Boost Sales in Your Hotel by Creating a Cozy Atmosphere in the Lobby

When you run a hotel you are always looking at different ways to boost sales. Noticing trends and taking advantage of them is crucial to attracting new business and encouraging former guests to return for another stay at your hotel. One of the big trends today is in developing a cozy atmosphere in your hotel. Creating a casual space where guests can congregate and socialize or people can meet and discuss a business deal, makes your hotel more popular.

There are many opportunities to transform your hotel’s public spaces into cozy areas that encourage social conversations and interactions. Take a look at your lobby.

The lobby is the most obvious place to start because every guest passes through there anytime they enter or leave the hotel. You may have a few chairs and a table or two in there now. People may sit in those chairs while their spouse is checking in at the front desk, but they don’t hang out there. One thing you can do is to create group seating areas.

It all depends on the size of your lobby. If you have enough space, use it to encourage people to gather. Make sure you have a WiFi enabled lobby where people can use their electronic devices. You could set up some tables and chairs where people could work while sipping a cup of coffee. Some hotels like the Marriott and Sheraton are improving sales by turning their lobbies into great rooms where they serve wine or local craft beers.

When people feel comfortable, they stay longer and order more drinks or food items. 

Another area that you can turn into a casual meeting space is outside around the pool or patio area. Put up some tables with umbrellas and have a light menu for poolside dining. People like casual places where they don’t have to dress up in a suit and tie.

Your hotel can boost sales by encouraging people who are not hotel guests to come and use some of the facilities. Making some of your public space available to both guests and people who just want a nice place to meet with a friend will improve your hotel’s reputation.

There are many occasions where one might want to meet to discuss business. If, for example, you are a real estate broker and want to talk with a client before looking at houses, it might be convenient to meet in a hotel. The atmosphere in a hotel is different than it is in a restaurant. Create that cozy atmosphere and you will attract more people to your hotel.

When you do something extra like providing a place to gather and socialize, people notice. Guests that visit your hotel will see that you offer something that other hotels do not offer. Hotels are places where people like to feel at home. If your hotel creates a warm and friendly atmosphere, people will tell their friends how nice of a time they had. Word-of-mouth alone can get you more guests in the future.

You always have to make a decision of how to allocate your resources to best improve your hotel. Creating a cozy atmosphere does not have to involve a major renovation. The trend is toward casual and cozy places in hotel lobbies and other spaces. Working to achieve such an atmosphere will pay off in more sales.

A must read from The Washington Post

• Hotel lobbies boast new designs and amenities to encourage guests to hang out