Illuminate the home
away from home
Whether a boutique getaway off the
beaten path or a prominent, go-to desti-
nation, every hotel has a personality. The
best destinations – like the best people
– are those that make us feel welcome,
important, and cared for. They are the
ones that offer us a unified, unique
experience at every turn and in every
space, from the lobby to the bedside
table. They connect with us without
overwhelming, anticipate our wishes
(sometimes better than we can our-
selves), and understand when we need
guidance and connection and when we
prefer to be left alone to recharge.
A hotel – a microcosm designed to meet
nearly every one of our daily needs in a
single space – has to make dozens of
experiences feel like a single, complete
one. It’s no easy feat. On the one hand,
each space has different demands. The
lobby needs to have distinct areas for
greeting guests, other areas for lounging,
and others still for informal meetings or
group gatherings. The guest rooms also
need to offer distinct work, sleeping,
bathing, lounging, and dressing areas. In
between, the amenities – from the gym,
pool, and sauna to the café and restau-
rants – need to rejuvenate while energi-
sing and meeting expectations from
around the globe. Transitional spaces
like elevators and hallways – often an
afterthought – are in fact essential liai-
sons that connect the various experienc-
es and offer a sense of place, not of just
another generic passageway.
We want to feel at home – all while
having a memorable experience worth
writing home about. And the power of
lighting is that, across all these distinct
spaces with distinct purposes, it makes
that contrast possible. Softly lit pendants
and floor lamps in the lobby distinguish
one area from the next and signal what
is expected of us in each space. Well-lit,
inviting circulation spaces and confer-
ence areas make it easy to find our way
and connect with others. In restaurants,
directed light over tables shows us at
our best while making it easy to scan an
unfamiliar menu. And in the guestrooms,
soothing wall, floor and table lamps
allow us to curate our own perfect home
away from home with light.
When a hotel design is able to set the
right mood in all these scenarios while
ensuring a seamless flow from one
space to the next – and when every
touchpoint aligns with what we expect
from the hotel’s personality – we know
we’ve experienced something special.
Lighting is essential to making the
journey complete.
