Hotel Lighting

For many locations, lighting is about more than improved visibility. For example, hotel lighting needs to be able to create a certain atmosphere that is welcoming to guests to make them feel at home. When choosing hotel lighting, here are a few tips that might make it a little easier to navigate.

• Choose lighting based on the area. Lighting is never one size fits all, especially at a location as varied as a hotel. For the lobby area, walkways, and any exterior lighting, you want to choose options that are bright and cooler in temperature. This type of lighting will make guests feel safe. Many hotels that choose dimmer lights in these areas give the impression of having something to hide. Bright lights are much more inviting and will put guests at ease about their stay. In contrast, the lighting in guest rooms should be much more varied and softer. Choose warmer temperatures to create a vibe similar to what guests have at home. When lighting is too cool in temperature scale, it can come off as chilly or too formal.

• Mix and match lighting for the best results. While the communal areas of a hotel will benefit from general lighting the most, in private areas such as rooms, lighting should be varied. There should be a variety of lighting levels and types within a room. For instance, there should be task lighting that is focused on a singular area such as reading lamps, sconces by the bed that provide a gentle source of general light, and overhead lighting that provides visibility when first entering the hotel room. The bathroom is another area that works well with a mix and match approach. The lighting over the vanity should provide brightness without much shadow while recessed accent style lighting is appropriate for the shower area.

• Choose energy efficient options for hotel lighting. While fluorescents were once the perfect solution for this area of lighting, LED has replaced it for several reasons. LED lights offer higher lumen outputs per watt of energy consumed so they will save on utility costs for years. They also have a long average life rating with some bulbs lasting anywhere from 50,000 hours to an impressive 100,000 hours. They also burn at cooler temperatures to avoid driver or other internal components failing due to overheating.

• Consider adjustable lighting. Adjustable lighting is a great way to give your guests some extra control over the lighting in their home away from home. You may also want to consider installing timers in public areas to help lower lighting costs.

• Plan light switches carefully. Consider the comfort of the guest as you plan how they will operate the lighting. For instance, never put the switch for a wall sconce located above the bed out of reach. You want to make it as easy as possible for your guest to control the lighting in their room. For public areas, the goal is to place lighting controls out of access to guests, especially small children. Consider placing controls higher up and in employee access restricted locations.

Finding the right solutions for a hotel setting doesn’t have to be difficult. As long as you keep your guests in mind, this can be one of the easier areas of lighting design to master.