Incoming trends and brand vision largely influence hotel design. One of the growing trends to impact hotel interior design is the focus on wellness; spiritual, emotional, mental and physical healing – and a desire to find a location that caters to these needs.

Taking its roots from the idea of a sacred space, boutique hotels and destination locations are increasingly offering bespoke areas where guests can sit in quiet comfort and simply relax. These inspirational spaces can range from a simple sitting area to a poolside experience. What they all have in common is the idea of relaxation, balance and a soothing environment

Creating an inviting and inspirational space in your hotel allows you to express how much your brand cares for the wellbeing of its guests. This will position the hotel as a location worth returning to. It demonstrates that the hotel is customer-focused and prioritises guests’ needs.


Creating Your Inspirational Space

To create a relaxing area to unwind, first, you need to choose an appropriate area within the hotel – it’s essential to allocate an area that doesn’t suffer from loud noises or excessive traffic; it is easier to create a tranquil space when you’re not fighting the environment.

The space should not be cluttered. Work with seating and a few table surfaces but try to keep other furniture to a minimum - take a ‘blank canvas’ approach to the design.

How you express your colour scheme will depend on your company colours. If they are already of a relaxing or muted tone or offer sumptuous jewel colours (such as plum, burgundy or emerald green), you may want to work with the colours as they are. However, if the colours are bright and vivid, this will clash against the purpose of the room – and should be toned down. For example, instead of using lime green, opt for a pastel/deep shade. This will still evoke the colour scheme and brand design but in a more relaxed format.

Choice of flooring is vital in this space; it needs to reflect the tone of the room but also make design sense with the rest of the building.

Rugs and carpets should be luxurious and evoke an elegant essence. Itchy or thin carpets aren’t inviting, and not only do they ruin the aesthetics of a room, but they also cheapen the experience of the user.

Fresh flowers and incense add elements of scent to the space and depending on how you use them, can adjust the atmosphere.

Music playing softly in the background might be attractive, but it is perfectly acceptable to have no ambient music – customers are likely to have their own devices on which to play music and can relax with something that matches their own tastes.

How you handle the space of your room will depend on what you want to achieve, but it comes down to having a clear vision and plan for the hotel experience, knowing the needs and wants of your guests, and not being afraid to look critically at how your brand is currently performing.

Taking the time to use your interior design space and brand values to form a harmonious experience will deepen the emotional response of your guests, and make your hotel stand out as a location they want to return to.