A welcoming hospitality room can be a major draw for a hotel, especially if they rent out the space for things like conventions and business meetings. Many conventions are yearly, so if a business can make an appealing space that attracts the interest of a variety of clubs and hobbyist groups, hospitality rooms can be a big source of repeat income.
The Importance of a Welcoming Hospitality Room
There is significant focus, and with good reason, on guest rooms when discussing hotel decor. However, a hospitality room (or even a hospitality suite, for larger facilities) is something else that needs to be considered.
This is where guests might socialize and do business. It is also often rented out for events, where a good impression is especially important. Whenever possible, a hotel should aim to make guests feel welcomed in a space and like their wants and needs are being met to the best of a facility’s abilities. This helps both get repeat business and justify more expensive services.
Ideas to Make Hospitality Rooms More Inviting
On some level, hospitality rooms should be customized depending on the types of clients a hotel is likely to attract. At the same time, there are many ideas to make a room more inviting with a broad enough appeal that they’re at least worth considering:
1. Keep Things Cleanly
If guests believe a hotel is not clean, it can be extremely off putting. It should essentially be a default assumption for any hotel that all spaces open to guests should be kept tidy and free of garbage, dust, and other mess. An environment doesn’t need to feel sterile, but it should be a place people feel they can socialize in and potentially eat in without any risk of getting dirty or, worse, sick.
This might be an obvious, baseline assumption, but it’s also critically important. If a hotel isn’t meeting this standard in any guest-facing areas, it should change that immediately.
2. Decorate in a Safe, Inviting Style
Decorating a space so it feels inviting can be more complicated than it first seems once you realize different people can have very different tastes. Consider modernist decor; it has many fans, but others may find it sterile or odd, at least when taken to the extreme. With this in mind, a good defaultin terms of decorating is to create a space that can serve its intended purpose, help guests feel comfortable, and has a few pieces that draw attention without being too striking or distracting.
For a typical hospitality space, some couches can give guests an obvious, comfortable space to sit. Additionally, a hospitality space will often need a nice table and accompanying chairs (although the ideal size of the table will depend on the size of the room and how often people actually conduct business and other types of group meetings in the space).
Art is also worth considering. Landscapes and depictions of animals are a good neutral choice, as it’s rare that a person won’t appreciate such a piece even if they prefer a different style. You can also add a plant or two, such as an African violet or aloe vera.
3. Make the Space Customizable
If a hotel intends to rent out its hospitality room, they should have some options for guests who may wish to customize the space. For example, you might add the option to temporarily remove some or all furniture, so guests can better utilize the room. Depending on your storage capabilities, you can also do the opposite, having some furniture available to put into the room at the request of the people renting the space, such as a television, projector, larger meeting table, or whatever else is likely to come up.
It can help to ask guests what they would like to do with the space. While this won’t necessarily allow you to serve their needs immediately, it can help a business understand how they can invest into a space to further its appeal. For example, you might learn that themed events often happen in the space. If you then invest in some decorations, especially those that a typical guest is unlikely to have themselves, that could win you a lasting client (potentially multiple if it’s for a common theme, like birthdays or Halloween).
4. When Available, Show Off the Space
A hospitality room, when available, should be mentioned to guests. If you only rent the space, ask if visitors have any interest in learning more about it. If the space is often open to any visitors at no additional cost, walk them through it. Many people who rent at a hotel don’t explore the available options and amenities on their own. Even if something doesn’t get used by a guest, even being aware that it was available can help make a hotel seem more accommodating and expansive.
Alsco Uniforms Services
Like so much in the industry, making a hospitality room feel welcoming is largely about considering who might use the space and how to appeal to them. Making a space feel warm, prioritizing comfort, and decorating in a way that’s visually interesting but not too distracting can go a long way toward that goal.
If you’d like help keeping a space clean and ready for guests, Alsco Uniforms would love to serve you. Read about our facility services here or how we can provide a business of any scale with the linens it needs. We offer complete laundering services, laundering linens and uniforms through our sustainable, convenient, and highly scalable processes. Contact us to learn more.