It takes a lot of work to run a successful hotel, and there are so many things to consider. Hotel owners have to think about room service, the front desk, marketing strategies, and also be able to adjust for seasons that might be busier than others. It requires knowing your audience, attracting the guests you want, and making sure your rooms stay booked.
One of the most overlooked aspects of a hotel is figuring out the right lighting options, which can be costly to your business.
Risk of Poor Lighting at a Hotel
There are a lot of consequences of poor lighting at a hotel. If a hotel has dim lighting, it can feel depressing and unwelcoming, and your guests might not have a comfortable experience. Lighting that is too bright is also a problem as it can be disorienting.
If your hotel has poor lighting, it might even lead to something worse than just a negative guest review. Safety concerns can arise if, for example, there is inadequate lighting in a specific area like a stairwell.
Here are some tips to avoid these risks and ensure your hotels have stellar lighting.
Ten Tips for Stellar Lighting
1 Go Green
There are more travelers and consumers than ever before that are interested in a more sustainable lifestyle. If you decide to go with energy-efficient lighting, it can end up being a great marketing point and part of your overall advertising strategy.
2 Ask for Staff Input
Your staff will have to deal with the lighting, so they should have a say in how bright the lights are, and you should know what makes them the most comfortable. Remember that areas where transactions take place should be well-lit to maximize visibility and minimize human error. Your kitchen will also have to be well-lit to ensure that food is prepared correctly.
3 Think About Variation
Some sections of the hotel should be brighter, while other parts of the hotel should have more ambient lighting. Figure out what lighting system works the best, and make sure that you research how and when the lighting for each room should vary.
4 Safety First
It doesn’t matter what kind of mood you are going for: some parts of the hotel have to be lit for safety purposes. These areas include staircases, hallways, and parking spaces.
5 Consistent Maintenance
You may not think much about lighting until a large part of your hotel suddenly has massive lighting issues out of nowhere. If this happens during a busy weekend, it can be quite a disaster. This is why you should ensure that your lighting system is maintained consistently. It can prevent massive lighting issues in the future.
6 The Ceiling Matters
The ceiling of a room plays a critical role in how light moves around, so keep this in mind. For example, a lobby with a high ceiling requires much different lighting than a hallway with a low ceiling.
7 Stay Flexible
The lighting in many of your rooms should be adjustable because there are all sorts of different situations to consider. Your hotel lighting should adjust for things like natural light, the type of event that is happening in a specific space, and making sure that guests have enough light to be comfortable but not so bright that it seems impersonal.
8 Set The Mood
One of the great things about hotel lighting is that it can often help guests “feel” a certain way. Whether your hotel is known for its romantic getaways or being a nightlife attraction, use your lighting to help communicate that message more effectively.
9 Get Creative
Some of the most unique hotels in the world are also incredibly successful. You can take the opportunity to experiment with your hotel lighting and make a statement – whether it’s through modern lighting, energy-efficient lighting, or old-school chandeliers.
10 Think About All Areas
You might have focused on the lighting in a specific area, only to find that you haven’t really thought about other areas of the hotel. Guests want to move through a well-lit hotel at all times, so adjust your hotel lighting strategy to ensure that all hotel areas are considered.
GCE National understands the importance of hotel lighting and how it relates to your brand and hospitality standards.
Click here to find out more about innovative hotel lighting systems.
