNITURE. Find comfortable modern furniture that fits with the aesthetic of the hotel to give guests somewhere to comfortably sit and relax after a long day on the road.

• CUSTOMIZE THE SPACE. Using tailor-made lobby signs, logos and brand colours throughout the lobby will make the hotel a memorable one while also increasing its attractiveness.

• CURATE A COLLECTION. Give your guests something to look at as they wait to check into their rooms by placing artwork on the walls highlighted by track lights or spotlights.
  

• HIGHLIGHT ARCHITECTURE. If your lobby has any unique architectural features, you can use accent lighting to show it off. You may also be able to turn this into a focal point.

• SECTION OUT THE LOBBY. By creating different zones for desks, such as the reception area, social hangout area, reading area or waiting area, you can give guests the feeling of being “alone together” while having the privacy they want before entering their room.

• ADD SOME BISTRO SEATING. Using matching bistro seating along the front windows can make the lobby feel cozy. Add tables, stools, armchairs and coffee tables to create a welcoming effect.

Choose the right colour temperature. As mentioned, warm colour temperatures are king in the hotel industry. Be sure your lights are warm, welcoming and soft by choosing warm white colour temperatures in the area of 3000K to 3300K.

 

• MAKE AMBIENT LIGHT DECORATIVE. Hotel lobbies tend to have large, open areas with a lot of vertical space. This is a good opportunity to hang oversized pendant lighting to give a more artistic appearance to the lobby.

 

• REMOVE GLARE. By avoiding the use of metallic finishes and other highly reflective elements, you can eliminate any unpleasant glare from hurting the guests’ eyes. Use matte finishes and other materials that can gently refract the light and spread it out instead.

 

• MATCH THE REST OF THE HOTEL. Keep your hotel’s personality consistent throughout the entire property. Use lights in the lobby that match the fixtures, finishes and styles of lights throughout the rest of the hotel. You want them to seamlessly blend in to create a nice transition from space to space.

 

• LEAVE NO DARK SPACES. Be sure that every area of the hotel lobby is lit by including floor lamps, wall sconces or any other source of illumination that will clear up those shadows. Lighting up corners and dark nooks will create a more friendly, lively mood for guests to enjoy.

 

• TURN THE DESK INTO A FOCAL POINT. Use lighting to immediately draw the eye to the desk. Accent lighting behind the desk and plenty of task lighting will make it immediately clear to guests where they need to go to check in.

 

How To Illuminate a Hotel Reception Desk Area

The reception desk is the main point of interest in a hotel lobby. It is also where the tasks in the space take place. For this reason, it should be well-lit and welcoming.

Below are some tips on lighting up the desk:

 

• Use task lighting such as hanging pendants spaced in odd numbers or spotlights over the desk.
• Include some downlights that allow customers to see clearly when signing papers like receipts.
• Wall sconces in the area surrounding the desk can eliminate shadows and facilitate an atmosphere of trust and safety.
• Choose warm white light that draws the customers in and won’t make them feel like they are under a spotlight.

 

Since visibility is one of the top priorities, you should ensure that the reception desk area is bright enough to easily see. Guests need good visibility to sign papers and otherwise complete the check-in process, so having ample task lighting is crucial.

• One of the most popular modern hotel lobby lighting techniques is to include recessed lights above the desk. This not only ensures ample task lighting, but at smaller reception areas, it can also serve as the ambient lighting.

• If you have a cosier style of property, a nice table lamp or wall sconce can create task lighting. Cast soft, but clear, lighting along the reception area to make check-in easy. Whatever lobby lighting fixtures you go for, be sure they all use warm white illumination.

• Create an attractive and eye-catching reception area by zoning it out. Have different hotel lobby lighting fixtures near the reception desk, the seating area and other areas in the lobby to create distinct zones.

• Add backlighting behind the reception area. This will create the appearance of depth while also ensuring employees will be able to see easily to do their jobs.

 

Why Use LED Lighting in a Hotel Reception and Lobby Area?

LED lights are becoming more and more well-known for the many benefits that they offer. Using them in hotel settings can allow you to reap those benefits on a larger scale.

 

LED lights are:

• ENERGY EFFICIENT. Since LED lights output most of their energy as light instead of heat, these lights are more efficient. Not only is this better for the environment, but it is better for your energy bill, too. This is especially important in large spaces where lights are constantly on, such as hotel lobbies.

• LONG LASTING. With their energy-efficient nature also comes a lessened need to replace the lights. LED lights tend to last a minimum of 20,000 hours with some lights lasting for even longer than that, so you can expect them to serve your needs for a long time to come.

• MANY CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS. With the large variety of colour temperature choices you can take advantage of, you can choose just how the light looks.

• CAN BE DIMMED. Some LED lights are capable of being dimmed, so you can adjust the appearance of the lighting over the course of the day and night to suit the environment.

• MANY LUMEN VARIETIES. With LED bulbs, you are in greater control over how bright the area is. You can choose fewer lights with higher lumen counts or more lights with fewer lumens to spread out the light in the way you choose.

 

What LED Colour Temperature Should You Use in a Hotel Lobby?

LED bulbs are an instrumental part of hotel lobby lighting design. One of the reasons for this is the various colour temperatures that LED bulbs come in.

Colour temperatures refer to the warmth or coolness of a given light. They exist on a spectrum measured in Kelvin units with warmer lights near the bottom and cooler lights at the top.

Each colour temperature has its place and time. When it comes to spaces such as hotel lobbies that you want to be welcoming and inviting, warm colour temperatures are best.

Warm white colour temperatures between 3000K and 3300K are recommended for hotel lobbies. This light is warm and gentle on the eyes but still retains a crispness that makes the space easy to see.

