citizenM Miami Worldcenter lobby

The Transformation of the Lobby

The hotel lobby has many functions: it’s the ultimate first impression, the beating heart, a branding opportunity, a check-in point, a meeting place… the list goes on. In 2021, in the midst of the global pandemic, Architectural Digest posed the question, ‘is the hotel lobby dying?’ The question came as the pandemic shifted the check-in process to contact-free and mobile-based practices. Some years later and the hotel lobby has certainly continued its mutation but, if anything, has achieved new strengths. Read on to learn the many roles this multipurpose space is now adopting, and see the lobby as…

A bar

Iconic locations such as The Country Club, Lima, Peru, have always offered more than a simple space to check-in. Their lobby bar, Bar Ingles, was once a favourite of literary legend Ernest Hemmingway. The bar is still going strong, securing the title of Best Bar in Lima at the gastronomic Summum Awards, 2022. 

A living room

Modern hotel chain citizenM launched 2008 in Amsterdam before expanding across the world, eschews lobby staff for self-service check-in machines. They style their lobby equivalent as ‘the living room’, furnishing the warm, friendly spaces with closely arranged seating and art by local artists. Guests can also take advantage of free high-speed Wi-Fi to use the space to work. Additionally, they can use the 24/7 canteen to meet, eat and socialise. citizenM recently opened a location in downtown Austin, Texas, United States and plans to continue expanding.

An art gallery

A buzzy new hotel has opened in the super luxury sphere in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Rosewood has been constructed on the site of a former maternity hospital, Cidade Matarazzo. The ambitious rejuvenation project balances a homage to Brazil, an ambitious biodiversity program and a rich art collection. The hotel features more than 450 artworks across various mediums including painting, textiles, sculpture and tile work, all specially commissioned.

rosewood sao paulo art collection featured in a guest corridor
Rosewood Sao Paulo boasts an expansive art collection featuring over 450 artworks

Alexandre Allard, the man behind The Rosewood and the extensive development around it, claims the hotel only used materials originating from a ‘green supply chain’. Sustainable FSC-accredited wood supply company Tora Brasil sourced Amazonian wood for use throughout the hotel. This included a 12-ton log serving as a bar and the six columns displayed in the hotel’s lobby, known as the Drop-off. Guests can drive directly into the underground lobby, where they will find the Art Lobby to one side and a boldly modernist bar to another.

A lounge

The private members’ club and hotel chain Soho House also plans to open their first South American location on the Cidade Matarazzo development. The location comes hot on the heels of their first Latin American location, Soho House Mexico City, in Colonia Juárez. The location is more member’s club than hotel, with just four bedrooms situated upstairs. The first room that members and guests encounter as they step through the doors of the old colonial building is not so much a lobby but an inviting space known as the Salon. The Salon is converted from the original building’s living room. It contains a check-in desk but the primary features include artwork from local artists and boho-chic furnishings in jewel tones.

A cultural hub

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Panama, Panama City, is another newly opened hotel with a strong sense of place embedded in its design. Located in Casco Viejo, the city centre and UNESCO world heritage site, the lobby speaks to the long history of the region. The space is filled with artwork, a giant map and ships’ lantern centrepieces. The design is not just a silent feature – staff walk you through the art and the history on your arrival.

A multifunctional space

If Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Panama imbues its lobby with a strong sense of the past then the Marriott City Centre, Charlotte, North Carolina is looking firmly to the future. The Marriott uses this location to pilot features they may wish to roll out to other locations within the brand. The lobby, known across the brand as the ‘Greatroom’ at one time featured a booth that could measure your mood. They describe their public spaces as ‘multifunctional’ and ‘tech-enabled’. Their check-in process is mobile-based and can transform your phone into your room key. The lobby is also studded with workspaces providing access to high speed Wi-Fi.

An open air sanctuary

For ultra-luxurious all-inclusive camping resort Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, the lobby sets the tone for the completely new approach for the Four Seasons brand. The resort is based in Punta Mita, Mexico, expanding on an existing Four Seasons site. The Naviva has done away with many of the trappings of a traditional hotel or all-inclusive resort in favour of a customisable boutique experience. From the moment guests arrive at the lobby – reimagined as an open air pavilion – their experience is unique to them. The site is transaction free and there is no check-in. Instead guests are offered their choice of drink and given their room ‘key’, which is in fact a beaded wristband.

Want more of this?

Check out the Hotel & Resort Design South blog for more design insights and the latest industry updates. Hotel and Resort Design South is a hotel product-sourcing and networking platform for those involved in the design of hotels and resorts in the South and LATAM regions. The next event will be taking place on 3 – 4 June 2025 alongside Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

What to read next

Two hospitality interior designers smile as they discuss trends

The HRDS Future Leaders Program Launches!

An artist's render of the new Ritz-Carlton hotel on the beach of Cancun, featuring plenty of glass and balconies to make use of the natural light and views across the water

The Ritz-Carlton returns to Cancun in 2027

The rooftop terrace of the Yoo2 hotel with it's views across the bay of Bofatogo and Sugar Loaf Mountain

Hilton Continues Rapid Expansion in Brazil with Debut of its 20th Hotel