Do Hotel Lobbies Need Emergency Lighting?

Hotels, like other businesses, should have emergency lighting to help guide guests out of the building in events such as a fire. Emergency lighting should be installed in all escape routes and common areas. The goal is to make sure the exits are as well-lit as the pathways to them.

There are regulations in place that state that emergency lighting has to be fitted within two meters above a fire alarm. There are other regulations and codes that your hotel may be required to adhere to, so be sure that you get familiar with these issues before planning your emergency lighting.

 

How To Make the Lighting in a Hotel Lobby Area Sustainable

Sustainable hotel lighting grows more and more important every year as everyone does their part to limit their carbon footprints. Green hotel lighting can be accomplished in a few different ways to ensure you are limiting your energy consumption as much as possible.

The most impactful thing you can do to create energy efficient hotel lighting is by using LED bulbs. LED lights use 80 percent less energy than their traditional halogen counterparts. With less use of energy, there is less of a strain on your electricity, and this can benefit the environment.

LED bulbs also last much longer than halogen bulbs. Whereas the latter runs for around 1,000 hours before needing to be replaced, LEDs can go for tens of thousands of hours. You won’t have to replace them nearly as often, so you won’t be adding more waste to landfills.

Adding occupancy and motion sensor controls can also limit your energy consumption. These sensors will turn lights on according to movement or people in the room. Once the area is still and empty again, the lights will automatically turn back off. Lights will only be used when needed, reducing your energy usage.

Intelligent lighting solutions are another way to reduce energy consumption. Like motion sensors, you can use a smart control system to set the lights on a timer. Have them turn on and off at specific times of day or night so they are only in use when needed.

During the day, you can rely on natural sunlight to illuminate the lobby. Incorporate large windows, skylights and other features to maximise the natural lighting during the day.

 

How To Master Layered Lighting in a Hotel Lobby

As you consider various lobby lighting ideas to incorporate, it’s important to remember to layer the lighting. Layered lighting refers to the inclusion of ambient, task and accent lighting to create a well-lit space with no shadows.

Ambient lighting provides the overall illumination for the area. This is often accomplished with lobby pendant lighting, recessed lighting, surface mounted lighting or other types of ceiling lights. If you have a more sophisticated property, you can even include a chandelier to really up the elegance.

Task lighting is light that makes it easier to perform various activities and tasks. Since the hotel lobby is a task-intensive place, this is a crucial layer. Task lighting can be accomplished with desk lamps, wall lights or even overhead lights that sit lower to the desk, such as low hanging pendant lights.

Accent lighting, also known as mood lighting, gives the room some personality. It is used to accentuate unique features in a room, such as architectural details, artwork, water features and anything else that you might want to stand out.

 

How To Use Pendant Lighting in a Hotel Lobby 

Pendant lighting is a versatile style of light that you should be incorporating into your hotel lobby. It can be used in a number of different ways to create both task and ambient lighting.

In the entryway, hang a large, dramatic and artistic pendant light. This will make a statement as soon as the guests walk in and help show off the personality of the hotel or brand identity. It will also take up some of that open vertical space in the foyer so it doesn’t feel so empty.

Speaking of vertical space, you can fill it with clusters of pendant lights instead of just one. Hang a handful of pendant lights at various heights to create visual interest while spreading plenty of light over the area.

On a smaller scale, you can install pendant lights above the reception desk. A line of small pendant lights over the entire width of the desk can not only zone off the desk itself but give plenty of task lighting for guests to sign in.

No matter how you use them, use them as a part of a greater layered lighting scheme. You will want task, ambient and accent lighting in the lobby to eliminate dark spots and achieve a balanced look.

 

Lighting Ideas for Hotel Lighting

 

1. LPL386 10 Watt Modern Round Hanging LED Pendant Light

Perfect for lighting a desk area, the LPL386 10 Watt Modern Round Hanging LED Pendant Light is a quirky, modern addition to any hotel lobby. It has vibrant colour options such as cherry red while also coming in crisp white or black to suit any aesthetic. The light offers an output of 3000k warm white light, and the unique umbrella shape makes the fixture stand out.

 

2. LPL142A 20 Watt Black LED Pendant Ceiling Light

Create a modern industrial look in your hotel lobby with the incorporation of the LPL142A 20 Watt Black LED Pendant Ceiling Light. This light can serve as a bar light over the top of your hotel’s desk and shine ample illumination across the entire area. The black hue blends in well with any hotel aesthetic you may have. It outputs a bright 2000 lumens of 3000k warm white light.

 

3. LDC963 36 Watt Triple Modular LED Downlight Fitting

Stay in control of the angle and direction of your lobby lights with the LDC963 36 Watt Triple Modular LED Downlight Fitting. This fixture features three heads that you can tilt and turn to shine light in any direction you choose at a 38-degree beam angle. The light outputs a total of 2700 lumens in your choice or 3000k warm white or 6000k cool white light and is manufactured using durable aluminium.

 

4. LWA438 12 Watt LED Interior Wall Uplighter Fitting

Brighten up the corners of your reception area, enhance architecture or show off artwork with the LWA438 12 Watt LED Interior Wall Uplighter Fitting. The light is artistic on its own with a flat, horizontal design and the way it washes illumination up onto the wall in a fan shape. Available in black or white, it shines 1000 lumens of 3000k warm white light.

 

5. LBL254 20 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight

Make a statement above the reception desk or seating area in your modern lobby with the LBL254 20 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight. The light is characterized by its geometric appearance, which looks like a honeycomb. The product comes in your choice of black, silver or white and outputs a total of 1600 lumens of 3000k warm white light.